Episode 7 - 7/08 - Bachelorette 9 - Discussion - Spoilers

crazyjaney wrote:

canyonvue wrote:

nannymargie wrote:Let's not forget that Chris sees the connection with Des and Brooks.  He has even mentioned it a few times.  Will he be less hurt, don't think so.  But I don't think he will be surprised either.

I was going to mention that at some point earlier. He does notice it. Otherwise, he wouldn't mention it every other episode. He is aware of their connection and feels competitive with him. Brooks, on the other hand, doesn't seem concerned with any particular person there. Yet, he isn't possessive or arrogant. He steps out of the way to let others have their chance. He listens to them talk about their relationships with Des. I don't know if the confidence is naturally a part of him or if it's because he feels/sees something between them. Probably a little of both.

A few weeks ago, I would have agreed.  Now, I am just wondering if Brooks is just "disengaged" from the process or has checked out mentally/emotionally.  Something about him seemed off last night.  

Maybe it's the first date curse. Before their date he talked about the fact that he sees her connection with other guys. He also mentioned that since his first 1-1, he has been on a lot of group dates and doesn't remember how to act on a 1-1 date. She told him on their date that she liked trying to figure it out if this was working with them and he told her that it IS working. I think this is just the pace that he likes to move in and is being extremely cautious with his heart and the hearts of his loved ones. He toasted to always "re-connecting", and I think that is the way that he is feeling - that they have gone so long without spending more than a brief time together that it's hard to feel like you are moving forward. She has the advantage of knowing that she's more into him than any of the others, but he has no idea if she is telling the same thing to the other guys that she is saying to him. Also, I think he was in total awe of what they were experiencing on Cloud 9 and he was drinking it all in and trying to savor the moment. He did try to express to her how he was feeling and why.
When she told him she thought she was running, he told her that he liked that, that gives him hope that something will really develop between them, but just as he told her, he was waiting to see how things would go with his family. This guy just wasn't in line for the Kool-Aid the day it was served, and he probably wasn't being pressed by the producers to ramp up his feelings like the other guys were.

BKay wrote:I thought he was just being cautious, trying to ramp back his feelings and be realistic. We have seen in every episode that his eyes follow her and he lights up when she is around. I think the boy is ready to fall in love with her, but is keeping the fact of 3 other guys in his mind.  

I agree. Remember, his comment about the 'stare'. Ugh, I spend way too much time remembering this crap.  

Just finished watching this epi.

Thoughts:
1) Des has a teenage crush on Drew that's definitely progressing to something more serious. But I almost feel like she is too much woman for him to handle and that she could eat him for breakfast. :hidingchair She does light up around him, more so than she does Chris.

2) She is very physically attracted to Chris and adores his poetry and thoughtful creativity, but isn't as intellectually stimulated by him as she is Brooks

3) She wants to like Zak more, but they may be too much alike. He is a little awkward around her...their chemistry, though not forced, does not seem as natural as it is with Brooks

4) The teary-eyed confessional with CH about Brooks got me running for the Kleenex box, and quite contrary to my video-making endeavors, I don't usually swoon easily over this kind of stuff

If anyone like Drew was obsessed with me as Drew is with Desiree, I'd light up too!  

He wanted to meet her from the start!

moonchild wrote:

crazyjaney wrote:

canyonvue wrote:

nannymargie wrote:Let's not forget that Chris sees the connection with Des and Brooks.  He has even mentioned it a few times.  Will he be less hurt, don't think so.  But I don't think he will be surprised either.

I was going to mention that at some point earlier. He does notice it. Otherwise, he wouldn't mention it every other episode. He is aware of their connection and feels competitive with him. Brooks, on the other hand, doesn't seem concerned with any particular person there. Yet, he isn't possessive or arrogant. He steps out of the way to let others have their chance. He listens to them talk about their relationships with Des. I don't know if the confidence is naturally a part of him or if it's because he feels/sees something between them. Probably a little of both.

A few weeks ago, I would have agreed.  Now, I am just wondering if Brooks is just "disengaged" from the process or has checked out mentally/emotionally.  Something about him seemed off last night.  

Maybe it's the first date curse.  Before their date he talked about the fact that he sees her connection with other guys.  He also mentioned that since his first 1-1, he has been on a lot of group dates and doesn't remember how to act on a 1-1 date.  She told him on their date that she liked trying to figure it out if this was working with them and he told her that it IS working.  I think this is just the pace that he likes to move in and is being extremely cautious with his heart and the hearts of his loved ones.  He toasted to always "re-connecting", and I think that is the way that he is feeling - that they have gone so long without spending more than a brief time together that it's hard to feel like you are moving forward.  She has the advantage of knowing that she's more into him than any of the others, but he has no idea if she is telling the same thing to the other guys that she is saying to him.  Also, I think he was in total awe of what they were experiencing on Cloud 9 and he was drinking it all in and trying to savor the moment.  He did try to express to her how he was feeling and why.  
When she told him she thought she was running, he told her that he liked that, that gives him hope that something will really develop between them, but just as he told her, he was waiting to see how things would go with his family.  This guy just wasn't in line for the Kool-Aid the day it was served, and he probably wasn't being pressed by the producers to ramp up his feelings like the other guys were.

Moonchild, you expressed just what I was thinking!

Agreed, Moonchild!

b wrote:

Piper61 wrote:

ironcat wrote:It's hard to classify Brooks' behavior as completely indicative of how interested he is in Des.  Guys react differently to both being in the Bachelor Bubble as well as falling for a girl in real life.  JP got jealous and impatient towards the end once he knew he wanted Ashley, while Roberto was very chill all the way until the end even though he obviously was in love with Ali.  Reid was hesitant on Jill's season to go "all in" or even to say the L word, and his ATFR and post show behavior clearly indicated that his feelings for Jill were extremely strong, probably even stronger than Ed's were at the time.  I wonder if people are getting the impression that Brooks is almost uninterested in Des mostly because we now have seen just how gaga over him she really is, and he clearly isn't reciprocating at that level, and the other guys, in contrast, seemed to have all ramped up their own pursuit of her (which I also suspect was more at the prodding of the producers, as they probably came up with this storyline for the rest of the season at this juncture), all of which which only further emphasizes Brooks' reticence.  Yeah, he's pretty cautious about just succumbing to the Bubble the way the rest of them have, but I don't see him as being lukewarm on Des.  If you want to know what THAT looks like, watch Graham on Deanna's season.  THAT'S lukewarm.

Good post!  Brooks wasn't lukewarm, and certainly not cold.  

Brooks is certainly interested/attracted to Des, but my question is he uncertain about Des or maybe not ready for a committed relationship w anyone?  

He could also just be skeptical about getting "engaged" at the end of this.  For all we know, the producers may already be grilling him about his willingness to propose at FRC if he's picked, and it may be turning him off going through with the process.

We have to remember that much goes on behind the scenes, with the producers prodding the contestants to get the dramatic actions and reactions they want to propel forward the grand storyline they are envisioning.  Conspiracy theory coming now- Maybe realizing how over the moon Des was for Brooks, and seeing how both cautious and resistant Brooks was to allowing himself to be brainwashed, the producers cooked up the whole storyline of "scaring" Brooks into leaving, then "convincing" him to come back a few days later.  They probably had him holed up in Antigua working him over.    

b wrote:

Piper61 wrote:

ironcat wrote:It's hard to classify Brooks' behavior as completely indicative of how interested he is in Des.  Guys react differently to both being in the Bachelor Bubble as well as falling for a girl in real life.  JP got jealous and impatient towards the end once he knew he wanted Ashley, while Roberto was very chill all the way until the end even though he obviously was in love with Ali.  Reid was hesitant on Jill's season to go "all in" or even to say the L word, and his ATFR and post show behavior clearly indicated that his feelings for Jill were extremely strong, probably even stronger than Ed's were at the time.  I wonder if people are getting the impression that Brooks is almost uninterested in Des mostly because we now have seen just how gaga over him she really is, and he clearly isn't reciprocating at that level, and the other guys, in contrast, seemed to have all ramped up their own pursuit of her (which I also suspect was more at the prodding of the producers, as they probably came up with this storyline for the rest of the season at this juncture), all of which which only further emphasizes Brooks' reticence.  Yeah, he's pretty cautious about just succumbing to the Bubble the way the rest of them have, but I don't see him as being lukewarm on Des.  If you want to know what THAT looks like, watch Graham on Deanna's season.  THAT'S lukewarm.

Good post!  Brooks wasn't lukewarm, and certainly not cold.  

Brooks is certainly interested/attracted to Des, but my question is he uncertain about Des or maybe not ready for a committed relationship w anyone?  

I think he's ready for a relationship or he wouldn't have gone on the show, and he's definitely taking it seriously. And now he's just trying to process things. It probably doesn't help him that Des is ahead of him, and then that his family probably says things that make him think further.

I love that he's taking it seriously. He doesn't want to bring her home to his family and get engaged if it's going to end two months later. He's thinking long-term.

atem wrote:Looking at agentcurls avi doesn't show 'disinterest' to me!  

He is one of the guys flat out sobbing.  So, he cares.

That is right, he is sobbing and wants to make it better. That is someone who cares very deeply and wants to fix whatever it is.

I wish I knew if his sobbing was when he left (?) or when he returns. I am kinda leaning when he returns because he is really sorry he did leave and wants to make every better again.

Interesting ratings notes for this week's epi.  Guess that preview worked, at least to some extent.

Over on ABC, The Bachelorette (1.9/6) bopped up 6% from last week and hit a season high among viewers with 6.81 million watching. The two-hour reality series was the second highest rated and second most watched show of the night. The Bachelorette was followed by the freshman drama Mistresses (1.2/3), which rose 9% from its July 1 show.

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crazyjaney wrote:My Brooks perception could be the edit as well...I really need to see how next week plays out.  

The edit was definitely a little weird in it. Gave a totally different vibe.

canyonvue wrote:

b wrote:

Piper61 wrote:

ironcat wrote:It's hard to classify Brooks' behavior as completely indicative of how interested he is in Des.  Guys react differently to both being in the Bachelor Bubble as well as falling for a girl in real life.  JP got jealous and impatient towards the end once he knew he wanted Ashley, while Roberto was very chill all the way until the end even though he obviously was in love with Ali.  Reid was hesitant on Jill's season to go "all in" or even to say the L word, and his ATFR and post show behavior clearly indicated that his feelings for Jill were extremely strong, probably even stronger than Ed's were at the time.  I wonder if people are getting the impression that Brooks is almost uninterested in Des mostly because we now have seen just how gaga over him she really is, and he clearly isn't reciprocating at that level, and the other guys, in contrast, seemed to have all ramped up their own pursuit of her (which I also suspect was more at the prodding of the producers, as they probably came up with this storyline for the rest of the season at this juncture), all of which which only further emphasizes Brooks' reticence.  Yeah, he's pretty cautious about just succumbing to the Bubble the way the rest of them have, but I don't see him as being lukewarm on Des.  If you want to know what THAT looks like, watch Graham on Deanna's season.  THAT'S lukewarm.

Good post!  Brooks wasn't lukewarm, and certainly not cold.  

Brooks is certainly interested/attracted to Des, but my question is he uncertain about Des or maybe not ready for a committed relationship w anyone?  

I think he's ready for a relationship or he wouldn't have gone on the show, and he's definitely taking it seriously. And now he's just trying to process things. It probably doesn't help him that Des is ahead of him, and then that his family probably says things that make him think further.

I love that he's taking it seriously. He doesn't want to bring her home to his family and get engaged if it's going to end two months later. He's thinking long-term.

He seems very analytical. Trying to figure out all the puzzle pieces and how they would fit together. He told her it would be good to have a discussion on how their lives could fit together How many times have we heard that they were willing to move for the other and then at the end that never happened. I think it is really smart that he is looking at these things because he realizes that there are differences in their lives.