Episode 11 - 8/1 Finale - Discussion - Spoilers

JBF wrote:Obviously, this couple knows ALL about the Real Bentley Story and how much of it differs from the TV Story.

LibbyBell wrote:It could also be that Ashley swapped not having to be that physical with the guys on the show with being over the top devastated that B left. She didn't have to go through a FD with Ben, at least that was shown and the LCD was tame enough. Imagine what they would have had Ashley do if B had been in the F2!

Lucas15 wrote:Which I think is just about all of the Bentley story. I've watched the M&G several times and watched Ashley's expression after first meeting Bentley and there is simply no way that she really fell for this guy, and I don't believe for one minute we weren't intended to see that look if we knew what to look for - it was left in the final edit for a purpose and it could have easily been taken out if they wanted to.

I think Bentley was cast as the villain from the get go and it was known from the beginning that he wouldn't stay long - probably always destined to leave at Episode 3. But by then it was becoming more and more apparent to Ashley that she was going to pick JP and that deal was finally consummated in Hong Kong (this maybe either a bad or a good choice of word here).

The scenes with Bentley were filmed before Ashley had decided that she couldn't wouldn't act anymore - later on, once her mind was made up, she was too afraid of how to explain the aftermath to JP so she stooped acting which left the show with a problem. Her explanation of Bentley to Jordan in Hong Kong was mostly show speak and probably explained fully later on that date. The rest of the seeming infatuation with Bentley was all done with voice overs and ITM that could have been and as we now see were filmed later on; a good cover for what was really going on.

Lucas, this was my point, as well. Bentley as a "memory" was easier to defend than another guy that was here and could have possibly been very ready, willing and able to be an octopus. I think that this was the trick in editing that was needed for this year.

albean99 wrote:I'm not too sure that Ashley didn't really fall for Bentley early on. If you watch the early scenes with him, she's glowing and appears to be smitten. I also doubt very much she was acting when she was so upset by him leaving. I don't think she was fixating on Bentley for as long as they wanted us to believe however and that's the stuff that I believe was added after the fact.

Albean, I think that the reason she "fell" was because prior to the show filming, TPTB explained the process and the type of situations that they would like to capture. Once she received the text from MM she felt that 1) she needed to judge him on his own merits but also, 2) that at the very least he could provide TPTB some of what they are looking for. She is a veteran of the show-- she knows what kind of drama that TPTB are interested in. IMO, it is beyond believe to think that she was totally in love with B in the little time that she had with him. I think she liked the idea of what could become (either the possibility of falling or drama) but that was the only reason she was so upset when he left-- jmo.

I think Ashley was more upset about how the whole week went down than she was about Bentley leaving.... he was more like the proverbial straw breaking the camels back IMO She'd just gone through that horrible roast which made her feel even more insecure about being the Bach'ette, more than she already was going into filming the show.... and then Bentley leaves on her, which would have further crushed her already fragile ego. I think her eventually falling asleep on JP was just an indication of how stressed she was about the previous few weeks of filming, and when with JP she just relaxed and drifted off. Very early sign that JP was the guy for her. Bentley's exaggerated edit was for drama and not an indication that he was her original F1. JP had her with his smiling hello at the M&G :Cutecupcake:

I don't know if he was her original f1 but do think she only had eyes for him early on. I think it's rewriting history to ignore that. She obviously started to have real feelings for JP after Bentley left so that should be all that matters if you're a fan.

albean99 wrote:I don't know if he was her original f1 but do think she only had eyes for him early on. I think it's rewriting history to ignore that. She obviously started to have real feelings for JP after Bentley left so that should be all that matters if you're a fan.

albean, I agree that she did not know her F1 that early on (that would be revisionist history!!). I readily admit that B and JP were in her thoughts to be in the final but nothing definite in the first 2 episodes. I agree, once B leaves, I think she started thinking about how JP could fit into her plan. Prior to that, JP was just a twinkle in her eye that she was happy getting to know!

Oh he caught her attention all right, but most of "i've fallen for Bentley" stuff was pretty much done in VO's and a few of the PI's were done way after he left, so like I said, it was exaggerated for drama by the producers. Bentley would probably have gotten a HTD but I think eventually Ashley would have figured him out and he wouldn't have been her F1, not with JP around anyway. If JP wasn't on this season, we would have gotten another "over by ATFR" like we have had in so many seasons with whoever she chose.

My question for all who think that Bentley was "the" guy from early on.... why didn't he get a 1/1 date with her in the first few episodes? why only group dates? doesn't that make you go hmmmmmmm? I know it does me and my biggest flag as to what her true feelings were for him and how much of what we saw and heard wasn't mostly just engineered after the fact for drama.

I definitely think she fell for Bentley for real at the beginning because he gave her the relationship she wanted with no build up or effort on her part. At the second RC, we had JP asking for a single kiss, which he let her dominate anyway. Contrast that interaction with Bentley sweeping her up in his arms, putting her in his lap and totally 'mastering' her, as Bloomers put at the time. Now we know that JP does plently of sweeping her up too, but they had to work up to that and develop that level of comfort and intimacy with each other, even if they got there very quickly. With Bentley, it was instant because it wasn't real but Ashley still enjoyed it before she realized she's going to need to put in a little effort for a real relationship.

The truth is JP is everything she wished Bentley was initially and it was game over for everyone else the moment Bentley left and JP remained in the game. He became her rock and they became a 'we' on that 1:1 date when she told him her deepest insecurities, physically went farther with him than she would go with Ben on their LCD, and fell asleep in his arms, something she remembered and blogged and talked about months later, while already in a committed, engaged relationship with him. By the time Ben even met her on the orphanage date, she and JP were already auditioning to make big kid films on the beach. It was over before it even started.

ETA: Northern, IMO she was dying for a 1:1 with Bentley but TPTB knew all about him and would not let that happen. I believe they always knew JP was going to be F1 and pushed her to him with the limo exit, coin toss kiss and the 1:1 when she was most vulnerable and needed someone most. And who knows how else they helped them get together.

Ooooh, I love how you worded that Alanna! It gave me goosebumps.

ICAM!

Alanna, you said almost everything I was going to say!!! Just want to add that of all the guys, only Bentley and JP "got" Ashley, in that they were the only ones who pursued her, rather than taking a "wait and see, and in the meantime I'll bond with my bros in the house" attitude. (Well, Ryan tried as well, but as smooth as Bentley and JP are in "wooing" a woman, that's how awkward poor Ryan is; I guess that's why he needed to read some books first, although they didn't help!). Bentley and JP also offered her the physical affection that she needs and wants when she likes a guy, the others were too reserved or standoffish.

The only reason that Bentley may have had a slight edge on JP during the first week of filming was because while he had been on two group dates with her (with individual time on both of them), during that same period, JP had been stuck in the house, and had gotten very little time with her, due to an unlucky coin toss. Even had Bentley stayed longer, once JP got his solo date, he would have easily taken the lead from Bentley. One was the real thing, one was faking it; I think seeing the two efforts side by side, it would have been easy for Ashley to tell the difference.

eta Of course she was never "in love" with Bentley after a week, but she was infatuated with "who she thought he was". And I believe she was devastated after he told her he was leaving, partly due to him, and partly due to the roast the day before, when William, who she thought liked her, disappointed her, Ryan who she thought she liked, turned her off with his kissing, and she probably started wondering how badly off her picker was, and thinking that maybe deciding to be the Bachelorette was a big mistake.

LOL Iron and you were saying everything I wanted to in the other thread. :smooch: and thanks Nibbles, you're too sweet!

Excellent point that she would have known the difference between real from JP and pretend from Bentley anyway. It was always going to be Jash in the end but with his only competition, who as you said, "got Ashley" and what she needed and craved, out so early and JP riding in on his white stallion immediately, it just became Jash that much earlier.

albean99 wrote:I don't know if he was her original f1 but do think she only had eyes for him early on. I think it's rewriting history to ignore that. She obviously started to have real feelings for JP after Bentley left so that should be all that matters if you're a fan.

Personally if she only had eyes for BNB in the beginning I would think he would have been on a 1-on-1 or at the least the coin flip. JP was part of the coin flip (which to be changed the course of this whole season) and JP got a 1-on-1 the next day. I agree BNB was in her top 4, but I don't believe she only had eyes for him.

GrahamGal wrote:

albean99 wrote:I don't know if he was her original f1 but do think she only had eyes for him early on. I think it's rewriting history to ignore that. She obviously started to have real feelings for JP after Bentley left so that should be all that matters if you're a fan.

Personally if she only had eyes for BNB in the beginning I would think he would have been on a 1-on-1 or at the least the coin flip. JP was part of the coin flip (which to be changed the course of this whole season) and JP got a 1-on-1 the next day. I agree BNB was in her top 4, but I don't believe she only had eyes for him.

She didn't ~ mostly all producer driven. Her crying was real because it was at the beginning of the show and all her insecurities were raw and she was afraid none of the guys were happy she was the bachelorette, that's what produced the majority of tears/meltdown, more than she felt about BNB, esp. after she got with JP and saw he was there for her from the get go. Anything after the coin toss and most importantly, after the "Jammie Date", was all scripted producer induced 'drama' about BND, a huge smokescreen to hide JP and Ashley. Ben, nor any other guys were ever really a factor, but the 'show' must go on.