Take a quick stroll from first impression until hometown rose through my eyes. Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Look Back Episode, Episode 5, and Episode 6.

Tonight we got to Belgium which was brilliantly (and disastrously) chosen after they slayed out national team today. Good job whoever is in charge of picking locations and planning episode air dates.

Marcus 1-on-1: Remember that Marcus told her he wanted to leave at one point? It isn’t because he doesn’t like her. It’s because he is scared of the power of his own emotions. (Gag) This is the date I would like to go on. If their first 1-on-1 was my least favorite situation walking around eating good not scary/bug based/eye retaining food and getting to sit frequently is my favorite.

It doesn’t look like they touch their wine that much. Marcus is often seen holding his water-glass. They really took their discussion seriously. At the end he throws out the word “soul mate” in an aside.

Nick decides that he isn’t hated enough by the guys he has to live with and goes to find Andi. He goes into the hotel Andi is staying at, tells a terrible lie that he lost his room key, forget the room number, but it is under his wife’s name and could they help him out. And they gave him the key. I’m quite sure that part had to be staged because this is not the first time a contestant has snuck out and tracked down their target. But let’s remember friend, the last two times this has happened the contestant has ended up going home at the very end heartbroken and bitter (Arie and the hairstylist lady). It does not work for some reason.

Josh 1-on-1: You guys, I honestly think ombre hair has to have started with a group of girls that were too lazy to keep up with their dye job and just said, f*** it, it’s a trend now.

My geese never do parades. They need to shape up. I would train them if they weren’t outside with nature and everything.

Andi needs to learn that Josh doesn’t open up with prodding. He seems to be the type of guy to share feeling when you share first or when he isn’t on guard. Bombarding him with questions obviously isn’t working. His language of love is certainly not words. He likes physical touch, little shoulder hugs, hand holding, knee touching, etc.

She wants him to say that he is falling in love with her. She was in his position. Not hearing those words in return is a huge fear for most people (I have been told). The dude didn’t catch on for forever but as soon as he said those words she gave him a rose (not actually but you could see him go firmly in that box).

The Last Group Date: They travel by rail bike which means the guys peddled bikes and Andi got to sit in the middle like a queen.

• Potato: They go do pottery. For the first time in this entire season I understand a little bit of the appeal of Potato. He’s no Darcy by any stretch of the imagination but maybe he isn’t the lump I have portrayed him as. I definitely think the secret admirer thing was more cheesy than conniving. He also earns fashion points for having my favorite outfit (not annoyingly accentuated with a scarf but also not a t-shirt and hooded pullover or zip-up). I think it is the boy band hair and the tough guy face scruff that throws me off with him.
• Dylan: Barely gets any screen time and his time ends without us getting his tear jerking story in again. Have a nice life man, bounce back fast.
• Brian: Poor guy. He is so likable and I wish him well. Hopefully there is some girl back home that has been hiding feelings for him and they have an adorable little life together.
• Nick: With this episode I think we can all understand why he has not been terribly successful in love. He gets the hometown rose and all the guys try to swallow their tongues. Gosh I am coming to hate him and his scarves. She might win the award for happiest utterance of, “We’re going to Milwaukee.” He has apparently seen every episode of the show. At least Men Tell All should be fun for us.

Marcus on Nick: “If he makes it to the final two I guarantee he’s gonna walk.” We can only hope and dream. Gosh, wouldn’t that be absolutely delicious for me to review. I don’t blame Nick for obsessively dissecting and planning and strategizing. I would totally try to game the system and understand as many variables as possible not because I have an ulterior motive but because that is how I approach everything. But then, I don’t tend to like people who think like me. So…dislike justified.

Is anyone surprised that Nick keeps committing the party foul of interrupting alone time when he already has a rose anymore? Or that he cries. And uses the word awesome like I use the word like?

Potato asks for more alone time just to kiss her. Such a good move. He scared her by making her think he could be leaving. The last thought she probably had with him was thank goodness he isn’t going home tonight. You can’t have made a better move than that in his position. I best no-game (game…because he coaches basketball…it’s punny, haha…ha) Brian could never had thought of that play (I’m funny!) . And the best part is that it seems to have been genuine and not manipulative.

Josh is through to next week which means one less plane ride for her. Marcus is through. And Potato is through so we get to see his home town which has fewer people in it than contestants on the show (not really but I can’t help but wonder how far away the nearest airport is).

I’m curious to see the very diverse hometowns we are going to visit. And guess what?! We get to revisit Eric again. Joy.

Also, Brian has an actual fear of pickles. So maybe good call on Andi’s part.

My review of Hometowns is now published. Episode 8.