‘The Bachelor’ Recap: Arie Luyendyk Jr. Gets Serious, Krystal Drama Escalates

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “The Bachelor” episode from Monday, Jan. 29.

Week 5 on “The Bachelor” means that it’s down to 12 women competing for Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s final rose, with the group heading to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for this week’s dates. Coming off of last week’s episode, tensions are high among the contestants, largely because of Krystal and Luyendyk choosing to give Bekah M. a rose despite their 14-year age difference.

This week started off with a one-on-one for Chelsea, the 29-year-old single mom who landed the first impression rose on the first night. The two spent the day on the water — starting on a yacht and then riding jet skis around the beach while the other girls watched from a telescope at the hotel.

“I’m on a dream boat, but I’m also with a dreamboat,” Chelsea declared, before she and Luyendyk made out on a jet ski in the middle of the bay. Romance!

At dinner, the two talked about Chelsea’s ex leaving her when their son was six months old, and Luyendyk gave her the rose. Even though she seemed like an early frontrunner and possible villain, Chelsea has definitely fallen back in the race for the Bachelor’s heart and been overshadowed by Krystal. She made it through to next week, but she doesn’t seem to capture Luyendyk’s attention like some of the others do.

During the date, Maquel returned, bringing the contestant pool back up to 13. (She had previously — and temporarily — left the show two weeks prior when her grandfather died.)

For this week’s group date, “Bachelor” producers decided to send the contestants on one of the most low-budget outings in recent history — to a bowling alley. Apparently, as Luyendyk said, “In Arizona, when we want to have fun, we go bowling.” Highly doubtful that the Bachelor spends much of his free time knocking down pins, but OK.

The girls fawn over Luyendyk while drinking pitchers of beer, and then they separate into two teams to compete in a high-stakes bowling match. The Krystal-led team came out the winner, meaning that the opposite team, led by Bekah M., was supposed to return to the hotel for the rest of the date. After Krystal’s gloating rubbed everyone the wrong way, Luyendyk decided to keep the losing team of girls around for the rest of the night. What a giver!

Krystal, on the other hand, was outraged that he “went back on his words” and included the other girls in the afterparty. She got so angry she decided to leave the date and told the girls she had all of her bags packed, saying, “I felt he was disrespectful to team blue” and didn’t know if she could trust him as a life partner. When the party started without Krystal, Luyendyk went back to the hotel and checked on her, essentially playing right into her plan.

The two talked, as the Bachelor warned her that “small things in this environment can turn into big things outside of it.” He told her to stay in the room for the night, saying in his solo interview that even though he had strong feelings for her, this made him question everything.

Back on the date, Becca K. got special one-on-one time when Luyendyk took her to his hotel room, and he also still continued to show strong feelings for Bekah M. As the night neared its end, Krystal reappeared at the party for another confrontation with the Bachelor but again went back to her room after fighting with the women and didn’t speak to him. Lauren B. (who looks shockingly like winner Lauren B. from Ben Higgins’ season) got the date rose.

The second one-on-one of the week went to Tia, the 26-year-old physical therapist, who appears to be one of Luyendyk’s favorites. In a “country date for a country girl,” the two took an airboat ride through the Everglades, spotting alligators in the swamp and stopping to eat frogs. Chelsea got a yacht, and Tia got a swamp boat — seems a little unequal…

At night, the two talked about faith, family, and Tia’s desire to get out of Arkansas. She also was the first one to tell Luyendyk that she was falling in love with him, and was given the rose in return. Even by “Bachelor” standards, that was a fast declaration, but the two do seem to have a deeper connection than he has with most of the other women.

“I’m feeling really great about our connection and our relationship because it is so beyond anything I’ve ever felt before,” she said in her solo interview. “I feel like he’s falling for me like I’m falling for him.”

At the cocktail party, Krystal continued to fight with the other contestants and she declared she’s “done” with trying to get along with them. In her one-on-one time with Luyendyk, he told her that they had taken a few steps back this week and was surprisingly tough on her when she tried to explain her behavior.

“It’s our first fight,” she said — to which he responded, “It could be our last fight.” Go Arie!

Despite talking a big game and not seeming to fully be forgiven, though, she still ended up with a rose.

“If the girls thought I was a threat before, well, watch out ladies,” she promised.

Maquel, Ashley and Marikh were eliminated during the rose ceremony, bringing the total to 10. Bekah M., Becca K. and Tia appear to remain frontrunners, with Lauren B. gaining ground and Krystal falling fast.

The previews for next week show the group heading to Paris, with Krystal and Luyendyk struggling to move forward. One can only hope Week 6 will be her last.

“The Bachelor” airs on Mondays at 8pm on ABC.

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