The first dates of the season took place on Tuesday night's episode.
Michelle Young's season of The Bachelorette is already full of drama! The second episode of the 28-year-old teacher's journey for love aired on Tuesday, and featured the first dates -- and the first villain -- of the season, all of which ET is breaking down in the recap below.
Things got off to a positive start when Michelle schooled some of her men, before two of those guys decided to stir the pot with fifth grade-style name calling. The first one-on-one of the season followed, and appeared to be anything but rocky, before group date number two allowed Michelle to deepen her connection with one man.
The cocktail party was in full swing when the first villain of the season emerged and made Michelle doubt everything -- and everyone -- she thought she knew.
Keep reading for a full recap of episode two of The Bachelorette.
Class Is In Session
Ten guys thought they were lucky to land the first date of the season, but may have questioned their excitement when they learned that fifth graders would be quizzing them on math, science and spelling.
While Harvard math major Romeo breezed through the academic tests, Peter and his "alpha presence" didn't fare well at all, even in a game of musical chairs.
"You can tell a lot about a person by how they play musical chairs, and it’s not exactly in positive ways," Michelle said in a confessional after Peter's aggressive-style game play.
When it came time to spell, Will was "sick" of Peter and decided to express his frustration by writing Peter's name when asked to spell the word narcissist.
The nighttime portion of the date soon commenced, and Michelle felt "sparks flying" with Brandon and played Mad Libs with Rick, before the drama with Peter, a pizzapreneur, resurfaced.
Peter confronted Will for his "really inappropriate" stunt, and the pair got into a screaming match that ended with Will declaring, "What else do you have to offer besides a slice, bro?"
Michelle overheard the spat and was quick to chastise Peter for his anger, which he assured her was "out of character." Michelle wasn't so sure and ended up awarding the group date rose to Brandon.
Climbing Toward Love
Jamie raised eyebrows when he landed the first one-on-one of the season, and, instead of acting excited, told the guys that he wanted to be sure Michelle was right for him and his "constantly on the edge" lifestyle.
The biotech CEO kept up the attitude ahead of his date, telling the cameras that he had "no intention of staying here if I don’t feel that connection."
The date kicked off with Michelle driving them to Joshua Tree as she connected with the "bubbly" and "mysterious" Jamie. The pair rock climbed up to a picnic, and Michelle found Jamie to be "really good at encouraging" her throughout the experience.
When the dinner portion of the date began, things got more serious as Jamie opened up about his challenging childhood, during which time his mom struggled with her mental health. Jamie revealed that his mom died by suicide when he was 24, which "imploded" his life until he made the choice to live and thrive.
Michelle was clearly moved by his story, telling him through tears, "I don’t know you that well, but I’m proud of what you’ve come through."
Jamie praised Michelle for her "empathy" in a confessional, she gave him a rose, and the date ended with a private performance by Caroline Jones.
"This is one of the best first dates I’ve been on," Michelle said in a confessional. "... A life with Jamie would be adventurous, vulnerable, romantic, and compassionate."
Joe Is the MVP
The second group date of the episode was one that was close to Michelle's heart, as she invited the guys to join her on the basketball court with WNBA stars Dearica Hamby and Diamond DeShields.
The date only grew Michelle's interest in Joe, with whom she shared pre-show direct messages with years prior. Both from Minnesota and both basketball stars, Michelle noted of Joe, "There’s understanding that’s there right off the bat."
Though Joe's team lost a five-on-five game, Michelle awarded him the MVP trophy, thus earning him an after-party invite. When the pair spoke that night, Joe got emotional while opening up about a former basketball coach's death, which he only learned about hours prior.
"I’ve never had chemistry this off-the-charts with somebody so quickly... I can see him being my teammate," Michelle said in a confessional as she kissed Joe, who similarly remarked that he could see himself "falling for her."
She spoke to other men too, with Spencer revealing that he has a 3-year-old son, Martin kissing her, and Nayte joking that "opposites attract" given his lack of basketball skills. In the end, though, Joe was the one to earn the group date rose.
Lying to Get Ahead
As the cocktail part kicked off, some of the guys began speculating that Michelle knew Joe prior to the show. While many of the guys didn't care one way or the other, Jamie said he was "bothered" by the thought and questioned Michelle's character and "authenticity."
Jamie also told Martin that, before the show, one of his friends heard that Michelle "was already boo’d up with a tall, light-skinned baller," a man he now thought to be Jamie.
Jamie decided to confront Michelle about the situation, but instead of saying that he was concerned about the rumors, he told Michelle that everyone in the house was questioning if they could "trust" her as a result of the chatter, which, he said, was "starting to take on a life of its own."
Michelle was left "blindsided" by Jamie's statement, admitting in a confessional, "I don’t know who believes in me and who doesn’t." After gathering herself, Michelle went to address the men, telling them that Joe had ghosted her after two DMs years before, and assuring them that she was single.
When Michelle exited the room, many of the guys said that they were "lost" about what prompted her speech because the rumors she referenced hadn't really been circulating. Jamie stayed mum as the men tried to figure out who lied to Michelle, even pretending to be confused in conversations with fellow contestants.
The remainder of the cocktail party was canceled and the rose ceremony soon began, with Michelle handing out a flower to Nayte, Rodney, Martin, Rick, Leroy, Spencer, Casey, Chris G., Mollique, Olu, Chris S., Will, Romeo, LT, Clayton, and Peter.
Trust Is In Question
In a preview for next week's episode, Michelle laments, "I don’t really know who to trust right now."
Still, she appears to have fun with Rodney, who is seen running naked down the stairs. Sweet moments with Martin and Clayton follow, as she declares, "I could see myself falling in love with one of them."
The Jamie drama still looms, though, with him stating, "There’s not really a competition between me and the guys that are here." Rick questions, "How did he think he would get away with it?" while Peter promises to "keep exposing" him.
"He’s manipulating us and her," one of the guys says, as Michelle admits, "Trust is something that makes or breaks a relationship. In one instance, it can come crashing down."
All of the drama leads Chris S. to state, "My jaw’s on the floor."
The Bachelorette airs Tuesdays on ABC. ET has got you covered throughout the entirety of Michelle's season with all of our Bachelorette coverage.
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