Sunday, August 23rd’s episode of “Bachelor in Paradise“ dropped us right back into the Joe-Samantha drama. Last week, the episode left off with the whole house infuriated with Joe’s actions and how he played Juelia in order to stay on the show until Samantha arrived in paradise.
Before the rose ceremony, Joe finally breaks down and reveals that he did whatever it took – i.e. pretend to be pursuing Juelia for a week – in order to remain in paradise so he could meet Samantha. He admits that he reached out to Samantha over social media. However, Samantha denies interacting with Joe and pretty much allows him to take all the blame. She claims she came to paradise to find love – not just Joe.
No one believes that Samantha had no contact with Joe (especially since Tanner saw the phone messages between them) and therefore she joins Joe in the rankings of paradise villains.
At the rose ceremony, basically all the guys are paired off except Dan and JJ. Joshua choses Tenley, Jared choses Ashley I., Kirk choses Carley and Tanner pairs off with Jade. This leaves Clare, Juelia, Megan, Ashley S. and Amber to be given one of the final two roses.
Prior to the ceremony, many of the cast members were trying to convince JJ to give his rose to Juelia in order to give her another shot at love following the whole Joe debacle. However, Juelia doesn’t want a “pity rose” and convinces host Chris Harrison to not only let her stay in paradise without a rose, but also gets him to bring Mikey back in the game.
Therefore, the girls who get saved by the final two roses are Amber (by Dan) and surprisingly, Ashley S. (by JJ).
JJ explains that he feels Ashley S. deserves a shot at love here and that’s why he gave his rose to her. However, he reveals he is actually in love with someone back home and leaves paradise!
Well, at least he was able to show his funny, more likeable side this time around.
So that leaves Clare and Megan (and JJ) packing their things and leaving paradise.
After the ceremony, Tanner is given a date card and not surprisingly he asks Jade to go on it with him. Jade and Tanner’s relationship is probably the most genuine (seeming) on the show at this point and therefore it was nice to see Tanner ask Jade to be his girlfriend officially.
Back at camp, Joe and Samantha continue to obsess over each other (even though everyone else hates them). Joe says that looking at Samantha he sees the “mother of his children” and his “future wife.”
With three cast members leaving paradise, it is perfect timing for a new addition to the crew. This time it is Nick from season 7 of The Bachelorette, who comes into paradise telling Chris that he is looking forward to seeing Samantha. He also reveals that he had talked with her on the phone and even told her she would get his date card once he arrives in paradise.
Sounds like trouble in paradise – literally – for Joe and Samantha.
However, once Nick asks Samantha on the date she turns down his offer, even though she told him before the show she would say yes if he asked.
Soon after, Nick asks Ashley S. on the date and she accepts. The two end up getting drunk at a nearby resort and spa, and things get sloppy quick between the two. Not to mention, Nick quickly sees how “out there” Ashley S. can be, especially under the influence of tequila. During her one-on-one, Ashley S. tries to explain her chemistry with Nick, saying it goes beyond “anything she’s seen on paradise. [Their chemistry] goes beyond even Kirk and Carley.”
Back at camp, Joe and Samantha have a serious conversation, where Joe expresses his insecurities that Samantha might not like him as much as he likes her. Joe continues to express these insecurities to anyone who will listen, leaving the others to question the fate of Joe and Samantha.
Meanwhile, Kirk, Mikey and Jared are hanging out in the pool. Mikey asks Jared if he is over Kaitlyn (who was the bachelorette of the season he was previously on), and Jared answers “no, not really.” The other guys are not surprised by his answer, but things are not looking good for Ashley I., who continuously talks about how perfect he is for her.
After this conversation, Jared realizes it is not fair to be stringing Ashley I. along and decides he is going to break things off with her.
Jared tells her that he wants her to “experience paradise.” However, she is adamant that she doesn’t want to explore anyone but him. Then Jared reveals that Kaitlyn is partially to blame for his hesitancy towards her.
An Ashley I. crying fest follows this.
Ashley winds up calling Kaitlyn in tears and tells her just how “obsessed” Jared is with her. I am sure he appreciates that.
The episode ends with Samantha confronting Joe about the whole Juelia situation and tells him that she is worried about all the drama that surrounds him. She apologizes to him and says she “just can’t handle the drama,” and she wants to “go on dates.” Evidently, breaking things off with Joe (on his birthday!)
Tomorrow:
Joe tries to clear his name by showing how manipulative Samantha was in the whole Juelia ordeal. Mikey and Juelia seems to be hitting things off the second time around and Samantha goes on a date with a newcomer to paradise.