What week is this? Who is left? Is Matt James happy? I just want him to be happy?
Monday night’s episode of The Bachelor was full—there was another abridged cocktail party (MJ Snyder got the boot) and a rose ceremony (Mearg “Magi” Tareke, Ryan Claytor, and unfortunately, Brittany Galvin, who endured ceasing bullying since arriving late into the season, were sent home). Heather Martin from Colton Underwood’s season infiltrated the Nemacolin Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania, and the women were pissed. There were one-on-one and group dates. Tyler Cameron from Hannah Brown’s season made an appearance. All was well—except for one element, really, just one person: Katie Thurston.
In past episodes, Thurston has played the role of the mighter-than-thou contestant, a woman who stopped mean girls in their tracks by approaching James after hours to “address some of the bullying that’s kind of been happening in the house,” in her words. “The house just needs to be better,” she explained to James in an earlier episode, “and there’s some pretty bad rumors that are starting about the new girls that literally could ruin their lives. Not even exaggerating.” She didn’t name names, but she did put him on edge—if she were a good person, couldn’t she do some conflict resolution herself?—and came out looking like a martyr. I don’t fault her for letting James in on what was happening in the house, but I do fault her for behaving like she’s the one keeping the peace and then digging into anyone who disrupts her time with The Bachelor. It strikes me as manipulative, and suspect as all hell, but apparently I’m in the minority. She’s a fan favorite (very concerning!) and, as Page Six reports, likely to become the next Bachelorette, since James sent her packing last night without any real cause. To that I say: please, god, no.
The truest side of Thurston, I think, came out Monday night after Serena Chew told Thurston that it is strange that all the bullying drama that gets to James begins with her (bingo!) and Thurston went ballistic, berating Chew. And I’m supposed to miss this narc just because it seemed a little unexpected that James sent her packing after a relatively successful one-on-one date? Come on. So far, James has only really sent home women accused of being vicious to one another, so in a roundabout way, Thurston’s departure makes sense. Bye, bye!
Honestly, I’d rather see Serena Chew—or any of the other girls—lead the next season. And justice for Magi, she didn’t get enough appreciation.