In my years of watching The Bachelor franchise I can not recall a more diverse or emotional set of hometown dates. I felt like we got deep. We saw a lot of raw emotions and completely different types of families.

I put my kids to bed, poured a glass of bubbly water and sat down to enjoy my weekly indulgence of dramatic TV. Let’s discuss.

Going into the episode I felt like Peter and Bryan were frontrunners, coming out I felt completely different.

Eric’s Hometown (Baltimore)

We kick it off with Eric. She jumps into his arms and snuggles him which makes me smile because I feel like we haven’t seem much chemistry between them yet. Especially not compared to what we see with Peter and Bryan.

Rachel is doing two things I can’t do to save my life: Play ball and wearing heels. And at the same time!

Rachel is nervous to be the first girl Eric has brought home and I’m thinking it’s probably because she knows she’s getting ready to break his heart. But she walks in the door and immediately feels at home. You can see it. And their little couch dance party seriously gives me life.

I may not be in love with Eric yet, but I’ve totally fallen for his family.

Eric’s aunt sits Rachel down for a heart-to-heart and cuts to the chase and get to the race questions. Two black women having a chat and I feel like they can understand each other. There’s a comfort there. Rachel says it’s hard because she’s making two groups of people angry in this process. Eric’s aunt seems to understand and admires her for following her heart.

I want Eric’s aunt to be my BFF.

And get this, I tweet that and then she TWEETS ME BACK! Night made!

 

Hey girl! ??

— Verna Myers (@VernaMyers) July 18, 2017

In the other room Eric and his mom are having a real heart-to-heart. She’s says the reason she didn’t give him all of the love he was craving growing up is because she wanted him to grow up and be a man, and find love outside of his relationship with his mother. On one hand I’m like *ouch* but then ten minutes later at Bryan’s hometown I’m like “ok I get it.”

Eric says he loves Rachel, and that means he really cares about her. Rachel is nodding and smiling and seems a little confused by this clarification. Ok maybe I am too. I feel like she’s into him but not on the same level as a couple of the other guys. And the contrast seems to become glaringly obvious when she goes to Miami.

Bryan’s Hometown (Miami)

This is Bryan’s chance to win me over because so far all I see is blah blah blah… smooth talk… blah blah blah… I’m a player. Will he be a different person around his family? Or is that just a part of who he is?

They go to play dominoes and it’s evident Rachel doesn’t know a lick of Spanish. I don’t know a lick of dominos so I can’t tell what’s going on or who is winning.

Is it just me or are the flowers for Bryan’s mom WAY bigger than the bouquet for Eric’s mom. I’m trying not to throw shade but I notice.

Courtesy ABC

Then it takes two seconds for Bryan’s mom and was it is sister (I thought he was an only child?) to go off about blood is blood, “I’m the mother!” plus throw out some death threats followed by a nervous laugh and I get why Rachel trying to kiss up to her.

For the first time in forever Bryan is starting to win me over but his mom is making me want to tell Rachel to run like hell. Girl, she is gonna make your life a nightmare! The last thing you want is an overbearing mother in law. (I’m not speaking from experience, mine is awesome!).

They keep saying Bryan’s last girlfriend wanted him all to herself and didn’t like the family and I’m all “Gee… I wonder why?!”

10 points to Bryan for saying he loves her, and seeming more genuine than I’ve seen him. But your overbearing mama just set you back 10 points. I’m sorry, do not pass go, you’re back to square one.

Hot Peter’s hometown (Madison)

Hot Peter is up next. The hometown I’ve been waiting for. I’m so excited for this because he’s been my favorite for weeks now. But I’m not gonna lie, his breakdown last week about his ex is making me wonder if he’s really over her.

Peter brings Rachel to meet a couple of his friends also in interracial relationships. Is he trying to get into their club?… But they play it cool. Peter confides in his boys about really knowing if she’s the one, and being unsure about a proposal at the end of this. The kind of questions he’s asking his friends make me wonder if he is even really into her.

Courtesy ABC

All the other guys are professing their love and Peter is like “she aight.” Nah Peter, Rachel is the greatest good you’re ever gonna get.

Rachel and Peter go to meet his family and the two of them have the most awkward seating arrangement on the sectional couch, an armrest stuck between the two of them. But Peter joking and playing with his niece is literally the cutest thing I’ve seen all night.

I kept waiting for the fireworks to start flying again, for the deeper connection to kick in. For Peter to profess his love for this amazing woman. Instead we get: “I’m very happy.”

Well then.

Probably wasn’t the romantic goodbye Rachel was hoping for from Peter but, I’m hoping she keeps him around to see if there’s still a chance… But my salty side is saying I’d be fine if she sent his ungrateful butt home.

Baby Dean’s hometown (Aspen)

After a morning of four wheeling, Baby Dean is legitimately terrified and I’m sincerely feeling for him. I caught a glimpse of Dean’s Instagram post asking for people to be sensitive to what they see and so I look past the turban and the beard, and his wife, and missing table, the pillows, and the gong and I take it all in with open mindedness.

Courtesy ABC

It starts out sweet, but things get emotional fast. When Rachel talks to Dean’s sister and he talks about how strong he is I lose it. I’m a mess. And I’m in love with Dean and the maturity he’s shown through all of this. I’m officially #TeamDean despite his lame-A pickup line and the fact that he’s a baby.

The next 15 minutes has nothing to do with Rachel and Dean, and everything to do with Dean and his dad. It’s personal and it’s uncomfortable. I don’t even really know what to say about that. Except that I wish that didn’t have to play out on national television, and I wish I could give him a hug.

I’m not crying. You’re crying. We’re all crying.

Rachel tries to talk to Dean’s dad but it doesn’t go well. Things are crumbling quickly.

Courtesy ABC

Rachel comes in and consoles Dean and he tells her he’s falling in love with her. Then SHE says she’s falling in love with him too. And my jaw drops. I can’t help but wonder if that’s her trying to console him. I mean when things get emotional stuff just comes out and Dean was in a rough and very vulnerable place. So many questions but I’m feelin this and them in this moment.

Five minutes later that moment is over and Rachel’s conversation with Chris hits the nail on the head. Dean is young and navigating a ton of emotions. He says he’s in love with Rachel but she’s not sure he really knows what he wants right now.

Still though, I thought she’d keep him and send Eric home. When Eric got the second rose I’m seriously surprised. Peter is on my crap list and Dean is still a baby. But I mean… She said she was falling for him too!

Dean gets the boot and I’m heartbroken for him. But only for a second cause I know he’s on Bachelor in Paradise. Maybe he’ll keep his promise to never go back and hook up with Jasmine.

My predictions

Eric: I am appreciating so many things about Eric right now. For one, he says he’s had a rough upbringing. Despite that he’s a “cool square” and was a straight-A student (that can’t spell) and driven. I admire that a lot.

Then, his journey with Rachel hasn’t been all rainbows and roses with this relationship. Rachel even says they “challenge each other.” I get a sense that you pretty much get what you get with him, and there isn’t going to be a huge shift in personality once the cameras turn off.

I like that he’s all in and I LOVE his family.

Peter: I’m mad at you right now, but you’re still so fine. Get with it. Realize Rachel is the one and tell her, before it’s too late.

Bryan: I’m finally starting to like you but your family is ruining it. Get it together and tell your mama to back off so you can possibly have a future.

At this point honestly I’m not feeling ANY of these guys for Rachel. I am wishing we could have seen more of Anthony or even Diggy, and I’m so curious about some of the guys that got booted before idiot Lee.

I’d like to see Eric or Peter as the Bachelor if they don’t win. Though Bryan is growing on me it’s too little too late and I don’t want him to win or see him as The Bachelor.

What did you think of hometowns and the guys who are left?

Tags: the bachelorette