Arie - Blog Posts
The Bachelorette - Episode 6 Recap
The world traveling continues this week for Emily and her noble man-harem as they take over Dubrovnik, Croatia. As the numbers dwindle, relationships and “connections” are growing stronger and the real players of the game are breaking ahead of the pack. Based on the previews this looks like quite the week in drama (and in kissing), so let’s jump right in.
Dubrovnik looks like something out of another century with all its Old World beauty and integrity. Emily is sad that Ricki had to go back to Charlotte, but she is here to figure her sh*t out this week. The men continue arriving via unique modes of transportation and pull into the port city by boat after sufficient oogling and ogling all the beautiful sights on the Adriatic coast.
Emily pops into the dudes’ suite to announce the dates. I already want to kill Ryan for his slime face, but Travis (remember Shelly?) gets the date! He is so excited and relieved. They will be exploring old Dubrovnik together and doing many special touristy things.
After wandering and arm holding like best friends, they come upon a thing called the balancing stone. Emily reads from a card out of frame that if you can stand on it and remove an item of clothing, you will be lucky in love. So, the two of them monkey around for a solid couple of minutes trying to accomplish the task, “Come on, we are not leaving here until one of us is lucky in love!” Emily is disappointed that Travis didn’t take his shirt off on the stone even though she(the producers) gave him the perfect set-up! Real talk though, she has got to cool it with all the being alone forever freaking out. She’s got this.
When they come across a jaunty street musician Emily remarks, “All with just three strings!” to which Travis replies, “YEAAAAHHH!!!!!” and then twirls her. He is a man-child. They do a little line dance which is silly and dorky and a little embarrassing for Americans, but good for them for managing to have fun.
The men are debating Travis’ prospects in the suite, but the important thing is the TANK TOP RYAN IS WEARING YOU GUYS. First of all, it might be on backwards. Second of all, it’s a white TANK TOP, not an undershirt. It has the weirdest neckline, and it offends me. I am offended by it. Ryan is convinced Emily prefers his bad-boy to Travis’ goofball saying “I am that bad boy. My mean man can come out on the football field. I miss him sometimes…” Your “mean man”? What the eff?!
Up in a castle high on the city walls, it has begun to rain, but that won’t put a damper on the “dinner” portion of Emily and Travis’ date. Travis hasn’t had very much screen time, which I think is a shame. He seems like a really sweet and funny guy. When Emily asks about his engagement, he opens right up and honestly responds to all her pretty revealing questions. I don’t think that the two of them have the full romantic love Emily wants, but he is definitely a great guy.
I also like him because after their soul-baring conversation he says, “I’m sorry. I hope you weren’t hungry because we haven’t had a bite.” THANK YOU! Nobody wants cold Croatian food! I’m beginning to think she made them agree to never film her eating in her contract.
John, Doog, Sean, Jef, Chris, and Arie are all on the group date that obliquely states, “Lasting love requires bravery.” Most of them obviously wanted the one-on-one and are especially upset that Mr. Cocky Butthead Ryan gets the precious Emily time. He villains himself in a Bentley-esque way saying that he can always turn on the charm and get the girl. Yikes.
Back in the castle, Emily picks up the rose and tells Travis how much she likes him as a person, but that the romance just isn’t there. She isn’t giving him the rose, and he is the picture of a gentlemen while being so, so sad. He is so ready to find love and sheds some tears on his way out. Travis is so distraught that he throws away his umbrella and leaves it on the street. Poor Travis. Maybe he can go pick the pieces of Shelly back up and start a life with her.
Group date time! It is a gorgeous day as the men meet Emily in the center of town for a special screening of “Brave” the new Pixar movie! I am so jealous! Someone quips to make sure “It’s not Shakespeare”. The men can’t help but compare Princess Merida’s situation to Emily’s with all her suitors. This is amazing that the producer’s managed to provoke them into having those thoughts!
Now that the film is over, the men change into KILTS to compete in some Highland Games! I love this. The producers have thought up the best ways to both embarrass and test these men. They seriously look great in kilts. “Last week it was a dress…this week it’s a kilt,” bemoans Arie while Jef beams, “I’m in the middle of Croatia. Wearing a skirt!” The two of them are possibly my favorite contestants in Bachelorette history.
The next strange mode of transport is the donkeys on which the men arrive at the Highland Games battlefield. In a confusing mix of cultures, Croatian men traditionally ride donkeys into battle, so that’s how they arrive at the mock Scottish festival. The dramatic music picks up as the men perform feats of strength. Archery! At which Chris fails and Sean excels. The caper(log) toss! At which Chris fails and Sean excels! Something else that sounds like “made leashk” which is akin to a tug-o-war with a stick rather than a rope! At which Chris fails because he chose to challenge DoogSMASH and Sean ultimately wins! But lo and behold, Chris wins the bravery award for giving it his all despite losing. Sean is bummed out that he was such a man that even the Scotsmen dressed as medieval knights were impressed and still didn’t get a rose.
For the cocktail hour, the men begin to display their emotional feats of strength. Everyone is gunning for the date rose to assure Emily they miss her and like her and want her body, etc, etc. Arie makes amends for what happened in London as they take a walk in the city. And then he kisses her against an ancient city wall, and it’s spicy. It is…hoo boy, y’all. Good stuff. They…like each other.
Jef the Elf King gives Emily his jacket for warmth because he is a noble beast, and he tells her, “You give me the type of feeling that people write novels about.” They are snuggled up like two little puppies and make out a little after giggling and then he says, “Can I tell you a secret? I’m freaking crazy about you.” Which is unfair because WHAT ABOUT US, JEF? WHAT ABOUT WE? All kidding aside, those two are adorable and great. But is Jef the man for her long-term for life?
Chris gets the date rose tonight. I do not get it. She seems to really like this guy even though to me he has no personality. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: he looks like Sam the Eagle!
Now that it’s time for Ryan’s date, the men let loose about what they think of him. It takes him hours to get ready. When Emily picks him up, Arie is viscerally disgusted by his sweet talk. “The world is our pearl…no, oyster. See, I’m always seeing the positive in things. The world is our oyster, but you’re my pearl.” All the guys die laughing after he leaves.
He and Emily drive up into the mountains and then go oystering. I think if the date was with another person, it could be perfect. It looks like fun even though Emily spits her oyster right back into the water. But Ryan just talks and talks and talks and talks and talks about God a little and then calls Emily a trophy and talks more. She is conflicted about him and “goes back and forth hourly” with him.
At dinner Emily is in a glittery and sparkly gold dress that is just stunning. Ryan is wearing turquoise shoes that are barf-tastic. She is being feisty with him and keeps pushing how dearly she hates the trophy thing that he keeps! Bringing! UP!
Ryan wrote some more for her because his million page letter from week two wasn’t enough. This time it’s twelve qualities he’d like to find in his wife. Emily is really turned off and levels with him that she feels the pressure to be perfect around him.
So, she picks up the rose and lists his good qualities, but says about his list that “at the top of my list would be a loving family, not a perfect one”. She knows that they just want different things ultimately. And then she does the best thing she could do for herself and doesn’t give him the rose. He is silent. Shocked. Then he tries to convince her otherwise and says she’s making the wrong choice. He turns into a huge dick about it, actually, because he’s not such a master manipulator as he thinks. We cut to commercial as it looks like Emily might take back her decision!
The men are debating whether or not he’s coming home. None of them want him to come home for sure. But back on the date, Emily still holds strong and does not give him the rose. Thank goodness, thank goodness, thank goodness. She is a strong woman who knows what’s right for her and her child, and girl, trust all of America, this was the right choice. The men literally celebrate that he’s been cut.
Does anyone else think the streets of Dubrovnik look really shiny? They look slick and shiny. Speaking of slick, Ryan’s leaving wish is that the producer’s do a good job portraying who he truly is as a person and “not some arrogant ass”. Well, there’s a problem there Ry-ry. Who you are is some arrogant ass, and the producer’s did a great job showing you for just exactly that. They also did a great job showing all the stray cats of Dubrovnik. Seriously, so many cats roaming those shiny streets and some camera-guy got silly about it.
Arie surprises Emily at her little home! He wants to make sure she’s alright and assure her that she made the right choice re: Ryan. Probably also he wanted to sneak into her bedroom because those two need the fantasy sweet STAT. Arie also needs chapstick. His lips look a little ashy. She gives him the rose in jest, just to assure him he’ll get one the next night. Then they smooch. Somebody needs to hose them down. HOLY CRAP the way those two kiss. At the end of the night, Arie thinks He’s definitely in love. D’AWWW. Get thee to the fantasy suite!
The rose ceremony begins and we hear the first words out of Wolf’s mouth. This poor guy. He’s probably not a bad dude; he just did not have what it took to be a player in this game. She knows he’s on the bubble along with Doogle. Oh no, John gets choked up showing Emily his grandparents’ funeral cards that he keeps with him to remind him of love and family. That’s lovely. They kiss in a very family-at-Thanksgiving way. Huh. Could he have made it over the bubble?
Doog and Emily’s alone time is awkward. He is really shy and needs to make a move. He fumbles a lot and is a little self-deprecating. She is trying to push him to be the man she knows he can be. But at the end, he didn’t make any progress and failed to convince her I think. To the other guys’ point, this guy is in the final six! She is not gonna freak out or puke or reject him or something if he makes any physical advances!
The rose ceremony is upon us now! Emily is physically torn about the decisions she has to make this week. Ryan’s words to her last night are resonating that she shouldn’t just give up on even a chance of something great.
Emily calls Sean, Jef, and Arie, but lo! She cannot make her final call and walks right out of the room silently. She gives the rose back to Chris Harrison and walks into the ceremony to say she couldn’t give out the final rose. PSYCH! Chrarrison brings in an EXTRA rose so that she can keep the two guys around a little longer and see where things go!! This girl plays the game by her own rules, and I respect that. Both men are totally relieved, but I have to wonder how long either of them can really stay in this game.
Next week they are headed to Prague! Again, I’m super jealous because, wow, Prague is beautiful. There is kissing, kissing, fireworks, scenery, sweeping city shots. And apparently Arie used to date one of the producer’s and he finally comes clean! Yowza! Stay tuned for the love and the drama next week. May you all make strong connections on your journey til then.