The Bachelor 20 - Ben Higgins - NO SPOILERS - Discussion

Litta123 wrote:I'd love to try going unspoiled again. The last time I tried was during The Farmer's season. I got so lonely in the unspoiled thread that I gave it up after episode 3 or 4. If I knew people were going to stick around here for the next 'Ette season, I might give it a go again. The only problem is I like to use screencaps. Would you guys be interested in that...or would you rather just be talking about the edit and how you perceive the relationships forming?

aviej wrote:I'd say that the spoiled threads are not heated like in times past. The ILYs a lot of people think it's regretful and wonder how the F1 is coping etc. But on a scale of 1-10, IMO it's be about a 3.

Litta123 wrote:I'd love to try going unspoiled again. The last time I tried was during The Farmer's season. I got so lonely in the unspoiled thread that I gave it up after episode 3 or 4. If I knew people were going to stick around here for the next 'Ette season, I might give it a go again. The only problem is I like to use screencaps. Would you guys be interested in that...or would you rather just be talking about the edit and how you perceive the relationships forming?

MiaHawk wrote:A question for anyone who is currently spoiled: Are the spoiled threads heated? Are there arguments going on?

In past seasons things have often gotten heated because of the personalities or actions of contestants that were seen as controversial. I think Ben and most of his girls are nice, but that's just me. I'm wondering if the ILYs to 2 women has created a firestorm in the spoiled threads. Inquiring minds want to know.  On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being invite Ben to Thanksgiving dinner and 10 being burn Ben at the stake), what are most of our members feeling about Ben after the double ILYs? TIA.

GuardianAngel wrote:The rule is answer a question for information, only if asked by a Non spoiled poster.

MiaHawk wrote:

emusha wrote:enjoying the unspoiled thread!

I wonder how others think -- the ben we saw in these two dates was very diff

In jojo's date he seemed present, happy, free, able to talk to difficult subjects without dwelling or having a cloud over his head.

to me watching his date with lauren - all those things ^ and his freedom of being wasn't there. he seemed a bit more 'down' emotional, quiet and not as freely affectionate.

i'm not sure how that will change with his dates with the two women in LCD etc. but for now it looks to me like this 2 person ilu is affecting him....

p.s esp if we stick to the  premise the he deeply cared for both women and would be concerned about their emotional wellbeing

IA with your assessment. That's one of the biggest reasons why I think he will pick Jojo.

If you think about the order of the FS dates being switched (if this is indeed true)...Jojo's occurred second but aired third, and Lauren's occurred third but aired second, I think that supports my guess that Jojo is F1. I think after the "high" of Jojo's date, and his ILY reciprocation, 2 things may have happened.

1) TPTB may have gotten pissed off at him for saying ILY to Jojo and applied pressure on him to play along with Lauren, and this led him to reciprocate ILY with her. Not that I don't think he does feel love of some degree towards Lauren, but I just believe it wasn't as strong of a feeling of love that he feels for Jojo at this point. It's not out of the realm of possibilities that TPTB played mindgames with Ben and applied a little pressure. I don't think a single lead has ever escaped playing the role of puppet from time to time on this show. I do believe that many of the VOs that we heard during Jojo's waterfall portion of the date were VOs that were recorded AFTER that week was over and possibly AFTER the entire show had wrapped. I believe that we have talked about how they "fake" VOs all of the time, even to the point of writing out cue cards and having the lead read directly what is written for them. Am I wrong about this? So, in my mind, a lot of those 'conflicted' thoughts may have been spliced and planted into those clips.

2) A bit of unease, IMO, was showing during Lauren's date. This would make even more sense if the date actually occurred AFTER Jojo's. I think he enjoyed his (mostly) platonic turtle time with Lauren and that portion of the date was happy enough. Although body language had them miles apart at times. Why? If he could feel like he wanted to sit close beside Jojo, why wouldn't he want to or be drawn to sit close by Lauren if she were F1? On the beach towel, at the pre-dinner concert, at the dinner table, even in the FS. There was very little touching. Why? I think it's because he had already fallen hard for Jojo and we could see him begin to put the brakes on with Lauren. Yes, he reciprocated her ILYs (which I've alread discussed in earlier posts) but just look at some of the expressions on his face during those scenes. Happy or serious? I see serious, like his brain is processing thoughts and feeling simultaneously. Aka I don't think he was fully feeling it. And I do think that if the girl of your dreams is telling you that she loves you, you'd probably act more in the moment. I know, I know, some of it could be editing, but so much editing, IMO! Look at the morning after and goodbyes between the two women. With Lauren he sits in a deck chair and says I'll miss you. With Jojo he plays the "you're cuter" game and nuzzles her neck on the bed, and says ILY as he walks away. I think this all points to Jojo as F1 and it all makes sense IF Jojo's date actually occurred before Lauren's date.

I also think that by airing Lauren's date second, it gives the illusion that Ben said ILY to Lauren and then to Jojo. Which is something that can temper the viewer anger towards Ben If he picks Jojo. Because IF he does pick Jojo as F1, people will ask 'Why did he tell both Lauren and Jojo ILY?' To which the average viewer can then say, 'Well, he said it to Lauren on the second date but then he realllly said it to Jojo on the 3rd date. I guess he was still confused on Lauren's date and didn't really know for sure until he went on the 3rd date with Jojo.' But, if they aired Jojo 2nd and then Lauren's 3rd, with the ILYs said after he had fully fallen for Jojo, viewers wouldn't be quite so understanding. They'd dislike him more, IMO.  

MiaHawk wrote:A question for anyone who is currently spoiled: Are the spoiled threads heated? Are there arguments going on?

In past seasons things have often gotten heated because of the personalities or actions of contestants that were seen as controversial. I think Ben and most of his girls are nice, but that's just me. I'm wondering if the ILYs to 2 women has created a firestorm in the spoiled threads. Inquiring minds want to know.  On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being invite Ben to Thanksgiving dinner and 10 being burn Ben at the stake), what are most of our members feeling about Ben after the double ILYs? TIA.