A Truly Historic Night: Bachelor 28, Episode 11
What do y’all think, did the season long teasing of the finale live up to the hype?
We made it to the finale! So often by the time we get to the final episode of a Bachelor Nation show, I’m ready for it to be over and annoyed about sitting through two—in the case of last night—three hours of fluff and overplayed dramatics. But last night, I was excited to see how it ended, and even somewhat invested. Charity’s season left me feeling that way as well.
Like every episode of this season, we started with a final cold open. Joey looks the saddest we’ve seen him this season, lip quiver and all. Then, cut to the live studio audience filled with some of our faves—Susan, Charity and Dotun, Rachel and Gabby, and even the Philly sisters from this season.
Jesse promises us that what we’re about to see, we’ve never seen before in Bachelor's history. I know they play this up every season, even Chris Harrison did it, but did y’all believe him? Because I did 🤡.
Meeting The Family
Joey’s Family: Dad (did we get his name?), Cathy (mom), Ellie (sister), Zach (brother-in-law), Carly (sister)
Joey is feeling great about where he’s at with both women. He’s falling in love with both women, he sees a future with both women, and he’s hopeful he’ll leave Tulum engaged.
His family is in Tulum and excited to meet his final women. He catches them up on the entire process and his final two women. He calls Daisy inspirational because of what she’s overcome, but he describes Kelsey as someone with an infectious personality and a great ball of energy. In other words, he describes Kelsey as someone he’d want to date after this, not just a dope chick he got to know over the last few weeks.
Daisy is up first. While Joey goes to meet Daisy, Cathy and Carly share that they’re worried about him getting his heart broken, even though he’s in the driver’s seat. What is up with this family (and Joey) being so sure he will be crushed at the end of this?
Daisy is wearing a beautiful red dress with her signature long cross necklace. They recount their moments together, Daisy shares her experience of getting a cochlear implant and then she thanks his family for being who they are because they made Joey the man that she’s gotten to experience.
Carly and Ellie talk to Daisy and I couldn’t help but feel like there was an overemphasis on how Joey changed her life, helped her gain confidence, helped her realize that she can date despite what she views as flaws. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I wonder how much of Daisy's feelings for Joey are about the process and the confidence she’s gained throughout the experience. If it’s not that, I wonder how much of her tears throughout her conversation with Joey’s family were her realizing it’s not her. Surely these women have some sort of intuition as the process winds down.
When Kelsey arrived, she had fear written all over her face. She mentions being uncomfortable about another woman still being in the process and was worried about his family comparing them back to back. It did seem weird that the meeting of the family was on the same day. Usually, it’s presented like these meetings occur on two separate days.
During Kelsey’s time with Joey’s sisters, she says she knows she loves Joey because she cares about how she makes him feel and gets excited about spending her life with him.
I appreciated how honestly she answered their question about getting engaged and married. She seemed a lot less committed than Daisy, but also her answers were honest. She’s spent a few hours with Joey over the last two-ish months, of course, she’s not in a rush to get married to this STRANGER. Plus, do any of these final couples spend that much time sharing how excited they are to be married? Not engaged, married.
Cathy and Joey’s dad ask Kelsey about how she’d feel about not getting chosen and that’s when the emotion comes out from her. I don’t love that these meetings have to focus on the other person left because in theory, the final couple would not be spending so much time focusing on who the lead didn’t choose. Give us the questions about how the final two contestants view marriage, ask them how they know they’re ready for marriage, and have them talk about their non-negotiables. That is what will invite more organic drama!
Second Guessing
It is Joey and Daisy’s final date together and he’s looking forward to having a spiritual experience with her. They’re doing a meditation sound bath-like experience with lots of burning herbs and an outdoor sauna experience. I feel like whoever gets this type of final date does not get chosen because it “reveals” the lead and the final contestant’s true feelings.
Daisy is looking for validation throughout the day, while Joey seems to be looking for clarity. Unfortunately, this date doesn’t lend itself to a lot of talking time. In her interview with producers, Daisy shares that she’s getting in her head and is frustrated with the process at this point because she’s been telling everyone else how she feels about him, but she hasn’t been able to actually speak to him about her feelings.
She tells production that she loves him, but it’s hurting her because it feels like he doesn’t want her back. Joey pretty much confirms this when the person taking them through this spiritual experience asks them to name their hopes and intentions and his is for both of them to find what’s best for them while hers is about the two of them progressing together. Joey’s intention felt like a conscious pull back and Daisy clocked it.
I’m pretty sure I’ve written this in almost every finale recap, and I’m going to keep saying it until it reaches the right people: PLEASE let the lead end it with the person they’re not feeling. Most leads have admitted after their contract ends that they knew who they wanted, or at least their final 2-3 picks pretty early on. So let’s honor that. Give the runner-ups even more of a heartbreak edit. The final pick doesn’t have to be such a secret. Then we can spend more time on the love story in the final episode.
Headed into her final night with Joey, Daisy is determined to believe she is who he is going to choose because that’s the only way she will be able to tell him that she loves him.
Daisy says that the love she has for Joey feels so natural and supportive and whenever she’s around him she feels so good. Joey reacted the same way he did when we found out Rachel told him that she loved him during their overnight date. That’s to say, he did not seem interested.
Instead, Joey goes into a monologue about how hard this journey has been and how tough the decision in front of him is. He says he knows how it feels to be in the final two women’s shoes, feel so confident, only to end up heartbroken. Daisy said it felt like he was pulling away, and that she’s done all she can do. She accepts that the choice is in his hands.
Spa Day
Is there anything better than a spa day? Especially after this stressful process. Joey and Kelsey already seem like a couple, the awkwardness isn’t as apparent as it was with Daisy. However, the massages were bullshit. They massaged each other instead of getting couples massages, it gave low budget.
While Joey and Kelsey feel all over one another, we get Daisy’s voiceover, doubting whether or not she’ll be the last woman standing. Incredibly diabolical editing from production. I loved it 😂.
Apparently, there was no drama or points of tension to cover from Kelsey and Joey’s final date, so we moved on to the nighttime portion.
They recount what it felt like to be together with Joey’s family. Kelsey shares everything we saw of her time with his family before breaking down about her worries about it not being her at the end. Joey does a slightly better job of reassuring her, but still plays his cards pretty close to his chest. Regardless he knows he’s going to break someone’s heart.
I wonder if Joey feels like he played it right watching it back. All season he said the reason he was so heartbroken at the end of Charity’s season was because he was so sure it was him, he felt reassured and confident in that. Wouldn’t that make you want to let one person down before proposals in hopes that it’s less embarrassing/devastating? I guess not.
The Final Decision
It’s engagement day and Daisy looks like she does not want to be part of this process anymore. She does however look great in her red dress as she struts to Kelsey’s hotel room. If Daisy was questioning if it was her at the end, seeing Kelsey in a white dress should’ve solidified it wasn’t.
Daisy asks about Kelsey’s time with Joey’s family and about their final date. Kelsey has mostly positive things to say, while Daisy does not. It seems like something additional clicked for her when she realized that Joey was able to reassure and validate Kelsey in a way that he did not do for her.
Despite how the week left each of them feeling, Daisy decides that she’s going to go through with attending the proposal just in case it is her. This didn’t land well with me. When I thought Daisy was going to speak with Kelsey, I thought it was because she was bowing out of the process. I would’ve had so much respect for her, but to know that we essentially got this unnecessary scene was more frustrating than enlightening.
A white Suburban glides down the sandy beach of Tulum taking the final women to the final proposal spot…together! This was incredible to see. I guess I just needed to “trust the process” because when I saw that scene of Daisy and Kelsey lead to nothing, I was ready to turn off the TV.
Daisy walks down the path to Joey as if she didn’t just get out of the car where she was sitting right next to Kelsey! Instead of letting Joey break up with her, Daisy gives her speech and then admits that she knows he’s not going to choose her. As soon as she says that, he loses it. I fucking loved that Daisy got to take matters into her own hands a bit and say goodbye on her terms. Joey still got to say his goodbye and apology to Daisy, but by then her mind is made up. She chooses to walk herself back to the car on her own leaving Joey with his sweat, tears, and confusion.
Kelsey walks down the path to Joey like it is her real wedding day. She looks great.
Joey starts his monologue, with no fake outs, just an outpouring of love and appreciation for the time they’ve spent together. He proposes and she says yes! And for the first time in a long time, I love the ring Joey picked out (I’m also biased as someone with an emerald cut stone).
After The Final Rose
Joey and Daisy meet for the first time since they saw one another in Tulum and Daisy is incredibly gracious and supportive of his final decision. She shared she realized that she might not be Joey’s final choice at the Fantasy Suites rose ceremony when she saw Kelsey and Joey share a look that felt like more than lust. She also said her feelings of anxiety leading up to the proposal let her know that it couldn’t have been her because that’s not how getting engaged is supposed to feel.
We get a pretty extended segment with Kelsey and Joey. The biggest thing they reveal is that Joey will be spending the next few months in New Orleans before they move to New York City over the summer. The couple was also gifted a return trip to Jasper. Jese also hinted that we might be seeing Kelsey’s dad on a show in the future. I kind of hope so, he looks GOODT.
Before ending the night, we meet the next Bachelorette. It is not Daisy, and I love that we got to hear from her that she’s not ready for that journey. She shares that it’s only been a year since she got her cochlear implant, and her “breakup” with Joey was only a few months ago. Not to mention, I think Daisy could have a much better career outside of Bachelor Nation and I hope she does.
As for our next Bachelorette, it will be Jenn! I’m kind of shocked. Jenn will be the first Asian American lead this franchise has ever had. I truly pray the producers, editors, contestants, and fans do right by her. While so many things can go right, we also know a lot of shit can go wrong too. Don’t fuck this up Bachelor Nation and leave the racist tweets and opinions in the drafts! I’m looking forward to it and I hope we get to know her because I do feel like we don’t know much about her just yet.
Overall, this finale and season lived up to the hype for me. It was light on the drama, but Joey and the final women were so likable that as I watched, I was able to enjoy all the positive emotions that often get glossed over in this show. My hope for Joey and Kelsey is the same as it is for these final couples that end up together: I hope we barely see them after this week of press. I hope they get the chance to enjoy grocery trips, movie dates, baecations, and holidays without the cameras and fans wanting/demanding more of them. Cheers to love!