"The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart" is already nearing an end, and you likely have A LOT of thoughts by now. And you're not alone.
We put together a panel of viewers to recap and react to this Monday's episode and let's just say their opinions are as entertaining as the show itself.
You Can't Hurry Love
Was Matt's hesitation to say he's falling for Rudi a red flag or totally fine at this stage?
Taylor – It was totally reasonable for Matt to not be falling in love with Rudi at this stage but once she expressed her feelings and he responded with "that's very courageous of you," I could NOT stop cringing. There was obviously some editing to that convo, but a quick "here's where I'm at" would have been nice (praying that did happen and we just didn't get to see it).
Michael – Total red flag, and they needed a miracle to advance after that given that the other three couples seemed in a better place than them. But then they got their miracle. #SHALLOW
Liv – Yes and no. I feel like there's nothing wrong with the fact that he's not in love after literally like three weeks, but I also get this vibe from him that he isn't totally into her which makes me feel like he wants her and her INCREDIBLY AMAZING VOICE to help him win the competition.
Marisa – I don't think his hesitation was a red flag. All of these couples have only known each other for a few weeks, and Matt and Rudi got off to a late start compared to some of the others. It's totally okay for Matt to be a little hesitant at this point, and it's refreshing that he's being honest about it. His honestly makes me think he's on the show to find someone and not just to win. But I do think he did a terrible job of communicating his feelings to Rudi, and that could be a red flag.
I Think I'm Falling For You
What did you think of Trevor warning Jamie that "the L word" is important to him, only to tell her he's falling in love with her after she said it to him?
Taylor – I am very skeptical of Trevor and would be surprised if he saw this relationship through once the show ends. I'm getting the feeling he's playing the game strategically and while he couldn't say "I love you," he knew a swift "I'm falling for you too" would be enough to hold her over until the end so he could try to win. Who knows, maybe he really cares about her! But definitely not as much as he does his music career (which... fair, they just met).
Michael – Cringe. It was like he said that to warn her not to say it/ he wasn't ready to say that yet. And then she said that and he was like "F—! I guess I'll say it now too."
Liv – Super weird. Trevor is the kind of guy who says he's into something after you say it just to make it seem like you have a lot in common. I have said it a million times, I am not a Trevor fan, and even more, I am not a Trevor and Jamie fan.
Marisa – I thought this moment was super uncomfortable. It seemed clear that Trevor knew this was the week when everyone was supposed to profess their love, but he wasn't quite there yet. But then Jamie totally ignored his warning and put him in an awkward position. It was nice that he didn't reject her, but I'm not so sure he's actually falling for her yet.
It Wasn't Me
Which of the four one-on-one dates would you have wanted to go on most?
Taylor – I'm going with the Shaggy concert. I would have been far too uncomfortable on the wedding one-on-one and yea... not about to hang out in a junkyard (what on earth?). The ice skating date was cute and that would probably be what I'd choose in real life, but if I was on "Listen to Your Heart," a Shaggy concert would feel like the move.
Michael – I can't really ice skate, so I'm going with seeing Shaggy perform live.
Liv – Natascha and Ryan's date looked like SOOO much fun, I would definitely pick their car smashing date.
Marisa – I was SO jealous of Rudi and Matt while watching their date!! Who would choose anything over the chance to sing "It Wasn't Me" on stage with Shaggy?
Not-So-Perfect
Do you think Ryan and Natascha deserved the heat they got for their performance? Was it bad enough to deserve going home?
Taylor – I didn't enjoy their performance at all. I know they're both talented, but it was a mess. I think they deserved to go home not just because of their performance, but also because there didn't seem to be a connection at all.
Michael – OMG, yes. "Perfect" is an iconic song, and even if you don't like it, you have to admit it's success and that people know it. To make it sound nothing like the original was so risky, and they paid the price.
Liv – Nope. Jamie has a bad performance every week, but she covers it up with puppy dog eyes and tears, but because of Natascha's confidence and demanding presence, she gets zero sympathy for one less than perfect performance. While I wasn't a fan of the arrangement of the song, I think they deserved a second chance, they both still have so much talent and had a real relationship, unlike Rudi and Matt, but their song made them a shoo-in to stay safe.
Marisa – Did they deserve the criticism? Yes. Their performance was totally off and their arrangement, while unique, missed the mark. But did they deserve to go home? No way. Natascha and Ryan have been killing it every week, and I genuinely started to believe they cared about one another. One bad performance shouldn't have ended things for them.
We Are The Champions
Which couple do you think performed the best?
Taylor – I loved Rudi and Matt's performance! Despite the painfully awkward conversation they had beforehand, they perform really well together and it's consistently fun to watch.
Michael – It was an unfair advantage that Rudi and Matt got "Shallow" — maybe the BEST song possible for a singing duo who just started dating. And they did a great job with it. So it was a no brainer for me.
Liv – Bri and Chris. There was so much love and chemistry between them that makes all of their performances so magical.
Marisa – Rudi and Matt absolutely slayed their performance. They are the most talented pair, hands down, and the only couple I would consider paying money to see after this. Obviously they aren't the furthest along in their relationship, but should that really be the deciding factor in who goes on tour?
Goodbye To You
Which couple would you have sent home?
Taylor – I would have sent Natascha and Ryan home. I don't think they had a connection and last night's performance didn't help them either.
Michael – Ryan and Natascha. They botched their song, but more importantly, they haven't really given any transparency about their feelings for each other. Ironically, they finally started to do that once they got kicked off the show? I was bamboozled.
Liv – Trevor and Jamie. If they are as into each other as they say they are, they don't need the show to keep them together, but neither of them are good enough on their own or together to win this competition and actually become famous artists after this. Is that harsh?
Marisa – Jamie and Trevor. They may have given a decent performance this week, but they have been one of the weakest pairs on stage since the start. Jamie has yet to take her eyes off Trevor and acknowledge the audience or judges during a performance, and that is just not the stage presence required of a touring musician.
