The Bachelor 20 - Ben Higgins - Episode 5 - Discussion - *Sleuthing - Spoilers*

I also thought how Ben handled the Jubilee situation wasnt the best. It wasn't awful, but he didn't seem as compassionate as he normally does. He said in his people blog that he felt he didn't handle situations this episode correctly to this day, so I think that situation is one of them.

I didn't see anything wrong with the Olivia comment. It seemed more like he didn't want to talk about her or the situation at all more than anything. And yes, he was grumpy tonight...just as every other bachelor live.

SuperDave Soldinger ‏@DaveSoldinger  
Someone please teach @benhiggi how to drink champagne like a human. #TheBachelor

I saw nothing between Amanda and Ben and nothing between Ben and Lauren H.
Friendzone all the way, imo.

For all it's fake drama this episode was boring.
The next episode looks like more of the same - drama drama drama.
Boring.
I can't wait until F6.

Sorry, I'm gonna post what I found wrong with that preview.
It's obvious "this is the biggest mistake I made" was edited in.
I think "I want to keep her in my life, I don't want to say goodbye, because that's how much I love her" is about the F1.
We can't actually see if he tells his parents "I love both of them"
I said this earlier, but I don't think "this is really hard for me because.." preceded "I've known I'm in love with you for awhile as well"

I'm sorry I know no one asked for all that but I just wanted to write it down

IA, @Al.

I think the "Ben can't choose" is the script they need for drama because once Olivia is gone what is there really? They've beaten a dead horse with Olivia so they have to come up with something.

They also definitely left in the part of Ben telling JoJo he won't blindside her because he most definitely will. I dunno... it makes zero sense to me that he would say that to any girl unless he 100% knew she was the one. I think it is just there for a talking point for ATFR and "Why did you say that if... dum dum dum". Don't get me wrong, I do think Ben is attracted to her, etc, etc, but I don't see him in  love with her the way he is vulnerable (a sign of being in love) with Lauren B st that point enough to make that promise.

I just have to remind myself sometimes that this IS the same Ben who spun his wheels on Kaitlyn's season to become The Bachelor.

megaa wrote:Is it just me, or is there a lack of emotion in Ben's eyes & tone when he says both ILYs.. like he's spent. Maybe it's just the awkwardness of the spliced up clips. It does appear the goodbye portion was extremely difficult.

This whole bad breath thing is weird. Ben was really into kissing Olivia early on.. did this breath issue develop later? I didn't watch the live show, but that's odd.

Yeah, I was going to make that same comment! Her breath couldn't have been that bad, considering how much they made out. 

I just think that it's like a mean girl thing. According to them, Olivia has fat toes, fake boobs, bad breath - If I just listened to these girls without ever seeing Olivia for myself, I would think she was some ogre! I think Ben just that to get a laugh.

I don't think Ben did that to get a laugh.
I think he did that because he had no choice... he couldn't say her breath didn't stink because he dumps her on a 2on1 next week.
He has to keep the narrative going and TPTB's "Olivia is the villain" edit going.
That's Ben's role after all on Bachelor Live... because the show isn't over -- it's not ATFR or post-show interviews.
Basically, Ben was doing his 'job' :/

I don't know, Chris S defended Britt's odor in his blog when Carly was mocking her for not showing regularly. And he did that while keeping up her villain narrative too. I don't think Ben simply being a nice guy there would have taken away viewers' dislike of Olivia. And, honestly, it ruined all suspense for next week for the unspoiled. No one is going to think he keeps Olivia over Emily if he was that means toward her. Just a bad move from him, IMO.

This is Bachelor Live.... it's not WTA or ATFR... and Olivia is still on the show.
Ben thus has to play the role and follow the "Olivia is the villain edit", IMO.

Just to add:

I don't like how Ben was like that... but unfortunately I don't know if he has no choice but to be this way... because TPTB are coming at Olivia with guns blazing and ripping her to shreds and I don't think they will allow Ben to defend her or say anything nice about her. It would basically mean that BEN is disagreeing with TPTB's edit of Olivia and I don't think they will allow that to happen. It is really cruel and it sucks though.

Chris didn't say that on WTA or ATFR. He said that on the blog that came out the next morning and, I believe, any interviews he was doing at the time.

I honestly think TPTB are getting too much credit for that comment. He also compared Olivia to Nick, saying that he liked Nick and didn't feel he deserved the hate from the other guys. That didn't keep up the "villain" narrative that they were selling for Olivia but he still said it. I don't think it's that big of a deal, but I really do think it was just him trying to be funny. JMO.