JoJo Fletcher Bachelorette Recap Episode 8: Hometown Dates
JoJo has lopped heads off left and right like Ilyn Payne in the Mad King's heyday on her way from 26 suitors to these 4. Her hope (and the show's conceit) is that meeting the families of the survivors will help her decide which three she most wants to sleep with next week. Oops, I meant "continue to find a deeper connection on a tight schedule" with. Damn, sorry, "find true love" with. For those of you new to the show, each remaining contestant will welcome JoJo to their hometown and introduce her to their family; embarrassing stories will be told, JoJo will ask about any skeletons she believes may exist, and if we're lucky someone will get hilariously drunk. It isn't always friendly, though; I still believe the Brothers Bro torpedoed JoJo's chances with Ben last season. Let's see what the families of Lil Rodgers, Luke, Robby No-Socks, and...*checks notes*...Chase have in store.
Hometown Date with Chase
JoJo is excited for the opportunity to decide what type of life she wants based on the interactions between the men and their families; not exactly a progressive way of thinking. JoJo will be in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, meeting Chase's divorced parents separately. After snogging with a nice view, Papa Chase meets them at Chase's house. Knucks to you for having a house, Chase. That seems advanced for most of these contestants.
They discuss relationships and the reasons for his parents divorce. You know, standard fluffy conversation when meeting the parents. At their second stop, Chase's mom, brother in law, sister, step-dad, and nephew make up the welcome party. JoJo steps outside with Mama Chase to discuss his verbal communication of emotions, the only trait she has identified in him over the past couple months. Chase's sister gets some good jabs in on her brother in their time together.
"But how DO you see relationships? I don't think you've ever told me that..."
Mama Chase gives a first meeting approval, and Chase and JoJo walk to the car where he tells her he's falling in love. Strong performance, but is it enough to reach the Fantasy Suite?
Hometown Date with Lil Rodgers
Next we head to Chico, California to meet the Rodgers family. JoJo and Lil Rodgers start with a trip to his high school, which would be more endearing if his occupation wasn't former professional quarterback. Not a good look, taken together. They meet his JV football coach and some former teachers before sneaking away to snog a bit in the school library. This is weird, because they're adults and are now talking about being high school sweethearts. Sorry guys, it's too late for that dream to come true. Time to move on! Inexplicably, JoJo is surprised when Lil Rodgers is reluctant to talk about his estranged brother, so she immediately asks him to talk about it more. Lil Rodgers evades the rush, and he and JoJo head into the locker room to change before dinner.
Mama Rodgers tells some embarrassing stories about her son to put JoJo at ease, but she still picks up on the two empty seats at one end of the table.
Ah yes, eight chairs for six people. Do they always set out two more than they expect to actually show up? Sloppy work, ABC.
I put the chances below 5% that Lil Rodgers's parents actually leave two empty chairs at the table as a routine. Big Rodgers (another Luke) doesn't give JoJo any more Aaron-formation than she already had (see what I did there?), but he does make Lil Rodgers's hair look much better by comparison. Luke and Lil Rodgers talk on the couch while JoJo uses her time with Papa Rodgers to discuss her favorite Rodgers subject: Aaron. She's having more trouble dropping this than she is keeping Bachelor Ben's name out of her mouth! Lil Rodgers and JoJo snog outside before she heads off to meet her other other other boyfriend's family.
Hometown Date with Robby
Robby walks through the streets of St. Augustine wearing no socks and the inverted-stereotypical-Hispanic-gangster look: a button-down with only the bottom button done.
"Remember that scene in 22 Jump Street where Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum pretend to be Hispanic gangsters? I want the Jonah Hill look in that scene...upside-down."
Displeasing to the eye, no apparent functionality, and inappropriate for the weather: the unholy trinity of wardrobe choices. They whistle for a chariot (horse-drawn), and tour historic St. Augustine. It is old; so ends the informative part of the episode. JoJo asks Robby about his last relationship because it ended so recently it's hard to fully trust his feelings. Her feelings for Ben are certainly not a comparable issue, even though she was dumped on a proposal platform less than a year ago. They abandon their drinks to leave for Jacksonville, triggering my Iron Eyes Cody single tear response.
Don't waste those! I KNOW ABC doesn't make you drive yourselves!
Robby's gigantic family allows their food to grow cold before Robby steps away to talk with his brothers, who are already 100% in on JoJo. It's cute in a helpless kitten type of way. JoJo asks Mama Robby about her son's most recent relationship, who adroitly eases her concerns. Unfortunately, she also informs Robby of recent rumors suggesting he ended his relationship to go on the Bachelorette. He becomes very upset and interrupts JoJo and his sisters during wine and bed talks. He clumsily addresses the rumors, she grills him for more information, and Robby insists he ended the relationship in December. Robby's utter lack of chill is quickly consuming his chances of surviving the week. JoJo appears to accept his explanation, and Robby walks her to the car to say goodbye. After a snog, he leaves his umbrella on the ground, allowing the rain to fall on his unprotected head and the production crew to get this shot:
A very sad and utterly forgotten umbrella, abandoned like Robby's ex-girlfriend (allegedly).
Hometown Date with Luke
Luke welcomes JoJo to Burnet, Texas, and almost immediately drives her to meet his family on their ranch. He surprises her with a larger-than -expected crowd consisting of his family and a number of friends from the area. JoJo is a bit overwhelmed, but seems to adapt quickly enough. It makes Luke's heart smile. His words, and maybe Simple Jack's, not mine.
"this head movie makes my eyes rain" - Simple Jack
Luke accepts an understandably hesitant approval from his mom and advice from his dad to not make an important decision like this under pressure. Sorry Papa Luke, wrong show for that. JoJo wisely compliments Papa Luke's barbecue, earning some extra brownie points. Luke and JoJo saddle up and ride to an awesome hay couch.
Cute, but probably looks way better than it feels. Like a fashionable beard. Yes, I'm jealous I can't grow a beard, why do you ask?
that probably looks a lot better than it feels. Luke misuses the word "daydream", stumbles through a few more expressions without saying "I love you", and they snog. The final surprise of the date is a candlelit walk to a flower-petal heart where he still does not tell her he loves her.
The Rose Ceremony
Chris Harrison directs Robby, Chase, Luke, and Lil Rodgers into a hangar to await judgment from the 5-foot-4 brunette controlling their fates. JoJo tells the camera she intends to send Luke home, but before she can start handing out roses, Luke asks if he can talk to her outside. He tells JoJo he's in love with her, but will it be enough to change her mind?! She ponders this question and more aloud on the runway, and the "TO BE CONTINUED" sign appears on screen.
The Bachelorette JoJo Drinking Game Tally
This episode generated 82 drinks according to QQ's Bachelor Drinking Game.
