Episode 2 of Clare Crawley’s season of The Bachelorette delivered one of the worst group dates of all time, but did any of the men close the gap on early favorite Dale?
We’ll be recapping each episode and ranking all the contestants weekly on FTW.
1. Dale
Last week: 1
It’s abundantly clear that Dale’s already got this “season” with Clare wrapped up. One of the major flashpoints of Episode 2 was the start of the cocktail party after the first group date, where a small awkward silence led Clare to question whether the group of men assembled (which included Dale) wanted her enough. As Clare waited for someone to immediately steal her away, Dale said or did absolutely nothing – yet somehow emerged from the night with an even greater lead on the pack.
clare if she had to wait 10 seconds longer for someone to pull her to the side #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/2KcAG15Adj
— onlymalebachelorfan (@malebachelorfan) October 21, 2020
Bennett stepped up to have the first interaction with Clare, but Clare quickly ditched him to go vent on the rest of the group. Another read of the situation could be that she simply wanted to find an excuse to spend time with Dale, the only man she’s interested in. She even had a gift planned for him – she brought out the blindfold from the group date and put it on Dale, and then had a passionate make-out session.
The episode preview spoils that Dale and Clare may sleep together as early as Episode 3, so we’ll hopefully be meeting the new Bachelorette sooner rather than later.
2. Jason
Last week: 4
Jason, the former NFL lineman who revealed he’s dropped 105 pounds since leaving football, scored the first 1-on-1 date of the show – but it wasn’t a “date” as much it was an “extremely heavy therapy session.”
The setup for the date was preposterous. Clare, seemingly tipped off by the producers that Jason had some emotional baggage, told Jason that she sensed he used humor to… mask sensitive personal issues he needed to work through? They shared a cathartic scream together to relieve stress, and Clare then had Jason write down hurtful words that have been used to harm him in the past.
These are not topics or conversations that people have on a first date, or in what may have been the second or third conversation they’ve ever had. This would have felt over-the-top as a final four date late in the season, let alone Episode 2.
Am i watching #TheBacheloretteABC or Clare and Jason’s first couple’s Telehealth therapy appointment?
— kac_a_dia (@kac_a_dia) October 21, 2020
Jason, to his credit, was willing to be vulnerable, and earned a rose for his troubles. They closed the date by burning the dress Clare wore on the finale of Juan Pablo’s season.
3. Blake Moynes
Last week: 2
After being shut out in the strip dodgeball group date, Blake Moynes blatantly violated show protocol by showing up at the winners’ cocktail party to have a conversation with Clare.
He interrupted Jay’s time with Clare, which led to all five men on the winning team storming back to confront Blake. Clare defused the situation… and later rewarded Blake at the pre-Rose Ceremony cocktail party by pulling him aside and preemptively giving him a rose for his bravado.
Many of the guys at the resort are already starting to feel uneasy over the Dale situation, and Clare rewarding Blake for breaking the rules is only going to lead to chaos.
4. Eazy
Last week: 3
Easy began his cocktail party conversation with Clare by rubbing her feet, which Clare remarked was “very thoughtful.”
Unfortunately for Eazy, he isn’t Dale.
5. Riley
Last week: T-8
Riley, a true gentleman, is arguably putting in more effort than anyone else to impress Clare, which leads me to believe that he’ll be a favorite for whoever replaces Clare as The Bachelorette.
After blowing up on Yosef, Riley made the most of his conversation with Clare by sharing a prom-style slow dance and asking her what she’s looking for in a husband – smooth moves that earned him the group date rose.
6. Chasen
Last week: 24
Chasen didn’t impress in Week 1, but he earned a surprise group date rose after the strip dodgeball game by opening up to Clare about being bullied over his height as a young man.
7. Zac C.
Last week: T-8
Zac had a deep conversation with Clare during a cocktail party, during which Clare opened up about being in an abusive relationship during her first run on The Bachelor, and finding her voice on the show.
8. Bennett
Last week: 22
Bennett is surging up the Bachelorette Power Rankings not because he has a shot with Clare, but because he’s the type of larger-than-life character this show needs once a season. He’s absolutely going to be taking all 10 pairs of loafers to Sayulita for a spell in Paradise, and I can’t wait.
Aw come on Clare, at least Clark Kent was trying to save you from that awkward silence. #TheBachelorette #BachelorNation pic.twitter.com/0TBj69Muik
— The Digress (@the_digress) October 21, 2020
9. Ben
Last week: 7
It was a quiet week for Ben, who was put on the spot as the first to speak in the first group date, but did a solid job in expressing his “love language.”
10. Kenny
Last week: 6
Kenny was mostly a non-factor in Episode 2, but I want to point out a quote from Clare that illustrates just how ridiculous and inappropriate the strip dodgeball game was.
“Look at Kenny’s ass. Just take a good look at it!”
Stay classy, The Bachelorette!
The Bachelorette producers “What about a naked dodgeball date?” #TheBacheloretteABC #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/RwxaQzhZm2
— Nicole Christine (@NicoleHalvo) October 21, 2020
— The “guys who are just hanging around for a new Bachelorette” division —-
Clare isn’t even really trying with most of these guys, and as a result, many of them aren’t getting camera time.
T-11. Brendan
Last week: T-8
T-11. Ed
Last week: T-8
T-11. Blake Monar
Last week: T-8
T-11. Demar
Last week: T-8
T-11. Garin
Last week: T-8
T-11. Ivan
Last week: T-8
T-11. Jay
Last week: T-8
T-11. Jordan C.
Last week: T-8
T-11. Tyler S.
Last week: T-8
T-11. Zach J.
Last week: T-8
21. Joe
Last week: 5
Joe was on the winning team of the dodgeball group date and was one of only five men spending time with Clare at the cocktail party afterward, yet we saw zero footage of Joe interacting with Clare. That’s not a good sign!
22. Yosef
Last week: 31
Yosef has established himself as the villain of the season, and made a serious tactical error when he said Clare was “crazy” to think all of the men aren’t here for her after the awkward silence incident. That earned him plenty of criticism on Twitter.
Yet Yosef made some great points about the dodgeball date after several men showed up near-naked following their “walk of shame.” It was classless, and yes, while there have been exploitative dates on The Bachelor in the past, producers would never tell a group of women that the game is over when they aren’t wearing any clothes.
23. Brandon (eliminated)
Last week: T-8
Brandon was caught in a lie during the cocktail party, when he told Clare that when he found out she was the Bachelorette, he knew he had to be on the show. Clare asked him to elaborate, and Brandon revealed that he didn’t know anything about her personally, other than that she’s a beautiful woman. When she pointed out the contradiction, all Brandon could muster was “you’re just so beautiful!”
Clare wisely decided on the spot that she was no longer interested in him, and asked to walk him out.
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