Rose lovers, it’s finally the beginning of the end. This week, Peter is meeting the families of the final four: Madison, Hannah Ann, Victoria and Kelsey. To say the least, the round of hometowns is anything but pleasant as the Delta pilot travels to Alabama, Tennessee, Iowa and Virginia.
Although this season has caused an unwarranted amount of frustration, hometowns are surely the icing on the cake. Peter has no problem ignoring all the red flags from women, and even after being warned about a toxic connection, he continues to make the same decisions (*cough mistakes cough*). Once again, he has the option to do the right thing and chooses to keep the drama around. Let’s break it down. Here are some highlights you may have missed from the latest episode of The Bachelor:
Axe-throwing in Knoxville with Hannah Ann
First up is Hannah Ann. Peter reunites with the model in Knoxville, Tennessee. Before he can meet the family, Hannah Ann says she needs to “make a real man” out of Peter, which translates to teaching him how to throw an axe. His axe-throwing skills are little to none, but he does manage to pull off one bullseye.
Peter returns a favor to Hannah Ann — presenting with his own “Things I Love About You” list. Highlights included, “The way you wrap your legs around me when we hug” and “The giggle you make when you think something is funny.” It didn’t seem too in depth.
It’s time to meet the family, and Peter comes prepared with flowers. Of course, Hannah Ann’s mom is already crying. “Seeing the emotion in her family … It’s beautiful to see,” Peter says. We all know about your crying fetish, Peter.
Dad is anything but impressed with The Bachelor and is questioning his true intentions with Hannah Ann. The two sit down for a chat as Hannah Ann’s dad, Rick, begins asking Peter valid questions, such as if he is planning on picking Hannah Ann over the “other women.” Peter dances around the question and only manages to drop a classic, “I’m actually hoping to tell her tonight that I’m falling in love with her.”
Rick isn’t pleased with the comments and begs Peter to not “waste his words” until he actually means it. Peter, choosing to do whatever will encourage the most drama, decides to tell Hannah Ann anyway. She responds by saying she’s fully “in love” with the pilot.
Stomping grapes in Iowa
Apparently there’s wineries in Iowa. Instead of drinking wine together, Peter meets Kelsey in her hometown to make it instead. Kelsey brings Pete to Summerset Winery, where the couple spends their date stomping grapes. Peter applies a cringe-y metaphor about his relationship to Kelsey, saying “the aftertaste always leaves you wanting more.”
After a few glasses of wine, Kelsey confesses, that she, too, is “in love” with Peter. He says absolutely nothing. Big yikes.
Peter meets Kelsey’s extremely blonde family over dinner … and more wine. Oddly enough, there was no talk about #ChampagneGate. Beth, Kelsey’s mom, is even scarier than Hannah Ann’s dad as she warns Peter, “Don’t break my girl’s heart. Do you understand?” Well, we all know Peter will manage to screw that situation up as well.
Shooting his shot with Madison
Peter’s third stop is Auburn, Alabama, where he meets Madison at her alma mater. She takes him to the Auburn Arena, where Madison’s father coaches basketball as well. The couple is greeted by a message on the jumbotron from alumnus Charles Barkley, who cautions Peter that he better treat Madison “right.” Coach Bruce puts the couple to the test with some basketball drills. Yes, Madison absolutely smokes Peter on the court.
Later, Peter meets the Prewitts over dinner. Madi gets the family “special plate,” which means everyone around the table gives her a compliment. Things get tense when Tonya, Madison’s mom, pulls Madi aside for a chat. “You seem really happy, but I just don’t know,” her mom doubts. She continues to ask Madi how honest she has been with Peter about her “specific faith decisions.” Then, we get a rather large piece of information: She’s saving herself for marriage. And no, Peter has no idea. With fantasy suites upon the horizon, this far-too-delayed conversation could result in some major potential drama.
Madison’s dad doesn’t seem to be giving his blessing, and Peter neglects to properly ask, similarly to the previous hometown conversations. But until all the other dates, Peter admits that he is “in love” with Madison, something he hasn’t told the other three women.
Victoria is downright toxic
The Jaws theme song is already playing, rose lovers. For the last hometown date, Peter travels to Virginia Beach for Victoria, and clearly, it’s going to be a disaster. The two stride along the boardwalk and take old-fashioned photos just for kicks. Victoria claims she’s at “ease” in her hometown, saying, “I feel like I can finally be myself around him.”
Victoria surprises Peter with a Hunter Hayes concert. Surprise, surprise, he isn’t one of her exes! However, he does sing very appropriate lyrics: “I don’t want it easy. I want it crazy.” Then, everything goes sideways.
Merissa, one of Peter’s exess shows up to warn him about Victoria F. She is vague at first, telling him, “I think you’re a great guy, and I don’t really think you deserve what you’re on a date with right now.” Merissa eventually cuts to the chase, saying Victoria F. has homewrecked several relationships. The best part? He doesn’t even seem shocked.
Riddled in confusion, Peter decides the best move is to confront Victoria moments before meeting her family on the steps of her parent’s house. He simply asks her about Merissa’s comments, and Victoria immediately gets defensive and starts attacking Peter. She lashes out at him, yelling, “You literally just came here to act like that? Are you kidding me?” Peter reasonably insists he needed to know the truth before meeting her family, and she threatens her desire to leave the show due to the drama.
At this point, she has secured herself as a toxic person that Peter just cannot seem to let go of. And yes, it’s getting old. After storming away from the camera and sobbing in the dark, Victoria returns to manipulate Peter once again and, of course, he falls for it.
“I really didn’t come here trying to attack you. I’m sorry for that because that’s not what I was trying to do,” Peter tells her. Victoria goes onto tell her how disappointed she was in him after she was finally getting “high hopes” and wanted to tell him she was “falling in love.” She plays a classic Victoria move, constantly victimizing herself and Peter constantly making a fool of himself. In fact, he doesn’t end up meeting the Fullers.
At rose ceremony time, Hannah Ann and Madison receive the first two roses by default. In a shocking turn of events, (aka Peter’s lack of common sense) he gives Victoria the third rose. Kelsey gets the chopping block, but we’ll definitely be seeing her in Paradise. As for Peter, do better.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
