This was the moment fans ofThe Bachelorettehave been waiting for weeks now. WhileCharity Lawsonhas had to go through the process of cutting multiple suitors each week, it always felt that there was a clear top four this season inAaron B.,Dotun,Joey, andXavier. That feeling became a reality last week ahead of the all-important Hometowns. In what has become a segment on the series known for its twists and turns and occasional surprises, the most recent episode proved to be exactly that.
Each contender had a chance towelcome Charity to their respective hometown. The intent of this week is to give Charity a look into who each man is and where he comes from. A lot can be learned from this experience, which is why one good (or bad) interaction can alter so much. This episode featured a shocking departure, a near-disastrous remark, and one relationship that just seems too good to be true.
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Joey Faces His First Roadblock on ‘The Bachelorette’
You know what they say: uncles are always the wildcards, and Joey learned that the hard way in this episode. After enjoying a date on the tennis courts, Joey was surprised by his uncle, who then took part in their practice. Afterward, we hear that Uncle Joe felt something was off. He eventually explained to Charity that he was unsure if she was getting the real Joey. This is a remark that had all the makings of sabotaging him. It put just enough doubt in her head that she withheld telling him that she was falling in love with him. We know this to be true considering she not just told us this, but she informed his sister of her feelings. The remark by his uncle was a surprising development. Prior to this, Joey seemed like he was a top two contender, but that doubt may have slipped him up, particularly with how one other suitor’s Hometown went in a totally different direction.
Xavier Continues to Build Something With Charity
Out of the four remaining, Xavier is the one we have seen the least of. Everything we have seen of him and Charity has been great for the most part, he just has always felt like a distant fourth… until this episode. The knitting date was as wholesome of a moment as we have seen this season and the interactions Charity had with his family all were so genuine and sincere. As Charity seemed to express, Xavier needed this time with his family to realize what he has in front of him, which he appeared to do successfully. He put some of Charity’s hesitations about him to rest as he shared that he’s falling in love with her. While she didn’t say it back, she did say later to us that she is feeling that way about him. Xavier has been somewhat of a late riser compared to the other three but it appears that Hometown Week came at the perfect time for him a week removed from his admission that he was having doubts if this really could work.
Dotun May Now Be The Clear Favorite on ‘The Bachelorette’
For all the success that Xavier had on his visit, so too did Dotun. Everything between him and Charity just seems natural and real. There’s been very little doubt in anything they do. The visit to California went great as expected and to an extent, even better because Dotun’s parents cut short their visit to Nigeria to return home to meet their potential future daughter-in-law. The entire moment just felt so important that it’s hard not to see Dotun as the favorite (spoiler: he got a rose). To no surprise, Charity and Dotun ended the night on great terms following a touching slideshow of photos and videos from their younger days and their dates this season while at a drive-in movie theater. While we all went into the rose ceremony feeling any combination of the three could make it, the one person we were most confident in was Dotun.
Aaron’s Hometown Started Off Strange With Charity
Everything felt off with Aaron and Charity’s time together before they got to meet his family. The first scene of the episode saw them talking in a park where Aaron expressed that he just isn’t “there” yet (in other words, not in love with her). It was odd timing considering the weight of the moment that the day represents. From a production standpoint, it also felt like their time together was the shortest. There really wasn’t much of an activity between the two outside a picnic on his high school football field. I wrote early on this season about howAaron established himself as a favorite. The last few weeks had dampened that idea with Dotun and Joey emerging and securing their second dates. This episode poured the rest of the cold water on that idea. Aaron’s future appeared to be in serious jeopardy heading into the rose ceremony despite the confidence he went in with.
Charity Picks the Final Three on ‘The Bachelorette’
This isn’t a decision any of us can envy. As Charity toldJesse Palmerbefore the big moment, she wasfalling in love with all four suitors. We could see that was becoming the case, especially with Xavier making the biggest progress with his Hometown. To no surprise, Dotun was called first for his rose. At this point, it was anyone’s guess as to which of the three would earn the last two roses. Even Charity expressed how uncertain she was heading in. Xavier was called next, which confirmed to a degree that the doubt placed in her head by Uncle Joe was really concerning Joey. Fortunately for him, it wasn’t enough to end his journey as he was chosen over Aaron. We’ve got to give credit to the production and editing team here because this rose ceremony was brimming with tension and much of it lay in the music and the quietness that lingered at various moments. All of it highlighted just how challenging this decision was for Charity. There are only three men left but if there’s one thing we know, there are still going to be some unexpected moments before someone gets down on one knee.
The Bacheloretteairs on Mondays on ABC and is available on Hulu.
