Bachelor 25 - Matt James - Mar 8 - *Sleuthing Spoilers*

#TheBachelor

— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) March 9, 2021

Who will @mattjames919 choose? Thanks for watching #TheBachelor. pic.twitter.com/egdLatuNMW

— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) March 9, 2021

It was obvious from Matt's language that he had already picked Rachael before fantasy suites even started. But I thought by far, his best, most natural relationship was with Michelle. I think a mature, ready-for-marriage Matt would have picked Michelle, and would have been very happy with her. A couple of things Michelle said when she returned to the shared space with the other women made me think about how kind she is. It would have been very easy for her to focus solely on herself, but instead, she told the other women how much they would enjoy their time with Matt, and she also noticed that they were both feeling down.

I don't think it was fair to Matt's dad to spring that conversation on him, but I don't think the conversation would have gone very differently off camera anyway. That scene was "Exhibit A" for why Matt will have difficulty committing to any woman. If I were in Matt's shoes, I would get a referral to a good therapist to help him deal with that long-lasting trauma.

I don't know how Matt could possibly have made it past the psychological screening that the show puts leads and cast members through without raising red flags. Maybe the producers didn't care.

I truly feel that Matt should not have vented his frustrations and disappointments with his father ON NATIONAL TV. Should have been done in private.

Just my opinion though as I like to keep family issues within the family. Wouldn't be comfortable sharing them with Bachelor Nation.

@Doats @Amethyst Totally agree with your observation re: convo with  Matt’s dad. His dad looked happy to see him at the beginning, suggesting he didn’t know what was coming.
Also Agree that the conversation wouldn’t have been different if it was in private, but it would have been much more respectful both to his dad and to the impact it’s had on Matt. In private Matt might have concluded therapy was a good option; caught up in filming is he able to pause enough to see that? Or did he make that choice long ago and is choosing not to share that level of detail? I hope it’s the latter.
IMO it’s a classic example of how the participants in this show can be a frog in hot water not seeing how they’re about to get boiled (gross but you get my point I hope ). I wonder how Matt and dad feel about this being aired now that there’s some distance between filming and airing. I hope for their sake it’s opened a door to better communication.

@GuardianAngel @Sprite All the women looked beautiful last night at the RC, but Bri really shone. She is beautiful, poised and mature.

I agree with the poster who commented on Michelle's kindness toward the other women when returning from her date. Editing makes it seem as if she was the only one but I'd like to think all of them can be supportive to each other. It's a difficult situation.

Clearly, Matt wanted Rachael and he choose her. It's been her for weeks. I feel so badly for Michelle and Bri. I was abhorred that the convo between Matt and his dad was shown. It seemed so out of context. On that move alone, I may abandon this show. Kindness toward others matters far more to me than dirt.

Ratings:

Earlier on ABC's night, The Bachelor perked up to 4.8 million viewers and a 1.2 rating in the demo.

https://www.tvfanatic.com/2021/03/tv-ratings-debris-sinks-9-1-1-lone-star-rises/

https://youtu.be/LXkqKmfDMSo

Ashley I’s Cosmo recap: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a35771216/bachelor-matt-james-season-25-episode-9-recap-analysis/

I didn't love the episode last night. I felt bad for Matt's dad and don't think that should have been shown. I thought that Michelle's date was the only one that felt right even if she's not Matt's pick. I really like them together. Bri's date felt like an afterthought. I felt so bad for her when it was clear how he felt.

Rachel came across as being so young with the way she reacted to the others being on dates before her. I get that it's not ideal that they're together but all of them, including the guys in Tayshia's season, had to put up with it also. I'm just not interested in her or in them as a couple. I feel bad for Michelle and Bri.

@albean99 I agree with everything you said!

I just rewatched and I wasn’t surprised that there were no morning after shots of Rachael and Matt, but found it very odd that there wasn’t even any post-date commentary from Matt. In contrast, Matt’s comment after Michelle’s date was that it felt almost unfair how instant their connection was and that it would be hard for others to catch up.

Norcalgal wrote:@GuardianAngel @Sprite All the women looked beautiful last night at the RC, but Bri really shone. She is beautiful, poised and mature.

I agree with the poster who commented on Michelle's kindness toward the other women when returning from her date. Editing makes it seem as if she was the only one but I'd like to think all of them can be supportive to each other. It's a difficult situation.

Clearly, Matt wanted Rachael and he choose her. It's been her for weeks. I feel so badly for Michelle and Bri. I was abhorred that the convo between Matt and his dad was shown. It seemed so out of context. On that move alone, I may abandon this show. Kindness toward others matters far more to me than dirt.

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I agree that Bri stood out. She was also in the next lead bachelorette position by being let go at F3. So why haven't we heard about TPTB considering Bri for the next Bachelorette??? They were very quick to mention Kate, but not Bri. Makes no sense to me.