Laura Byrne - Ep3 SD Girl - Bachelor Australia - Season 5 - *Sleuthing Spoilers*

I am a HUGE fan of wit. Huge. Every single contestant I've ever liked has a sharp, acerbic wit. It's one of my favorite qualities in people and as I've posted before and was probs one of the first to do so in this thread, Laura's wit is awesome.

When I say I feel like something is off, it has nothing to do with me liking Laura. Moreso the combined sleuthing pre-season and now... Like @ssin0547 posted I feel like there's something that isn't adding up. I've learned when sleuthing this show to trust that feeling especially when there are outliers that this season has that prior season have not - including conveniently having Laura's storyboard - figuratively and literally being sleuthed pre-season and snapped by "paps" as well as Laura being MIA and in NZ for the premiere, and many others. So from a sleuthing perspective, regarding both F1 and post-filming, I am just looking at all things, regardless of who I like or not.

To me it's like they're a bunch of schoolgirls trying to see how far they can push it before they get their wrists slapped by the producers.  It's pretty obvious IMO there is some kind of mandated social media protocol this season and the girl seem to be tiring of it already IMO (e.g. Laura's comment about having to wait till Bach was over to post pics of her fur babies).  

IMO the jibes are more directed at 'THE BACHELOR' than Matty the Bachelor.  He's probably just as sick of watching his Ps and Qs as the girls, IMO.  This season does seem far more scripted/crafted/contrived than any other I have watched of the AU seasons.

I agree with @Sundy and @AllAboutLove and I agree with the disingenuous comment.

I like Laura, I think her and Matty are a good match and every time I read Laura's comments I am reminded of GL on studio 10 telling the girls this season to be "self deprecating" which Laura definitely is but I just can't shake that same feeling that something isn't adding up. It's almost as if she's overdoing it rather than letting it come naturally. I feel like she's compensating. Just JMO.

AllAboutLove wrote:I am a HUGE fan of wit. Huge. Every single contestant I've ever liked has a sharp, acerbic wit. It's one of my favorite qualities in people and as I've posted before and was probs one of the first to do so in this thread, Laura's wit is awesome.

When I say I feel like something is off, it has nothing to do with me liking Laura. Moreso the combined sleuthing pre-season and now... Like @ssin0547 posted I feel like there's something that isn't adding up. I've learned when sleuthing this show to trust that feeling especially when there are outliers that this season has that prior season have not - including conveniently having Laura's storyboard - figuratively and literally being sleuthed pre-season and snapped by "paps" as well as Laura being MIA and in NZ for the premiere, and many others. So from a sleuthing perspective, regarding both F1 and post-filming, I am just looking at all things, regardless of who I like or not.

Fair point, @AllAboutLove . IMO, it's pretty hard to read how revealing or meaningful Laura's commentary is. On the one hand it could be indicative of a person who is F1, and feeling happy and confident in herself is now free to express herself in a fun and articulate way. On the other hand, of course, it could indicate a person who is F2, but, interestingly, an F2 who (IMO) is relatively at peace with the outcome and is seeing the process through to the end in the best way she knows how.

This Instagram experiment will be interesting to review at the conclusion of the series, both for us and TPTB.

I posted this earlier in the general SM thread but a comment on Laura's Insta (by her) made me think that the girls can only post Bach- related content while the show airs and that must get pretty boring. So I think any jabs are more at the situation rather than aimed at Matty per se.

For sure the SM is that Laura (and the rest of the contestants) can only post Bach related content that goes along with what is being shown on the show and nothing else. That much is quite obvious imo.

The point is... if the show is making it so obvious Laura is F1 (I mean seriously, they hyped her a lot in promos pre-season and already posted a ton about her so far as well as her getting advertised for her jewelry on the ten site, in media, and the show following her TM acct) then something is not adding up to me with why even bother to control the girls' SM so that they have to post from the show. Literally being given pics to post that aren't found on tenplay site and having to post to match the "Story" TPTB is showing. 

It reminds me of Laura (and the producer) holding that "storyboard" of Laura's on F7 GD. Back then many of us sleuthing thought there was something off about that.

Add in Laura's earliest SM acitivity where she commented to her friend about how "ridiculous" her life is and this post-filming. 
- This could be taken as a positive - as in so ridiculous as it's amazing because Laura is F1. 
- OR... "ridiculous" as in something isn't exactly as it seems and she, Laura, is aware of this ...whether Laura's not F1 and has to pretend to be F1 (and thus, maybe she is "over it" and doesn't want to relive that stuff - thus not having a premiere party and being in NZ for the premiere) 
- OR... she is F1 and something is awry (having to post along with the show and only about the show).

So just based on all that I won't rule anything out or put any blinders on. I am going to read into stuff. Speculate about it. Discuss it. If it ends up wrong or right, either way everything can be a piece to the puzzle. When sleuthing Bach NZ S2 the SM for that season was very controlled by TPTB and so was the season and from the getgo I said something isn't right. I feel the same this season and with Laura. Will see.... 

@AllAboutLove Yes I think it's very clear that TPTB are using SM to further the storyboard for the season. TBH I took "ridiculous" to mean the second thing because that's more the way that I hear it being used - not to discount the possibility of "ridiculous good".

Laura has been completely toeing the party line and she has been rewarded with essentially a tonne of free publicity for her brand through network 10 and their media allies (it's definitely been mention by PopSugar and other outlets.)

And I'm also not sure a buy the idea that Channel 10 would put the F1 so front and centre so early in the season. Aussies want redemption from last year but a "feel good" storyline doesn't necessarily equal "obvious" IMO.

It's still early and we haven't seen "The Storyboard" play out yet.  IMO Laura will have some kind of freakout mid-season and worry about getting hurt (a lot of her voicelines in the preview were aligned with this fear).  

Also Matty has mentioned worrying that he would choose someone and them not love him back so I am expecting things to "get rocky" for Laura & Matty and what seems obvious now will be thrown into doubt.  

All part of the game IMO and I am still expecting them to be together at the end but I don't think it will be as straight forward as it may seem at this point, especially when Elise gets cooking in that hot tub

@brownravens I took it as the second option too when I first read it, that Laura wasn't F1 and it was "ridiculous" - the whole experience of being on the show. I would think, if Laura's storyline is that she fears loving someone and that person not loving her back - just as her storyboard said on that GD for F7, that Laura would be upset with being taken to F2 and be rejected. It's why I don't discount that her "wit" may not be aimed at TPTB alone but at Matty, especially given she likely told him of her fears considering she was shown in BTS on that GD where she had her storyboard and talking to Matty.

OTOH if Laura is indeed F1 then her comment is likely about ridiculous = amazing. 

Just looking at all the pieces and as the show continues and more SM posted along with it since that seems to be in their "Contract" then it will be interesting to see which is which and how it pans out.

Just a question. SM, regular media, sleuthing, the edit, is all quite obvious that Laura is F1. I didn't watch other Bach seasons (except for the end of Richie's) but has the F1 ever been this obvious as it has been for Laura?

@AllAboutLove True its easier to be snarky when your comments are couched in humour... I thought that whole exchange was a bit F2-vibe but then a heaps of spoilers came saying every tom, dick and harry knows Laura won so I was torn.

Bobette wrote:It's still early and we haven't seen "The Storyboard" play out yet.  IMO Laura will have some kind of freakout mid-season and worry about getting hurt (a lot of her voicelines in the preview were aligned with this fear).  

Also Matty has mentioned worrying that he would choose someone and them not love him back so I am expecting things to "get rocky" for Laura & Matty and what seems obvious now will be thrown into doubt.  

All part of the game IMO and I am still expecting them to be together at the end but I don't think it will be as straight forward as it may seem at this point, especially when Elise gets cooking in that hot tub

I've been wondering the same thing, and yes, it's really still early days. IMO, it's entirely plausible that they have established Laura in the narrative as a favourite, only to hit stormy waters once other girls start getting more dates and other connections with Matty become apparent, making us question everything. And then, for the story to come full circle, just like in a traditional narrative, for her to find 'true happiness' after all. Of course, that could also be a complete fiction!