‘The Bachelorette’ Recap: Kaitlyn Bristowe Brings The Man To San Antonio; Ian Shows His True Colors

The Bachelorette Monday night picked up with Nick Viall – who came in second during Andi Dorfman‘s season – arriving at the New York hotel to meet the group of men who’ve been courting Kaitlyn Bristowe for the last few weeks.

The Bachelorette Recap

New York

None of the guys are impressed with Nick’s presence. He’s met by a thick silence when he enters the hotel suite, and then by an interrogation conducted by Tanner and Joshua, who want to know his intentions. Nick admits to meeting with Andi a few weeks prior to get closure, and he’s put that relationship entirely behind him. After communicating with Kaitlyn through Twitter, text messages and phone calls, he started to feel a connection and wanted a chance to get to know her better on the show.

After the awkward meeting, the guys all head to Citi Field, the New York Mets stadium, for a cocktail party and the Rose Ceremony. Kaitlyn is anxious because it’s the first time that she’ll see Nick with the rest of the guys and decides to open the floor for them to air their issues about the addition to the competition. The men decide to stew in silence, and J.J. takes the opportunity to make the first move of the night and ask her to walk out onto the field. His big romantic gesture is carrying her around all of the bases, which manages to get him a rose. Ben H., Ben Z., Shawn, Tanner, Joe, Ian, J.J., Joshua, Nick also get roses, joining Justin, Jared and Chris, who had already received date roses. Jonathan, Ryan and Corey are sent home.

San Antonio

After wrapping up the Rose Ceremony in New York, Kaitlyn and her men head to San Antonio, Texas, where Ben H. gets the first one-on-one date. Kaitlyn picks him up in an old red Ford pick-up truck and takes him to go two-stepping at the oldest dance hall in Texas. The two don’t last long in the competition, but make the best of their time as spectators. In the evening portion of their date, Ben H. opens up about how his last relationship was a long-distance one, and it didn’t work out because his girlfriend said he “lost the chase.”  Kaitlyn’s bigger concern is his age, as he’s only 26. When he assures her that it isn’t a factor, Kaitlyn gives him the date rose.

The lone group date this week consists of Justin, Jared, Ian, Chris, Tanner, Joe, J.J., Ben Z., Joshua and Nick writing Mariachi songs with which they will then serenade Kaitlyn in full Mariachi garb. Justin tries his best imitation of a Mariachi voice, followed by, J.J., who goes up and plays the guitar and screeches out his lyrics. Joe earns a kiss with his, “Can you just Mariachi me,” proposal. Ian, who is a more than a bit over-confident, completely chokes. As for Nick, he emerges as the frontrunner after bringing Kaitlyn up to the balcony to sing-scream his lyrics at her.

In the evening, Kaitlyn brings the guys to a ranch to hang out. Joshua, who still can’t get over Nick’s presence, tries to build some trust with Kaitlyn by letting her cut his hair. Unfortunately for him, the clippers die mid-cut leaving him with half of a mohawk, which the guys can’t stop laughing at. While the guys continue to tease Josh, Nick steals Kaitlyn away for some making out behind a barn. When they return, Josh confronts Nick about how he’s not trustworthy, but Josh doesn’t care what he thinks. Josh, hoping that Kaitlyn cares about his intuition, let’s her know he doesn’t think Nick can be trusted – and that all of the men agree with him. When Kaitlyn confronts the guys about what Josh said, not one stands with him. Kaitlyn, making a power play of her own, gives Nick the group date rose

For the second group date, Kaitlyn picks Shawn. Together, the two head to the river to go kayaking.  When they take a break, Shawn vouches for Josh, telling her that he’s definitely not the only one who has concerns about Nick. On the evening portion of their date, Shawn starts to really open up to Kaitlyn, and tells her about a nearly fatal car accident he was in about five years ago that left him in a hospital for months. He then tells Kaitlyn that he’s falling in love with her, and Kaitlyn – breaking Bachelor/Bachelorette protocol – admits that she’s falling in love with him too. Of course, Shawn gets the date rose, and then they hop in a canoe and watch a fireworks display over the water.

Prior to the next Rose Ceremony, Ian has a major crisis of ego, wondering how Kaitlyn could possibly not be that into him. Per his own words, he is a Princetown grad, who is a former model, who survived a near death experience AND has been around the world a couple of times. He is, again, in his own words, “a catch,” which Kaitlyn doesn’t seem to realize. But, he’s over Kaitlyn because he doesn’t find her “interesting.” After Kaitlyn spends some time with Jared – who thinks he’s falling in love with her – and Joe, she’s pulled aside by Ian. Instead of trying to woo her, he delivers what appears to be a practiced breakup speech in which he calls her “surface level” and “shallow,” and questions her motives for being on the show, leaving Kaitlyn duly stunned.

The Bachelorette will return next Monday on ABC a