Bachelor 26 - Clayton Echard - Mar 8 - *Sleuthing Spoilers*

So Susie is getting tanked for going into the fantasy suites date questioning the possible multiple ILYs & “intimate” overnights (thank you TPTB for another round of mind games) and what they mean to her because she should know what she signed up for when both Rachel & Gabby also apparently have meltdowns regarding his disclosure that he spread the ILYs around and was intimate with both of them and some are like .. ooh, they deserve better and hope they let him have it at the AFTR ?? As for her being stoic, if it were me and I was trying to explain where my head is at and I’m not being heard and actually have him flip a switch and try and gaslight me into thinking I’m to blame for not being supportive and fight for him when he was the one dipping his wick and all but shove me into the departing suv with a I’m done .. I’d be like WTF just happened and have no words either, just me.

No pony in is race, I like all three of them and wouldn’t mind seeing any one of them as the new ‘ette.

What an absolute gong show of a season! I’m curious to see how this all ends, but the manipulation of both Susie & Clayton is over the top. Production saw this ending coming a mile away & couldn’t wait to put their plan in action. JMO

Ratings:

The Bachelor with its dramatic Fantasy Suites episode was the highest-rated program of Tuesday evening, earning a 0.7 in the 18-49 demo rating and 3.37 million viewers, per fast affiliates. The Bachelor returns next week for yet another two-night event, leading up to the Season 26 finale.

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I never blamed Madi for her stance and I don't blame Susie.

I also think that tptb told her to hold off telling him her deal breakers. You know...well he is still dating others. You want him to give you a chance. He might think you are too controlling....

As for her wanting to be the bette...I'm sure all the finalists have considered that possibility. I didn't think she was that into him during the season but IMO she seemed genuinely hurt/confused last night when he turned on her. (We all know how suspicious and cynical I am about these people so that is saying a lot.) Having said that I think it was all bubble love, but still somewhat more genuine than I initially gave her credit for.

When Clayton lost his cool and came right out and asked her why she waited till now to tell him, asked her why isn't she willing to work things through if she truly loves him, to me she stumbled and was a loss for words.

She didn't think she'd have to tell him not to have sex? 26 seasons, did she think this would be any different when it comes to the FS.

All the questions he asked, were questions I wanted answered. The difference to me between gaslighting and confronting someone is gaslighting is making someone believe something that isn't true and blaming them. IMO there was nothing wrong with Clayton telling her how he felt, and what he thought as far as her holding out on something so crucial to her until almost the very end. Everything he asked her was true as they unfolded. They enjoyed so much together up until that point, and now it seems like he never really knew her. I find it hard to believe she never thought about the FS until after HT's. If that was so important to me, I'd be thinking about that before I signed up for the show.

Susie moved in with her parents shortly after filming wrapped and IIRC she got her own place in Virginia Beach a few months later. IMO she is not with Clayton since he moved to Arizona to take over his brother's lease. I don't think Susie would get her own  place Jan/Feb? if she was moving again in March to be with Clayton.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] My dislike for tptb has grown so much this season. There is so much sadness and mean spiritedness in this world, could they not have considered a love story for once in their jaded lives?

ITA that Clayton and probably all the F3 were mercilessly manipulated this season.  Clayton can't seem to come out with an original thought of his own.  I also doubt that he's EVER been in love.  The fact that he said earlier in the episode that he was "afraid" he might fall in love with more than one person sure suggests he confuses infatuation/attraction with love.  

I thought Susie's comment in the limo that she thought Clayton could have been "more kind" in their final talk was spot on.  She tried to understand his POV, even conceded that she agreed with it in her head--but he put all the blame on her.  Didn't try to understand her feelings.

Maybe he was so belligerent because he felt guilty?  Interesting that his initial answer to her question about the other women was to lie by saying it was ONE.  His reference to his faith confused me.  Maybe he thinks it's OK to sleep with someone you're in love with (or say you're in love with); only random hookups are forbidden.

I wish TPTB didn't allow--or even push--the lead to spread ILYs all around.  Liked it much better when they were not allowed to do it.  I guess Ben H broke that rule--or was told to break it.

Whether you agree with how Susie revealed her deal breakers or give her slack because you think tptb told her to wait I think she was kind about it and accepted that she held some blame. She didn't blame him just said how it affected her. He didn't. He yelled at her, refused to acknowledge that he held any blame and made it all her fault for not telling him soon enough and then just basically shoved her into the limo.

I get that it was all in the heat of the moment, but how he reacted was mean and nasty in my opinion. He wants her to understand him and forgive him and yet he is not willing to do the same. Do as I say and not as I do. I wonder how he would have reacted if the shoe had been on the other foot?

Sprite wrote:Whether you agree with how Susie revealed her deal breakers or give her slack  because you think tptb told her to wait I think she was kind about it and accepted that she held some blame. She didn't blame him just said how it affected her. He didn't.  He yelled at her, refused to acknowledge that he held any blame and made it all her fault for not telling him soon enough and then just basically shoved her into the limo.

I get that it was all in the heat of the moment, but how he reacted was mean and nasty in my opinion. He wants her to understand him and forgive him and yet he is not willing to do the same. Do as I say and not as I do. I wonder how he would have reacted if the shoe had been on the other foot?

Yes Sprite, that is it in a nutshell!  I was more concerned by his behavior towards Susie in tone, language and anger, than by any of his other behavior.  Major flags for whoever he ends up with as he became cutting and uninterested in hearing anything that didn't line up with his way of thinking -even as Susie was acknowledging that she understood her role and the reason he was upset!

Honestly, I also didn't like that each woman got an "I love you" just prior to the FS card - felt a bit manipulative in timing.  And then he seems to say that he always knew he loved Susie most.  

Although she is taking a lot of criticism for her stance, it doesn't look as though any of the women feel his behavior was correct or honoring or the basis for a love story and it certainly didn't make them feel "special".

Sprite wrote:Whether you agree with how Susie revealed her deal breakers or give her slack  because you think tptb told her to wait I think she was kind about it and accepted that she held some blame. She didn't blame him just said how it affected her. He didn't.  He yelled at her, refused to acknowledge that he held any blame and made it all her fault for not telling him soon enough and then just basically shoved her into the limo.

I get that it was all in the heat of the moment, but how he reacted was mean and nasty in my opinion. He wants her to understand him and forgive him and yet he is not willing to do the same. Do as I say and not as I do. I wonder how he would have reacted if the shoe had been on the other foot?

I do not think Susie was in love with Clayton, no heart wrenching emotion at all in the limo convinced me. As for Jesse saying he does not knowing how this will all end, I believe he is repeating what producers tell him ... Clayton probably goes home single, he seemed very pissed off when he put Susie in limo, even if the producers have tried to get them back together since there is no trust between the 2 of them so don't see how they have any possible chance. My heart goes out to both Rachel & Gabby, watching this back, it seems like he told them he loved them so they would sleep with him, he even says in his in the moment about Susie he just felt stronger about her all along???? If that was the case, telling both other girls he loved them and sleeping with them shows he is not ready to settle down with one woman! Another Bachelor losing season I can't help but wonder if Susie was just there hoping to be next bachelorette so I hope they don't reward her with the show, much rather see Rachel be chosen

pavalygurl wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] My dislike for tptb has grown so much this season.   There is so much sadness and mean spiritedness in this world, could they not have considered a love story for once in their jaded lives?  

Amen Sister! If this is their strategy to appeal to a younger audience, then they need to do some focus groups with those who have been round the block a time or two. Kindness trumps hate and meanness! We have seen that with the bachelorettes - both Michelle and Tayshia showed a lot of kindness and considerateness to their casts.

I think that Susie had a rather flat reaction in the limo perhaps because she was in shock, and still processing what had happened. So many fans were shocked by Clayton's sudden Jekyll and Hyde transformation, and Susie had to witness that happening about a yard away from her from a man she thought she knew. Clayton is also a lot bigger and stronger than her, and it wouldn't surprise me if she briefly wondered if he was capable of violence (even extensively trained martial artists don't take unnecessary risks. Having studied a martial art for five years, your first and best strategy is to retreat from a threatening situation if at all possible.) IMO she was still processing her prior image of Clayton vs. the new reality. And she was also coming to grips with the fact that she was not, in fact, all that special to him.