Bachelor Recap: We’re Halfway There

By: Juliana Marie Swift

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.

And just like that, we are halfway through the season! There’s a lot to unpack from last night's episode, so let’s get right into it. 

The episode began with everyone in the house the morning after last week's rose ceremony, talking about what they think was going to happen for the rest of the season.

We finally got some Gabe screen time, and found out he’s actually been interested in Savannah and would like to get out of the friendzone with her. So, does that turn our love square into a love pentagon or hexagon at this point? This came as a big surprise considering we haven’t seen much of Gabe at all, let alone any Gabe/Savannah interactions. We also saw that, no surprise here, Sheridan is still all in with Julia. However, Julia and Brandon had a little coffee talk and reinforced my disdain for the both of them. 

Brandon told Julia that he’s glad she’s still there. Brandon let her know that he knew Sheridan would give her the rose so she’d be safe either way, but he didn’t want Savannah to go home and that’s why he decided to give his rose to Savannah. This way, he got to keep both of his girls around (if at this point you aren’t seeing how Brandon is a total player, I don’t know what else to tell you). This reassured Julia and then she said in her interview that she was crazy about Brandon. Oh honey, we know. 

Then, Chris Harrison came in to set some new ground rules. He told the cast that, “everything is about to change”––there would be no new arrivals from here on out. Who’s there, was there. He then informed everyone that this show is first and foremost about finding love, so from now on: serious relationships only. Chris Harrison told them to start having serious conversations within their couples because if they’re not in a serious relationship, or not serious about taking the next steps in their relationship (trying to last outside of this, being exclusive, etc.), then it was time to pack their bags and head on out of the house. 

Bri and Chris, Natascha and Ryan, Danny and Bekah, Rudi and Matt, and Trevor and Jamie were all feeling great. None of them were really worried because they were all pretty solid and content with each other moving forward. 

We saw Gabe struggling because he wanted to move forward with Savannah, but she was obviously with Brandon. Sheridan, blind to his partner's love for another man, was feeling pretty confident about him and Julia. Then, all of the girls were talking in their room, and Julia decided to tell them all about her and Brandon and how great of a connection they had. Savannah was clearly hurt by this, so Julia and her had a one-on-one chat about what had been going on. 

Julia and Savannah talk it out. //Photo Credit: ABC

Julia, only telling half-truths, explained to Savannah the conversation that she had with Brandon earlier that morning about how he picked Savannah because he knew Julia would still be safe. Julia said she was “concerned” for Savannah and Sheridan’s feelings, which was a lie. Julia’s true colors started to show in this episode and we saw just how manipulative she is. As the audience, it was clear to us that Julia was interested and wanted to be with Brandon, but was just settling with Sheridan because Brandon––time and time again––chose Savannah. Julia was being manipulative and jealous, and it was so frustrating to watch. 

Savannah was extremely hurt because she only wanted to go through this journey with Brandon, which made sense. While Savannah was in the middle of crying on the couch, Gabe came in, not to comfort her, but to profess his feelings to her. This seemed sweet, but it honestly just added to Savannah’s stress. He said he didn’t want to go through this journey with anyone else, so it’s either Savannah or no one. This was a lot of pressure to put on the girl, but I understand he wanted to get his feelings off of his chest. She basically told him it’s only a friendship for her, which meant that Gabe had to leave. He handled it very well––better than Savannah seemed to handle it. Gabe then ended things with Ruby and they both went home. 

Then, Savannah had a big breakdown because she thought she was going home. She figured Brandon was going to want to continue the journey with Julia, but also because she inadvertently sent one of her best friends in the house home. 

Later, Savannah and Brandon had a talk. She told him that she just wanted him to be honest with her and if he had been, she would’ve understood. Brandon then defended himself, apologized for not being 100 percent honest, and said he wanted to give it a shot with Savannah and continue this journey with her. He was honestly doing well until he said, “So, do you wanna do this, or do you wanna go home and cry?” Not sure why he thought saying that was a good idea, but it must’ve been her type of humor because she laughed and agreed to continue on this journey together. 

Julia heard that Brandon and Savannah were together and you could literally see the jealousy in her eyes. 

Chris Harrison came back AGAIN––twice in the same day, how fun! He told them this time that each couple would be given a song to perform, in front of an audience and a panel of judges. They would be judged on musical talent and overall romantic chemistry. And the big twist: from here on out, the judges would be deciding which couples would stay and which couples would go. The last couple standing at the end of all of this will work with a producer, record original songs together, and tour together. Truly every musician's dream! This aspect will hopefully show how a musical connection can help their romantic connection grow even more. 

After the talk with Chris Harrison, Julia really started struggling, and said that being with Sheridan just didn’t feel right because, “What I had with Brandon is what I’m missing with Sheridan.” While Savannah and Brandon were rehearsing their song, Julia was watching from afar, obsessing over them. She clearly still had feelings for Brandon. Thus begins her downward spiral. 

You could tell Julia was just jealous and being so immature because she couldn’t handle the fact that Brandon wanted to be with Savannah and not her. So, along with settling with Sheridan, she also tried to sabotage Savannah and Brandon’s relationship. She went around talking about how fake Savannah was because Brandon and her were now showing more PDA then they used to. Not sure how that correlated, but it just further showed Julia’s insecurities and jealousy. 

Julia confronted Savannah. She let Savannah know that she wanted to leave because of her and felt that Savannah was being disingenuous with Brandon. Savannah stood her ground and said her relationship shouldn’t affect Julia, which I agree with. If you’re truly content with Sheridan, then why would Savannah and Brandon be affecting you so much? Savannah explained that now that the two of them were officially exclusive and more serious, they’re both more comfortable with each other; and the music aspect has only strengthened their bond. So, of course, they’re going to be more affectionate and show more PDA now. 

Julia started to act like she was the victim in the conversation, and said she felt attacked by Savannah and clarified that she didn’t have feelings for Brandon anymore. Even though Julia couldn’t seem to stop talking about him or comparing what she had with him to what she had with Sheridan. I see right through you, Julia! I’m pretty sure everyone, except Sheridan, does, too. 

Chris Lane and Lauren Bushnell talk to a couple on a date. // Photo Credit: ABC

Bekah and Danny got a date card and they were strong from the beginning, but we never actually got to see them interact so I was excited to see what their connection was really like. Their date was a styling session with stylist to the stars, Rebecca Mink. Overall, it was a cute date, but it seemed like Danny was way more into Bekah and that she was struggling to let herself be in a relationship. When they got in the pool after the styling portion of the date, Danny tried to go in for a kiss. Bekah pulled away awkwardly and said she just needed to take things slow.

Natascha and Ryan also got a date and they went to watch Chris Lane perform at the House of Blues. For those of you who might not know, Chris Lane is married to Ben Higgins’ (Bachelor #20) ex-fiance, Lauren, and they are one of the cutest and most loving couples ever. Natascha and Ryan then got to perform on stage with Chris during the song that he wrote for Lauren when he proposed to her. It was honestly really adorable and intimate to see Ryan and Natascha bond over performing and gushing over each other, especially during a song that’s filled with so much love.

Ke$ha, Jordan Rodgers, JoJo Fletcher, and Jason Mraz judge the couples. // Photo Credit: ABC

Performance night arrived and the judges were there to judge on musical performance along with romantic chemistry. The judges were Jason Mraz, Kesha, and Bachelor icons, JoJo and Jordan. 

Rudi and Matt performed first and they sang “Fallin’ All In You” by Shawn Mendes. It gave me chills and I thought showcased Rudi’s voice a lot more than it did Matt’s, but that’s also what made it so good. Matt really kept the melody of the song and kept Rudi grounded, which is what he seems to do in their actual relationship. I thought it was really great, especially for the first performance. The judges loved the performance and felt like the two were still at a point where they were getting to know each other, which was pretty accurate. 

Next was Chris and Bri, who sang “Beyond” by Leon Bridges. I didn’t think it was the best song to showcase both of their voices together, but overall it sounded nice. You could tell that Bri was really nervous because she was playing more into the crowd, whereas Chris literally didn’t look at anything or anyone but Bri for almost the entire song. They still make me cringe a little bit, but I also think they are a very good match and a super strong couple. The judges enjoyed their performance along with Chris’ obvious love and affection for Bri. 

Bekah and Danny sang “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers, one of my personal favorite songs, and their rendition was actually pretty good. Their voices sounded really soothing together, but you could tell there was something off with their chemistry and the judges picked up on it. The judges unanimously felt like they had a really strong friendship, and but feelings may not be reciprocated considering Bekah pulled away from a kiss from Danny at the end of the song. Spot on, judges, spot on. 

Savannah and Brandon were next, and Julia was still huffing and puffing about their relationship. They sang “I Want You to Want Me” by Cheap Trick. I, personally, wouldn’t consider this classic to be a “love song,” but I understand what the producers were trying to do here by picking a song with that theme. Honestly, I felt like they had pretty good on-stage chemistry and I didn’t really agree with the judges who said it felt like they were still getting to know each other and figuring things out. To be completely honest, it was hard to focus on what the judges were saying because Julia continued to bash on them during the performance.  

Naturally, Julia and Sheridan sang next. They sang “As Long As You Love Me” by the Backstreet Boys. It was here that I realized how great of an actress Julia is because if we, the audience, didn’t know better, we’d think she was actually into Sheridan based on that performance. However, we do know better, and we know that while Sheridan has “love in his eyeballs for Julia” (Kesha’s words, not mine) the feeling isn’t reciprocated because Julia is still into Brandon. If Julia was truly content in her relationship with Sheridan, then she wouldn’t feel the need to bring up Savannah and Brandon right after she got feedback from the judges. 

Natascha and Ryan perform. // Photo Credit: ABC

Natascha and Ryan were my saving grace at this point. Their performance of “Stay” by Rihanna was fantastic. There was so much passion and sexual tension in their performance. They had so much on-stage chemistry, I thought they were going to jump on each other right there in the middle of the song. They’re both so talented, and while I feel like this was definitely more Natascha’s style than Ryan’s, I thought it still worked really well for both of them. The judges had basically the same thoughts and Jason Mraz said he thought Natascha’s going to make it big, so Ryan better watch out. 

Jamie and Trevor went last and they sang “I Could Use a Love Song” by Maren Morris. Jamie was extremely nervous leading up to the performance, but it was really beautiful. The song really showcased, not just how talented she is, but how much she’s in love with Trevor. She literally had puppy dog eyes for him. I still don’t trust Trevor. I forgot he was even singing because I think his voice is rather mediocre and the song was really meant for her, but overall it was a really solid performance for both of them.

Jaime and Trevor talk to Chris Harrison after their performance. // Photo Credit: ABC

After they finished, Chris Harrison came up and asked Jamie why she’d been so emotional. She explained that she’s had a lot of insecurities over the years and has found it hard to love herself and accept love, but this process and Trevor have really helped her through that. The judges praised Jamie and felt like the two had a really great performance that showcased love. Jamie was so happy that she literally rolled around in the grass after, which was really endearing and cute. 

Finally, it was time for the rose ceremony. The couples received roses together, according to who the judges thought had the strongest connections. Those couples were: Jamie and Trevor, Natascha and Ryan, Rudi and Matt, Chris and Bri, Julia and Sheridan, and Savannah and Brandon. This meant that Danny and Bekah were leaving the competition. Their connection just wasn’t strong enough in the eyes of the judges, and they left the mansion in separate cars. 

In the preview for next week’s episode, we saw that the Julia, Savannah, and Brandon drama will continue, as will the performances. Next week’s judges will be Andy Grammer, Toni Braxton, and Rachel and Bryan from season 13 of the “Bachelorette.” Although I must say I’m not really excited to see more of the Julia drama, I’m eager to see the couples who are progressing and making real connections.