The Bachelor and The Bachelorette is all about creating a fantasy romance — which is why hometown dates offer a much needed look into what real life together could be like. It's a great trial run to see if the lead fits right in with someone's family and friends... or if it's clear they're already headed for disaster. While this year's hometowns looked a little different than usual as the men tried to bring the essence of their cities to Tayshia, usually the dates are filled with big personalities, gruff confrontations, and the occasional outlandish hobby.
Over the years, there have been more than a few memorable moments when the reality TV contestants finally brought the lead home to meet mom and dad, but some stand out more than others. After last night's relative snooze fest (just kidding, it was actually kind of a refreshing change to see so many normal families and genuine romantic prospects on this show), I decided to take a walk down memory lane and check out hometowns from some of the past ABC season that I still can't stop thinking about.
On Emily’s season, Sean played an epic prank
He went on to have his own season full of own memorable hometown visits (especially when he butted heads with Desiree’s brother), but one of our favorite Sean moments was when he invited Bachelorette Emily Maynard back to his parents’ place and pretended he was still bunking with mom and dad. In today’s day and age, it wouldn’t exactly be a unique situation — but back in 2012 it seemed like a scandal. “I still live here,” Sean told Emily, who flawlessly rolled with the punches. The kicker, however, came when he took her on a tour of the home… and walked her right into the messiness bedroom we’ve ever seen. “I wish my mom would pick up a little bit,” he joked.
On Ali’s season, Kirk’s dad took her down into his basement of death
“So, Ali, would you like to go see my basement?” is a question it seems like you should always answer no to — and that suspicion was validated when Kirk’s father took the Bachelorette on a tour through his taxidermy workshop. The lowest level of his home was filled with preserved animals bodies, with more than a few deer heads, boar heads, and big cats jutting out from the walls. I totally appreciate picking up a weird hobby, but maybe give someone a heads up about that kind of thing ahead of time.
On Nick’s season, Corinne’s nanny was part of the crew
After he flew out to Florida to visit the Olympios residence, he and Corinne first headed out for a shopping date where the self-described “multi-million dollar” business owner showered him in gifts. But when she brought him home, it wasn’t just her parents and sister the lead was introduced to. He also finally got the chance to meet Raquel, the nanny Corinne had been talking about all season. When it came time for Corinne’s family to have the what-are-your-intentions-with-my-daughter chat with Nick, it was nanny Raquel who stepped up to the plate. “I don’t want you to hurt her,” she grilled him. “She is like my daughter.”
On Rachel’s season, Dean’s discomfort with his dad was uncomfortable for everyone
Dean made sure to prep the Bachelorette ahead of time when it came to his strained relationship with his father, who he hadn’t seen in two years, but nothing could have prepared viewers for what was to come. But the fact that Dean couldn’t stop whispering that he was “terrified” and that the day was going to be “awful” certainly set the tone. Self-given names and spiritual energy cleanings via gong aside, it was the tension that stood out most. “Do you feel like you’re still fulfilling things as a father?” Dean asked his dad without making any eye contact. “Do you think you stepped in full right after mom passed away to be my father, though? … You don’t understand why I was angry with you in those times?”
On Colton’s season, Tayshia’s dad issued an iconic line
For the most part, Tayshia taking Colton home was par for the course. It was one of the more fraught hometowns as far as they go (after all, Colton asked for Tayshia’s dad’s blessing and did not receive — what’s more, Tayshia’s dad also called him out on telling all of the women that he was falling in love with them because it was the easy thing to say), but for the most part it was pretty normal. However, it stuck with me and the rest of Bachelor Nation because of one incredible moment. When Tayshia’s dad sat her down for some real talk, he told her he thought they were moving too fast and gave her a piece of advice relevant to pretty much every romance on this show: “You don’t microwave relationships.” I love it. I need it printed on a T-shirt. I need it stamped on my forehead every time I get sucked into believing that a couple on this show is really going to last forever based on 20 hours together spread over a six week span.
On Hannah’s season, Jed’s family was evasive AF
On the last season of The Bachelorette, it was clear that Hannah was head over heels with Jed, who she ended up giving her final rose (and then dumping before the season had even finished airing). While we don’t blame her for not seeing the red flags with him, they were pretty glaringly obvious when she met his parents. It almost seemed like his family was trying to talk the lead out of picking him. When Hannah asked Jed’s sister if she was at all worried that being in a serious, committed relationship — and theoretically planning a wedding — was incompatible with his music career, she just said a quiet, “Yeah.” Instead of explaining any further, she continued, “I’m very protective over Jed, and making music makes him so happy, and honestly, like, him potentially falling in love with you… I’m, like, not sure that it’s a good thing.”
On Peter’s season, Victoria F. was surprised with a serious confrontation
Troublesome ex-boyfriends seemed to be a recurring theme for Victoria F. After she was forced to come clean about her romantic entanglement with musician Chase Rice, who performed a private concert for her and Peter, some other men she’d been involved with also came up in conversation after one of Peter’s exes found him in Virginia Beach to let him know that his final four contestant was bad news. When he went to Victoria’s home later that night, they never even made it inside after he decided to bring up the subject. She was incensed that he would even repeat such accusations. “You decided that what Marissa told you was more important than meeting my entire family,” she told him. Eventually, after making almost no effort to explain, she told him that she was “so done with this conversation” and simply walked off.
This season of The Bachelorette may have showed us more traditional meet-the-parents scenarios ("traditional" meaning they're meeting inside a quarantine bubble during a pandemic), but there's something about having an adult woman ask her nanny for cheese pasta that that simply can't be replicated. Not even at La Quinta.
Images: ABC