The Bachelor Australia - Season 2 - Blake Garvey - *Sleuthing* - *Spoilers* - General Discussion -

see where the arrows are pointing -- I believe he's still wearing the dark suit but the sun made the collar appear grey...watching it back they don't really look upset just emotional...

Hey boardies!

I created two different threads cos it got really difficult to keep track of the conversation -- could we keep this thread for reactions and reflections and in the other two we keep track of the screen shot sleuthing and media?

The Bachelor Australia - Season 2 - Blake Garvey - *Sleuthing* - *Spoilers* - MEDIA & Social Media Discussion -

The Bachelor Australia - Season 2 - Blake Garvey - *Sleuthing* - *Spoilers* -SCREENCAPS Discussion -

Thanks Emusha for creating the different threads. Seriously your analysis have been on point all season!!!

pleasure! it's been SUCH a great season to watch, hasn't it??? -- loved every bit of it  -- even if it got a bit slow in the beginning there was a real progression of a story and the people were priceless loved chantal, OSHER, laurina, blake, sam, lisa, louise, jess and even amber in moderation was a blast!!

glad to have others to chat and hash out things with over the season....y'all are great

what's your fave part of watching this season (oh and i recommend any romance reality tv watcher to check this season out cos it's one of the best love stories IMHO whomever Blake ends up picking he was in it for love and worked hard and put his all to find it)

Emusha,
Did we ever figure out who the middle aged woman was at Sam's hometown? She considers her family to be her brothers and sisters. She mentioned her dad died two years ago. I recall her saying her dad raised her. Any thoughts?

Okay, so I HAD to join and post my comments. Be warned, they are going to be looooong.

Firstly, this season we KNOW that Blake proposes. This should tell us, the viewers, that EVERYTHING about this season is different from the last. How so? Because knowing that there is a PROPOSAL at the end, we have to realise that the EDITING will have to be different from last season's editing. Why? Because it would NOT make sense for the producers, who know the final result, to focus too much on anyone OTHER than the final girl.

Keeping in mind that there is a proposal in the end, one has to conclude that Sam has to be the one Blake proposes to/chooses.. Why? Because she plays an integral role in EVERY episode. It is almost as if Sam is the main narrator other than Blake.

I know this after re-watching all the episodes shown up until now and by counting/highlighting ALL the parts that are about Sam (which I immediately noted were much more than the other two final girls)...

You can watch all the episodes, starting with the first one, on The Bachelor AU's youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjBK6iKV61U



What is amazing, if you start with episode one, is that you can immediately tell that Blake KNEW she was the one right then and there. He KNEW there was something different about her. What is truly interesting is that in this first episode he seeks her out to talk to her and Anita intercepts and asks if she can chat with Blake but he says sorry, I would really like to chat with Sam. There's a reason for this. I mean, how difficult would it be to say, sure, Anita let's chat. He could always seek out Sam and chat with her right after Anita, but he made a point to refuse Anita for a chance to chat with Sam right away. And what was their chat about? How much he felt a connection with their similar backgrounds: both coming from humble beginnings and both experiencing loss (Blake with an absent father, and Sam with losing hers) and this is ultimately the core of what draws them together. They both know and have experienced loss, and this has changed them, who they are and how they see the world. She has a big family, he doesn't - but has craved it. She gives him that and more. This first chat solidified a LOT for Blake right then and there.

Regarding what is real and what is not 'real': One needs to keep in mind that the producers play a HUGE role in what they INTERCEPT or try to CHANGE about what is real. Blake would have given the first rose and date to Sam but he couldn't. The producers would never allow him to act upon his gut feeling right from the get go because then there would be no show. You can always tell when the producers are changing something or coercing Blake to follow a script. How? by what he DOESN'T do.

Case in point: he doesn't give Sam a rose until she is second to last of those who can still receive a rose in the Rose Ceremony (RC). Yet, Sam is narrating constantly since the moment she comes out of that Limo. She narrates more than any other girl. If she had been given a rose in the middle of the RC then my theory wouldn't work, but it's usually those whom he has a connection with and gives a rose to almost at the end that says MORE about his feelings than not.

I also firmly believe that Holly knew prior to (or just as it started) filming that she would have a netball opportunity but she had already been slated months prior to be one of the bachelorettes. This threw a wrench in the producer's plans and so they came up with an idea to have a white rose and make her sail through the first two ceremonies until she had to leave as planned. There was ZERO connection/attraction from Blake towards her (he didn't even try kiss her, so why give her the unique rose... and her being virginal is not reason enough). This was completely scripted.

As for Jess, she wasn't his type even though he felt a very strong physical attraction towards her. Call it pheromones. Blake himself didn't understand why he was so physically attracted to her, and even alludes to such by saying his head doesn't see her ready (code for he's not ready) and using his head is really his heart as well.. once his pheromones started abating and he saw more of who she was rather than his chemical feelings, he realized they were different people at their core (the same as with the other girls, it is all very superficial, only with Sam it is deeper than that and he shows it with his range of emotions).

There is definite scripting taking place when he lets Jess go. It is why he seems so worked up. I believe this is because that whole part of talking to her outside was scripted by the producers to make him seem like he was struggling so hard when in reality he was feeling terrible about having to provoke her to tell him how much she cared about him knowing that he was letting her go. He was, if anything, wrestling with his feelings about the ethics of the whole thing, doing something that Jess AND he knew about (letting her go) but still feeling like a douche doing it (and ultimately coming across as one as well). Sam knew too. You can tell because she is not crying and losing her mind thinking she might leave. If anything, she looked more concerned about Jess and Blake than about herself. Plus, Blake couldn't do that to Sam after how he had to convince her to stay previously when the new girls arrived. He would have taken Sam outside himself if that was the case. But he didn't. And that is the key part!

If Blake was REALLY choosing between Sam and Jess he would have taken Sam out as well to question her. He didn't. Yet he expressed more confusion about Sam being ready for something lasting with him than he did with Jess though the difference between the two lay in what Blake says concerning HIS feelings toward each one: Sam, he repeatedly admits he has fallen for while with Jess, he repeatedly talks about chemistry but not love, so deep versus superficial. What was so hard for him was caring about someone's feelings (he is sensitive, having grown up with women and being influenced by them from an early age) and having to hurt them on national television. But, more so because of what he was coerced to do, scripted to do as part of a 'show' than what he actually felt toward Jess. So he was not torn between Jess and Sam, he was torn between putting on a 'show' and being real. Sam was never going home, no matter how confused he was or how he said on her hometown date if she could feel just some of what he feels for her... the guy was basically begging her to love him as much as he does her... and so all his confusion was based on this fact: whether Sam could love him as much as he loves her (not whether she was ready). And yet none of these doubts overshadowed how much he cared for her because he already made up his mind about Sam early on that she was the one. And he makes this known, whether the viewer realises it or not, from the get go...

In fact, watching all the episodes you will see that:
-- SAM has the MOST one-on-one dates with Blake
--  SAM also goes on the most group dates
-- SAM wins the health advert challenge where the focus is on her and Blake once again on the two-on-one date, even with Lisa being there (it was if Lisa wasn't even there).
-- As stated already, SAM also narrates/is interviewed the most out of all the girls.

So, adding all this up the show is pretty much about Sam and Blake and everyone else is just filler.

Sam and Blake's story takes up the bulk of the entire show. Sam and Blake have the most airtime shown together. Now some may say this is edited to lead the audience astray. I would agree with this except for one important factor: there is a proposal at the end of this show. The producers, no matter how much they want to sway an audience, lead them on, etc, could not help but give the most airtime to the final girl, Sam, since she is PROPOSED to in the end. Again, the producers knew the ending long before the show is edited and put together. What is especially unique and significant, given the proposal, is that BLAKE talks about falling for Sam, on interviews, face to face with Sam. It is a continual theme starting from their FIRST one-on-one date when he says to her, 'It will be so easy to fall in love with you'.

Ultimately, it is not about what the girl's are saying to him, it is what Blake is saying to them, not asking of them, but saying to them about his own feelings  (or not saying in everyone else's case except for Sam) about falling in love. It is also significant because usually these shows (even the first Australian one, the American ones, etc) do not show the Bachelor telling a girl he is falling for them FACE to FACE. Especially so early in the show. And one definitely doesn't see it where the Bachelor ONLY says it to one girl, and repeatedly to that one girl (in this case, Sam).

And so, when analysing the episodes and Sam and Blake's journey from the first episode to the most recent, you can see the show is all about Sam and Blake falling in love.

It is more than a coincidence that on Sam's date with Blake they go to a drive-in where there is a movie of HER own life-story!!!!!  Blake KNEW there was something about her before that date. It was SO personal and the only date that was personal like this with any of the girls. He then tells her it would be so easy to fall in love with her. It is also more than a coincidence, that, when they go to the jewelry store, Bunda, and she tries on an ENGAGEMENT ring ON HER engagement RING finger that looks almost exactly like the one that Blake proposes with. Sam is the ONLY one that Blake does this with. And it is done under the guise of borrowing jewels to wear with her dress. As another poster said on this forum, Blake didn't need to go to the jewelry store to give her jewelry. In fact, the jewelry he gives to her is when they are NOT at the jewelry store. The borrowed jewels were nothing more than a means to get Sam to try on engagement rings. THIS is why Sam is so emotional. And Blake tells her, and ONLY her, face-to-face that he is falling for her. It is also poignant that Blake kneels down as if proposing and gives Sam a mint. It is like all signs, everything, from the personal movie of Sam's life, to trying on an engagement ring, to him kneeling down is foretelling the future proposal to come.

In addition to what takes place on these dates, perhaps more importantly, we also see how Blake and Sam interact with one another on their dates. What is especially significant is how we see a different Blake with Sam. And this is because (as we saw when they went on their picnic), Sam was the first and only girl that truly 'saw' Blake as more than just eye candy or a potential life partner, she saw the parts of him that he has not revealed to anyone else. On the picnic this is when Sam reveals that she has realized that Blake is a dork just like her. No one else saw that in him. And he realized she saw him, all of him. Not only has Sam seen all of who Blake is but Sam is the only girl that he SHOWS all of himself to.

With Sam, Blake displays his sensitive side and shows tenderness towards her that he doesn't show toward the other girls. One such occasion that he demonstrates his tenderness towards her is on their fairytale date. Blake tears up at how Sam makes him feel, how overcome with emotion he is just at seeing her so overwhelmed in the jewelry store. He talks about her humble beginnings (something he identifies with) and he talks about her humility and her not knowing how beautiful she really is (which is what he stated the very first time he met her, when she came out the limo!) and how Sam 'is one of the world's best kept secrets'. Looking at Blake's face and especially his eyes you can see that he is so wrapped up in her and wants to comfort her and make her feel special. There is such a tenderness in how he holds her, especially when they dance later on. He tears up when Sam talks about her family and Blake being a role model for her brothers. He talks about how moving that is and how it 'gets him every time'. He also tells her that he is falling for her. If you look at his face, you can tell he can hardly breathe. He is swallowing because he is nervous to lay his cards on the table like that. He becomes vulnerable. Utterly vulnerable with Sam and this vulnerability that we see in Blake is brought out of him by only Sam. While the other girls bring out Blake's smooth, charming, fun, side, Sam brings out the deeper parts of Blake. The parts that no one else does. And therein lies the difference.

We see this vulnerable side even before the fairytale date. We see it when the NEW girls arrive. When Sam refuses to talk with Blake you can see how devastated he is at the thought of Sam leaving. I mean, the guy was tearing up when he talked to her. BUT, before even talking to her had to to CONVINCE her to talk with him and to stay. And this is the core difference with Blake's treatment toward Sam versus the other girls. Sam is the only one Blake fights FOR. When she wanted to give up after the new girls arrived he fought for her to stay. And he did so in front of ALL the other girls. He looked devastated that she would leave and by addressing Sam in front of all the girls, whether he or the other girls realised it at the time, Blake was essentially declaring himself to Sam, in front of everyone. Any of his doubts concerning Sam have all been based on Sam's feelings toward him but never his feelings about Sam. When Blake talks to Sam after convincing her to do so, you can see him tearing up at how she views herself. He reiterates this later on when they talk again at another cocktail party and Sam talks about how the other girls are up here and she is down here. You can see the amazement and confusion on Blake's face. He is just amazed and confused that Sam doesn't see herself as beautiful inside and out as he does. Blake even makes a point of stating this in an interview/narration.  

Because we see these deeper conversations between Sam and Blake and we get to see them tackling a wide array of emotions, revealing their fears and hopes, one can see that there is something so real and poignant about Sam and Blake's relationship. You can see that Sam evokes deep emotions within Blake as he is always moved to tears just being around her. Sam makes Blake vulnerable and he feels safe to show her all of himself. It's as if she brings down all the walls he has around him and exposes who he really is. There is something different in the way he looks at her, talks to her, and treats her. It is as if he CHERISHES her. And ultimately, is that not what love should be about? Being cherished by another?

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So, after this long post, and putting aside whom one personally likes or doesn't like, based on what is seen by and of Blake (not just the girls or the edited parts), but what you see of him, and since he is the one proposing, one can only say it is Sam at the end.

If I am wrong about this then that is horrible for whomever else he proposes to. Think about it...

This means anyone OTHER than Sam, will watch a show that focuses on Blake telling SAM repeatedly that he has fallen for her. A show that ONLY shows Blake telling Sam he has fallen for Sam. They will watch a show that sees Blake fight for Sam, Blake comfort Sam, Blake go to a jewelry store and have Sam try on engagement rings. They will see Blake spend the most time with Sam, more than any other girl, and they will hear Blake narrate and talk about Sam more than any other girl on the show. In essence, any girl other than Sam that watches this season will see Blake falling in love with Sam and not them. They won't be watching their journey with Blake, they will instead be watching Blake's journey with Sam with them on the periphery. Lisa and Louise are both lovely. But the Blake we see with both Louise and Lisa is not the Blake we see with Sam. He hasn't shown his vulnerability with either Louise or Lisa. As mentioned before, he only shows the fun, smooth, can you fall for me side while with Sam he shows much more than that and his focus with Sam is constantly how he has fallen for her.

If the producers have edited it so that we never see Blake say these things to Lisa or Louise face to face (as we haven't at all since Blake has only said so to Sam) then that is terrible editing for a final show that ends in a proposal. The producers then basically chose to NOT show the love journey of the last girl and Blake and Blake will look terrible on purpose because he has only told one girl (Sam) that he has fallen for her. As I said before I started this extremely loooong post, that wouldn't make any sense given that they know who the final girl is long before they edit everything and put it all together and it airs on the show.

AllAboutLove wrote:snipped..

If the producers have edited it so that we never see Blake say these things to Lisa or Louise face to face (as we haven't at all since Blake has only said so to Sam) then that is terrible editing for a final show that ends in a proposal. The producers then basically chose to NOT show the love journey of the last girl and Blake and Blake will look terrible on purpose because he has only told one girl (Sam) that he has fallen for her. As I said before I started this extremely loooong post, that wouldn't make any sense given that they know who the final girl is long before they edit everything and put it all together and it airs on the show.

AllAboutLove Glad you joined us!

As for the last paragraph, this is nothing new for the US version of TB. We have seen that many times, as matter of fact, they avoid showing the love story and convince viewers the F2 is the F1.

I have not watched the AU version, so I'm only going by what I read here! I'm looking forward to the FRC and hope the favourite is the chosen one!

Norcalgal wrote:Emusha,
Did we ever figure out who the middle aged woman was at Sam's hometown?  She considers her family to be her brothers and sisters.  She mentioned her dad died two years ago.  I recall her saying her dad raised her.  Any thoughts?

Norcalgal! I'm not exactly sure but I did post upthread that the lady got flowers on the HTD as well... so I thought what Sam said to describe her dad was interesting she said "my father who raised me" -- that's a strange turn of phrase if he's her dad why the need to explain that he raised her...I suspect the family dynamics aren't exactly conventional I don't really know -- all I know is the siblings look related enough ...I wonder but don't know if the middle-aged lady is an auntie of some sort... she was at the table but she was not described in any of the "script" (sam does mention hanging out with the cousins as well)...maybe these are adoptive parents or relatives who adopted the kids...I don't know -- but I do know that Sam and her sister now value marriage and family more than anything ...maybe it hasn't been an easy family past making them crave/work at creating that space of love between the siblings and to create it with a partner...hence why her dad would ask her to take care of her brothers... (i have to say sam is incredible for taking that up and loving that role that she plays for her brothers)

going back to what you said -- blake certainly identifies with it cos of his family past... as he said "you're humble cos of how you've been raised and who else you've had to raise, and that's a big reason why i identify with you, and why i'm falling for you"

I think it's a well informed guess to say that blake and sam's value of a family is a huge thing that brings them together (beyond their chemistry - physical and otherwise...)

Emusha,
I have 3 sons and only hope that I will have DILs I can love as if they were my own birth daughters. All 3 girls would bring that to Blake's mum. But somehow I feel as if Sam, who does her own fair share of mothering, would really be special to Blake's mum. It's as if there is an open place at the big family table for her and his grand mum.

I also thought it was prescient that Blake was sitting between the two brothers whom Sam mothers the most - the ones she would want Blake to influence into becoming outstanding men. It was more important for Sam to have them feel comfortable than for her to have a few more handholds under the table.

Allaboutlove,
Welcome! So glad you joined this forum! Did you read everything upthread as many of the points you raised have been discussed? You bring out many salient points about the editing. I think Chantal became the 'voice' when it became evident that Blake was really into Sam. When she left, Sam took over again.

AllAboutLove   WOW!! such detailed a perspective -- it's almost like you were part of the production crew and could pick up on things that us viewers were not able to access... haha

And what was their chat about? How much he felt a connection with their similar backgrounds: both coming from humble beginnings and both experiencing loss (Blake with an absent father, and Sam with losing hers) and this is ultimately the core of what draws them together. They both know and have experienced loss, and this has changed them, who they are and how they see the world. She has a big family, he doesn't - but has craved it. She gives him that and more. This first chat solidified a LOT for Blake right then and there.

I found what you said fascinating particularly regarding the above -- I'll have to go back and watch but I recall a general conversation about Sam's family being the world to her and for Blake if he can handle the 6 sibling situation...was there more regarding the loss they both had experienced?

Norcalgal wrote:Emusha,
I have 3 sons and only hope that I will have DILs I can love as if they were my own birth daughters.  All 3 girls would bring that to Blake's mum.  But somehow I feel as if Sam, who does her own fair share of mothering, would really be special to Blake's mum.  It's as if there is an open place at the big family table for her and his grand mum.  

I also thought it was prescient that Blake was sitting between the two brothers whom Sam mothers the most - the ones she would want Blake to influence into becoming outstanding men.  It was more important for Sam to have them feel comfortable than for her to have a few more handholds under the table.  

aww i hadn't even thought about it that way but I can totally see that with the mom & grandma ...it seems Sam is lovable and everyone just adores her...and her family values and this level of dedication she shows to her siblings will make her absolutely precious to Blake's mom -- I think Sam will also enjoy the added mother-figures since now she mostly only relies on her sister for that. I can see soo much that both of them need and get from each other -- family support, emotional ying-yang (she makes him light up, laugh & feel like her rock, he adores her and is centering force for her) etc
I totally totally get what sam means about her "boys" needing a role model esp in these formative years of their lives. I think blake would be a GREAT role model for the boys someone who's raised by women and is respectful and strong

GuardianAngel wrote:

AllAboutLove wrote:snipped..

If the producers have edited it so that we never see Blake say these things to Lisa or Louise face to face (as we haven't at all since Blake has only said so to Sam) then that is terrible editing for a final show that ends in a proposal. The producers then basically chose to NOT show the love journey of the last girl and Blake and Blake will look terrible on purpose because he has only told one girl (Sam) that he has fallen for her. As I said before I started this extremely loooong post, that wouldn't make any sense given that they know who the final girl is long before they edit everything and put it all together and it airs on the show.

AllAboutLove Glad you joined us!

As for the last paragraph, this is nothing new for the US version of TB. We have seen that many times, as matter of fact, they avoid showing the love story and convince viewers the F2 is the F1.

I have not watched the AU version, so I'm only going by what I read here! I'm looking forward to the FRC and hope the favourite is the chosen one!

Thank you for the warm welcome!  :WAVEY:

Oooooo, you definitely need to watch the Australian version. You can watch free on The Bachelor (AU) youtube channel (the link is in my looong post).

Concerning your extremely valid points, I took that into consideration concerning the US version of TB (I've watched them all) and even the first season of TB AU with Tim. The difference I find is that I have never seen in the US version where TB says he is falling to ONE GIRL ONLY. Usually he says he is falling for multiple girls, he tells multiple girls he is falling for them, OR he doesn't say the L word (love) or falling in love, or falling at all, rather just smiles, kisses, etc,. etc,. when the girls says it to him (saying you have a connection is not the same as telling someone you are falling for them).

This is the first time (unless my brain has totally lost its ability to elephant-like remember), that a bachelor tells one girl, and one girl only, early on and throughout the show, face to face, and through voice-over and interviews, that he is falling for her. It is strange to think he wouldn't say this ABOUT another girl or TO another girl (or that the producers wouldn't show it since that merely highlights another person's relationship journey and hides the entire arc of the F1). Like I said, if we saw him say this to at least two girls then we can be divided and say, well the producers are keeping us on our toes. The fact that it is one girl and one girl only that he has said this to (or we have been shown) is very unique and if Sam's not the one I would hate to be the girl he chooses and looks back on the whole season where my fiance is telling another girl on the show he is falling for her and yet never says it to me. I don't know, I think it comes back to whether TB producers of the AU show are more focused on credibility (finding true love via TB) or drama (which is definitely more TB USA). If I am totally wrong I guess I can write a fan-fiction book about Blake and Sam? Haha.... We will see next week... eeeeek!!!