Episode 'The Bachelorette' Season 7, Episode 4 - A Change Would Do Her Good Recap

Ah, man. It’s just not the same this week. My heart’s just not in it.

Chin up, Sleepless One. Bentley and his complete lack of a brain-to-mouth filter screen are gone, as is Zorro’s unemployed brother Jeff, but their legacies live on.

Well, Bentley’s does. Ashley Hebert scarcely went ten minutes on “The Bachelorette” this week without reminding us all that, yes, she is in fact still thinking about him. Jeff?

I’m sorry, who?

The show must go on, though a little less dim-witted without the two chuckleheads in it. More importantly, the bombshells weren’t spared this week, as the show opens with host Chris Harrison making the announcement that for the first time, the show will be relocating mid-season for the duration to Phuket, Thailand.

He tells what is now an excited pack of Labrador puppies who just met a man made of jerky that they’ve got two hours to pack and say goodbye to Hollywood.

Ashley isn’t pulling punches: she’s hurting. She’s hurting badly. Though she isn’t sure that she’ll make anybody happy in this state of mind, she’s putting her best foot forward and taking everybody that’s still there more seriously. She sees promise in the remaining men, but her heart and mind are still clinging for dear life to Bentley and what might have been.

More importantly, she knows how she must be coming across the others. She admits that in their shoes, she’d be upset, too.

The pack of puppies have now devoured the jerky man, and found a big shoe made of kibble as they explore the new villa.

Sea Phuket

After Ashley tells us that to find love, she needs to let go and enjoy it, the date cards arrive for the men. Constantine gets the week’s first one-on-one, with the obligatory rose-or-go-home stipulation: “Let’s sea Phuket together.” Not a typo. That’s how it’s spelled.

Nick’s bummed, but has great perspective. “Constantine got it. I hope it rains.”

Constantine is excited, and has great grasp of the obvious.

“Your name’s been called. Time to step it up,” he says, probably channeling the spirit of a deceased pro athlete who was probably a real joy of a post-game interview.

They meet on a beach in the rain for what is apparently to be a sea-kayaking expedition to a private beach. The guide steps in and says that with storms brewing and waves getting bigger, he’s not taking anybody out today. Ashley is bummed, but determined and smiling. Constantine doesn’t really care what they do – just that he gets to do it with her.

They go about a little lighthearted nick-nack shopping, and Constantine really digs asking the locals for guidance. When they meet a street vendor wearing a wedding band, he and Ashley ask how long he’s been married. Thirty-six years, he tells them. In shock, they ask his secret.

“Forgive and forget. Don’t try to win.”

Back at the villa, J.P. admits he hopes Constantine doesn’t get a rose. “If someone’s gotta go, then someone’s gotta go. If he doesn’t get a rose, more for the rest of us.”

Wow. He knows math and the obvious. Teach me, Great One.

The group date card arrives, and kills two birds with one stone by clearing up just who’s getting this week’s other one-on-one date. Ten of the bachelors will join Ashley in “making the world a better place,” while Ames gets to step up for the other all-or-nothing one-on-one encounter.

Back in Phuket, Ashley and Constantine raise a couple beers to “making the best out of a rainy day.” Constantine says that it’s really not about winning or losing to him, but just seeing if there’s something there.

It’s a fresh start, Ashley admits, but Bentley still lingers. Despite that, and though the rain-out bummed her, Constantine gave her a little bit of her heart back. On that note, they decide their date will next include a footrace in the rain, down the street.

Later that night, it’s dinner by tiki-torch light and Ashley is hoping Constantine doesn’t notice that’s she a little off. Part of her wants to talk about what happened and what she’s now feeling. The rest isn’t sure she can open up that way.

Constantine, on the other hand, tells her that he’s had a great day being spontaneous and making the best of the moment. He jokes that kayaking would’ve only kept Ashley too busy trying to teach him for her to enjoy anything. But what he really wants to know is, how is she staying so positive?

Once more, at least she’s honest. She tells him that she knows that not everybody will ultimately fall in love with her. Nevertheless, Constantine tells her, he had a great time doing ordinary things with someone he thinks is extraordinary. He’s just enjoying how effortless and natural things feel. He reminds her also that though she intimated that she wasn’t sure if he was holding back his feelings, he says he doesn’t want her to feel insecure at all.

Chappy Assed J.P.

J.P. is chilling over drinks with some of the other guys when he apparently realizes he’s the last to realize that he’s not the only one Ashley has kissed. That makes this very, very clear that he signed up for this show having never seen it. The guys tell him to relax, but he insists it still “chaps his ass.”

OK, can we have one week without discussion of things that happen to either Ashley’s or a contestant’s naughty bits? Just one?

Back to the dinner, and Ashley wants to know a little about Constantine’s past relationships. He tells her that he realizes now that his connections with people in his past were better then than he realized at the time. He knows he might’ve missed out because he didn’t open up, but that he’s more open and honest now, for the first time in a year or so. Saying she feels he could be the man that gets her back on her feet again, he’s thrilled to accept her rose.

When group-date time rolls around, Ashley’s heart is still aching but she must admit, Constantine has brought hope back to her and she’s going to give her all to helping fix up an orphanage built after the devastating tsunami that ravaged Thailand in 2004. J.P. says it speaks volumes for her, and he’s exhilarated to be there. The guys are all having a great time and are thrilled to help, but West and others see Ryan as getting overly pushy in an effort to stand out for Ashley at a moment when there’s a much more important perspective.

Ben F. tells us he’s also getting pretty sick of the always intense and enthusiastic Ryan. But he finds something more positive to engross himself in: though he admits he’s no artist by trade, he sets about painting a mural on one of the walls, and Ashley is quick to jump in painting some flowers of her own while Ben toils at an elephant. At the end of the day, they’re greeted outside by the returning orphans. We get a heartwarming montage of the guys and Ashley bonding with the overjoyed children they’ve helped, and Ben C. adds that getting to meet the kids was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Ashley and Friends then cut loose with some poolside cocktails. Ben F. is the first to take her aside and note that she was “buzzing around him” conspicuously. She smiles and coyly says “That’s because I like you now!” Ashley intimates to us that she sees his confidence growing, and admits it’s making an impression upon her.

Speaking of impressions . . . the guys are sharpening their steely knives to stab the beast that is Ryan. Still, Ryan takes Ashley aside and tells her that he thinks he’s getting along great with everybody, but that he knows she can understand the situation’s competitive aspect. As they continue talking, they express a mutual feeling of connection between them. Elsewhere, several guys say they’ll be genuinely worried if Ryan gets tonight’s rose.

Ashley has her own concerns: namely, that she feels J.P. is getting a little stand-offish after their previous date. It concerns her more that J.P. adds to his praise for the experience of working on the orphanage, “regardless of what happens,” because she thinks it sounds like he’s not counting on being there long. He assures her that he’s in this to stay, and that he can’t wait for another one-on-one date since he feels their previous one post-Bentley was perfect.

This surprises Ashley a little. She says that it means something special to her that he would say that after seeing her at her worst. That gets him a long kiss that she pulls him in closer for, saying that every kiss from him feels “magical.”

J.P. then sweeps her up in his arms and carries her back to the party, which Ryan admits looks like a bad sign. He foresees jealousy setting in.

Ames meanwhile gets his one-on-one date card: “It’s more romantic in the rain.”

Ryan, meanwhile, steals Ashley again from the guys just before she announces who gets the rose, unnerving Blake, who feels he’s “breaking rules” by taking her away a second time. But ultimately, for his humor and conversation that further lightened Ashley’s heart, Ben F. gets the rose. Ryan acknowledges that him winning another one would’ve really brought on some ill will, but says he feels fine with his connection so far with Ashley.

Later, Ashley says she’s looking forward to getting Ames to really open up in ways he hasn’t been able to in the presence of the rest of the pack. Over a boat cruise and lunch, that’s exactly what she gets.

The Thaitanic

For one thing, Ames tells her, this isn’t his first time in Thailand. He came here years ago for a post-college mountain climbing trip, and again last August during a cooking school he attended. As they take in the ethereal scenery of cloud-capped, misty mountains around them from the deck, Ashley says she feels like she’s on the Titanic.

Well, good for you. Kate Winslett lives through that movie. Ames, how’s your doggy-paddle?

They take a sea-kayak through a flooded cave network, with Ashley feeling totally comfortable sharing silent awe with Ames at the experience of weaving in and out of the half-flooded caves. Over lunch, Ames says that his best first date was a moment at a shoe store when a woman asked him what he was doing that night, and he said, “Going out with you.” Ashley’s impressed by his confidence. They both like what they other needs: Ashley needs dependability, Ames needs someone spontaneous, or at least who can embrace his spontaneity.

Ashley tells us she’s seeing great things in each man that she couldn’t see before while so drawn to Bentley from the get-go. Ames, meanwhile, says that Ashley is beautiful in every single circumstance.

Ames surprises Ashley by taking a little charge of the conversation and asking her what she’d change most about growing up. Ashley tells him that she grew up in a very secluded environment, and not only would she have liked to have gotten out more and experienced more of the world, but she’d now want to raise kids in a more populated place, travel more with them, and show them all that the world has to offer.

Ashley puts on a somewhat somber face, and tells Ames that with it down to an even dozen, time is running out. She’s given it a lot of careful thought, because she really wants a connection with someone . . . . and after giving the man a heart attack, she offers him a rose that he gladly accepts.

Later, it’s pre-rose cocktail time. Ashley toasts to feeling better, but needs to really ask the guys some serious questions “to avoid ending up with another Bentley.”

Seriously, I may start the “Blah Blah Bentley” drinking game.

Is West in a good place to start over after losing his wife?

He pauses uncomfortably, but says that it’s taken time to heal, but he has a new self-awareness from it. It’s always going to be a part of him, but he’s ready to find the positive again.

Still, Ashley’s daunted by feeling like she has big shoes to fill. West says it was a different part of his life.

Likewise, Lucas says he’ll always care about his ex-wife for all they had shared since college, but the love and passion was gone by the time they divorced. But with anybody else, he’ll keep the passion alive, because he doesn’t give up on anything.

Elsewhere, Blake sits Ryan down to chat. He tells Ryan that his perpetual enthusiasm comes across as very fake and filled with effort to win Ashley over instead of being genuine. Ryan seems genuinely surprised, because he has no quarrel with any of them. He gives an impassioned speech wondering how, with so many American troops overseas, anybody could not be enthused, happy and grateful for all they’re getting to see and do.

Yep. He pulled the “troops” card.

He talks with Ashley later, and she wonders the same thing: is this the real him? He tells her, in no uncertain terms, it’s just who he is. He always finds things to be joyful about, and has a zest for life. He’s sorry if that offends some people.

The Roses

Before the Rose Ceremony, she sits down for a chat with Chris and shares her surprise at how Ames managed to win her over when it sounds like he was on the bubble. It was a lesson to her, she said. She tells Chris that before he left, Bentley seemingly had her heart – so much so, that she was seemingly going through the motions with everybody else. But after being surprised by what she found in Ames, she’s reminded that she’s leaving here with no regrets. She’s adding an extra rose to tonight’s ceremony, meaning only one man will go home.

Lucas gets the first rose of the night. Keeping the season’s best stories running, Ryan and J.P. get the next two. Nick, Mickey and Blake all get roses. William survives another week after staring down the barrel of elimination last week. Ben C. gets the final one.

West is gone, following a moment of awkward silence where Ashley, for the first time at an elimination, actually looks devastated that she had to send him home.

In the car, West, who looks truly broken, says “I had a great love and I’ll always cherish that, but it’s gone now.” He feels that Ashley got the wrong impression. He came here wanting to move on.

Another toast among the contestants and Ashley, and we’re out.