Clayton’s season of The Bachelor will already be at hometowns next week, which means we are very close to finding out who he picks—and who will be the next Bachelorette. Ever since the first episode of the season, Susie has stood out as someone who could be our next lead—and not just because she sort of looks like Hannah Brown. On Monday night’s episode, Susie's Bachelorette chances became even more apparent.
On the latest episode, the group heads from Hvar, Croatia to Vienna, Austria, and Susie lands the first one-on-one date—her second of the season. She gets a date premise that we've seen a lot over the years: the shopping spree. Susie gets to shop for a ton of clothes and shoes while Clayton looks on approvingly as she tries on dress after dress. After shopping, Susie heads back to the hotel where the women are giddily jealous of her purchases, and she changes into a huge gown for the nighttime portion of her date. At dinner, she and Clayton talk about how wild of an experience it was, especially because she's not used to accepting gifts and feels more comfortable being independent. Afterward, they're serenaded by a performance of "The Lady in Red" by singer Chris de Burgh. (You know the one: "Laaaady in reeeeeddddd." She's wearing red. Obviously.)
If this sounds like a lot going on in one date, that's because we got a lot of Susie. Her date took up nearly 20 minutes of the 2-hour episode, including a commercial break. For reference, Teddi's one-on-one on the previous episode lasted 13 minutes, including a break. If you ask me, this show is getting us used to seeing Susie on our screens.
During the date, we also see how much the other women in the house like Susie—not even her many shopping bags can make them upset, as has been the case in past seasons. We get Clayton talking about how she was the first one to tell him that she's falling in love—that could lead to a potential downfall complete with a tearful post-rose ceremony car ride. We hear her say things about how she can't believe this is her life right now. Susie has a great combo of being comfortable on camera, but also being genuinely in awe of the fantastical situation this show puts you in. Basically, it's all very Bachelorette. And the stage has been set since early on. She's always been someone who provided a lot of the narration, and we've gotten to find out quite a bit about her through two one-on-ones and an intro package in the premiere.
Now, there is a chance that Clayton will choose Susie and that they are living a happy, secretive life together right now, waiting until they can reveal their engagement on After the Final Rose. But, if that's not the case, this episode establishes Susie as a top Bachelorette contender.
Image: ABC