Holly & Michael Take Bachelor Pad, Blake Takes Holly

Another season of Bachelor Pad is in the history books.  It's hard to believe.   And what an amazingly awesome show it was.  Who needs Bachelor and Bachelorette when you can get so much drama, love connections and a marriage proposal with just 3 weeks of Bachelor Pad?  The Husband and I had a bit of a war over who was going to have rights to the main television in our apartment tonight.  It's Monday Night Football, blah blah blah, the first Monday night football of the NFL season, blah blah blah.  Come on - it's the FINALE of Bachelor Pad - is there even a question as to who should get the main TV?

Unfortunately, I had to work late, so by the time I got home, the game was already on, a guest was already on our couch with The Husband and I was out of luck.  It also came to my attention on my hour long train ride home that tonight's finale was a whopping THREE hours.  So faced with the prospect of sitting in the bedroom for 3 hours listening to boys screaming at the TV while I tried to measure up whether Kasey was sincere in feeling bad about his behavior towards Jake, whether Justin Rated R felt remotely bad about saying Kasey sounded like a frog only to have Kasey reveal for the first time that he does in fact have a speech impediment, and what sort of plastic surgery Gia did to her face (the bangs threw me off, but I think she definitely did something to her cheeks and eyes) - I decided I better watch elsewhere.

So off I went to the gym and after waiting 15 minutes to get on to an elliptical and catching the end of the Men's Finals of the US Open (a great match, for the part I watched over someone's shoulder at the gym), I got to catch the first 45 minutes of Bach Pad at the gym.  What a great way to pass time during a work out.

A few comments and then I'd love to hear what you all have to say.  These are in no particular order:

1.  I was on the lookout for the plastic surgery crowd.  I'm talking about Vienna and Ella who both self admittedly went under the knife since the end of their time at the mansion.  I have to say that I really couldn't see much of a difference.  Besides Vienna's extensions, obviously.  Unless her hair grew that much in a month.  You know how Erica the Judge said that she spent a week straight with Vienna and Kasey and can honestly say that they are a good match for each other?  That's because they stayed with her while Erica's father did the nose job on Vienna.  And Ella also went to Erica's dad for her plastic surgeries which included a nose job, liposuction and some other fun things.  I still don't get how Ella afforded all of these procedures but cried poverty (and literally cried when getting voted off by the Bach alums).  Unless Erica's dad was giving out surgery like party favors.  I guess it's free advertising.

2.  Michelle and Graham.  I was very happy to see the two of them together and connecting on a "spiritual level" since the show ended.  I hope they can make it work.  I like that Graham felt the need to slip in to Blake that he didn't care for him.  Not really sure why that was except that Graham is best buds with Michael and clearly Michael is not a Blake fan.  I also liked that Michelle pleaded against pity votes and instead relied on their strategy of running away from drama for being the reason they should win.  It made no sense, but was a cute plea nonetheless.   On a side note: Michelle Money and Graham Bunn have gotten together to sell shirts for charity.

3.  Holly and Blake's engagement.  Obviously a huge shock.  I think you could hear a pin drop in the room when Chris Harrison asked Michael if he had heard Holly's news.  Poor Michael.  But something tells me he'll be just fine.  Watching Holly and Blake's chemistry together in the clips they showed us and on the show tonight - it's just off the charts.  She seemed very surprised when he proposed, but good for them.  I hope they can make it work.  And maybe Michael Stags can marry DeAnna's sister.

4.  Crazy Melissa.  I liked her make-up and thought she her arguments for why Blake screwed her over were kind of ridiculous.  Still, I was hoping she would lose it all over again just because it's funny to watch her freak out over nothing.  She used the word "serendipitous" 8 times.

5.  Jake vs. Kasey.  Unreal that Kasey owned up to being such a douche towards Jake.  I can't believe he actually apologized.  But what I don't get is Vienna's new change of heart towards Jake.  She blurted out a very odd comment about what the audience didn't see - something about her and Jake playing charades together. I'm confused as to whether that was on Bachelor Pad or on their season of Bachelorette.  Either way, it sounds like Vienna is trying to get across the fact that the bad feelings are in the past.  The look on Vienna's face when Kasey and Jake shook hands might have been my favorite moment of the finale.  I thought her eyes would turn into daggers and actually slice Jake across his face.  Would I like to be fly on the wall of their car ride home tonight.  Kasey is gonna get it.

6.  Did you see Jackie's face the entire episode? It looked like she was going to cry at any second.  Especially when Holly and Blake got engaged, the cameras panned to Jackie and she was the only one who wasn't smiling.  I'm sure it had nothing to do with them (she voted for them to win over Michelle and Graham - which was not surprising considering her past friction with Michelle) and everything to do with her disappointing relationship with Ames.  As for what the deal was between Ames and Jackie, she just needs to read that book, "He's Just Not That Into You."  It always hurts when the guy who seems head over heels says he just didn't see it - particularly after spending a lot of time together.  Ouch.  I'd be angrier that she most definitely got screwed out of amazing box seats to the US Open.

7.  Erica the Judge.  Why didn't Chris grill her a bit about being a kissing bandit and her seduction scene with Blake?  What about her kissing Jake?  Clearly nothing ever came of this.  But I feel like we missed out on some footage.

8.  And does anyone care about Ella and Kirk?  Weren't these guys a couple at some point?  They did make out on their one on one date.  And last we left Ella, she was hysterically crying and devastated that she had disappointed Kirk, herself and her 9 year old son.  I guess the answer is that nobody cared what happened. How rude.

9.  Ben the Bachelor.  How awesome was it to see Ben again!! So articulate, so smart - I almost forgot what it's like to have someone on the show that's extremely intelligent.  What a fresh breath of air.  I actually got chills when Chris started asking him about the first night of meeting the women.  That's what this ridiculous show does to me!  The Husband gets chills when they sing the national anthem at an NFL game. I get the chills anticipating the limos pulling up to the mansion.  I need a life!

10.  Until January 2nd.  So next week starts Dancing With the Stars and some ridiculous Hamptons drama - Revenge that they are trying hard to plug.  Check back here for all your Bach updates and to hear what the Husband and I are up to.  Until then - it's time to launch my writing career outside of Bachelor land.  I will keep you posted on that too.

Funny, I didn't think to mention that Holly and Michael agreed to share the $125K.  Probably because that was the least interesting part of the show.  I didn't think for a second that he'd actually take all of it.  Poor Michael is like a sad abused puppy - loyal to the end, and for no reason.  I hope he snaps out of it soon and finds the future Mrs. Michael Stagliano who will adore him.

Enjoy the rest of your week and please check in and let me know how you're doing this fall.  I go through major withdrawal in between Bach seasons.  You can always find me at this blog or on Twitter at @FreeStaceyB

Happy Fall!!

XOXO,
Stacey B