announcer: Tonight on "The Bachelorette"...
‐ Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome the Bachelorette,
Michelle Young!
‐ Stee‐rike!
‐ Hi!
‐ It feels so good to be back home.
‐ We're halfway through the journey.
‐ Everything is about making those special moments.
‐ I'm ready to battle it out for Michelle's heart.
‐ Down the hatch, boys.
‐ Oh, my God.
‐ Is it crunchy?
‐ [laughs]
both: We love Minnesota!
‐ Whenever I see Michelle, I'm on cloud nine.
‐ The chemistry that we have is undeniable.
‐ I love the way you guys look at each other.
‐ Ooh!
‐ I'm definitely all in at this moment.
‐ This is my person.
[dramatic music]
‐ Her infatuation with these men‐‐
I feel like I got the short end of the stick.
‐ I've learned what I want,
I've learned what I don't want.
‐ I want to be the one that walks out with Michelle.
‐ He's not the right person for her.
‐ Our relationship isn't progressing forward.
‐ Oh, man.
‐ I'm nervous about what he might do.
‐ It wouldn't shock me
if he takes down other men with him.
‐ Stakes are getting higher.
‐ I can't do this anymore.
‐ She could be making a huge mistake.
‐ No one is safe.
‐ If I get heartbroken,
then that's on me.
announcer: And it all starts right now.
[birds chirping]
[sweeping music]
‐ Goodbye, Palm Springs.
Hello, Minnesota!
I'm going to Minnesota. Minneapolis.
‐ Michelle's hometown.
‐ I'm excited to leave the drama
back in Palm Springs.
It's a fresh start for all of us.
‐ I'll see you in Minneapolis.
♪ ♪
Last week, the cocktail party‐‐
you know, the Rose Ceremony was a little bit tough.
Chris S. said that Nayte was walking around
talking about how he already had it in the bag.
Yeah, I'm excited to just move on
from the drama.
[engine roaring]
‐ Yo, yo, Casey, where are we going right now?
‐ We're going to Minneapolis.
‐ Yo, Clayto, Clayto, Where we going right now?
‐ Minnesota. ‐ Minnesota.
♪ ♪
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
‐ It feels so good to be back home.
My mom and dad are here.
My siblings and their families are here.
There's been so many
different and huge phases of my life,
that have shaped who Michelle Young is.
I went to school here, and I teach here.
So much of my childhood was created here.
Travelling to basketball tournaments
all over the city.
For these men to be able to come to Minnesota,
there is no better way to get to know
who I am, what I stand for,
what my life has looked like.
This is the perfect place
for me to be able to show them.
It's been so hard to have these relationships
and not be able to speak
with the two people who know me the best.
‐ I miss you.
‐ I miss you guys too! ‐ [sighs]
‐ [chuckles]
‐ Hey! ‐ Hi, Dad!
‐ Hello.
‐ My parents' relationship is very strong.
I'm not gonna settle until I have
a love as powerful as theirs.
It is so good to see you. ‐ [clears throat] It is.
‐ It is. You look great, honey.
‐ Oh, thank you. ‐ [coughs] Yeah.
‐ But no, it's‐‐ it's just so good.
‐ I think what's the hardest thing
is that there's, like, these times
where you have these intense emotions.
And normally, when I have those,
you two are the ones that I, like,
get to hug or talk to...
both: Yeah. ‐ And that's not the case.
But I feel like home's a reset for me,
where I know I could go back, and kind of, like,
get my footing, and so...
a big part of that is you guys.
Mom, I know you're gonna start crying.
‐ No, I'm trying not to, honey.
I'm trying not to. ‐ It's okay.
‐ Yeah. ‐ I'm listening.
‐ Yeah, but I need to catch you up.
‐ Yes, please do. ‐ Okay.
‐ There are 11 guys left. ‐ Okay.
‐ I think the reason why I'm so excited to be here
is because it's a really quick way
to have somebody else
get to know me. ‐ Right.
‐ Because, like, my family's here.
My friends are here. This is where I grew up.
But then I think, also, I get to see them
in, like, this environment too.
‐ Can you slow down? ‐ Why don't you walk faster?
‐ We in the city. Minneapolis, baby.
‐ They are mature, grown men.
So many of them check off the boxes
of what I'm looking for. ‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ And they're all really unique from each other.
‐ That's what I want for you,
is to have someone
that they are making you their number one priority.
‐ There are some really awesome people
who I think will put me first.
‐ One, I'm so happy to hear
you feel like you've got some good connections.
And that you feel like... ‐ Yeah.
‐ It's a good group of guys.
‐ They have what I'm looking for,
plus so much more.
Like, they truly are
some of the best people I've ever met.
all: Michelle!
‐ Whoo! [cheering]
‐ I do think there is more than one guy here
that would choose me every day.
And that's what's exciting.
‐ I'm happy to hear that. ‐ Good.
‐ Yeah, I got some good ones.
‐ You've got some tough decisions to make.
‐ Oof. I don't know how you're gonna do it
at the end. ‐ Yeah, yeah.
‐ I wish you could come on the date with me...
‐ I wish I could too. ‐ But, um, but I'm so happy
that I was able to speak with both of you.
‐ Oh, it was just great to see you, honey.
‐ Oh. ‐ Do a little jig or something.
‐ Whoo! Let's go, y'all.
‐ There it is, there it is. ‐ Let's go, y'all.
‐ It would be fantastic to have
a one‐on‐one with Michelle here.
all: Ooh!
‐ Oh, my God.
‐ A lot has happened in the last week.
You know, she definitely kind of kicked me in the butt
when it comes to these group dates.
She told me that I was over‐confident
and she was feeling unseen.
I gotta make sure I'm keeping
my best foot forward with Michelle.
‐ Hi! ‐ How's it going?
‐ Good, and how are you? ‐ Good.
This is the first week in Michelle's hometown.
And I feel like
I'm finally coming out of my shell.
I want that one‐on‐one more than anything.
‐ Welcome to Minneapolis, Minnesota.
‐ Ey! ‐ Yeah, we here.
‐ I have some absolutely incredible dates
planned for this week.
And I do have a small surprise.
‐ Okay.
‐ The first date, it's gonna be a one‐on‐one.
♪ ♪
And it actually starts right now.
‐ Hey. ‐ Oh, wow.
‐ Okay. ‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ I feel good about my connection
with Michelle.
I know I'm gonna get the one‐on‐one.
I'm excited.
‐ So...
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
Joe.
Would you like to enjoy this one‐on‐one
with me today? ‐ Of course, of course.
‐ Awesome. ‐ Here we go.
‐ Guys, get settled in,
and we will see you later.
‐ All right. ‐ See you, boys.
‐ Peace.
[tense music]
‐ Oh, that's tough.
‐ Back home in Minnesota. ‐ It feels good to be back.
‐ [giggles] ‐ Wow.
‐ It feels good. ‐ She did me dirty.
‐ Obviously, Joe, being from Minneapolis,
gives him the ability
to experience their city together, in a one‐on‐one,
which is such an advantage.
So, you know, we're all disappointed.
‐ You can still‐‐ ‐ Okay, here we go, here we go.
‐ There's only two dates left,
and I'm just devastated.
Joe is a Minnesota kid just like Michelle.
So it's an advantage compared to all of us.
But, uh, you know, I hope he doesn't come back.
♪ ♪
[soft acoustic music]
♪ ♪
‐ This is so weird.
We're in Minnesota. ‐ I know, like,
we're literally at home. ‐ [laughs]
‐ I just feel really good
that I was picked for the one‐on‐one.
You know, the fact that I was the first one,
um, I'm really excited,
especially since we're both in the city we grew up in.
So getting this one‐on‐one time
is great; we'll get to spend,
like, real quality time together,
get to know each other, make new memories,
see the city.
It's a beautiful day with a beautiful girl.
You can't ask for anything more.
♪ ♪
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
‐ Obviously, I did want it to be me.
And to have a one‐on‐one
in her hometown is, like, all I want.
‐ Get to see what she likes to do
in her own hometown. ‐ Exactly, exactly.
‐ It's her environment, it's her element,
and I think that adds even more excitement
to that date.
Michelle and Joe.
They definitely have a connection.
You can definitely see it.
[crowd cheering]
‐ Have you been, like, on a baseball diamond
during a game? ‐ No.
‐ No? ‐ This is the first time.
This is the first time. ‐ Okay.
‐ I know that they are from the same city,
so he's already got a little bit of advantage.
‐ This is so exciting.
‐ So they're probably having fun.
I'm hoping they're not having too much fun.
‐ Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome to the mound, the Bachelorette,
Twins Territory's own, Michelle Young
and her date, Joe!
Miss Young, if you throw a strike,
Joe gets a kiss.
[cheers and applause] ‐ This better be
a big strike zone. [laughs]
‐ You ready?
[cheers and applause]
‐ Ey. ‐ Stee‐rike!
‐ That was a strike.
‐ You know what that means!
[romantic music]
‐ Just thinking about, you know,
how much Joe and Michelle might be connecting.
I think she might take him
somewhere that's really special to her.
‐ This is my high school.
I think you're gonna learn a lot about me.
‐ That's perfect. I'm excited.
‐ You ready? All right. ‐ Let's go.
‐ One date can make all the difference.
That one‐on‐one is the most valuable one‐on‐one
since we've been here.
So yeah, I'm jealous.
‐ We do have a special place over here.
My locker. [laughs]
‐ Your locker? ‐ Yes!
‐ You remember the exact one? ‐ Yes, I actually do.
‐ Which one is it? ‐ It's this one, right here.
‐ This is it? ‐ This is it.
‐ Ooh, nice. That's a good one.
‐ Mm‐hmm.
♪ ♪
‐ This is, like, a really good moment
for me and Michelle, you know,
just learning more about her, her past experiences.
‐ This was when I was‐‐2008.
‐ You were on Varsity in 2008?
‐ Yeah, that was my ninth grade year.
‐ Dang, check you out.
My feelings for Michelle continue to grow.
And each time I see her, things get better and better.
They get easier. I feel more at home.
Look who it is. ‐ Ahh!
All my teammates. We had so much fun.
We had team dinners before every game.
Like, you would laugh so hard,
and you were just sitting around the table
eating together.
‐ Yeah, that's a good time.
This is really cool.
Is this just bringing back hella memories for you?
‐ So many.
‐ I'm feeling really good about today.
I thought it was a good step forward for us both,
and that's a really great feeling to have.
‐ This is my stomping grounds. ‐ Okay, yeah.
‐ Right here. ‐ This is it.
Let me get one warm‐up. Oh!
‐ On that note, let's play some one‐on‐one!
[laughs]
[upbeat music]
Start sweating.
I feel like Joe would have been
my crush in high school.
♪ ♪
'Cause he played basketball,
he has a good head on his shoulders,
and he's good‐looking. [chuckles]
You can't hit it. You can't hit it.
‐ Oh, my God.
‐ Mr. Basketball, Miss Basketball‐‐
I mean, it goes together.
‐ Offensive foul, ref.
♪ ♪
Oh!
[both laughing]
‐ Being on the court with Joe,
he and I just have this magnetic energy between us.
Whoo!
It feels so good, and it feels so right.
And, like, that makes me feel very special.
‐ I'm not letting you‐‐
‐ It's not about a girl beating you
at this point... ‐ You're not‐‐
You're not gonna beat me. ‐ It's about a girl in a dress
beating you.
Ooh! ‐ There we go.
This has been a really great date.
This has been one for a lifetime.
Like, this is probably the best date
I've ever been on, so‐‐
‐ Really? ‐ Yeah, for sure.
‐ Okay, so we took Minnesota by storm.
We're doing pretty well, so...
‐ I think so. I think we're doing great.
‐ How‐‐have I told you that you, like,
you remind me a lot of my dad and my brother,
who are both very reserved people.
And not necessarily in a bad way.
‐ Right. ‐ You know?
Just don't always express emotions.
They're just very neutral,
which is kind of nice sometimes for my mom and I,
where, like, we can be spitfires at times.
But, um, like, were you‐‐
were you always reserved?
‐ Um, my dad is really reserved.
Probably even way more than me.
And so him showing emotion‐‐
I think I've only seen him cry once,
maybe twice, in my whole life.
And so that was just kind of how I was raised.
And so I think I kind of brought myself inward
where I built a wall, you know.
It's hard for me to really open up
to some people.
And it think it's, like, a trust thing.
And so you know, I'm trying
to take that wall down.
You know, I think going through this whole experience
with you, and going through all of this,
is a step in that direction,
because it's definitely not comfortable for me.
‐ It's not comfortable for me either.
[laughs]
And it definitely takes some getting used to,
but I really have seen the benefits of, like,
being able to be open.
And so I appreciate you, you know, working
to tear that wall down. ‐ Thank you.
Appreciate it. ‐ [laughs]
[romantic music]
Today was such a special day with Joe.
It was natural. It felt like I was at home.
It was playful.
Felt like we're on the same team.
And moving into tonight, I want to make sure
that my teammate's willing to continue
being uncomfortable
and having vulnerable conversations.
♪ ♪
‐ You know, I've been on a few group dates.
I feel like you don't really make some serious strides
with Michelle unless you get a one‐on‐one.
So I think a one‐on‐one changes everything
at this point.
‐ This week,
there will only be one group date
and two one‐on‐ones.
If my name is not on the group date card,
um, I will be absolutely thrilled.
‐ So, Nayte, do you feel like
she has, like, a target on you,
just to see if you prove yourself?
‐ Yeah, yeah. No, most definitely.
I've thought about that too.
‐ I think Nayte is in desperate need
of one‐on‐one time.
Last week, Chris pointed the finger at Nayte,
because he thought Nayte believed
that he had it in the bag.
I think Nayte definitely wants to prove Chris wrong,
and show Michelle,
that he can put a little bit more effort in.
[knock at door]
all: Ooh.
‐ [laughs]
‐ I think Michelle was really
grateful about what I said.
You know, basically what I told her
validated what she was already thinking.
So if I got the one‐on‐one, it would mean a lot.
♪ ♪
‐ Casey.
Rodney.
Martin. ‐ [chuckles]
‐ Leroy.
Rick.
[dramatic music]
Clayton.
Olu.
Chris.
‐ Uh‐oh. ‐ [sighs]
‐ That's nerve‐racking. ‐ Come on.
♪ ♪
‐ Brandon.
"Meet me at the stadium...
Love, Michelle."
‐ Yo, what? ‐ Yo!
[all speaking at once]
‐ Ooh. ‐ We're gonna go crazy.
We about to go crazy.
‐ Nayte? Wow.
I'm really disappointed.
I went out on a limb for her
and told her the honest truth,
which is what she wanted to hear,
and asked from everyone else in the house.
Everything I said fell on deaf ears.
The way things have played out,
I feel like I got the short end of the stick.
♪ ♪
[soft music]
♪ ♪
‐ Hello!
‐ Hello.
‐ How are you doing?
‐ I'm good. How are you?
‐ Good! You look nice.
‐ So do you.
‐ Ready for some dinner? ‐ I'm ready for dinner.
‐ [giggles]
‐ I'm feeling really good.
Everything today has exceeded
my expectations.
You know, I wasn't expecting to go to the Twins game,
or even seeing her high school
and going through a lot of memories with her,
so it was really special just getting to know her more.
‐ I've actually never been on the Ferris wheel.
And you've never eaten here? ‐ No!
Going into tonight, it's really important
that I open up to her.
It's not gonna be easy.
it hasn't been easy expressing myself.
And being vulnerable is something
that I've been fearful of
and been scared to really do with other people.
But with her, it's worth it.
‐ Today was, like, a unique kind of special,
just because we're both from Minnesota,
we kind of had similar experiences at times,
but those experiences were apart from each other.
And I felt like today,
we had the opportunity to bring those together.
So...
cheers to making new memories with each other.
‐ Cheers to making new memories.
‐ I just‐‐I don't think that there was anybody better
to come on the date today than you.
‐ I'm glad you picked me. Yeah, it was really cool.
I got to learn so much more about you.
‐ Good. ‐ Yeah.
Appreciate that. ‐ So tell me about Joe.
‐ Uh, that's a good question.
Um...
you know, sports has really shaped who I am.
And not only sports, but what comes with sports.
And that was, you know, injuries for me.
I ended up breaking
three bones in my leg in seventh grade.
And so it left my foot susceptible
to further injuries.
And then that's when, in college,
I broke my fifth metatarsal.
‐ Oh, my gosh. ‐ Yeah.
Had to get surgery.
I got the surgery,
but the doctor who did my surgery
ended up putting too big of a screw in my foot
and ended up splitting my fifth metatarsal in half
and just completely shattering it.
And so I ended up having another surgery
that was really intensive.
Um, it ended up being seven screws and a plate
in my left foot, just to fix that.
And so that's something that really was, like,
tough for me to handle, and you know, after that,
like, I was able to come back and perform,
but, like, it wasn't the same, you know.
And...I didn't want to be out there
because I couldn't handle it mentally.
[gentle music]
It was beyond difficult.
It was anxiety, depression.
Um, there was times where I was thinking,
you know, if I even wanted to still be here.
And that was really tough for me.
♪ ♪
Ball was life, and that life was gone.
And so...
[breathes deeply]
I've always had, like, such high standards,
and I didn't feel like I was still there.
♪ ♪
It was just breaking me down too much
that I mentally knew I wasn't in a good place.
♪ ♪
Thanks for asking.
[chuckles]
[sniffs]
‐ I see you holding it in. It's, like, okay.
I mean, it's okay to let it out.
‐ Going through the mental grind,
like, every day...
going‐‐going to rehab,
going to, like, the rehab after practice,
the ice...
It's just, like, a mental hurdle, and...
[coughs]
It was so hard that, like,
it was taking away from other things in life,
'cause I didn't have time to spend it with friends,
or I didn't have time to call up my dad, and...
So that's when I knew
it probably was time to wrap it up
and focus on what, like, can make me happy
outside of basketball.
And, you know, so much of your‐‐
[clears throat] So much of your identity
is caught up in basketball, or in sports,
that...
you're like, "Who am I at this point?"
You know?
And I just felt really lost.
And so coming back home was the best solution for me.
I'm glad I did, 'cause obviously
Minnesota's home, and so...
I'm happy I did.
I think it was a good decision, but...
It's still there. ‐ It still hurts.
‐ Yeah.
‐ I mean, I've been
in that position where, like, you feel like
you hit rock bottom.
And you get to this point
where you have so much anxiety
that you feel, like, every second of every day.
Every moment you are aware of, like,
how bad you are hurting.
And it's okay that it still hurts.
‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ My heart definitely feels that,
because you spend so much time working,
your entire life, and you give up so much
for, like, the sport that you love.
And to have something take you out of it
before you're ready to get taken out of it
is a pain, like, not everyone will understand.
You woke up fighting every day
a battle that a lot of people didn't know about.
But, like, you did that.
♪ ♪
And you got through it. ‐ I got through it.
Thank you, that means a lot. I appreciate it.
Thank you.
And yeah, this definitely not something
I share often or let people see, so...
But I'm happy to share it with you for sure.
‐ I'm happy you shared it with me too.
It means so much.
‐ I think you're worth it, so...
‐ [chuckles]
[romantic music]
♪ ♪
Kissing Joe is always great.
But tonight,
there was just a different meaning
behind it; there was a different
unspoken word or feeling.
To finally let those tears fall.
I'm very grateful that Joe trusts me enough
to open up to me about all that he experienced.
And so I feel like after today,
my feelings for Joe have grown tremendously.
♪ ♪
I was so excited
to be able to start our first week here.
‐ Mm‐hmm. ‐ And today has been...
even more special than I could ever imagine.
Being able to reminisce at the high school,
talk about basketball, play a little basketball.
Kick your ass, once again.
‐ Once again. ‐ [laughs]
But I think, more importantly,
I loved seeing, like, this side of Joe.
I'm so proud of you...
‐ Thank you.
‐ For trusting me.
So, Joe,
will you accept this rose?
‐ Absolutely.
♪ ♪
‐ [sighs]
It's almost hard to put it into words right now,
um, but one of my favorite quotes is,
you know, "The best things in life
are on the other side of fear."
You know, and this whole experience for me
has been really fearful.
But when I'm with Michelle,
I feel really comfortable to really express myself.
And that's one of the things I really appreciate about her.
And getting this rose was really just
the cherry on top.
And I'm hoping to keep building from here.
[light music]
Oh, snap, here we go.
‐ You ever have a Ferris wheel to yourself?
‐ Nope. ‐ No?
‐ Never. ‐ I haven't either, actually.
Today, was the most powerful, special, perfect,
stars‐aligning date...
[laughs]
I've ever been on.
Who would have thought,
two Minnesotans? ‐ I know.
It's pretty crazy.
‐ I feel like you had two souls
that have kind of been living side by side,
without even knowing it.
And I feel like today,
we got brought together.
And I am very excited to see
what the future has in store
for me and Minnesota Joe.
[chuckles]
♪ ♪
[soft music]
[birds chirping]
♪ ♪
‐ Today, I feel so good.
The moment I woke up, I feel like
I had a smile on my face,
because last night, and just yesterday,
being able to spend my first one‐on‐one
in Minnesota with Minnesota Joe,
was incredibly special.
I feel like I learned more about Joe
than I anticipated.
But today, this is the first group date in Minnesota.
And what better place to start
than at the football stadium?
‐ Michelle's coming. ‐ Whoo, whoo, whoo.
‐ What time is it? ‐ Game time.
‐ The date card said, "Meet me at the stadium."
So I'm almost positive
that it's probably gonna be football‐related,
and I take a lot of pride in football.
So for Michelle,
I expect to perform well.
all: Ohh! ‐ Hey, guys.
‐ Hey! ‐ Hey, guys.
‐ Whoo! ‐ What are y'all doing
out here? ‐ We're here for you!
We're looking for you.
‐ "Michelle's waiting for you inside!"
Ohh! Come on, let's go!
‐ Whoo!
‐ I have no idea what's about to happen.
I don't know if we're gonna play
flag football‐‐ I have no idea.
‐ Oh, there she is! ‐ Where she at?
Where she at? ‐ Michelle!
‐ [laughs]
‐ But I'm so excited to finally see Michelle
in her hometown, go on this group date today.
‐ Touchdown! ‐ Hello!
‐ Hi. ‐ Hi, how are you guys doing?
‐ Good, just used all my energy right there.
‐ How you doing? ‐ Good to see you.
‐ Good to see you guys! ‐ Good to see you.
‐ So today is extra special.
‐ Ey.
‐ Any idea what we might be doing today?
‐ Probably a little football. ‐ Football.
‐ Football.
‐ Clayton? ‐ Probably a little football.
‐ Contact. Let's hope.
‐ Right at home, right? [laughter]
So are you ready to meet the Vikings?
‐ Yeah, let's go! ‐ What?
‐ Let's go, man, let's go!
‐ Uh‐oh, there's smoke!
There's smoke. ‐ Whoo‐hoo‐hoo!
‐ Ain't no way. ‐ Where they at, man?
[horn trumpets]
‐ Ahh! ‐ Onward, Thorfinn.
We're here for you, Lady Michelle!
‐ That's a little different than I thought,
but that's what's up, that's what's up.
‐ Out come these guys that look like
they're from about 1000 A. D.
I'm like, "What the hell is going on here?"
‐ Welcome, men.
I am Steinarr, the Crazy Viking.
And these are my most trusted Viking warriors.
I give you Thorfinn and Bohli.
‐ [growls] ‐ Uh‐oh.
‐ Looks like we got a bunch of weaklings,
dare I say, Skraeling?
‐ You I could crush with just one finger.
‐ [laughing] Oh, my gosh.
‐ Even though these guys are big,
they're scary,
they also have a lot of bravery.
And they have a lot of heart.
And those are two things that I require in a man.
‐ Do you have any of them?
‐ Yes! ‐ Yes, sir!
‐ We shall see.
‐ When this is all over,
only one of you will be granted the honor
of being a true Viking.
‐ Whether you're fighting for love
or fighting for honor, Vikings let out a cry
to signal to their enemies
that they are ready for the fight.
[both shouting]
‐ Ahh!
‐ Let's go!
‐ Good job, Clayton.
I feel like today will be a very telling group date.
‐ Michelle!
‐ Okay.
Last group date, I came out of it
really feeling like they weren't making
small moments with me.
And so today I want to have fun with these guys.
‐ Ahh!
‐ But you have to make small moments.
That's what I'm gonna be looking for today.
‐ Whoo, whoo, ahh!
‐ You call that a war cry?
[blows raspberry]
‐ Let's move on to our next training.
That of strength.
Rodney.
‐ Oh, yeah. Say no more, say no more.
Today I just really want to dedicate
more time and focus to Michelle.
We ready.
Because it's a chance at redemption
from how we all kind of acted our last time.
[grunts] Oh, my God.
‐ What? ‐ Whoa!
‐ That was amazing! ‐ Told you. I told you, though.
I told you I could. ‐ Clayton.
‐ [grunts] ‐ Oh, wow.
Yup. ‐ Ahh!
‐ Yes!
‐ I think today you're seeing guys
grabbing her a lot, kissing her.
‐ Everything is about progress with Michelle.
Everything is about making those special moments.
‐ Chris. ‐ All right.
Let's get it, let's get it, let's get it.
To be honest, I'm still upset
she gave Nayte the one‐on‐one.
And now I'm here, on another group date,
but today I'm gonna stand out from the other guys.
'Cause I'm Chris, and they're the other guys.
[grunts] Go, go, go, go.
It's the furthest one. Furthest one.
‐ Last Rose Ceremony,
Chris S. threw everyone under the bus.
So I don't like him.
I just get this cockish vibe from him.
And I can't wait to wipe that smirk
off his face today‐‐can't.
‐ Not bad, not bad at all.
Now go back to the dressing room,
change out of those peasant clothes,
and come back ready to battle
as a real Viking.
‐ Yeah, let's go! ‐ Go!
[heroic music]
‐ All right, here we go.
‐ Whatever the next competition is,
I really don't care,
I'm ready to battle it out for Michelle's heart.
‐ Ey. [indistinct chatter]
‐ Oh. ‐ What is this?
‐ Hey, bro‐‐ ‐ Oh, my God.
‐ So these outfits
run the gamut between showing off
Clayton and Olu and Martin's abs
to Chris S.
He went from, uh, being a horse's ass
to having a horse's ass.
‐ I am warrior.
[dramatic music]
[men shouting]
♪ ♪
[cheering]
‐ What? You look good!
‐ I came here to conquer all my competition today
for Michelle Young's heart.
So I'm ready to go, man. Let's get started.
‐ Follow me. [cheering]
‐ We see a large table with a cloth over it.
I see a bunch of flies swarming over the cloth,
and I'm like, "Lordy, what is it?"
[flies buzzing]
‐ Before we battle, we must have sustenance.
[tense music]
‐ Oh. ‐ Ohh.
‐ Before you we have fermented herring,
which is quite delicious.
‐ Oh, my God, I'm sorry.
‐ And Viking head hash.
‐ That's, uh... ‐ [clears throat]
‐ Dig in.
‐ Yo... ‐ I'll pass it out.
Being a Viking is all about being brave.
And sometimes being brave is trying new things.
‐ Down the hatch, boys.
‐ Oh, my God. ‐ Oh! Is it crunchy?
‐ It's like... [crunching]
‐ There you go!
‐ Ooh. ‐ I don't think I can do this.
‐ Oh! ‐ I don't think I can do this.
Being on this group date, it sucks.
I don't think I can do this.
Louisiana boys only eat good seafood,
not bad, nasty seafood.
It was disgusting.
‐ The next delicious item is Viking head hash.
‐ Cow brains, tongue, and cheek.
‐ Oh, my God.
‐ So what did I do to you?
‐ Am I gonna die if I eat this?
‐ What's wrong? Do you not like our feast?
‐ Oh, my God.
It's chicken. It's chicken.
Nothing prepared me for this, but I did it for Michelle.
[belches]
Oof.
Fish's brain.
‐ Finally, Norse battle of arms.
Our first match is Chris versus Olu.
‐ I'm gonna forfeit. ‐ [chuckles]
‐ I'll forfeit. ‐ No.
‐ All right, let's go.
‐ Ahh! Let's go!
‐ Chris, where's your call at?
‐ Chris, he's a rat. He's a snake.
[Viking horn trumpets]
‐ Go! [cheering]
‐ Off with his head!
‐ Come on, come on! ‐ Go, Chris.
‐ Ahh!
[Viking horn trumpets]
‐ Ohh!
[cheering]
‐ Overall, these guys brought it today.
Let's go, let's go! Let's go!
‐ [grunts]
‐ And not only did I have a lot of fun,
they're also still making a point
to interact with me along the way.
Good work. ‐ Oh, my gosh.
‐ So today has been such a special day.
‐ As you know,
there can only be one Ultimate Viking tonight.
‐ Clayton.
Congratulations. ‐ Okay!
[applause]
‐ I feel great right now.
I competed. ‐ Beautiful.
‐ Now she knows I'm the Ultimate Viking!
‐ As wonderful as you all look,
what do you say we go get cleaned up
and head to the after party?
‐ Let's do it.
‐ Today hasn't been fun for me.
And to be honest with you, you know,
there's some things on my mind
I'd love to speak with her about.
So I would love the chance to talk to her
about it tonight.
We'll see if that happens.
I hope so.
♪ ♪
‐ Ugh, straight fish, Brandon.
‐ [laughing]
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
‐ Isn't this so nice? It's comfortable.
‐ Yes. Wear pants instead of shorts.
‐ All right. ‐ That's dope.
Check this place out.
‐ This is awesome. I love it.
‐ I know, it's so fancy. It's old.
‐ The vibe coming into the after party
is really good. ‐ Ooh.
‐ Michelle had a great time today.
‐ Thank you.
‐ I think she enjoyed the extra attention she got.
So obviously the number one thing
for this after party, is getting
more time with Michelle.
‐ All right, well,
today was really special for me.
And I want to take a minute
to really thank you guys, because last week
I was transparent with how I was feeling.
And today, I felt like most of you put in effort
to, you know, make those small moments with me.
So cheers.
[glassware clinks]
‐ Coming into this,
being Michelle's Ultimate Viking,
I'm already up there on cloud nine.
So I want to continue to grow that strong connection,
and to show her, like, I'm here for her.
Today was fun. Obviously it's always‐‐
It was good to win. But I, uh‐‐
Yeah, it was a good time.
It wasn't what I expected at all, like‐‐
‐ Okay, that was my question.
That was my question.
When I was going into today,
you were at the forefront of my mind.
‐ No, I hope you know, that, like, the night before
I was staring up at the ceiling,
and I was just like,
"You need to show out tomorrow."
‐ Yeah, I felt like you were very present today.
And I feel like every time I have
more conversations with you,
or spend more time around you,
like, I'm like, "Okay."
Like, "There's Clayton." Like, I can‐‐
You know what I mean? ‐ It's coming out.
I don't know if you‐‐ ‐ And I like‐‐I like‐‐
No, but I like it.
And that's the person that I'm connecting with.
‐ I'm glad you feel that way.
That makes me feel a lot better.
‐ [chuckles] ‐ 'Cause I'm so hypercritical.
I guess my question to you is, like,
have you always been this confident?
Like, have you always carried yourself, like,
with this much poise?
Or did, like, these‐‐ you were in my shoes once.
Like, did that experience, like, kind of, like‐‐
did you learn a lot through that?
‐ I think I've always been, you know, confident, I guess.
It's something my dad models a lot.
You know, he's‐‐yeah.
‐ And yeah, I mean, my parents...
like, I feel the same way that you do.
Like, my parents have taught me so much, and, like,
they're so important. ‐ Yeah.
‐ Every time I talk to Michelle,
we continue to make
a stronger and stronger connection.
And there is some chemistry here, like...
Man, it's great.
‐ Well, you did a good job.
And I really enjoyed you today.
‐ I appreciate it, thank you.
♪ ♪
She's very passionate, she's intelligent,
she's funny, she's beautiful.
She's got all these great qualities.
So it's really exciting to see, you know,
somebody like her
as being somebody that could be
potentially in my future, for the rest of my life.
♪ ♪
Ah, that little goofy grin of yours, man.
‐ Yeah.
Today, I didn't win Ultimate Viking.
That's okay.
I'm excited to talk to her.
I'm just excited to, like, communicate
and seeing how beautiful she looks.
That green dress, like...
Lord's gonna have to separate me from you tonight.
Like, ooh, my goodness!
‐ I saw your effort.
Like, over everybody.
So I do have a surprise for you.
‐ Please don't tell me it's fish.
‐ Close your eyes. ‐ Oh, man.
‐ Okay, I can't say it's not fish.
‐ Okay, okay.
‐Okay, but‐‐ ‐ That's fine, that's fine.
‐ Okay.
Today, Brandon, he was truly willing
to go to any length for me.
So this evening, I wanted to, you know,
sweeten that up a little bit.
So we still have our Nordic fish.
‐ My favorite.
‐ But this time,
I think you'll like it better.
‐ I think I will too. ‐ [chuckles]
‐ This is good. ‐ How is it?
[laughs] ‐ I'll take it.
[romantic music]
♪ ♪
I just want you to know, like,
look, I don't know
if we're gonna end up together at the end,
and I know you have to follow your heart,
but, like, I'm truly, like, investing myself.
You make me feel so good.
‐ You make me feel really good too.
♪ ♪
‐ It's truly beautiful once you, like, see the path
that you're supposed to be on.
It's like, shh, this is it.
And that's the true beauty and star
I've been chasing my entire life.
♪ ♪
‐ I think that meant a lot, you know,
for Michelle to kind of confirm
what we were all trying to accomplish for today.
I feel like everyone interacted with her.
‐ I'm not sure who missed out.
‐ All day, everyone is clearly taking
what Michelle said last week to heart.
Except for Chris.
And it seemed weird to me
because he had plenty of opportunities
during today's date.
You feel like everybody stepped up from last week?
'Cause I know you were paying attention.
‐ Yeah, I mean, for sure.
Made her laugh at what I was wearing, so...
‐ [chuckles] ‐ It was a good time.
I mean, we all looked good.
We all looked good.
‐ There's a reason why you were a donkey, man.
[tense music]
I'm definitely hoping to get my time with her today.
I didn't get it last week. ‐ Yeah.
‐ And I feel like after the stunt you pulled,
like, the vibe was just different.
‐ Last week, I told her all this good information
about other people in the house.
I think she was very grateful of the things
that I told her, but Nayte got the one‐on‐one
that I should have had.
And that really bothered me.
So I would love the chance
to talk to her about it tonight.
‐ Yeah, I think Nayte is getting
exactly what everyone hopes for the most.
You know that date is gonna be amazing.
‐ Yeah.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[knock at door]
‐ Here it is.
Got something right here. ‐ [laughs]
[paper rustling]
‐ "Nayte, I'm looking for a man
"who isn't afraid to test the waters...
Heart, Michelle."
‐ All right, all right.
‐ You know how to swim?
‐ [laughs] Yeah, I know how to swim.
Thank God, bro. [both laughing]
I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.
I want to progress this relationship forward,
and the only way to do that
is really to start just, like, opening the door
to that more personal conversation.
I just want to dive into a little bit more
about Michelle, and I'm sure
she has some questions.
So hopefully everything is completely squashed
with this whole stupid Chris S. thing,
and it's behind us, moving forward.
[crickets chirping]
[tense music]
‐ He's acting weird. ‐ Yeah.
‐ Tonight, you can tell that Chris S.
is just a little bit off.
His demeanor and his tone,
he just seems a little unsettled.
But I don't want anything to derail
the night for myself or anyone else
in the house, and especially not Michelle.
So I'm gonna do everything I can
to win her over; I mean, that's what I'm here for.
‐ Have you talked to her tonight?
‐ No. I mean, I'm telling you
that I feel like I've said what I said
and then Nayte goes in there,
he immediately gets a one‐on‐one,
and then I haven't spoken to her since.
‐ I think there's three things that you can't be.
All right? You can't be prideful,
you can't be‐‐ you can't be insecure,
and you't can be jealous.
‐ Dude, I'm just gonna be honest.
Last week, I told her, "I think you deserve better.
It think people aren't putting in effort."
‐ Sorry, Casey, but... I have to interrupt.
‐ I think she believes what I said,
but after everything that's transpired
in the last week,
there's a part of me that wants to know
what her thoughts are.
Did you just speak with her?
‐ Yeah. ‐ How'd it go?
‐ Went great.
How about you, you get some time?
♪ ♪
‐ Not yet.
I'd like to believe that I'm still
in the back of her mind.
But so far tonight, I haven't talked to her.
‐ I've just been, like, super grateful
for, like, every moment that I've had with you.
‐ Miss Michelle.
‐ I'd love to see where her and I stand.
I'd love to see her thoughts on me.
I mean, I'd love to speak to her.
‐ It's just, like, so important
and obviously special for me to be here.
‐ And I understand,
she's getting attention from all these guys‐‐
‐ I know I'm in the right place.
And so that's why I smile so big.
‐ Ear to ear. ‐ Yes!
‐ But I'm not sure
why she hasn't talked to me yet.
Like, I've put myself out there for her
even more than I normally would,
so I'm hoping that when I do get time
to talk to her, my relationship with her,
it could make a huge leap.
‐ I thought, um,
I thought we had good conversation.
It was just, uh, kind of go with the flow.
‐ Whoa, hello.
‐ Here she is.
‐ Grab a seat, take a seat.
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
‐ Are we missing someone?
‐ Yeah, Chris. ‐ Uh, we're missing Chris.
‐ Oh. ‐ There he is.
‐ Okay. ‐ Oh.
[dramatic music]
Are we good? All right.
So we are going to wrap up this evening.
Um... ‐ [mouths word]
‐ I know that there is a Group Date Rose on the table.
I'm sure we've been staring at it.
Brandon, I promise to never make you eat
fermented Nordic fish ever again.
[chuckles] ‐ I'll take it.
‐ Clayton, learning about your parents
and how similar they are to my parents,
it meant a lot to me today.
So thank you. ‐ You're welcome.
‐ But there is one rose, and this person
is someone who I really connected with today
and has continued to show the effort.
So, Clayton?
Clayton, will you accept this rose?
‐ Absolutely. Yes, thank you so much.
Oh, my gosh, I'm pumped.
‐ Right now, I'm in shock.
‐ [whispers] Thank you so much. ‐ All right, guys.
I'm gonna say good night to you all.
And I will talk to you soon, okay?
‐ It was good to see you.
‐ You know, I'm a fun, goofy guy,
I'm playful, and I wasn't that today,
and you're not gonna check in on me at all?
Wow.
She didn't say thank you for me coming out
and doing what I did last week,
or, like, things that I told her.
And she speaks with every single person but me.
Like, that is crazy to me.
And so I still have a lot to say to her.
‐ Congrats, man. How you feeling?
‐ It means a lot, man. Like, I don't know.
I gotta, like, process it, but I'm just very, very happy.
‐ [smacks lips]
‐ Chris, you have something to say.
You've been smacking your lips, so...
‐ Um... ‐ You might as well.
‐ I mean, I don't have much to share
with you guys.
Um, I wanted to speak with her tonight
about certain things, didn't get the opportunity.
So maybe I'll talk to her tomorrow.
‐ What kind of idiot are you
to not show her special attention on a date?
I mean, we are literally here for her.
But I'm fearful
of another performative display
where he thinks he needs to make
some sort of bold action,
because if you thought he was desperate last week,
he's way more desperate this week.
♪ ♪
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
‐ Today's the day. One‐on‐one with Michelle.
It's gonna be an exciting day.
This is her town, she's gonna be
extra excited to show me around,
and I think she just wants to dig into me as a person.
You know, I mean, the same thing that
I want to do with her. ‐ Hi!
‐ Whoo! Oh, this is dope.
I clearly like her.
Really happy for the opportunity
to fully put everything in the past
with that whole Chris S. situation last week.
I'm not walking around here like I got it in the bag.
So let's dive in a little bit deeper.
Let's test some waters, and let's see, like,
hey, do you have what I'm looking for,
and vice versa.
‐ How are you? ‐ I'm good, I'm good.
You look amazing. Goodness!
Wow, you look great. Damn!
‐ Welcome to Lake Minnetonka.
You know, Minnesota, "Land of 10,000 Lakes."
I grew up on the lakes, tubing, water sports, fishing.
So today, you're gonna get your feet wet a little bit.
‐ I'm excited as hell right now.
‐ I'm excited too.
Should we go? ‐ Let's get it, let's get it.
‐ I'm excited to have Nayte on the date today.
The Minnesota dream for me
is to have a house on Lake Minnetonka,
where the summers are spent out on the boat,
with your family, with kids.
It's special.
I'm excited to see how he's gonna fit in today.
So right now we're in a no wake zone.
‐ Okay. ‐ Just give me a heads up.
So if you gas it without telling me,
I'll be in the water, and you're gonna be,
uh, going home. ‐ Right?
‐ Just kidding.
‐ No room for you. [laughs]
This is so beautiful.
Wow.
‐ What do you think about Minnesota so far?
‐ This is awesome. This is awesome.
‐ You like it? ‐ I'm, like, really impressed
by this city.
‐ Like, in the summer... ‐ You're just out here.
‐ I'm out here, yeah. ‐ You're out here.
This is beautiful.
‐ So far is it worth it? ‐ Oh, yeah, for sure.
For sure.
‐ Nayte got the date card that read,
"I'm looking for a man who isn't afraid
to test the waters."
Nayte and I have so much chemistry.
He was that person that got the first kiss
and the First Impression Rose.
But a lot of our time has been
not all flowers and roses.
Nayte was a name who came out of Chris's mouth
in our conversation at that last Rose Ceremony.
And I want to put that behind us.
I actually do have something to tell you.
‐ Uh‐oh.
‐ So I know that this is a one‐on‐one...
‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ But it's actually gonna turn into a group date.
‐ Okay.
[laughs] How so?
‐ It's a full‐‐ it's a full group date.
‐ Oh. ‐ Hi!
The squad? ‐ Michelle!
‐ I think today is the perfect date,
'cause of the people he's gonna be meeting.
Two of my best friends, Tia and Allie...
‐ I'm assuming best friends?
‐ Oh, my God. ‐ Hi!
‐ I'm Nayte. ‐ I will introduce you.
They know me the best,
and they also know what kind of person I deserve.
‐ So you guys all hang out here pretty often?
‐ One of our hot spots. ‐ Here and there.
We've been on the lake quite a few times.
‐ This is dope. ‐ I haven't asked
the hard questions in the past,
and I ended up in these relationships
where I was all‐in,
and I wasn't necessarily getting the same back.
Allie and Tia, they've seen that.
And they just jump right to the hard questions.
‐ We are here for her, and we are so protective.
‐ I love this, I love this.
‐ So we want to make sure... ‐ I'm scared of both y'all.
‐ That you're here for the right reasons.
‐ Obviously, I'm always gonna be worried
about guys that are here for the wrong reasons.
‐ Yeah. ‐ You know,
'cause there will be some.
Is there anyone here that you think
could be here for the wrong reasons?
I'm asking you. ‐ Oh, you're asking me?
Oh, wow, okay. Um...
‐ You didn't think you were gonna get off easy, right?
‐ Um...
You know what? Like...
It's not that I don't care if there's other guys here
who are here for the wrong reason.
I think Michelle's made it very clear
that she knows exactly how
to sniff those other guys out and send them home immediately.
‐ Do you have friends? Do you have enemies?
‐ Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. ‐ Like, are you doing good?
‐ Yeah, so last week, there's a guy in the house,
who stood up in front of everybody
and said that there was guys in the house
walking around like they have it in the bag.
And he decides that I'm one of the guys.
‐ Is there anything that you can think of
that you might have said
where he could have interpreted it...
‐ Yeah. ‐ To mean that you thought‐‐
‐ Had it in the bag? ‐ Yeah.
I said something along the lines of,
"It's not about if, it's about when
Michelle's gonna choose me for a one‐on‐one."
And so he kind of took that comment as, like,
"Oh, I've just got it in the bag."
Whereas for me, it's, like,
when I spend time with Michelle,
I know that there's something going on here.
I'm thinking about this girl a lot, like...
‐ Good. ‐ I'm, like, missing her.
You know, she's mentioned
a couple of times in our talks
to be patient, you know,
so it's like, you know,
I had that confidence.
And the way I answered that question,
I guess, rubbed him the wrong way.
So yeah.
‐ In her past relationships, it has been so hard
to see the guys not give as much as Michelle.
That's why she's here,
to meet her soulmate that understands her.
‐ That's definitely, like, what I'm most excited about
on this one‐on‐one, is, like,
progressing that relationship forward.
And being, like, here in your home city,
is, like, something special.
‐ It's true. ‐ You know what I mean?
I'm excited for this. You know?
‐ Okay. ‐ I mean,
I think it's clear that we can see
you guys have physical chemistry.
‐ I kind of feel like just, like, from the first day
we've had this undeniable chemistry.
‐ Yeah. ‐ And every time
I walk away from, like, having
a conversation with him, I'm like,
"Did that just happen? Wait, what?"
And I feel like there was‐‐ there was that one time
I was like, "I really like you,"
you were like, "I really like‐‐"
You know, me. ‐ Yeah.
‐ The moment he actually walked away,
I, like, got choked up.
And it was this kind of... ‐ Wow.
‐ Like, realization, I know. Nayte.
‐ Oh. ‐ I'm cheesin' over here.
‐ I‐‐you didn't know that,
but if you guys were there, you would be able
to, like, take one look at my eyes and be, like,
"Okay." ‐ You're so cute.
‐ I was just overcome by emotions.
‐ Are you surprised at all
how fast you're catching feelings?
‐ Yeah, I sure am.
‐ Get to know her deeply.
She is so worth knowing, trust me.
Like, I can't imagine my life without her,
and whoever she ends up with is an incredibly lucky man,
and...I don't know, I like what I see right now.
[both chuckle]
‐ I love the way you guys look at each other.
Oh, my gosh, that look right there!
I was like, "Oh, my heart!"
I was surprised because I honestly
didn't think I would like him.
I'm really, really picky and protective.
They just had the most amazing natural chemistry.
She has a really good head on her shoulders,
so she just needs to stay in her power
and trust her gut.
♪ ♪
‐ Today was probably the most meaningful
because Nayte meeting my friends
honestly went better
than I could have even imagined.
‐ Good job, Michelle. Good pick.
‐ Love you guys. ‐ Love you, Michelle.
Bye.
‐ For Nayte to get their almost approval,
it made me really excited about him,
because all the things I love about Minnesota
are coming together with this person
who is becoming really important.
And that makes me happy.
In Minnesota, it is a tradition
to get purified
in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.
So are you ready to get purified?
‐ 100%. ‐ You can't do it
with your clothes on. ‐ Let's go, let's go!
‐ Going into tonight, I'm choosing
to ask Nayte the hard questions
because I made a promise to myself coming into this
that I would not continue to put emotions and energy
in a direction that was not reciprocated.
And I'm looking for a guy
who's not scared of being vulnerable
and diving in.
♪ ♪
Something can be really fun and exciting,
but I want to have deeper conversations.
I want to know where his feelings are at.
And I'm really hoping that our feelings align.
♪ ♪
‐ From the beginning, her infatuation with Nayte
has really overshadowed anything
that I could go tell her
or anyone else, for that matter.
Even if it's the blatant truth.
‐ Then she might be giving him the time of day
that he might not deserve.
‐ She's turning a blind eye to all of it.
Last week, my warning fell on deaf ears.
When Nayte got the one‐on‐one so soon after,
I'm sitting here feeling really played by it all.
What I told her will be validated
maybe sooner, maybe later, I don't know.
But I didn't get the chance to speak with her at all, dude.
‐ But you will.
‐ I still think she could be making
a huge mistake,
and she ended the night last night
without give me a chance to speak to her.
It's important to get across
what I want to get across before the Rose Ceremony,
because I have a lot to say to her,
and it can't wait.
♪ ♪
[mellow music]
♪ ♪
‐ Today was honestly so special for me...
‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ Because I felt like you were honest,
I felt like you were yourself,
and that means a lot to me.
So thank you. ‐ It was a fun day.
Your friends are great.
Can't wait to meet more of them.
[laughs]
No, but you definitely know how to make me feel special.
‐ The first time I went through this,
I learned how much being vulnerable
can add to, like, a relationship.
‐ Mm. ‐ And do you feel like
in your, like‐‐ a relationship with me
do you feel like it's important
to be vulnerable, have heart to hearts with me...
‐ Oh, yeah. ‐ Say the "I love yous"
when you feel them, and‐‐
‐ No, I think that, like, from past relationships,
communication, you know, what I need
in a relationship is definitely just
that open dialogue, that communication.
‐ I'm the same way, for sure. ‐ Yeah.
Definitely want somebody
to call me out on my [bleep] too.
‐ I definitely will do that. ‐ Yeah.
[chuckles] I already know, I can tell.
‐ Not always, only if... ‐ Oh, I can tell.
‐ It's, like... ‐ Only if it's, you know‐‐
‐ Important, you know? ‐ Mm.
‐ What else do you feel like you, like, need
in a relationship?
‐ I think any girl that I've been with,
like, seriously, they just know
that, like, there's no doubt about it,
that I'm just always gonna be fun.
You know? I'm just a big kid.
You know, I think that's just something
that I want in a relationship.
I don't like being serious all the time.
I've definitely been in a relationship
where I feel like that, like, inner child,
that playful, fun guy is just not here anymore.
You notice yourself changing, and it's definitely a sign
that, you know, maybe something's not working out.
‐ Yeah.
I actually have had a very similar situation.
‐ Mm.
‐ Definitely a relationship where I felt like
always giving, giving, giving, giving, giving.
Like, I had that to a fault,
where, like, I kept trying to, like, push
and, like, work on this relationship
because I didn't want to give up, and‐‐
‐ How long was the relationship?
‐ It ended up being three years.
‐ Three years.
‐ And towards the end,
I, like, started to get extremely sick.
And I couldn't keep anything down.
We talked about putting a food bag in,
everything.
It was really bad.
‐ Oh, wow. ‐ You know, like,
all this stuff started happening
and, like, nobody was really checking in on me.
‐ Including your boyfriend?
‐ Yeah, and I moved back in with my parents,
because, like, he basically said, like,
"I can't do this anymore."
But he did that when I was at my sickest,
and I thought I had some type of disease.
And, like, these doctors, like, we spent
months and months searching for answers.
And it turned out to be, like,
this toxic, anxious relationship.
And I didn't know it until I got out of it.
And I've never looked back since,
but I definitely clawed my way out.
‐ Yeah. ‐ And...
‐ You're strong. ‐ My parents and I
are the ones who know how truly, like,
challenging that was.
‐ Yeah. ‐ Like, we cried together.
‐ Yeah.
‐ They were there every step of the way.
And the moment I went to sleep, like,
that's when they let themselves be terrified,
because, like, it was really hard.
‐ I couldn't imagine being with someone like you
and not‐‐like, just letting you kind of‐‐
just, like, kind of taking advantage
of the type of person that I feel like
you already are. ‐ I mean, that's why,
like, when I talk about being seen,
it was because I remember, like, one night
where I was just so weak,
and just saying, like,
"I'm never gonna get in a relationship ever
"where I'm‐‐you know,
what I'm putting in is not being reciprocated."
♪ ♪
[dramatic music]
‐ I think Michelle could still be making
a huge mistake.
♪ ♪
With Nayte, she's completely looking past
what she knows deep down to be true.
And maybe that's why she's been hurt in the past.
[engine starting] I want the best for her.
Like, I was looking out for her.
She deserves better.
‐ Today was, like, one of my favorite dates.
‐ Wait, of ever?
‐ Mm‐hmm. ‐ Really?
‐ Mm‐hmm. ‐ Love that.
♪ ♪
‐ Last night, I didn't get the chance to talk to her,
so I don't care if she's on a one‐on‐one.
I'm gonna say what I gotta say.
♪ ♪
She said she wants somebody to make her feel seen
and show up.
I'm gonna show up.
♪ ♪
‐ I feel, like, real feelings, and this is crazy.
If there was a best case scenario,
this would be it, 100%.
♪ ♪
I feel like it's working too.
♪ ♪
‐ Um, hey, can I please speak with you
for one moment?
‐ Uh... ‐ Just one moment.
It's important.
[siren wailing]
[tense music]
‐ Um, hey, can I please speak with you
for one moment?
‐ Uh... ‐ Just one moment.
It's important.
‐ Weird. ‐ Okay.
‐ [chuckles] ‐ I...okay.
Um... ‐ [chuckles]
‐ I'll be back in a second, okay?
Kay.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
Are we‐‐where are we heading?
‐ How about this way? ‐ Okay.
♪ ♪
‐ [sighs]
[laughs]
What?
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
‐ [sighs] Okay.
‐ Hey. ‐ Hey.
Um, I...
Feel really insecure being here.
Um, I felt really disappointed last night.
I didn't get the chance to speak with you.
And...
You know, to be honest, I felt really played
by the whole situation.
‐ Or‐‐played?
‐ Before the Rose Ceremony, I said what I said,
came from a place of honesty,
and I don't know what happened after that.
You came down. You sat next to Nayte.
Two days later, you proceeded to give him a one‐on‐one.
I felt like what I said had fallen on deaf ears.
And I came to say that I warned you,
and I don't want you to make the wrong decision.
♪ ♪
‐ Was not expecting anybody to show up,
let alone Chris S.
Wasting some time that I could be having
with Michelle right now.
I have no clue what's up with this.
You interrupt her, you speak over her,
you call everybody out on BS,
you don't capitalize at the group date,
and then you interrupt the one‐on‐one
to talk about me?
Like, I have no idea what's
going through her mind right now.
‐ I was kind of caught off guard
with how you approached the situation...
‐ Okay.
‐ When you spoke at the cocktail party,
because you did speak for me.
‐ Hmm. ‐ But when you spoke
about it to everybody, openly,
that's where I was struggling or frustrated.
‐ Then why did you put a fake smile on
at the group date
and be fake with me all day
if that's what was on your mind?
‐ You talked about the effort, you talked about the attitude.
You called everybody else out on their BS,
and walking into the group date,
in the stadium,
you didn't have a good attitude.
You looked like you wanted to be anywhere but there.
‐ I just felt really foolish about the whole situation.
‐ I do appreciate you wanting to look out for me.
But also, at the same time, I can speak for myself.
And I want a man
who is going to stand and support me
when I speak,
and not a man who's gonna speak for me.
[soft music]
As a female, as a female of color,
there's a lot of situations
where people speak for me,
and my voice isn't heard.
I'm empowered when I can speak for myself.
I also have to be confident in myself
to make decisions for myself.
‐ Sure.
‐ Ultimately, I do feel like
we're not necessarily on the same page.
I just don't see this relationship progressing,
and so I do need to walk you out.
♪ ♪
‐ Okay. ‐ Sound good?
‐ Yeah.
[soft dramatic music]
♪ ♪
‐ I do think that Chris is coming
from a genuine place of concern.
I also felt like he was trying to control
that decision that I was making
when this is my journey.
♪ ♪
And I know he's talking about Nayte.
Um...
♪ ♪
But at this point, if I get heartbroken,
then that's on me.
I've been through a lot.
I've learned what I want.
I've learned what I don't want.
Hi.
And I'm gonna follow my heart.
I apologize.
‐ You don't even need to.
‐ I did not want to step away from you.
‐ Yeah. ‐ Um, but ultimately...
um...
you know, that wasn't the relationship for me.
And I figured that it was best
to send him home.
[soft music]
‐ [sighs]
♪ ♪
‐ I don't know what it is
that you guys talked about, on that side of things,
and I don't need to know.
It's none of my business.
It wasn't the relationship for you,
and, um, no need to apologize.
‐ Yeah, it was hard.
You know, when somebody speaks out
against other people, you know,
this whole situation isn't easy.
But in the end,
I know that I'm very capable
of making my decisions.
And, I mean, I feel like
the chemistry that we have
is undeniable... ‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ Unlike anything that I've ever felt before.
And today meant so much, beyond belief.
Nayte... ‐ [laughs]
‐ Will you accept this rose? ‐ Most definitely.
You make me happy. ‐ You make me happy.
♪ ♪
I decided to give Nayte the rose
because he trusts me in making my own decisions.
Every time I spend time with Nayte,
I keep learning how life would be
and how it'd be so fun
and nurturing and caring.
Today has been an unbelievable day.
Even more special than I could have imagined.
[fireworks popping] ‐ Whoa.
[dramatic music]
Oh! ‐ Whoo!
‐ Fireworks definitely is a good way
to explain how I feel.
You know, she's amazing.
This is easily somebody I could see
genuinely wanting to fight for
for the rest of my life.
[fireworks popping]
[laughs]
♪ ♪
It's literally how I feel inside.
♪ ♪
‐ I'm very crazy about Nayte.
I do start to get this feeling, like,
this is my person.
That's really exciting.
It's also very terrifying.
But I'm following my intuition,
I'm following my heart,
and I do feel that I am starting to fall for Nayte.
♪ ♪
[birds chirping]
[indistinct chatter]
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
‐ There is a Rose Ceremony tonight.
At the beginning of this week, there was 11 guys.
We now have ten, with Chris leaving.
There's three guys right now with roses.
Joe, Clayton, and Nayte.
‐ Game face, boys. ‐ Game face, boys.
‐ Game faces.
‐ Tonight is huge.
Every moment counts with Michelle.
Every stinking moment.
I have confidence
in my relationship with Michelle,
but I still won't be 100% confident
till I get that rose.
Nothing's a guarantee.
‐ All right, so who's nervous?
‐ I'm definitely going into this ceremony
a little bit nervous.
A little bit more anxiety than usual.
‐ Yeah, me too. ‐ Yeah.
‐ I mean, if you don't have a rose on your chest,
you should be nervous,
'cause nothing's guaranteed here, so...
‐ This is among
some of the greatest group of guys
that I've ever been around.
Um, whoever is let go tonight, it's gonna be a scary feeling
because it's definitely a potential future husband,
and that's the only reason why we're still here
as the top ten, is because our connections
are all so strong.
And so I can only imagine
how tough this decision is for her.
‐ Here she is.
Looking beautiful.
‐ Hi, how are you guys? ‐ Hello, hello.
‐ Hi, Casey. ‐ Here's your Riesling.
‐ Thank you very much. ‐ You're welcome.
‐ As you probably have noticed,
Chris is no longer here.
I felt like he wasn't my person,
and so I decided to send him home.
Moving forward, I just wanted to say
thank you, because you made me feel
so seen in that group date this week.
And I feel like I got so much more out of it.
I'm really excited about the ten guys
I have left here.
So cheers. all: Cheers.
[glassware clinks]
To think that five weeks ago,
I didn't know any of these men is unreal.
We're going outside.
I'm noticing how much my feelings
are growing for relationships within a week.
Honestly, I feel like
we are definitely dressed appropriately...
‐ For a stroll. ‐ For a city stroll.
Show me your best runway walk.
Come on, strut it. Uh, uh.
[laughing]
You got some intense eye contact there.
‐ Always. Always, always, always.
‐ How you doing?
‐ This week in Minneapolis has been amazing
in a lot of ways. ‐ You liked it?
‐ Yes.
‐ So would you...
consider moving to Minnesota?
‐ I would. ‐ You would?
‐ Yeah.
It does remind me of home,
which is important to me.
[piano music playing]
Eh? ‐ [chuckles]
‐ You're gonna dance?
‐ Why not? A little bit.
♪ ♪
‐ Did you know that was gonna be there?
‐ I had no idea. So pretty, though.
‐ Well, if that ain't a sign... ‐ Right?
‐ I don't know what is. ‐ Oh.
Maybe Minnesota's telling me right now.
[romantic music]
♪ ♪
I'm here for Michelle.
I'm definitely all‐in at this moment.
Michelle puts a smile on my face.
She makes me feel like a better man than I am.
And so I want a rose really badly,
because Michelle is a dream come true.
‐ We're at a point where no one is safe.
I remember the first, second, and third Rose Ceremonies,
you kind of knew who were the weak links.
But right now, like, it's just a tough position.
‐ You never know what's gonna happen next.
You don't know who's going home,
you don't know who has
a stronger connection with her
compared to the next man.
I've been, you know, shaking, tweaking a little bit
'cause I don't know where I stand with her
compared to all these other great men.
Tonight is another Rose Ceremony.
As we all know, they're all important
and time is of the essence.
And I know that there's a ton of great guys here,
so it's like...
you know, nothing's set in stone.
‐ [chuckles] ‐ You got me a birthday cake?
‐ Happy birthday! ‐ I appreciate you.
‐ [chuckles]
‐ As great as I think our connection is,
she might have a better connection
with everybody else.
‐ Every moment I share with you,
like, is just pushing me to‐‐
to want to be better for you.
‐ I really feel like an underdog.
I've never once been the tallest in the room,
the smartest, the strongest, the most handsome.
I've never been that.
‐ I feel pretty good about it.
‐ I just want to do whatever I can
to stand out,
and I really need that rose.
I'm not ready to go home yet,
I want to keep exploring what we have, in her city.
‐ Okay. I have a small surprise.
‐ Okay. ‐ Okay?
‐ I'm ready.
Wow, this is so beautiful.
‐ Isn't it cool?
Isn't this awesome?
‐ Oh, my gosh. This is crazy.
Oh, my gosh.
‐ But‐‐ ‐ This is‐‐
‐ [chuckles] ‐ This is breathtaking.
If you would have asked me night one
if we would be here right now,
there's no way I would be this lucky.
‐ You gotta scream.
‐ What are we screaming?
‐ "I love Minnesota."
Or let's change it to "we love."
‐ I like that, 'cause we're a team.
‐ Yes. ‐ Three, two, one...
both: We love Minnesota! ‐ Whoo!
‐ Did you hear our echo?
‐ Oh, my gosh, we hella cute.
Look at us. Who would have thought?
[both chuckling]
‐ I feel like being up here makes you feel alive.
‐ Absolutely.
I'm so blessed and honored
to be in this beautiful city, on this beautiful night
with this beautiful woman.
Thank you so much.
[romantic music]
♪ ♪
I feel amazing.
I really, truly feel like this is the best night
I've had so far with Michelle.
She gives me goosebumps.
I'm so obsessed with this amazing,
beautiful woman.
I definitely feel confident
going into this Rose Ceremony, but I'm still nervous
because you never know what's gonna happen.
And I'm just really hoping that she validates
my connection with her tonight.
‐ You're very good at giving compliments.
‐ Mm. ‐ But obviously,
there's other guys that are exceptional right?
And that's not like a‐‐ like an insecurity,
it's just, like, I pay a lot of attention
to the things that are said to me,
and you take them in, and you're like,
"Wow, that feels amazing!"
And then you hear it said to everybody else,
and you're like, "Wait, does she mean it?
Or is it like‐‐" You know what I mean?
‐ I get analyzing and observing different things,
but from what you've seen of me,
how I've handled situations, I mean,
do you think I would... ‐ No, no, no.
‐ Blow smoke up your ass? ‐ No, not at all.
‐ Okay. ‐ No, no.
So I appreciate, everything you've said to me,
and I told you I'm grateful for absolutely
every experience that I've had with you.
And I just want to keep having those moments with you,
'cause we've done some romantic stuff here, but‐‐
‐ Slightly, yeah. ‐ I think I can‐‐
I think I can bring some stuff too.
‐ I think you could too. I'm not hard to please.
‐ No? ‐ Mm‐mm.
‐ Not high‐maintenance?
‐ No, are you kidding me? No.
‐ That's the one thing about girls in Miami.
‐ I‐‐ ‐ Very high‐maintenance.
‐ Really? ‐ Yeah.
‐ It's just 'cause I guess‐‐
‐ Okay, what makes a girl high‐maintenance?
‐ Just, like, expecting someone just to do
absolutely everything for them.
And I just think a relationship‐‐
I don't think just because a man is a man
that they have to do everything for somebody.
Because it also takes away from the power
that females have.
‐ Okay, so you didn't actually answer the question.
‐ What was the question?
‐ What makes a female high‐maintenance?
‐ I did say it. Expecting somebody
just to absolutely do everything for them.
‐ But what makes a female high‐maintenance
versus what makes a male high‐maintenance?
‐ 'Cause, like, usually a man doesn't go into,
like, a relationship saying,
"Hey, you're gonna take care of me."
‐ [chuckles] ‐ Is that‐‐am I wrong?
A man shouldn't,
and I don't think a woman should.
And that's why
I decided to come on the show.
'Cause I know that you're different.
[tense music]
I chose to have a more serious conversation
tonight, but I don't think
she necessarily understood what I meant to say.
It was, like, a conversation where I was, like,
explaining how it's always been hard for me,
in, like, past relationships, to, like, open up.
And then I came in here and I was like, "[bleep] it,
"I'm gonna be super vulnerable and open
and just dive right in," and then I'm like,
wait, it's not that easy when she's, like,
saying [bleep] to me and then saying
the same [bleep] to everybody else.
And she's like, "What are you trying to say?"
And I was like, "I'm trying to say that
I'm trying to do my best at, like, opening up."
I don't necessarily think I said anything wrong today.
I just think there might have been a little bit
of miscommunication on her end.
But I think it's the most important rose
because I definitely wouldn't want to leave on that note,
where she didn't understand what I tried to say.
And then we had a conversation
about how women in Miami are [bleep] high‐maintenance.
She was like, "What do you mean,
like, they're high‐maintenance?"
And I was like, "Well, a lot of the women
expect you just to fully take care of them."
‐ Martin is very two‐faced.
He's one way to the guys and another to Michelle.
I don't trust him, and I hope that at the Rose Ceremony,
Martin gets sent home.
‐ [laughs]
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
‐ This week was the most important yet
because we are in Michelle's hometown.
Tonight is the Rose Ceremony.
Three guys have roses.
That means seven of us are on the hot seat.
I'm definitely feeling the pressure.
‐ Going into the Rose Ceremony tonight,
of course, nothing's a given.
This is so nerve‐racking for everyone,
and it's like, anyone can go home.
I want it bad.
I want this rose so, so bad.
♪ ♪
‐ This is the first Rose Ceremony
where I'm not sure if she will call my name or not,
based on the conversation that we had today.
So I'm scared for tonight, obviously.
‐ This week in Minnesota has been my favorite week
with this journey yet.
Through all the time we've spent together,
I truly have come to admire all of you.
If you do not receive a rose tonight,
please understand that I do have to continue
to follow my heart.
[sighs]
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
Rick.
Rick, will you accept this rose?
‐ Yes, please.
‐ There you go. ‐ Thank you.
♪ ♪
Each week, the roses only become
more and more meaningful.
And the decisions get more and more difficult.
Olu.
♪ ♪
Olu, will you accept this rose?
‐ I do.
‐ Every relationship is progressing,
and these guys really do have
all of the qualities that I'm looking for.
But I need to figure out
which relationship is the best for me,
and which one is my soulmate.
♪ ♪
Brandon.
♪ ♪
Brandon, will you accept this rose?
‐ Absolutely.
‐ This, by far, is the most nervous
I've ever been for a Rose Ceremony.
Every rose gets us closer to the final rose,
and to one of us proposing to Michelle.
♪ ♪
Martin.
♪ ♪
[exhales heavily]
Martin, will you accept this rose?
‐ Absolutely.
‐ My feelings are just only getting stronger for her
every single day.
And I am most definitely falling for Michelle.
‐ Michelle, gentlemen, this is the final rose tonight.
Whenever you're ready. ‐ Thank you.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
‐ When I look at Michelle, I see
getting down on one knee and making her
officially my fiancée, and my future wife.
I just keep getting closer and closer with her,
and I really need more time with her,
so her and I can really complete this
and really make this last forever.
♪ ♪
‐ Rodney.
‐ Rodney, will you accept this rose?
‐ Of course. ‐ Thank you.
‐ Thank you so much. ‐ Thank you.
‐ Gentlemen, I am sorry,
but if you did not receive a rose this evening,
please take a moment and say you're goodbyes.
‐ It was great to meet you, brother.
Stay in touch.
‐ I will cherish
all the moments we got to share.
‐ Thank you. ‐ Thank you.
‐ We're halfway through this process,
and the further and further you go,
the harder and harder it gets.
‐ Casey.
‐ You have a great group of guys here.
‐ Thank you. ‐ I hope you find your person.
Thank you so much. ‐ Thank you as well.
‐ I'm falling for this woman, and it's scary
'cause, like, at any moment
her heart might not feel the same.
And I don't want to lose her.
The only thing I can think about
is I get another week
with this most beautiful woman.
I can't wait.
‐ I'm excited to spend a second week
in Minnesota with you all.
And to following your heart.
all: Cheers.
[glassware clinks] ‐ Cheers.
announcer: Still to come this season
on "The Bachelorette"...
‐ Michelle!
‐ These men are putting
everything out there for me.
‐ When you know it's real, you know it's real.
‐ With her, everything is perfect.
‐ The more time that I spend with Michelle,
the more I realize she could be the one.
‐ Have you and Michelle kissed?
‐ Guys, I can't tell you that.
‐ [laughs]
‐ It's just organic.
We're only focused on each other.
‐ I am falling in love with you.
‐ There is nothing better than
hanging out with this man.
[camera shutter clicking]
‐ I'm truly in love with you.
‐ You are this amazing person.
‐ She's the only woman that I've opened up this much to.
‐ I am crazy about you.
‐ I'm excited thinking about where we could end up.
‐ They all have told me that I'm their person.
But I can't be everybody's person.
[crying]
[sniffles]
[dramatic music]
I know that I'm gonna
have to break somebody's heart.
‐ [bleep].
‐ But also, my heart could be broken.
‐ My concern is that he would become
a jealous person.
‐ That's my woman, that's my wife.
‐ Not yet.
I want to let these guys know,
that's my girl.
‐ Michelle deserves someone better.
‐ You're an actor, and you've come
on a reality TV show.
‐ What are you talking about?
‐ Do you feel like he could be ready
for an engagement?
‐ He's not there yet.
I don't want him to hurt himself or you.
‐ Oh, my God.
I feel sick to my stomach.
‐ I just want Michelle so badly.
[sniffs]
‐ I could have stronger feelings for him
than he does for me.
‐ I don't want to let this woman go.
‐ I'm terrified.
‐ I don't want her to let me go.
[sobs]
‐ If I get to the end of this,
and he's not all in,
I will be heartbroken.
[crying]
♪ ♪
announcer: The drama continues next week
on "The Bachelorette."
[bright music]
‐ Wow. What do we have here?
‐ This is Jollof rice.
It's the most popular dish in Africa.
‐ Okay.
‐ We have the chicken,
and then we have tomato stew.
‐ And then what's on the side?
‐ Pepper for, like, spice. ‐ All right.
You have to make sure you get
a little bit of everything.
‐ Little bit of everything.
‐ Even the spicy part. ‐ Even this.
‐ Don't kill me with the spice.
‐ I won't kill you.
‐ Ready?
‐ Let's go.
[playful music]
♪ ♪
‐ Oh, my God, that's good.
Oh, my God, that's spicy.
‐ [laughs]
‐ Holy [bleep]!
‐ [laughs]
‐ I have no spice tolerance.
‐ Just so you know, you don't have to add this
to the rice.
[chuckles]
♪ ♪
‐ I wish you could feel my mouth right now.
‐ [laughs]
‐ Can we get some milk?
[laughing] Oh, my God.
I'm not okay.