Tag: Nick Viall

It was story time on Monday’s episode of “The Bachelorette.”

One man told stories — fibs really — and got sent home. Other men told unflattering stories about themselves on a group date and gained Katie’s trust. One contestant shared a particularly sad story that brought him and Katie together. And another guy, well, it doesn’t matter what stories he tells. None of the other men believe a word that comes out of his mouth.

As the episode began, we picked up where we left off last week with Karl making up crap about other men not being there for the right reasons, the rest of the guys freaking out at him (Tre: “Is this ‘The Twilight Zone’ we’re in?”) and Katie adding to the commotion by saying she was too rattled to talk to anyone anymore and was going straight to the rose ceremony — which, of course she was because hello, producer manipulation much?

The only question was whether Karl would get to stick around to stir up more shit, which seemed possible given how these things usually roll.

And then Mike, bless his virgin heart, spoke up mid-rose ceremony and told Katie that all the other men thought Karl was lying, which sent Katie to seek the counsel of co-hosts Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe, whose very helpful advice amounted to “never mind the men, do whatever you want.”

It would have been disappointing albeit predictable if Katie, after making her name confronting bullies on Matt James’ season of “The Bachelor,” let Karl stay just to up the drama quotient. Luckily, she dumped him and the motivational speaker skulked out without saying a word to her or even giving an exit interview; at least that’s how it was edited.

Also getting the heave-ho were Kyle (admit it, you’re not even sure who that is) and fan favourite John.

One villain down and then it was group date time. And speaking of villains, there was Nick Viall, former “Bachelorette” villain and “Bachelor in Paradise” hero turned mediocre “Bachelor,” drafted as some sort of group therapy coach as Aaron, Quartney, James, Connor B, David, Justin, Thomas, Hunter and Brendan were made to sit in a circle and fess up to crappy things they’d done in their pasts.

Nick didn’t have to lead by example so there was no mention of, say, fornicating and telling by talking about the sex you had with the Bachelorette in the fantasy suite on national TV.

The confessions ranged from anticlimactic (David saying he put his career ahead of love) to kind of heartwrenching.

Hunter tearfully described how his marriage imploded because he was so busy working to make money to give his two kids “everything” that he and his wife drifted apart. And Connor, a.k.a. the Cat, recounted how he became an angry drunk while working as a musician in a piano bar and cheated on his girlfriend one night while he was loaded and high.

Katie even made a confession of her own, about a non-consensual sexual encounter, i.e. an assault, one New Year’s Eve that led to her having an unhealthy relationship with sex for a number of years.

But the revelation that made everyone’s Spidey senses tingle (except maybe Katie’s) was Thomas talking about how he initially came on “The Bachelorette” to build “a great platform” and even went on a date the week before he left for filming given his low expectations of actually finding romance. But now, he insisted to Katie, “the feelings I have for you are real.”

To her credit, Katie later pressed Thomas for details of the “red flags” he had mentioned earlier in the day. He didn’t answer her question, just babbled about their connection and how “every single day I’m here this gets realer and realer.”

Thomas seemed to be fixated on getting the date rose, so much so that he double dipped, interrupting Aaron’s time with Katie — while Aaron was talking about his father’s stroke, no less — to take another at-bat. And it was … very confusing.

“What I feel with you . . . is fear and love are two very, very similar things rooted in the same concept,” Thomas said. “And when I look at you and the things that I feel with you, I feel both of those so strongly at the same time.” Say what now?

Katie claimed to be impressed with Thomas’s passion, but I think she just wanted to kiss him.

The date rose went to Connor instead for showing “strength” and “courage” by telling his drunken cheating story.

Speaking of stories, Michael (not to be confused with Mike) had a very raw and real one to tell Katie on the week’s one-on-one date.

First there was off-roading in a dune buggy (which Katie managed to flip without Michael in it) and imbibing bubbly in a field, during which it was clear the two have some real chemistry. But let’s be honest, we’re all falling in love with Michael, especially after he said things like “I always hear this ends in an engagement, but it begins with an engagement” and “My life’s better because of you right now.” Swoon.

The big reveal — for Katie, viewers had already heard the story — came at dinner when Michael told her he was a widower, having lost his beloved wife Laura to breast cancer in January 2019.

“I know what it’s like to love,” Michael said. “I know what it’s like to give everything and I have finally gotten to this place where I’m ready to, like, open up my heart. The way I look at this is what a gift to be able to fall in love twice.”

Rather than feeling intimidated, Katie seemed smitten, telling Michael his love story with Laura was beautiful and would never make her feel insecure.

“My job is to make sure you feel the relationship we create is unique,” Michael reassured her. “I have no doubt we can do that.”

I suspect all over North America viewers were melting into little puddles. Michael and Katie ended the evening stargazing on a rooftop under blankets, sharing kisses.

But lest we get too swept up shipping Katie and Michael, there was more tension between Thomas and the rest of the house the next day.

Aaron declared Thomas a psycho (Aaron does get carried away in his confessionals, saying earlier that Karl should have been “exterminated”).

Hunter asked Thomas point blank if he wanted to be the next Bachelor. Twice Thomas avoided the question before finally saying, “Yes, coming into this one of the thoughts on my mind was potentially being the next Bachelor,” although he insisted he no longer felt that way.

Not that any of the men believed him. And thus, the Thomas drama will continue next week. And apparently interloper Blake Moynes will also make his first appearance.

You can tune in Mondays at 8 p.m. on Citytv. And you can comment here, visit my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter @realityeo