‘The Bachelor’ Episode 5: Toronto, Romance & an Oscar-Worthy Performance (RECAP)

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Clayton Echard is the technical “star” of The Bachelor, but it’s the villainous Shanae who’s been stealing the show so far in Season 26. And this week’s episode proves just that, with the start of one of those notorious 2-on-1 dates leaving Shanae and mortal enemy Genevieve’s fate on the show hanging in the balance.

But first, the contestants finally can stamp their passports as they head to Toronto for another jam-packed week, including a “toasty” group date with comedian Russell Peters.

Let’s dive into what happens during Week 5!

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Serene Opens Up t0 Clayton

After last week’s episode ended with trophies smashed, Clayton and Serene’s beachy 1-on-1 date comes as a breath of fresh air. The two get the entirety of Pleasure Pier to themselves for a day full of fun rides and good times. Who knew Clayton would be the type to get nervous on rollercoasters?

 

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Their day is as sweet as the ice cream they eat, and they head into the night in high spirits (after literally being high up on the swings). Halfway through the season, Clayton is taking his dates more seriously, and he needs to figure out if his physical chemistry with Serene can develop into a lasting relationship.

At dinner, Serene breaks out of her comfort zone and opens up to Clayton, telling him about the losses her family has gone through over the past few years. Having lost her grandmother and younger cousin recently, she pushes through tears and recalls some of her favorite childhood memories. It’s clear she feels comfortable thanks to Clayton’s “kind eyes,” and he feels the same (so sweet!). Calling it “the best day,” Serene ends the night with a rose in her hand and Clayton in her arms.

Shanae’s Elimination Escape

Time for another rose ceremony! Needless to say, the girls in the house are done with Shanae’s shenanigans, hoping that tonight will be the end of her reign of terror. Unfortunately, we already know she’s sticking around until the 2-on-1 date later on, so let’s see how she escapes the truth this time!

Clayton interrupts the girls’ bickering and pulls the winning “Bachelor Bowl” team aside to figure out what happened the night before. He was unaware of Shanae’s strong language and trophy-throwing, and he goes to talk to her next. The others start getting giddy about the house villain possibly getting the boot, but their happiness is short-lived.

How Clayton continues to look episode after episode still giving Shanae a rose #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/M7CL8gv3HF

— Shania (@Shayyy_99) February 8, 2022

In an interesting move, Shanae doesn’t sugarcoat what she did, choosing to tell the Bachelor the truth. As she tells it, she was angry and handled herself poorly. He tells her they can’t move forward if she continues to behave like that, and encourages her to apologize to the group. And Shanae does just that, pulling out the waterworks for an “emotional” apology. After successfully fooling (almost) everyone, she is rewarded for her “good deed” with a big ol’ smooch from Clayton. We knew we couldn’t trust her — she will do anything to win, even if that means putting on some Oscar-worthy performances along the way.

Surprisingly, Sierra, Lyndsey, and Jill don’t receive a rose. Looks like Sierra fell victim to Shanae’s drama. “Don’t be stupid,” she tells Clayton on her way out.

“I just sent another b***h home,” Shanae celebrates in her confessional. “Who’s next on my list?”

Same, Rachel. Same #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/aY582tcO8S

— AdriannaAcceptsTheRose (@AdriannaAccepts) February 8, 2022

Gabby & Clayton’s Toronto Tour

Now, the group is officially heading out of the country — to Toronto, Canada! Prepare for a new week of dates, fresh starts, and fresh drama.

Gabby is chosen for the first 1-on-1 in the new city, and Shanae is ticked off. We honestly can’t disagree with her being confused by the rest of the women being happy for Gabby. After all, everyone is there to build a connection with Clayton, so why be happy when it was time you could have had with him?

Similar to Clayton and Sarah’s scavenger hunt around Los Angeles, the two go on a (more clothed) tour of Toronto, starting off with a scenic helicopter ride over the city. They take in all of Toronto’s traditions and activities, from playing street hockey to snacking on Beaver Tails to trying their hand at graffiti (not to mention some time with an adorable dog!). Gabby is glad to get this QT with Clayton after their initial connection took some time to warm up. Luckily, she deems the date a total success, feeling like a real-life romance movie.

Needed Gabby this episode #thebachelor pic.twitter.com/1MHYI5RVcJ

— Lindsay Logan (@LindsayMLogan) February 8, 2022

It’s time to get serious in the night portion of the date, and Gabby goes into the evening hoping to help Clayton better understand her. Like many people, she has struggled with opening up in past relationships, finding it hard to feel deserving of love. She talks about her strained relationship with her mother after not having much emotional support from her growing up. She shares that they’re pretty much estranged these days, and Clayton asks if she hopes to make amends in the future. Gabby wants to but says that there’s still some healing to be done. Being the human teddy bear he is, he listens and assures her that she is deserving of love, and the two end their day on a steamy note in a hot tub.

Clayton Gets Roasted

In a jarring emotional shift, it’s time for some laughs! Comedy legend and “Master of the Roast” Russell Peters arrives to help the women prepare for a Clayton roast! No topic is off-limits, as the girls take the chance to poke fun at each other, and most notably, Shanae. Marlena compares the villain to a “herpes outbreak,” in that she keeps coming back and “lasts longer than expected.” During her turn at the mic, Serene jokes that she’s “honored” to be on “Shanae’s season” of the show. (She’s not wrong!)

Things get a bit awkward when the youngest of the house, Sarah, takes jabs at Mara, the oldest, attacking her age and gap in her teeth. Not pleased, Mara strikes back, telling Clayton that if he ends up with Sarah, she will happily babysit! Everyone brings the heat, and we’re honestly surprised there was no major fallout after some of those harsh words. Maybe the Shanae hate trumps any other house rivalries.

Me trying to figure out how we went here .. to HERE #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/s6hOmQ6XCZ

— 🌚 (@trollonby) February 8, 2022

Later, Susie puts a spin on the day’s activity, pulling Clayton aside for a “honey roast” to confess what she likes most about the Bachelor. While all of his connections are growing, Sarah and Rachel continue to stand out amongst the group, and the latter earns the day’s group date rose. This leaves Marlena feeling particularly hurt, as she’s continued to excel on group dates without reward.

The 2-on-1 Teaser

The moment we’ve all been waiting for… the 2-on-1 date. Shanae and Genevieve are both nervous, each looking to take the other down. The rest of the contestants agree that this is much bigger than a normal date, as the outcome could affect how they see Clayton. (If Clayton brought home Shanae, we’d probably walk out, too.)

The three head to Niagara Falls, and the date is immediately off to a rough start as they board the Maid of the Mist and journey straight into turbulent waters (literally and metaphorically). Genevieve looks like she’s walking on eggshells, trying not to engage with her rival, while Shanae is loving it, ready to cross another name off her list.

#TheBachelor

Of course they give Shanae the black rain coat#GOODvsEVIL pic.twitter.com/UP9PmTjjFu

— fetch aint happening (@meangirlz103) February 8, 2022

After patiently waiting all episode, looks like Bachelor Nation will have to wait another week to see which unlucky lady Clayton will send home. Shanae lives to see another week (for now…).