By Lauren S | Season 18 | Episode 8.1 | Aired on 02.24.2014
It's time for the home visits, and the first place we're going tonight is Nikki's hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. Unsurprisingly, she is totally excited to share it with him. I'd make that statement a drinking game if it wouldn't render me unable to finish this weecap before the first hour of the show was even over. They meet in a park just so she can run over to him with the wind in her hair, to then grab him in a kiss. Nikki claims today is, "Make it or break it," for the two of them, and the first challenge is to see how "cowboy" he is.
First, she takes him to Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue where he makes orgasmic faces while enjoying all of the food. She then takes him to face a challenge to make up for making her dance in Korea -- it's almost the same thing as dancing in front of a mall full of thousands of people to make him ride a mechanical bull in an empty bar. She tells us she's crazy in love with him but can't bring herself to say the words to him just yet. The two of them then go for a super slow, "sexy" ride on the bull while Nikki stutters and fails to tell him her feelings -- almost as if he was contractually obligated to say nothing back no matter what he feels, or something, and she might wind up getting no feedback and feeling foolish.
She then takes her to see his family: dad Tom, brothers Erik and Alex and Alex's wife Kayla, and her mom Jennifer. Nikki acts as if this is a totally normal, "bringing home the guy to meet the parents," and not like he's about to do the same thing for three other skeptical families in addition to hers. Her dad makes a toast to "new relationships," instead of, "multiple relationships," and then they try to make it sound endearing that JP got to fly first class to South Korea while his harem flew coach.
Nikki's mom pulls her aside for a talk, and Nikki admits she's in love but hasn't told him yet since she hasn't yet felt the right moment, and then tries to convince her obviously skeptical mom that this is a good thing and not a gross contest. JP then sits down with her dad, and Nikki tells us she really values his opinion -- well, probably unless it's that this guy is dumber than a box of hair and might hurt his daughter. JP says that he loves how honest Nikki is and how easy she is it is to talk with her, and Nikki's dad tries to smile as he tells JP not to propose if he doesn't mean it. He says that they trust Nikki and will support whatever decision she makes.
Tom then talks to Nikki, who gives the always popular, "There's just something about him," reasoning behind her falling for JP. That "something" is the thrill of competition and international vacations, I think, but Nikki tries to convince us that she's in love even if she can't tell him yet. Her dad reiterates that she's great and that they'll love whoever her choice might be. He says one of the most reasonable things ever heard on this show, which is that he wants Nikki to choose JP in addition to him choosing her. Wait, this is a mutual decision? No way. Nikki is thrilled to have her family's blessing, but she still won't tell JP she loves him and instead just makes out with him a lot.
By Lauren S | Season 18 | Episode 8.1 | Aired on 02.24.2014
, JP goes to the city in which I am sitting right now -- Atlanta, Georgia. Speaking of Atlanta, when I was flying back here from LA last weekend I saw "dog lover" Kelly, also of Atlanta, in the airport and I'm only semi-ashamed that I recognized Molly the dog first before recognizing her. In person, Kelly is super tall and stunning, and I feel like she's one of the women that dodged a bullet by being chosen this season.
Andi and her freshly ombre'd hair meet JP in Piedmont Park and make out in front of the geese while JP assures us they have a connection and she's just, "Mmmm," -- a ringing endorsement if ever there was one. The outing that Andi chooses is to take him to a shooting range and of course JP finds her hot with a big semi-automatic in her hands. She challenges him to shoot a bull's eye to show he's worth bringing home and he responds by missing hugely and then actually losing the clip out of his gun at one point. He supposedly finally makes one shot, so Andi has to introduce him to the fam after all. She seems to realize that they might be a tough crowd.
She is awfully nervous about the introduction, though she tries to smile a lot and act cool. They are greeted by a sign that says, "Welcome Back, Pookie!" JP there to meet mom Patty, dad Hy, sister Rachel and husband Ailey. Unlike Nikki, Andi for some strange reason isn't entirely sure she's in love yet and admits her family could sway her. Things get a little awkward when they hear just how many group dates she was on in a row; her dad is especially upset to hear how long it took for her to earn a solo date with JP. For some reason, Andi didn't expect her dad's disapproval at this whole story and the admission that he recognizes that this is infatuation between two attractive people and maybe nothing deeper. Cue the nervous laughter montage when Hy refuses to totally play along and act all happy about this dinner.
JP goes to talk to Patty and generically talks about how pretty and smart Andi is; Patty then challenges JP to dance with him. He calls Andi out so that he can try and show off his moves, which have all the zest of a wooden plank -- to be fair, this may be because Andi is also stiff, but it's not a huge comment on JP's skills. JP then sits down with Hy, who can't be swayed by gyrating hips and who doesn't want his daughter's heart broken. He asks why JP went on the show and JP claims that it's more about meeting people on the same page than about being fame hungry, though he does answer first that he wants people to know who he is. Yay for honesty? Hy offers the advice that JP needs to find the right person for him first, and a stepmom for Camila second. JP then asks if Hy will accept him into the family, and I love Hy for hesitating, asking for JP to look at the situation like a father, and for finally admitting that he's not giving any dude his blessing until that guy says that his daughter is the only woman for him, and not just one of four hopeful contestants. JP seems genuinely baffled by this attitude but claims to appreciate Hy's honesty.
By Lauren S | Season 18 | Episode 8.1 | Aired on 02.24.2014
Andi tells Rachel that she finds him hot but isn't sure how she really feels. Rachel admits she's not sure she saw any real feeling between Andi and JP and doesn’t seem able to entirely believe that Andi finds him anything other than a beefcake. Andi then asks her dad about his concerns, and he shows great restraint by just saying he doesn't want her to get hurt. Andi argues that she can only work on her own feelings and not on what's going on with the others, and she'll deal with a broken heart if and when it happens but not before. Unfortunately, having to think about all this real stuff gives her tears and a veddy stuffy dose.
She then sits down with JP to rehash the night while inside, Hy tells the family about their conversation and reiterates that he's not going to give his blessing just yet. Outside, Andi squees over JP coming to Atlanta as if this is something he did on his own because of his feelings and not because she made it to this contractually mandated point in the competition. She tells us that she doesn't know and doesn't care what her family thought because she might be falling in love, but her stuffy dose says that she's still not over the tears and maybe isn't actually so sure.
up, JP goes to Sarasota to see Renee and meet Ben. She's more excited to see her son than she is to see Juan Pablo, but he makes a decent second place. They go to the little league park and Renee is beside herself with anticipation for seeing her son after all this time. When Ben arrives, she runs to him and gives him giant hugs before introducing him to JP, who shakes his hand. After some visiting, they watch his game and JP claims he wants a son so much while loves how natural it feels for them to just sit and watch the game. Renee! Run for your life! You are so awesome and can do so much better (and smarter) than this!
Renee then takes her two boys to see her mom, Brenda, dad Tom and brother Brian. She tells us that her family has been consistently right about men in her life, so if they disapprove she will reevaluate things. She takes Ben up to bed while JP visits with his family. Afterward, Brenda corners Renee on the stairs and orders her to sit and talk. The two have wine while Renee raves about how amazing he is. Brenda gets the line of the series, really, when she reminds Renee to fall IN love and not just love someone because, and I quote, "We can love our pets." We can also love some ripped abs and a cute smile after he's been taking us on exotic international dates, too, but in the harsh light of reality that might not make for a good marriage. But Renee tells her mom she's totally in love with JP, and unfortunately her mom is thrilled rather than alarmed.
By Lauren S | Season 18 | Episode 8.1 | Aired on 02.24.2014
She then sits down with her dad, who says he is seeing her glow for the first time in a long time, which makes her cry. When she walks JP out at the end of the evening, she can't bring herself to say the three little words but does assure JP she likes him a lot or never would have let him meet her son. They whispermumble to each other, and I was afraid finally said it, but she interviews that in fact it didn't feel right to say it until he drove away and now she's frustrated that she might have just blown her chance.
JP's final trip is to Sacramento to meet Clare's family and she says the same thing everyone does about how now she gets to show him what she's all about in her own environment. He tells us he's so excited because he feels good when he's with Clare, you know, except for when he gets caught up in the moment and then rejects her with some garbled explanation that she thinks shows depth and feeling.
They meet up at a park her dad took her to as a child and Clare exhibits a little more awareness than I'd given her credit for by pointing out that anyone could fall in love on the trips they've been on so far, but now they are on her personal turf. JP says he's not going to ask what they're going to do, as if he actually had any say in it at all and these weren't planned by the girls and the producers in the first place. You're a big, easygoing man, JP. Clare talks about her dad and admits that this is the first time she's brought anyone home since he passed away. She then tells JP about how she shared a dance with her dad just before he died since they knew he wouldn't be around to do so at her wedding. The throw rocks in the water since Clare's dad said he'd never be farther away than she could throw, and then she and JP make out a bunch in front of the ducks as she tells us she's excited and a little bit nervous for him to meet her family that night.
Clare arrives at home and introduces a slew of sisters, her brother, and her mom to her would-be fiancé. One sis asks about their adventure and JP sits back and claps, excited to hear what she's going to say -- it's fairly off-putting since it makes it obvious that something weird must have happened that would have a couple of quite varied points of view in the retelling. He also doesn't know women very well because most don't announce to their gathered family when they have ocean sex in the wee hours of the morning with some dude. But maybe that's just me?
By Lauren S | Season 18 | Episode 8.1 | Aired on 02.24.2014
After talk about all of the bikinis Clare has worn thus far, Clare sits down with one of her sisters who is excited to hear how she feels which is, of course, happy and excited and in lurve. Her sister asks what would happen if she got caught up in the excitement of a proposal, and her setup shows that she realizes how this could be an unrealistic, heady experience, but Clare cries and says she'd say yes in a heartbeat. Apparently her parents knew each other three weeks before getting engaged, and it sounds like Clare believes she's found the same thing now.
A couple of other sisters take JP over to interrogate him about his feelings and intentions and he admits that he was physically attracted to Clare first but now thinks, "Hmmm." No, seriously, those are his deep feelings in his own words. He also claims to be affected by how much she loves her dad since he wants Camila to feel the same thing about him one day. Those sisters think he's great and that Dad would approve, but when Clare sits down with another sister, Lara, and their mom, it's quite a different story. Lara is pretty quick to assure Clare that she's not ready to give her blessing, but when she implies that she's also speaking for their mother, Clare takes offense. I take offense at the whole situation because their mom is sitting right in between them, and neither of them seems to be asking the woman herself what she feels and in fact talk over her head like she's a patio decoration. The whole thing is very weird, and while I want to agree with Lara because this is a silly, fake situation that probably isn't deserving of a blessing, Lara stands up to make sure she's always in her mom's line of sight as if Clare might be sending out invisible mind rays to influence her opinion and Lara's continued eye contact is the only hope of protection. Neither of them lets their poor mom actually utter a word, at least not that we see, and Lara finally goes inside while Clare goes and cries to another sister. At the same time, Lara visits with another sister inside and pets hr small white dog like she's Dr. Evil, anticipating grilling JP.
JP then goes to talk to Clare's mom, so Lara walks out to oversee things yet again, and Clare follows all of them to again try to get Lara to lay off. She's starting to freak out, so JP pulls her aside and assures her that he'll be okay under an interrogation. Lara claims that she's just standing in as the heavy in place of their father, and JP actually holds his own better than he has thus far in the process assuring them that he understands their worry, and has heard a lot about Clare's dad and respects their concerns. JP and Clare's mom speak Spanish for a little while and then Mom gets her chance to actually speak for herself and tells JP to basically be true to himself and make the right decision for himself and his daughter. She then tells him that he'd be very welcome in the family if he chooses Clare, and they share a big hug. Clare and JP go out to talk and kiss, of course, and she then cries about how much she wants him to be there for her when her family gets crazy. Basically, she's dying to marry him.
By Lauren S | Season 18 | Episode 8.1 | Aired on 02.24.2014
Clare arrives at the rose ceremony with Chris Harrison, which somehow makes it feel like they are on the date. Actually, though, it's just that he's escorting all of the ladies on what seems like a very long walk from car to rose pedestal. He stands Nikki to Clare, so that they can studiously not look at each other while he collects Andi and we kill some extra moments in this unnecessarily long episode. Finally, he brings over Renee, and all four girls talk about how much they want to be picked. Chris welcomes them as a group, and then JP then comes out and laments how gorgeous they all are and how difficult this is, yet again. He compliments their families while they all yearn for him to just get on with it, already.
When he finally does, he gives the roses to Nikki, Clare and (after another comical reminder from Chris that this is the last rose, like we're all blind and dumb) Andi. Renee had been worried that she blew it by not telling JP her feelings, and I hate that she's going to beat herself up for that now. JP begins to cry while she just stands there, and finally she hugs the other women before going to talk to him. The three girls hold the roses glumly like they are about to throw them onto a casket while JP walks Renee out. She admits she's never felt this way about anyone before and for some reason couldn't tell him when she was at home. It's called good sense, Renee! You came off looking like a better and more genuine, wonderful person than most women on this show ever have before! You deserve more. JP cries that he respects her, and then gives her a hug and shuffles her into the waiting limo. Renee cries that she was in love, but points out that she can't force his feelings. She still thinks JP is, "as good as they come," which fortunately I suspect is an opinion she will amend a little once watching this actual season. Finally, she says she wants to make someone really happy, and I can only assure her that she will, and that person is going to be a way better prize than this dude.
Lauren S is a writer who lives and works in Atlanta and hopes you'll accept her rose. She wants everyone to know: "The views expressed in my recaps and anything else I might write on TWoP are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer."