'The Bachelorette' episode 11x10 recap: 'Week 9'

Shawn vs “The Other Guy” aka Nick
Last week, Shawn went to Nick's room to confront him. After constantly gossiping about each other, the two finally came face to face. After yet another “to be continued”, we begin this week’s episode in the midst of the fight. Both men confess that they hate each other; Shawn calls out Nick for being fake and accuses him of being phony and having ulterior motives. On the other hand, Nick accuses Shawn of bragging about being Eskimo brothers with a country singer. With all the unnecessary drama going on, I hope Ben wins this! Nick and Shawn are just so petty. The constant bickering and backbiting makes them both seem insecure and childish.

Only three men left! Last week we saw Nick and Kaitlyn go on their fantasy date, where they reconnected after all the awkwardness that was caused by them sleeping together. This week Kaitlyn embarks of the other fantasy dates, and she also gets to meet the families of the final two contestants.

Easy Breezy with Ben
Ben and Kaitlyn begin their date by going horseback riding, an all-new experience for Kaitlyn. They also have an adorable moment with the cutest/hairiest donkeys, don’t ask, just go watch. Ben and Kaitlyn's relationship seems very easy breezy. They spend their time focused on each other and don't really bother talking about the other guys. Though they have a connection, it’s clear that she isn’t as into him and she is the other two guys, well, it’s apparent to me. Maybe it’s the age difference? That being said, they enjoy dinner at a beautiful castle, spending their time kissing, and talking, but mostly kissing.

But can you golf?
Though it is obvious that Shawn and Kaitlyn have a connection, they haven’t had fun in a while. So on their golf date, they finally get a chance to let loose. They enjoy a day of friendly competition, and towards the end, Kaitlyn makes Shawn streak, and while his clothes are lying on the floor, she steals them and he chases after her. It’s nice to watch everyone have fun after the stressful past few weeks. It’s great to see Kaitlyn laugh again.

Kaitlyn confronts Shawn about all the drama that has been transpiring between him and Nick. Kaitlyn also asks Shawn about the “Eskimo Brothers” situation. Shawn becomes visibly heated as he defends himself. As always, things with Shawn are complicated. Never a smooth night with him.

Shawn vs Nick Part 2
When Shawn returns from his date, Nick is waiting to confront him. Nick feels the need to talk to Shawn again because, during their prior argument, he felt ambushed and didn’t have the opportunity to say his peace. However, Shawn has other ideas: During their conversation, Shawn doesn’t allow Nick to even get a word in. After numerous expletives are exchanged, Shawn tells Nick to leave his room, and that’s that.

The Last Rose Ceremony
Before the rose ceremony, Chris Harrison asks Kaitlyn if she’s worried about Shawn’s jealous tendencies. Chris is concerned that maybe Shawn’s behavior is not just brought on by the show, but maybe that it is just Shawn’s real persona. Honestly, Shawn’s jealousy and insecurities definitely set off a red flag in my mind, what do you guys think, is it just the show, or is he really a jealous guy?

Kaitlyn gets emotional during the last rose ceremony, walking out and speaking to Chris Harrison who manages to comfort her. When she returns, she gives the first rose goes to Nick. I know everyone watching must be cringing, but I’m happy, I think they have the strongest connection, plus I like Nick, maybe it’s because I didn’t watch Andy’s season, but to me, he seems like an alright guy. The second rose goes to Shawn, which is no surprise since he was a frontrunner from the very beginning. If you read any of my other posts, you will see that I, and well, maybe every other person watching the show, predicted that Shawn and Nick would be the last men standing. Ben is heartbroken, but leaves like a gentleman, simple saying “I’ll miss you”. You will be missed Ben. I think that Ben is definitely the frontrunner when it comes to finding the next Bachelor. Though my loyalty lies with Jared, all signs point to Ben getting it, and by all signs, I mean social media. He’s young, and a little too poetic and wordy for my tastes, but he’s a looker, and he’s polite and kind, so I could get on board if he is chosen.

After the conclusion of the rose ceremony, Kailyn exits the room, leaving Nick and Shawn standing in the most awkward silence imaginable. The camera lingers as the men stand quietly in the room; the tension palpable even through the TV screen.

Time to Meet the Families
First up is Nick! Nick’s family are apprehensive because they have seen him go through this before. His mother breaks down in tears because she is afraid that he will be blindsided and heartbroken again. Even his little sister starts crying, in a tear-jerking moment. It’s clear that the whole family really took it hard when Nick didn’t end up with Andy. Watching these people with their families is so eye-opening. When you’re engrossed in a show with so much drama, it’s easy to forget that these are human beings, with families, emotions, pasts, heartbreaks etc. So for all of you “social media thugs”, have some empathy. They are real people! Each family member seems to really connect with Kaitlyn. She has a great conversations with Maria, Nick’s older sister, Nick’s 3 brothers, his little sister Bella, and Kaitlyn also has great conversations with Nick’s mother. After the tough conversations, Kaitlyn really seems to fit in great with the family. The family, especially his mother, see a great connection and excitement between them, something they didn’t really get to see with Andy. During this time Nick reveals to Kaitlyn that he loves her.

Next, Kaitlyn gets to meet Shawn’s family. Kaitlyn isn’t able to meet Shawn’s mother as she is unable to make it, but she gets to meet his father and his older sisters. Kaitlyn handles the “third degree” from the sisters very well, and the sisters really like her, which was a necessity for Shawn. Shawn’s father expresses his concerns that maybe the relationship is just physical, but Shawn reassures him that their relationship is much deeper than that. After meeting Shawn’s family, Shawn also confesses that he loves Kaitlyn.

With both days going to well, Kaitlyn seems more conflicted than ever.

My concerns (not that you care, but I'll give them to you anyway): It has always seemed so weird to me that this show doesn’t seem to explore real life issues such as money, where they’re going to live, are they willing to move, where they are going to raise their children, careers e.t.c. All the things that it takes to make a long term relationship last. Look, I’m no fool; I understand that those types of conversation may not garner as much juicy gossip, I also get that maybe they just don’t know each other well enough to have such talks, but I believe that if the show took it there, the success rate of relationships that were formed during the The Bachelorette would be much higher. Ok, venting session over .

Next week! The men tell all. Just when I got the taste of Ian out of my mouth.

See you then!

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