‘The Bachelor’ Episode 4: Chase Rice Turns Victoria F.’s Date Into a Disaster (RECAP)
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Last week’s episode of The Bachelor ended with Peter Weber saying goodbye to controversial contestant Alayah Benavidez — and immediately regretting it. And tonight, we pick back up the following day, with Alayah officially gone from the mansion.
Chris Harrison shows up to to inform the group that they’re leaving the mansion for good and headed to… wait for it… CLEVELAND! Sounds… exotic?
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Wake me up when they head somewhere exotic. #thebachelor #bachelor #bachelorabc
Victoria F.’s one-on-one date
Victoria F. gets the first one-on-one date of the episode and the pair head to an amusement park via private plane — courtesy of Peter. Not sure why ABC is even bothering showing this footage as everyone is just waiting for the Chase Rice drama they’ve been promoting in the previews, but I digress. Victoria still manages to make the daytime portion of the date dramatic as she freaks the f**k out while riding the scary rides, but… little does she know, what Peter has in store for her later on is much more scary.
Later on, we learn that Peter has the BEST SURPRISE EVER for Victoria that has not been produced in any way, shape, or form — a Chase Rice concert. Now, if Victoria didn’t have a romantic past with Chase, this would be a fairly lackluster date, but luckily for us, the two dated before and that makes things hella awkward.
“We turn the corner, I see Chase, my ex-boyfriend,” she says. Meanwhile, Peter, still clueless as to the pot that the producers are currently stirring, seems to be in element. “Nothing could be worse. I’m freaking out right now.”
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“Chase and I dated before I came on the show. The situation is so uncomfortable. I want to die. … never in a million years was I expecting this but I’m trying my hardest to get through today because I don’t want to ruin this.”
After the concert, Chase and Victoria meet face to face for the most awkward conversation in Bachelor history. She seems visibly distraught to even be talking to her ex, to the point where it’s coming across like she’s not over him.
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Get it together Victoria. #thebachelor #bachelor #bachelorabc #bachelornation
They head to the nighttime portion of the date and Victoria is still freaking out over this secret she’s hiding from Peter. She finally comes clean that she dated Chase prior to coming on the show. Peter seems genuinely shocked by the news and the producers have once again successfully pulled off an epic storyline.
Victoria storms off crying and Peter chases after her. She tells him that she’s afraid of scaring him away — but honestly, as long as her feelings for Chase are resolved, why is this even an issue?
Peter reminds her that he still wants to explore a relationship with her and offers her the rose. All of those tears for nothing. Well done, ABC.
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Let’s not throw honestly out the window here. #thebachelor #bachelor #bachelorabc #bachelornation
The group date
Victoria P, Lexi, Kiarra, Kelley, Deandra, Madison, Shiann, Tammy, Sydney, Hannah Ann, Savannah, and McKenna are invited on the group date where the Cleveland Browns’ football legends Josh Cribbs and Hanford Dixon help Peter host a football-themed date. Thrilling.
We learn that the girls are going to be competing against one another in a friendly game of football and the winning team will get time with Peter, and the losing team will head back to the hotel. Luckily for Victoria P, she’s getting time with Peter either way, because she opts to sit on the sidelines due to her “injured back” which also gets her a sideline massage. Nice move, V.
They girls end up tying the game and instead of going into overtime, Peter decides to invite everyone to the second half of the group date. Again, thrilling. Everyone’s pissed that they’ll end up getting no time with Peter since there are so many girls on the date.
Victoria P. pulls him aside first for one-on-one time and it’s clear these two still have a strong connection since their date from last week. “I am feeling very strongly for her,” Peter says in his confessional. “It’s happening so fast and it’s almost getting so serious so soon, but to be honest, it’s working.”
The girls — specifically Shiann — seem to have a big problem with Victoria P. talking to Peter first after she got to spend time with him during the football date. But just as Shiann pulls Peter aside to confront him about her feelings, Alayah returns to shake things up.
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The ghost of Alayah just walked in. #thebachelor #bachelor #bachelorabc #bachelornation
“I’m here to set the record straight about what’s being said about me,” she tells a very shocked Peter, adding that he was manipulated by the other women in his decision to send her home.
Once again she brings up her relationship with Victoria P., telling him that they had this extensive friendship prior to the show, which is completely opposite from Victoria’s story. “I’m obviously being lied to by someone,” Peter says.
Peter pulls Victoria P. aside to confront her about what Alayah told him, about how they spent plenty of time together prior to joining the show. “She’s literally telling me the exact opposite of what you told me,” he tells her. Peter realizes that the girls did have a friendship before the show — and the “facts” that Victoria P. told him last week about Alayah’s “manipulative” reputation may be fabricated.
Peter ends up offering Alayah the group date rose — making this the first time in BACHELOR HISTORY that an eliminated contestant came back and was offered a rose. This is a moment, you guys.
Naturally, the girls are pissed that Alayah — who wasn’t even on the group date — got the group date rose. But the focus quickly changes after Alayah tells the women that while she was home, she read all about the spoilers which detail Victoria F.’s relationship with Chase Rice.
Kelsey’s one-on-one date
We cut to Kelsey’s one-on-one date and the duo explore Cleveland together. They get ice cream, they walk around town, they dance in the street — and then they casually stumble upon a soapbox street race. They end up participating in the race and taking home the trophy.
Later on, they share a romantic dinner overlooking the water. Kelsey opens up about her parents’ divorce, which happened when she was in seventh grade. She reveals she found out about the divorce before her mother did — as she found the letter her dad left for her mom when she came home from school one day.
“I think that’s where some of my tough experiences come from. I grew up with this protective shell,” she tells him. “I’ll let some people in but I won’t let everybody in.”
Peter is so blown away by Kelsey’s vulnerability and honesty that he offers her the rose. “This evening was exactly what I needed. She embodies so many qualities of what I’m looking for,” he says.
Back at the hotel, Victoria F. hears that Alayah has been spreading rumors about her relationship with Chase. She pulls Alayah aside to question her.
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Is this… really a shock? #thebachelor #thebachelorette #bachelor #bachelorabc #bachelornation
“Well I had no idea that nobody knew. It was literally all over the place when I was at home,” Alayah says, however that’s kind of a weak defense considering she knows that no one has access to the internet while filming.
Victoria doesn’t buy her reasoning either, and calls her out for purposely stirring the pot. “I don’t play this s**t. And you may think that you’re safe because you came back, but I have some very choice words to say to Peter and he’s going to know who you are as a person, so… good luck, honey.”
The cocktail party
Right off the bat, things are awkward at the cocktail party. Natasha and Deandra question Peter in front of the group about why Alayah would get the rose on the date. They both confront him for overlooking others on the date and validating someone who was already eliminated. Peter apologizes, but it’s clear these girls aren’t happy with him.
The girls then focus their anger towards Alayah, and question why she would openly talk about Victoria F. and Chase’s past. They tell her she’s back on the show solely to stir up drama and isn’t here for Peter.
Peter ends up pulling Alayah aside and questions his own judgement once again. “Why is everyone always against you?” he asks her. Alayah doesn’t really have an answer for him… because in her mind, she’s perfect.
“I’m just so confused,” he says. “I’m seeing how much hurt I’m causing so many women.”
But before we can kick off the rose ceremony, we’re hit with yet another To Be Continued…
The Bachelor, Mondays, 8/7c, ABC
