‘The Bachelor’, Season 21, Episode 6 Recap: Nick Sours, Begins To Lose His Mind

We have officially crossed over. The 21st season of The Bachelor is no longer a show to watch purely for the purpose of lighthearted laughs and romance. In the sixth episode of the season, Nick Viall, a veteran of The Bachelor franchise, begins his descent into love-starved madness as he imagines the possibility of true companionship eluding him again. But before all the humor was sucked from this timeless game, a feud had to boil to an end.

‘The Bachelor’, Season 21, Episode 6 Recap

Last week’s episode ended when Taylor, after being eliminated on a two-on-one date, ambushed Nick and the woman he picked over her, Corinne, on their dinner date. Claiming that she “is not taking this anymore,” Taylor emerged from the shadows of what appeared to be an abandoned church and requested a word with the cracking bachelor. Corinne’s observation that Taylor had “a stank face on her face,” was never more true than in that moment.

In a conversation that echoed at least three others in which women warned Nick of Corinne’s ill intentions, Taylor fought for redemption. Although Nick finally seemed to come awake to the idea–one already known to all of America – that Corinne is the villain and black sheep of the group, his mind was set and Taylor went home for good. The Taylor-Corinne feud would soon seem like small potatoes in the wake of the drama to come.

At the rose ceremony, Josephine, Jaimi, and Alexis were sent home without much fanfare. Before the rejected women could leave, the safe women clinked glasses with Nick, who announced that they were all headed towards Saint Thomas.

Although the women gawked over their new view from their island hotel room, as they do in every episode, there was something slightly off about this one. Maybe it was an unfortunate alignment of stars. Or possibly it was bad energy carried over from Corinne’s liberal use of a Taylor voodoo doll from the previous week. Whatever it was, the Saint Thomas trip was clearly headed towards disaster.

And it begins. Kristina is awarded the one-on-one date and Jasmine begins to cry. She is worried that Nick has forgotten that she is on the show. Despite their attempts to comfort her, the women can’t calm her down and she gets more and more angry as the episode progresses.

On the dinner date, Nick uses his best moves and asks Kristina the most vague personal questions he can think of. Kristina is the only contestant thus far reluctant to answer but she gives in after he stares into her eyes for a few moments. The story she tells of extreme poverty, a hateful mother, a Russian orphanage, and a fateful adoption by American parents is gloomy, harrowing and powerful. “Thanks for sharing,” says Nick.

Meanwhile, Corinne is introduced to Lorna, a maid from the hotel who reminds Corinne of her nanny from back home. She eyes the maid devilishly and it is hard to tell if her reaction is scripted.

The group date is meant to be a relaxing one – one that reminds Nick of the island living he has spoken so highly about. Nick and the women drink a few cocktails and head to the beach where Nick watches them play a game of volleyball. Drunk and not athletic, Corinne threatens to quit. The other women catch on and Rachel, becoming privy to the entire premise of The Bachelor, is turned off by the competition for Nick’s attention. Everyone retreats to separate spots on the beach. Some cry as Nick stares out into blue waters, wondering how they have descended into this first stage of hell.

At dinner, Nick is somehow surprised that the tensions from the day oozed into the night. He sits down with each woman, testing the waters with soft questions like, “how are you doing?” No one is happy and Jasmine is fuming.

After sharing her worry that she has been overlooked, Jasmine admits, through a deafening cackle, that she wants to choke Nick. Still laughing, she puts her hand around his throat and Nick seems to wonder if this is how it all ends – suffocated by love and still alone. Nick tells her that it’s time she go home and the bachelor begins to question his sanity.

Off-screen, Raven receives the group date rose while Nick heads off with Whitney and Danielle L. on the two-on-one date. After private conversations with both women, Nick quickly decides to end things with Whitney. Typically a whiz with break-up speeches, Nick mumbles his way through a sloppy soliloquy about Whitney’s beauty and something about her aura. Nick and Danielle L. fly off in a helicopter as Whitney watches from an empty beach below.

“Here is to…ummmm,” Nick begins his toast to Danielle L. at dinner. She tells him that she is falling in love with him and his eyes gloss over. It is the second time in two weeks a woman has admitted such feelings to the broken hearted bachelor and he can’t take it anymore. He breaks up with her as well.

With a stream of sweat and tears mixing across his face, Nick heads to the hotel to confess his deepest fear to the remaining women. He is scared of love and no one is safe. Everyone wails. There is no hope.

Next week: We further the descent into hell. Corinne saves the day with sex?