The Bachelor: Season 16, Episode 11 FINALE Recap

Final Rose episode!!  Ben starts off the episode claiming he is in love with two women.  Now, most seasons I believe this.  I usually believe that the bachelor/bachelorette is seriously torn between two people.  However, this season, I have a hard time believing Ben more than “likes” either one of the final girls: Lindzi or Courtney.  Maybe it’s just his blah personality, but he seems to be able to take or leave either one of them.   He appears to be more physically attracted to Courtney, but I still don’t see anything beyond that.

So it’s  Lindzi’s turn to meet the family, and of course they love her and give their stamp of approval for her.  She’s the beautiful girl next door with a gorgeous smile who puts everyone at ease because she’s just a comfortable person to be around.  No big surprise that Ben’s mom and sister like her.

Courtney is up next and Ben has already told his family that she doesn’t get along with the other women and that she’s a model… both of which his sister sees as red flags.  Not smart on his part setting his family up to not like her.  Ben insists that what the other girls have seen is not the “real” Courtney.  Funny that he insists that when he doesn’t even see all of what goes on in the house.  I think Ben already knows his mom and sister won’t like Courtney and that’s why he is so nervous for them to meet her.  Ben’s sister tells him that he has her approval of Courtney.  The meeting went well, but of course it did… she was the sweet, demure good girl…. nothing like the girl that was in the house.  After Ben received his family’s approval, his whole mood changed and you can tell that he likes her more than Lindzi.  He had a spark in his eyes that wasn’t there during Lindzi’s visit.  I have to say I like Ben’s mom and sister too.  They seem supportive and loving.

Ben’s final date with Lindzi just seems very uncomfortable.  Ben looks stressed, not happy.  He says all the right things, but he keeps looking at the ground when he talks and not directly at her.  I feel like Lindzi is still in the friend zone for him.  They get along well, but I’m not sure about the chemistry.  Dinner part of the date and I am so tired of the word “vulnerable!!”  I wish there was a vulnerable counter on this episode.  Most over-used word ever!  🙂  Lindzi tells Ben she’s in love with him and she wants to be his fiancee.  Ben says “it’s a good thing” no less than three times.  Of course, he can’t say anything back because of the show, but I just can’t completely read him.  I’d like to think if his mind was made up on Courtney he would stop Lindzi right now and not make her go any further.  But maybe he really is still confused?  Hmm

Courtney and Ben take a helicopter ride over the Matterhorn… what is The Bachelor’s obsession with flying in a helicopter?  Have they ever gone through a season not using a helicopter at least twice?  Courtney tries to mask her insecurity by over compensating with confidence.  However, Ben does seem so much more at ease with Courtney and happy.  He doesn’t seem as serious and stressed as he was with Lindzi.   It’s night time now, and guess what?! Courtney is feeling… wait for it…. VULNERABLE!  She professes her love for him and then gives him a gift.  The gift is a scrapbook of pictures of their dates along with a love note.  After she reads it he says, “talk about being vulnerable!”  ugh!!!   Courtney starts feeling even more insecure after reading the letter and Ben not giving much back – not being able to tell her that he loves her too.  So she starts bringing up the past and how she didn’t get along with the other girls and almost picking a fight with Ben, but it all stems from her insecurity and not wanting to lose him.

Each person… first Lindzi, then Courtney, then Ben… step out on their balconies and reflect over the dates and what’s going to happen later today.  Just struck me as funny when you take a step back and look at how cheesy it is.  Then the ring guy shows up and Ben gets to pick out a ring from this selection of these crazy gorgeous rings.  Talk about bling!

They show the girls in their dresses.  Both black dresses with capes.  Courtney looks especially pretty, but I do not like the black gloves.  Lindzi has an emerald color velvet cape that, for whatever reason, reminds me of a cape that Belle wore on Beauty and the Beast.  Ben is getting in place to break a girl’s heart… who will be the first one off the helicopter?  (Yes, another helicopter)  Usually the first one up is the one that gets dumped…. who is it???  No big surprise, but still disappointed, it’s Lindzi.  She’s walking the long walk up to him and he’s hardly smiling.  She says she loves him, asks him how he’s feeling, and he hesitated.  I think she’s figured it out.  Her face looks more serious.  Ben tells her that he’s fallen in love with her “but I need those moments to last a lifetime and I found that with someone else.  I’m in love with someone else.”  OUCH.  Poor thing.  She’s just speechless.  Has to be one of the more graceful exists the Bachelor has ever had.  She’s a beautiful person inside and out and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s the next Bachelorette after Emily.

Here comes Courtney’s helicopter…. “I’m a good person and good things happen to good people.”  Not so sure about that.  She makes her long walk towards Ben.  Ben gives his long speech and then tells her he’s in love with her and she starts a mix between crying and giggling.  Ben gets down on one knee and proposes and Courtney says yes.  I am not exactly jumping up and down out of excitement right now… but they probably deserve each other.  He was not the most exciting, charismatic bachelor, and she was not the most likable girl.  So there you have it.  Lindzi deserves better anyway.  At the end of a bachelor/bachelorette season, even if they don’t pick the one I would have chosen, I am usually feeling gushy and lovey dovey regardless.  This time I feel nothing.  Blah!

Update*** okay, just finished After The Final Rose… somehow, somewhere along the way in the episode I started feeling bad for them.  At least it sounds like Courtney has seen what she looks like when she treats people poorly and has learned from it.  But they did choose to be on tv and she did make the decision to be the villain going into it, so they can’t be surprised that this is the result.  How cute are Ashley and JP though?  I have really grown to love them… maybe I’ll grow to love Ben and Courtney as well?