Well, it finally got interesting. And here we are at the bitter, awkward end and I’m more confused than ever. Our sweet, smart, sassy Bachelorette Rachel turned into a seemingly angry, smug, know-it-all during her Peter reunion. I felt more attacked and confused than Peter did. Instead of accepting that Peter may have just been moving at a different time scale than her, she saw this as a character flaw and flat out ruined his chances of ever being the next Bachelor by declaring that his being on a TV show in this process did NOT work for him. Ouch. Way to break his heart AND his future professional bachelor career.
But let’s rewind. I mean, I never thought Eric actually stood a chance. He seems like a nice enough guy and I’m sure his time on the show opens up a ton of opportunities for him, but his departure was not unexpected. I don’t even remember his fantasy suite time with Rachel – do you? In fact, once Rachel finished her fantasy suite dates with Peter and Bryan, I was waiting for Eric to appear, but then realized this must have happened already. The fact that I couldn’t remember it – it was a definite sign that he was OUT.
So that brings us the Rachel vs. Peter show down. Rachel wants a proposal, but more than that – she wants someone who is on the same page as her and wants what she wants. Peter can’t quite get there. They then argue this point from every angle. She’s pissed that he’s talking about their imaginary future together when he’s not willing to propose. He has actually gotten to the point where he can say he’s in love with her – but that’s still not good enough for her. Rachel has been there, done that. She’s dated the eternal boyfriend. She wants more. I feel for both of them. But what I don’t understand is why Rachel is making Peter pay for her previous relationship experiences. Clearly she loves him. Clearly she can see a life with him – it’s almost like she was deciding between being engaged or having a boyfriend instead of the actual person that she would end up with. This frustrates me beyond belief because Rachel IS a smart woman and she’s been incredibly wise and savvy with her choices throughout – to the point of boredom. I mean – when she’s always making the right choices for the right reasons, who cares?
You can so clearly see it in her eyes and in Peter eyes – they do love each other, they could be right for each other. So why is she so insistent on an engagement? They’ve known each other for 9 weeks. He’s literally fallen in love with her in the last 24-48 hours – but now she wants to take that newly declared and felt love and accelerate it to a proposal before he’s ready. I’m disappointed in Rachel. I mean – it’s one thing if this clearly made her realize that she loved Bryan. Or that Bryan was the reason she walked away from Peter. But it was Peter’s decision not to propose that made Rachel walk away. Not her pull or love for Bryan. That makes me question the whole thing.
Now Bryan has very clearly known the whole time what he wanted – It was Rachel at 100 mph the whole season. No slowing down. No wavering. The only time he got nervous was when he so clearly picked up on the fact that Rachel’s mind was elsewhere (because she’s in love with Peter and he won’t propose). I give him lots of credit for being astute and he seems like a very affectionate, passionate guy – but how will Rachel ever stop wondering what she could have had with Peter? And she refused to take his phone call?
I have nothing really strong against Bryan (except his terrifying mother, perhaps). But I do find his words and actions showy. Like his big over-the-top re-proposal when he was reunited with Rachel tonight. His constant swallowing of Rachel’s face and declarations of love. He always says the right thing. He’s smooth. I can understand Rachel’s family’s skepticism on whether he’s the real deal. I’m facing the same issue with Bryan. I want to like him, but he’s just a bit much sometimes. Peter is much more understated – which may have been confused for disinterested. I think that’s what attracted Rachel to him, but I feel he’s grown the most since the beginning of the show – his love for Rachel has been consistently getting stronger. He’s fallen in love with her throughout the process of the show, not in a single night like Bryan.
I almost had the feeling that Rachel was giving a little of a “revenge engagement happiness” in Peter’s face tonight. I don’t know – it’s hard to have any room for her to fawn over Bryan with the amount of affection he gives her. Does she like that? Can she really feel that much connection with him when she’s still so clearly affected by Peter moments earlier?
I’m confused.
Is anyone else confused?
And that break up with Peter. That’s another point of contention – they just kind of cut from that to Bryan going to get that Neil Lane ring and then proposing. What about Rachel’s post-Peter thoughts? Where did she go to after she left his hotel room in tears? What did Peter do? Did he have any thoughts of going after her? Where was Rachel’s epiphany that Bryan was her guy? Because hours earlier, he might not have been. UGH, this outcome just doesn’t sit right with me. I kept thinking, hoping, expecting that ABC had played a trick on us and Peter was the guy after all and when they showed just Bryan’s legs coming out of the limo, I was kind of hoping they’d pan up and it would be Peter. But no, it was Bryan. Then even when Peter came out before they showed the proposal and had to sit through the MOST AWKWARD reunion in Bachelorette history, I was hoping that maybe they were acting and making the audience think it hadn’t worked out when really it had. Because there seemed to be so much left unsaid between them.
And I too feel like Rachel did attack Peter – like she’s diminishing what they had together by pointing out that she noticed things about him earlier in the season that convinced her overall he was not the guy for her. I think Peter was really hurt by that as I would have been. It was almost like Rachel was trying to tell herself she made the right decision and then talk herself into believing it. Not nice. Peter probably thought he’d come to the show and have a nice, pleasant but awkward reunion with Rachel, be told that she loved Peter, but Bryan had been her guy all along. That was NOT at all what we heard tonight. I heard anger in Rachel’s voice, she was still hurt – not a happily, engaged fiance. Bryan won by default. If Peter had said he was ready to get engaged, he would have been the ONE.
So what have we learned from this? Rachel wants what she wants, but it might not ultimately make her happy long term. Only time will tell. I wish her the best, but I think she may have made her first Big mistake of the season. I was discussing with The Husband when he first told me he loved me. It was pretty early on in our relationship and I can’t imagine demanding a proposal from him at that time. You need time for the relationship to grow organically. To experience things about each other that let you know whether you’re a good fit for life. Rachel needs to spend a solid year being in Bryan’s life, doing family stuff with his mom before she can realistically say this is something she wants to commit to forever. Peter isn’t crazy. Peter is smart. It’s just too bad that Rachel couldn’t see past the Neil Lane bling.
I hope for the best for Peter – he’s definitely someone that won’t be single for long and hopefully outside of Bach world, he’ll be able to take that relationship far. Maybe for the right girl, it could happen quicker.
I also hope for the best for Rachel and Bryan – I’m not sure that this one is going to last and I hope Rachel doesn’t get married just to prove a point. Sounds like Peter and Eric may be waiting in the wings should she change her mind.
What did everyone else thing of tonight’s finale? Are you happy with the Bryan outcome? Confused as I am about Peter? EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY: WHO’S EXCITED FOR BACHELOR IN PARADISE????
See you all back here next week.
Thanks for a great season, Bach Friends, even if a bit dull until tonight.
xoxo,
Stacey B (@OfficeStace)
Howie Becker says
Stacey, I agree entirely with you. The scene between Rachel & Peter, might have been the best ever segment, of all time. It seemed so real, and if it actually depicted their feelings, than Rachel has made a huge mistake. It’s definitely possible that Peter may never be able to propose, but to decide on Bryan, as a standby, was a poor decision. Maybe there is bonus money if you get engaged, although I don’t believe she would do it for a paycheck.
What I am sure of, is that it will never last. The funny thing is that when Chris Harrison asked them about wedding plans, Rachel said “we want to get to know each other”. Isn’t that what Peter was saying?
Stacey B says
Howie – you should go to Lord and Taylor tomorrow where Rachel and Bryan will be and ask Rachel “how her heart is.” Very true that she’s doing with Bryan what Peter wanted all along. I love how Bryan had to announce to everyone that Rachel has spoken to his mother 3x since they got engaged and that they got along great. Rachel just smiled…
Janelle says
Stacey, I couldn’t even stomach that proposal because I was so emotional from the Peter and Rachel evening. I couldn’t agree with you more. I think someday she will see the mistake she made. She was so incredibly set on that proposal and that was all she cared about. Will there still be a relationship there after the passion has faded and after they deal with the aftermath of Peter and Rachel?
Stacey B says
Janelle – I hear you, it was so stressful watching Rachel and Peter. It was a true soap opera but the outcome of it was even more upsetting. How could she just walk away with that unresolved. Clearly the feelings were there…
Julie says
I kept hoping something crazy was going to happen and she really ended up with Peter. I just can’t see how she could go from that difficult breakup where you could see they clearly loved each other to boom deciding to marry Bryan. Nothing against Bryan, but he was clearly her second choice. I thought maybe we would see the whole Jason Meznick thing where he realized he’d made the wrong choice and asked to pursue Molly on the ATFR. But nope – she chose a ring over love. I can’t see this ending in a marriage. Best of luck Peter. Once your broken heart mends, you will make a fine husband to some lucky woman. Wow, just wow.
Stacey B says
Julie – couldn’t agree more. I think Peter would make a great Bachelor – and maybe he doesn’t need to get engaged at the end – just find someone that he falls in love with. Watching a true love story is just as satisfying as a couple who gets engaged because the runner up wouldn’t propose!
Cyndi L says
And then don’t forget that nightmare of a MIL…
Stacey B says
Cyndi – that’s impossible to forget!
katbyrd says
I guess I’m just jaded from ALL “reality” TV, as I know that it’s not REAL, in no way, shape, or form. The producers crafted the entire Peter thing for ratings for a dull, boring season (but I love Rachel!!). I guess Rachel didn’t want to end up like Lauren after being with Ben for — how long? And never got around to wedding plans? Peter did EXACTLY what Ben did, except he voiced his thoughts and reasons to the world as to why he couldn’t ask somebody that he had known for 5 minutes to marry him. (Maybe Rachel should have just done “Married at First Sight” instead?) As for Rachel and Bryan…… as with everything, time will tell.
Based on what Peter said last night, there is no way he should be the next Bachelor. I was waiting for Chris Harrison to tell us that Eric is the next Bachelor.
Stacey B says
Katbyrd, come on – you can’t give up on this series! I really hope it’s not Eric – I can’t even imagine anyone but Peter being our next Bachelor. Rachel and Bryan were saying they think Alex the Russian should be it. He’s way too quirky and non-main stream for girls to be fawning all over him. Also, I’m not sure Rachel’s opinion in men really counts for much after her decision last night. Grrrrr
katbyrd says
I wish they would get back to basics, and choose a Bachelor completely unknown to everyone. I thought the show was much more interesting then, and not quite as fake as it is now. Everybody that applies now just wants to be on TV. If they don’t get on this one, they’ll audition for another. Chelsea (Southern Charm) is a prime example. She was on Survivor season 24. I love her (and Cameron, too) but to call this “Reality” is a misnomer. And for the record, I HOPE the next Bach is NOT Eric. Or Peter. Why not Chris Harrison? That’s a bachelor I can get on board with!!! lol
Stacey B says
Chrissy – YES YES YES – so annoying that they kept breaking it up with Rachel’s commentary. And yes, why do they insist on breaking the formula of finding out the ending AT THE END? Very anti-climatic. I think it was just so awkward and because the Peter ending didn’t really have an ending. of course Rachel never explained to Bryan that he was the only one there that day. Nor did she have any real closure with Peter, so how could the audience?
Ginny says
OH, NOOOOO, I can’t believe that Rachel who was obviously madly in love with Peter & vice versa (wow, the chemistry was there) in the end would accept Bryan’s proposal just because Peter couldn’t commit right then & there! I was beside myself! Also, I so agree with you that Rachel turned into a smug & angry woman during her reunion with Peter. . . . . I couldn’t believe what a brat she was toward him. Good luck to her, she’s going to need it when she has to interact with her future Mother-in-Law from Hell by picking Bryan!
Don’t know if you caught Rachel & Bryan on “Good Morning America” this morning because now I’m really fed up with both of them. While being interviewed, Rachel said that she was totally frustrated when she saw Peter at the reunion, AND then Bryan was asked if it was tough to see Peter. Smug slick Bryan proceeded to say, “As a man, I was frustrated as to how Peter treated Rachel & the position she was put in by him. While here I was totally invested, totally committed, & totally ready to start a future with this woman while on the other end, you had someone (namely, Peter) who was indecisive, ‘wishy washy’, etc.” (forgot the rest of what he said, LOL, I was so disgusted). Honestly, Rachel’s going to be SO sorry she picked this phony self-centered jerk!
One last thing – I just read Katbyrd’s comment & I have to say that she had a point when she said that perhaps Rachel didn’t want to end up like Lauren after being with Bachelor Ben for a couple of years. . . . . . as they never got around to wedding plans & ended up splitting. Guess we’ll never know but I really think Rachel & Peter would have made it work & would have lived ‘happily ever after’, sigh!
Jenny says
I agree with your comment, Stacey, that Peter is not crazy – he is smart. His reasoning made so much sense and Rachel kept saying “be true to yourself…” which, it seemed to me, he was. And, no, being “the Bachelor” would not, in my opinion, be being true to himself. Sorry. I do like him, but he is too real for “reality” tv. Dating 8 or 10 women at the same time is not real. I think…I might be done. Definitely can’t watch BIP. Good luck to Rachel and Bryan, but a ring or a proposal are not what marriage is about (says the very long-time married lady who never wanted a proposal – or a ring)!
Deb says
I think the bigger question is, who ever thought Juan Pablo would get married?!? ?
Jenny says
Throughout the season, Rachel kept saying to Bryan, “You’re just too good to be true.” I used to say that to my husband (it was the song I chose for him). And guess what? He was, and now he’s my ex-husband. I hope Rachel doesn’t get hurt by Bryan the way I was by my ex. I see Peter’s dedication to his principles (proposing once, marrying once) as a big plus. I felt sad for Peter during the live show, but I expect he will find happiness. If he doesn’t, I’m available. 😉