'Bachelor' recap: 'I am spinning out of control'
Editor's note: Waukesha native Nick Viall is searching for love during his fourth appearance on a "Bachelor"-franchise show. Will he find it? Our reporters will keep you in the loop with weekly updates.
What happened: Nick started the week with six women and after four dates, he whittled the contenders down to four. Given how many times Nick cried this week, it's shocking the date cards weren't tear streaked.
We picked up in St. Thomas where Nick expressed his doubts about finding love in "this world," a.k.a the alien planet that is "The Bachelor." Of course, it's a fake out. Nick isn't going to give up on love. He still needs to "prove to America that if you don’t give up on love, eventually you’ll find it.”
The pressure of hometown dates was in the air as Vanessa's name was on the first date card. Her date was a sea expedition, avoiding a repeat of her space simulator sickness. She defied gravity in another way — somehow the pair stayed afloat while making out mid-snorkel. Vanessa decided to take the plunge and told Nick "I am falling in love with you." Nick's response, "I really really like you a lot," resembled Juan Pablo's finale profession of "like" to winner Nikki.
Nick hits the seas again with Kristina, Raven and Corinne. The foursome don snorkel masks and swim with sharks. A frightened Kristina goes back to the boat where she's comforted by Nick. "Queen of group dates" Corinne eats her feelings about the lack of attention and shoved cheese curds in her mouth, pulling on our Wisconsin heartstrings. Raven cements her hometown date with the rose.
Danielle M., a Germantown native, rode off with Nick on a bicycle, basket and all. While sugar-sweet Danielle felt the pair had "fallen into this rhythm" that "feels good," Nick found the date lackluster. "Right now Danielle and I seem to be struggling to have a more natural conversation," he said. Nick continued to break "Bachelor" norms and sent Danielle home from the date, instead of waiting for a rose ceremony.
Ever caring Corinne took it upon herself to go check on Nick post-breakup and "turn on the sex charm." The most teased moment of the season finally aired as Corinne said, "my heart is gold, but my vagine is platinum." Corinne invited Nick to "dive into bed" before he decided not to commit the same faux pas as he did on Kaitlyn's season and told her to "slow down." Corinne seemed like she is about to self-destruct. "I am spinning out of control," she said after the plan backfired. "I'm the last one on the totem pole here."
Rachel, the 2011 Marquette University Law School graduate who appears to be the next Bachelorette, spent the last date before hometowns hanging out and drinking beer with Nick. "Even though our relationship shot out like a cannon, it's not slowing down," Nick said of their connection.
Nick skips the rose ceremony, opting to send Kristina home early. "You deserve someone who doesn't sit in front of you and say there are stronger relationships," he said.
Number of mentions of Wisconsin: 2
How it came up: Both badger state references came on Nick's date with Germantown native Danielle Maltby.
When Nick broached the topic of hometown dates he asked, "Would we go back to Wisconsin?" Danielle said she was thinking about taking him to her cabin up north.
Our fears were confirmed that the pair wouldn't have much else to talk about besides cheese, beer and the packers. Before sending Danielle home, Nick reminisced about their first date, "I had a level of comfort with you. Maybe it's because we're just two Wisconsin kids who can relate on a whole bunch of levels."
What we learned about Nick: Nick explained he doesn't want to commit the same error as Ben Higgins, who told both of the final two women those three special words. On his date with Vanessa he said, "It is incredibly important to me that if I say 'I love you' in this world that I only say it to one person. If I'm lucky enough to say I love you I want to feel in a way that I'm saying it for the first time."
Best quote of the night: "I'd live in a shack with no diamonds for Nick," Corinne said before heading to his room with explicit intentions. "Who am I?"
Women remaining: 4
Coming up next: After sending Kristina home, Nick is down to four women, the typical number of hometown dates. But he says, "I'm still really confused about what I'm going to do tonight." A mystery brunette will come back to confront Nick. Without giving us a peek at hometowns we see a distraught Nick in Finland where the finale was filmed. "I've been dumped my whole life," he says.