We got a double dose of “The Bachelor” this week, and by the end of the show on Tuesday, March 8, I had lost all respect for Eureka native Clayton Echard.
After Susie, one of the three finalists, learned Clayton had slept with two of the other women vying for his heart and said that was a dealbreaker for her, he clearly tried to gaslight her into thinking she was at fault for not letting him know earlier she would disapprove of him having sex with the other contestants.
The week began with the “Women Tell All” episode on Monday, March 7. I will not dive deep into this offering as it had no impact on who Clayton will end up with, and I have no desire to expand on my dislike for Shanae or the lunacy of “shrimp-gate.”
But if you are in the mood for a bunch of women trashing each other, go back and watch the episode.
The main event this week was the “Fantasy Suites” episode that aired Tuesday. This is always my favorite episode each season as we get to see one-on-one interaction between the final contestants and the bachelor.
The producers bill this episode as a chance for the women to have time off camera with the bachelor, meaning the chance for some hanky-panky. This is the episode that led me to sour on Clayton for sleeping with two of the women and acting like he couldn’t understand why Susie would object to him sleeping with her competition.
Clayton and the remaining three women – Susie, Gabby and Rachel – were taken to Iceland for the “Fantasy Suites” episode, and he had a date with each of the remaining woman before inviting them back to the suite.
Rachel was the first to go on a date with Clayton, and the two toured an inactive volcano before retiring to the suite. After they entered the luxurious room, we didn’t see them again until the next morning when they were cuddling in bed together.
During the segment that focused on Clayton and Rachel’s date, Susie was interviewed, and she said she wouldn’t be able to start a relationship with Clayton if he slept with Rachel or Gabby. I think everyone could see where the episode was heading after that.
Next up was Clayton and Gabby’s date, which was sure to make Eureka golf cart owner jealous because the pair cruised through a beach in a tricked-out dune buggy before retiring to their suite and getting down to business, wink-wink, nudge-nudge.
For those keeping score, Clayton slept with Rachel and Gabby and told both he was falling in love with them before going on a spa date with Susie. During their dinner, Clayton told Susie he was falling in love with her, too, but Susie was not buying the line.
She asked Clayton if he also had professed his love for the other women and if he had been intimate with them, which in the show is code for knocking boots. Clayton seemed shocked by the questions, but at least he answered honestly.
Susie told Clayton that his rendezvous with Gabby and Rachel were a dealbreaker for her moving forward in the competition, and Clayton’s response shattered his nice-guy image in my eyes.
He fired back at Susie that he “loved her the most” and blamed her for never telling her she would have a problem with him sleeping with others on the show. Really dude, you want to claim it is her fault?
C’mon, if you truly loved Susie the most, she should have been the only one you spent the night with.
Then, Clayton angrily sent Susie home after dinner, and the two did not spend the night together.
So now, we are down to Gabby and Rachel. Who do you think Clayton will pick in the finale? I think he shouldn’t select either woman because despite his previous claims of being ready for marriage and starting a family, he is not ready to settle down.
Tell me what you think by voting in the poll.
