The Bachelor 20 - Ben Higgins - Episode 8 - HTD - Discussion - *Sleuthing - Spoilers*

Fingersandtoes wrote:I have no clue.  


But the ex appearing is preplanned IMO. I doubt they'd keep Ben in the dark completely.

Of course they would to maximize drama and get an honest, genuinely suprised reaction from him.  Just because TPTB and most likely Jojo's family knew the ex was making an appearance, doesn't mean Ben and/or Jojo did.

JMOAA.

ITA with Ladybug. I doubt very much that either Ben or Jojo knew. Fleiss wants honest emotion and doesn't mind faking the drama to get it.

Even if they wanted Becca for f2, they had to know that Ben just wasn't feeling it and it would never have been believable. That's why I don't think she was ever his choice for being in the f4 and she's lucky she made it as far as she did. Jojo seems to be his true f2.

Lauren's HTD looks like the best so they'll probably bury it in the beginning hoping we'll forget it after Jojo's wild HTD.

Idlemess wrote:But if Ben is in on it, what's with the I told two women I love you drivel

Basically, imo, it's the same drivel shoved down our throats season after season. Nothing new.

Ladybug82 wrote:

Fingersandtoes wrote:I have no clue.  


But the ex appearing is preplanned IMO. I doubt they'd keep Ben in the dark completely.

Of course they would to maximize drama and get an honest, genuinely suprised reaction from him.  Just because TPTB and most likely Jojo's family knew the ex was making an appearance, doesn't mean Ben and/or Jojo did.

JMOAA.

Just IMO, but I doubt JoJo wasn't aware. I'm getting a feeling Ben is getting played a bit.

The entire family, plus JoJo and Ben may not have known Mr. X was going to show up. That would provide the best reactions, imo.
IDK if anyone remembers the date Jesse Palmer had where Trish, a rejected and dismissed lady shows up. It was obviously scripted by production. Trish had to travel/fly to destination and show up at the exact place and time. Jesse Palmer and date had no clue. Yet it was planned, Trish wasn't beamed there.
I suspect the same type of thing with Mr. X during JoJo's HTD. The only reason I suspect the family is in on it, is Mr. X could have had the door slammed on his face and denied access. TPTB wanted/needed him there for the HTD storyline.

Kashathediva wrote:TPTB wanted/needed him there for the HTD storyline.

Kasha I agree that JoJo's HTD was planned well ahead of time - it had to be because of the logistics involved and the reasons you posted. It also seems to me that the HTD was modeled closely after Des' HTD on Sean's season only instead of a fake ex-BF showing up it was a real ex-BF, and instead of one brother who called the lead out it was two. JoJo's HTD went sideways - as badly as Des' did and maybe even more so.

So why did they plan a HTD with enough story lines to easily explain a rejection at F4 (as Sean did with Des) for the F2? Unless maybe JoJo was never planned to be F2 - she was planned to be F4 with a bad HTD to explain an F4 finish.

Lucas15 wrote:

Kashathediva wrote:TPTB wanted/needed him there for the HTD storyline.

Kasha I agree that JoJo's HTD was planned well ahead of time - it had to be because of the logistics involved and the reasons you posted. It also seems to me that the HTD was modeled closely after Des' HTD on Sean's season only instead of a fake ex-BF showing up it was a real ex-BF, and instead of one brother who called the lead out it was two. JoJo's HTD went sideways - as badly as Des' did and maybe even more so.

So why did they plan a HTD with enough story lines to easily explain a rejection at F4 (as Sean did with Des) for the F2? Unless maybe JoJo was never planned to be F2 - she was planned to be F4 with a bad HTD to explain an F4 finish.

Maybe they planned this knowing that JoJo was going to be his F2 but would definitely lose out to Lauren and would be badly hurt. The drama with the ex and her family will give Ben an out, if you will, for why he cut her even though he said he loved her.

I don't think that the ex shows up at the parents house. I think that happens earlier in the day. I may be wrong but think the scenes from the preview was a match up of events that happened in two different houses. Perhaps due to the reported bad weather in Dallas, on that day, Jojo took Ben to her house. Which might be where the ex scene took place.

If it's not a joke, a la Desiree, I'm with those who believe only the producers ( and ex) knew of the plan.

julychild wrote:I don't think that the ex shows up at the parents house. I think that happens earlier in the day. I may be wrong but think the scenes from the preview was a match up of events that happened in two different houses. Perhaps due to the reported bad weather in Dallas, on that day, Jojo took Ben to her house. Which might be where the ex scene took place.

If it's not a joke, a la Desiree, I'm with those who believe only the producers  ( and ex) knew of the plan.

Thats possible. Maybe the first plan was to "randomly" run into them at whatever activity they had planned that day but if it really was that bad they may have changed it to just her showing him her place where the ex shows up and then they go to her parent's that night when the brothers appear to gang up on him.

luvstx wrote:Maybe they planned this knowing that JoJo was going to be his F2 but would definitely lose out to Lauren and would be badly hurt.  The drama with the ex and her family will give Ben an out, if you will, for why he cut her even though he said he loved her.

I think that could very well be how they will play it given the cards that TPTB was dealt; I just wonder if that was how they actually planned it. I don't think they knew, at the time of the HTD, that Ben would tell two girls that he loved them because it hadn't happened yet.

IMO they are constantly talking to the lead and getting a sense - each episode or after each date during filming - how he sees the show ending and who he's planning to take to each of the finishing positions. Of course we don't get to see this - it's all hidden "behind the curtain". I'm just sort of musing about what might have been planned (or expected based on what Ben was saying) versus what actually happened at the end.

JMHO

Lucas15 wrote:

Kashathediva wrote:TPTB wanted/needed him there for the HTD storyline.

Kasha I agree that JoJo's HTD was planned well ahead of time - it had to be because of the logistics involved and the reasons you posted. It also seems to me that the HTD was modeled closely after Des' HTD on Sean's season only instead of a fake ex-BF showing up it was a real ex-BF, and instead of one brother who called the lead out it was two. JoJo's HTD went sideways - as badly as Des' did and maybe even more so.

So why did they plan a HTD with enough story lines to easily explain a rejection at F4 (as Sean did with Des) for the F2? Unless maybe JoJo was never planned to be F2 - she was planned to be F4 with a bad HTD to explain an F4 finish.

Nah, I don't think so.
The blindside talk earlier indicates to me, she will be "blindsided" at the FRC. Being in the bubble, I think she might think she was blindsided, but as soon as reality takes over, (which in her case could be very quick) , I think she will realize the relationship never was Final couple material. (perhaps just final lust as in Chantal)

Ok, you guys make more sense with JoJo not being in it. So this ex reappearing might have drawn JoJo and Ben closer and making the 'blindside' extra hard.