155 replies to this topic

[TWoP Mars]

From TVGuide.com:

Ashley makes pizza with Constantine in suburban Atlanta, rides in a horse-drawn carriage with Ames outside Philadelphia, picnics with Ben F. in Sonoma, Cal., and roller skates with J.P. on Long Island, N.Y., as she visits the hometowns of her final four bachelors. Returning to the Malibu mansion, she sends one of the guys back home and heads off to Fiji with the other three.

[over30patheticgroupie]

Poor Ames. So did she keep Ames just so everybody could be nosy about his family and background? Oh dear, was that Ames blue underwear sticking out? Ames mother thinks Ashley has so much character? Ummm...no. She is an insecure woman who dresses slutty to prove she is attractive. I think his sister was onto her though.

When Ashley was taking the lasagna off the spatula at JP's family her hands were all over it. Tacky!

I usually like long hair, but Ben looked so much better at the final rose ceremony with his hair cut.

I think I would enjoy Constantine's home life, but then again I wouldn't have to work for his restaurant. LOL

[kattam6175]

While I think Ames is a good-hearted, handsome, interesting, unbelievably decent human being, I can see why Ashley didn't feel a romantic "connection" with him. I don't really think "sex appeal" when I look at him either. Having said that, though, my heart broke for him. He seemed so dumbfounded when she didn't pick him.

[Quickbeam]

Ames! You lucky bastard, you escaped this mess. Some wonderful man or woman will make you a terrific spouse....just not on this show. And your sister? Makes that same eye set somehow attractive.

I love the bromance between Ben and Constantine. They are more fun together than anyone else on this show.

I miss Bentley. Sue me.

Edited by Quickbeam, Jul 18, 2011 @ 9:07 PM.

[Georgie Girl]

I have never loved a bachelor like I love Ames. What a prize. Wonder why he's not been snatched up. He is adorable. He was even more adorable in the car when for 30 seconds he wasn't smiling. I feel so bad for him because he was hurt but he deserves better than Ashley and her 2" skirts.

Speaking of that, how much better would she look with 6 more inches on her skirts? I think she's the hoochiest of the hoochies that has ever been on here. I notice she did dress much more cutely at the family visits.

Ames would be a wonderful bachelor if they would find some educated, refined, non-hoochies for him to date.

Her reaction to seeing the roller rink was ridiculous - like she was afraid to skate or couldn't skate but she was perfectly capable.

When these guys show up back home after like what - 4 weeks - the family comes at them like they've been deployed to Kuwait for 6 months. Constantine's family was the worst.

I can finally tell the Tarleton Twins apart. Ben is better looking.

I see London, I see France, didn't we see Ames' underpants? His blue boxers were ballooning out of his jeans and over his shirt as they left the house to picnic. No matter, all the more adorable.

Ashley's mouth movements, sucking, twitching, biting drive me nuts.

Her and JP skating - wow. If she doesn't choose him I have no idea what is going on between them.

JP does have a luscious mouth, bowed lips. A little girl with that mouth would be adorable.

Edited by Georgie Girl, Jul 18, 2011 @ 9:09 PM.

[realityremote]

Poor Ames! I can't believe she shook hands with him at the end. That's cold!

Love JP's bar mitzvah photo! Adorable.

Can't wait for Ashley's sister Kat Von Deese to put her in her place. And how could I forget that Ashley's Mom is Snooky? Lovely!

[foxtrot21]

Poor Ames!! He was my favorite. Hugs to him.

Did Ashley forget to put on pants for the rose ceremony?

[mamiesan]

All of the final 4 guys seem to have great families. It was nice to see. JP's bar mitzvah picture was awesome!

Oh Ashley, you poor insecure thing. You shouldn't be "honored' that Ben is introducing you to his mother since he has only brought home one other girl. He is bringing you home because YOU picked HIM and it is stipulated in the contract of the show that the final 4 candidates bring you home. Are you really that dumb or is that just what the script called for you to say?

[fvrcp]

Wow! Was Constantine's sister Ashley's twin or what??

Ames! I love you..don't worry your mate is out there...and be grateful you didn't have to waste any more time with Ashley!

[nopqrs2011]

anybody else find this episode extra- painful to watch?

the extra-perkiness, the extra-loud laughs, the say-the-extra-perfect-thing to the parents ayayayay I don't know is is it just me that gets the extra-fake vibe this episode?
I get that the situation itself is fake (oh and why does she keep mentioning about how she feels honored she's one of the few girls these guys have taken home to their families when everyone knows it's part of the show and not really anyone's choice?) and it must be super awkward, but she was extra painful to watch this week, more painful than when she was agonizing over mr. dotdotdot. . can't put my finger on it – maybe it's that her manner of speaking and behavior make her seem really immature?

a lot of us can't figure out why anyone would actually do a show like this but fact is she's there (whatever that says about her) and we're watching (whatever that says about us : ) )
maybe it's just me but I just found the conversations extra lame this week and the 90% more air time that ashley got for her monologues was not a good idea because there's really nothing there to listen to.
that being said the four guys she has left this week seem really decent, and with great realtionships with their families. I keep waiting for the moment when I start to root for ashley but this week has me rooting even more for the best ones to go home. poor ames he seemed so bewildered but I think he was way way too good for her so I say great she sent him home. she doesn't seem to be a bad person but she's not mature or secure enough to make a good partner for anyone at this point

Edited by TWoP Mars, Jul 19, 2011 @ 12:57 AM.
Newbie issues addressed

[Georgie Girl]

Whose sister was Julia? She was completely on to Ashley, doesn't trust her at all.

[foxtrot21]

Whose sister was Julia? She was completely on to Ashley, doesn't trust her at all.

Ben's and I thought the same thing. She seemed like the 'you hurt him, you die,' type of sisters.

Edited by foxtrot21, Jul 18, 2011 @ 9:19 PM.

[SilverLake0315]

God, I felt AWFUL for Ames at the rose ceremony when it was sinking in that he was going home. He just looked so confused. He is way too good for Ashley.

[torreador]

No matter what you say about Ashley, she did end up with a great final four. They are all nice and have great relationships with their very normal families.

Poor Ames and his blue underwear. His sister totally knew that he didn't have a chance. He looked so bewildered when he was rejected. But there was just no chemistry there, no matter how Ashley talked about how they were the same.... no woman picks a guy because they have the same personality.

And all four families were pretty cool, but I might find Constantine's fun at first, but ultimately somewhat overwhelming, especially someone who came from a small family.

[redvelvet]

How much did I love Ben tonight? So heart breaking when he spoke about missing his dad. He seems like such a sensitive, caring guy. Not right for Ashley, but he is my favorite. And the best looking of the three remaining guys, in my opinion.

Ashley and her mouth. I know it is a nervous habit, but she needs to try and control that. And her sister's tattoos next week! OMG.

[comosedice]

Ames kinda had the same look on his as he did when got his concussion. Even his speech sounded slurred (or maybe that was my t.v.).

Ashley has made it clear that she is attracted to the long hair, tall, big-bodied type, so what is it about JP that gets her? It's like she can't keep her hands or lips off of him.

[rivermet]

Ames was completely stunned and it was kind of sad. I felt so bad for him.

Anyone know what happened with JP's ex? I mean his family COULD NOT STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. What exactly happened? Did he essentially fall apart cause that's the feeling I got.
Having said that I think he is still absolutely the frontrunner. That roller skating date was the cutest thing I have ever seen. I totally skated to that song with my high school boyfriend. And drinking wine out of paper cups is made of win.

I think both Ben and Constantine are both great and have great families but I'm not totally feeling it. It freaked me out how much Ashley looked like Constantine's sister.

Also, what the heck was she wearing for the rose ceremony? Did she buy that at Frederick's of Hollywood. There is totally a way to be sexy and classy, Ash. You don't apparently realize that.

Edited by rivermet, Jul 18, 2011 @ 9:41 PM.

[IrishDC]

Don't know if you have noticed at all, but it seems there won't be any Men tell all like we used to see it in the past. They showed next week episode then in two weeks Ashley makes a final decision. When will we see Men tell all? Looking at next week and two weeks, looks like it won't happen. I wonder why.

I am not surprised about Ames. He's great. He deserves someone better than Ashley.

Edited by IrishDC, Jul 18, 2011 @ 9:34 PM.

[heebiejeebie]

the extra-perkiness, the extra-loud laughs, the say-the-extra-perfect-thing to the parents ayayayay I don't know is is it just me that gets the extra-fake vibe this episode?
I get that the situation itself is fake (oh and why does she keep mentioning about how she feels honored she's one of the few girls these guys have taken home to their families when everyone knows it's part of the show and not really anyone's choice?) and it must be super awkward, but she was extra painful to watch this week, more painful than when she was agonizing over mr. dotdotdot. . can't put my finger on it – maybe it's that her manner of speaking and behavior make her seem really immature?

I think this in good part is why JP is in the lead. He treats her like his high school girlfriend. Not the skating rink date. At all. But rather the simplistic all or nothing intensity that children have in their passion for the idealized passion and not the actual person. Though I wonder if JP realizes that hedging his bets with the for your consideration to the Next Bachelor Nominating Committee bit about having his heart broken so hard and yet willing to have it broken again in the name of love bit? Just played into Fleiss' hand for the storyline if she picks JP. And Ashley is stupid enough and has nothing better that she actually might hold on longer than the obligatory four months before public release of the breakup. It is telling that not only does JP focus more on the other guys not being around than the fact he is with her. He really doesn't see her outside of the "competition" in any way. And he has the Bentley patter down pat. I wonder if he witnessed enough in the early days or just figured it out on his own. Ashley so wants what she can't have. She is in for such a shock when she figures out that this "journey" to the "connection" and all the "might be falling" is about JP...and JP.

Ames. What an odd duck. I almost hate to say it but can't help myself. The two dads dying makes some sense in how Ames turned out to be Ames. I'm thinking two good life insurance policies can go a long way to letting Ames wrap himself in that persona. Nice thing is natural intelligence does seem to be there and certainly whatever financial advantages he had were used to the fullest. But there is just something that either rings false or rings too true. I don't get why, if he is even half the person he presented for this show, he is on this show! Why?! I don't get it. The concept, the person the execution. None of it seemed his style. And he so wanted us to buy into him being the little prep (though I think that was much more aspirational than inspirational -- he so reminds me of the kids who coming from generational upwardly mobile who adopt the trope with a bit too heavy a hand -- interesting that sartorially speaking we see the real Ames), that I find this as a vehicle completely inexplicable.

And then there is the constant over and over again nattering about how smart Ashley is. No she's not. At all. I think she is good natured but lazy and probably the sad typical example of a generation of poor schooling and parental indifference to having well-educated children. But Ames was either reading a script he wasn't bright enough to parse and then interpret in a way that seemed even slightly plausible or he was just caught in a loop and it was an unintentionally patronizing attempt to basically say "she really isn't as stupid as she seems".

Constantine has horrible hair. But I can see a little of the hotness. Ben? Not at all. He seems so hapless and so completely flat. Oddly the one real moment of investment on my part was relief that his sister did not get the same family mix of looks. That would have been really unfortunate.

And damn did Ashley bring the stupid tonight. She thinks maybe the family of one of the guys sees all the great things she does. Okay.

I've always railed against the hug replacing the handshake in society -- at least on camera society; but what the hell were those full body enfolding attempts at osmosis? Here is a complete stranger you have never met coming into your house with a 75% chance of making your presumably loved son look a fool, chump and have a broken heart. On camera. And you try and do a rub-a-dub-dub full cavity search with this woman? Please. All the families seemed so sycophantic this time it was not funny.

Though to be fair, JP's family seemed to think the secret word was "heartbreak".

[over30patheticgroupie]

Anyone know what happened with JP's ex? I mean his family COULD NOT STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. What exactly happened? Did he essentially fall apart cause that's the feeling I god.

Kind of a red flag for me, I grew up with a couple of brothers and they would never want to tell our family some girl totally broke them. Not cool to them. Is JP a bit of a wuss, or did some girl really pull something terrible? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Georgie Girl]

Why would they style her like the Rose Ceremony tonight? She could be just as sexy with a slightly longer skirt. It is just so "street walker".

[tadasana]

OK, I understand that lots of people are fame whores. But still, isn't it just weird as hell that these four guys are doing a reality tv dating show? I can see maybe Constantine signing up for the celebrity-adventure scenario as a diversion from pizza-making and local girls, but Ames? JP? Really?

And Ben's home visit reminded me of Chantal's--the affluent homelife, in particular, and in this case (unlike Chantal) a mother who seems genuinely sophisticated and really too much so for this reality tv nonsense. Yet his sister signed him up for the show? And she's worried about him getting hurt? None of that makes sense to me.

Ben is too adorable to have no girlfriend and seems too genuine to be a fame whore. I just don't get it.

And JP seems too normal to sign up for this sort of thing.

And Ames probably did it just for the adventure--like Kwami on The Apprentice and other Harvard grads accumulating superfluous wins at random contests as if they were Chuck E. Cheese tickets.

Still, I felt awful for Ames. He was just so clueless. He reminded me of every bad kisser I've ever known--they always think they're good kissers and there's no way to tell them otherwise without making things worse.

Ben looked 13 years old at the rose ceremony. But hot again during the Fiji previews.

Can't wait to hear what went wrong with JP. Wonder if it has something to do with her going to the fantasy suite with Ben. (Their second all-nighter.)

Could Ashley's sister really not see JP as the right guy for her? Surely not. I'm so addicted to this show. Ah well at least I'm in good company ;-)

Edited by tadasana, Jul 18, 2011 @ 9:38 PM.

[commentator]

I kinda knew Ames would go, but he’s better off. They’re not a good match.

JP has a nice looking mom. His brother is also cute.

I don’t know what to think about next week, but Fiji is gorgeous based on what I’ve seen in movies, etc.

[MsSweatpants]

Poor Ames at the end--- wait? huh? there aren't any more roses? what? I didn't like him in the first episode--- his intro made him seem pretentious, but he really proved me wrong. A class act, and a nice guy--- what was he doing on TB?

He is too good for her. He dodged a bullet. Seeing his family, and then hers... makes me wonder if Ashley didn't see that she just would never fit into his life.

I'm SO looking forward to seeing her family. Her crazy sister was on Extreme Couponing. Interesting that she'll have such strong opinions about Ashley's potential marriage, given the bizarre relationship she displayed on EC.

I don't get why, if [Ames] is even half the person he presented for this show, he is on this show! Why?! I don't get it. The concept, the person the execution. None of it seemed his style.

Heebiejeebie-- I KNOW!! He seemed like such a great guy... but that nagging thought in my head: WHY is he on this show?

Edited by MsSweatpants, Jul 18, 2011 @ 9:39 PM.

[TomGirl]

[snip] Ames [snip] He seems like a nice guy, and is probably bright, but to me he has all the personality of a cardboard cutout. Boring. Pedantic. Clueless. Bland. And NOT attractive!

Edited by TWoP Mars, Jul 19, 2011 @ 12:58 AM.
Boards on boards

[stretchess]

Ames kinda had the same look on his as he did when got his concussion. Even his speech sounded slurred (or maybe that was my t.v.).

I didn't see Ames' date so I don't know how he was during that, but I completely agree he seemed "off" during the rose ceremony. He had such a blank yet bewildered look, and Ashley guided him by his arm so strangely that I wondered if he was blind and I had somehow missed it. And while he said SUCH sweet things to her at the end and in the limo, he was pausing quite frequently and sounded slurred to me too. I hope someone is monitoring him closely to make sure there were no ongoing effects of the concussion.

Does anyone else find it odd that friends are never at these hometown dates? I can't imagine not having at least one close friend there, since ultimately that's who my boyfriend/fiance/husband would be spending the most amount of time with. I would also only feel okay marrying someone if I knew his friends! Also, I assume that the guys have already told Ashley their parents' names and are just recapping for the cameras... RIGHT?? My boyfriend and I exchanged parents names by the second date...

I think she's going to struggle to choose between JP and Ben. I think Ben will be the most normal relationship, with some real struggles with JP and almost too much emotionality.

[Bethanne]

Will someone who DVRd this please go back and tell me why the hell Ashley's chin was so red at the end of the roller skating date?

And did anyone else notice all of the orchids during the hometown visits? Both Ames and Ben's folks had them all over the place.

Ames's poor mom seemed so embarrassed that she had to appear on this trainwreck. I bet she was praying that the Chadd's Ford Junior League ladies weren't watching (yeah right.) I think his sister wants to marry him, btw.

Ben's sister and mom were uber ice-queens.

[fonfon]

Was I the only one waiting for Constantine's dad to break out a bottle of Windex?

[phingers88]

That was one uncomfortable show. I feel like TB has morphed into The Twilight Zone. Where did they find all these classy guys and why did they put them all in one season?

I now know why Ashley is attracted to JP. He is the only one common enough for her.

I'll bet she has been shocked to be in "over her head" with these gentlemen (Ames, Ben, Con) who come from class. And class doesn't necessarily mean mega-bucks. Class is fresh flowers all over the grand piano!

[foxtrot21]

I was waiting for the Windex too!!! All I could think of was MBFGW.