Lines were drawn on Monday night's episode of the show.
The men are being forced to choose a lane on The Bachelorette. On Monday's episode of the show, both Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey flourished on their one-on-one dates, but faced brutal rejections from several men, all of which ET is breaking down in the recap below.
Zach and Rachel started the week off on a promising note with a sweet one-on-one date, but things weren't looking as great on Gabby's end until her one-on-one with Zach... and a surprising third wheel.
While both women had fun on a photo-shoot date, the after-party only proved happy for one of them. With negativity lingering in the air, Rachel and Gabby decided to change the rules in an effort to put themselves back in the driver's seat.
Keep reading for ET's recap of episode 3 of The Bachelorette.
Zach and Rachel's Heartfelt, Hollywood Date
Rachel invited tech executive Zach on a special one-on-one, which was planned by Queer Eye's Karamo Brown. While sipping champagne and munching on snacks, Rachel and Zach were thrilled to learn that they'd be attending a movie premiere that night.
The pair donned fancy clothes and took a limo to the premiere of a mysterious movie titled Me & You. After posing for pics on the red carpet, Rachel and Zach made their way inside to an empty theater, and soon learned that they were there to watch home videos from their date's childhood. The touching video ended with a message from each of the attendees' mom, a fact that made Zach emotional, which, in turn, made Rachel swoon.
After the movie, the couple was stunned to learn that they each used to watch planes leave the airport with their dads, a stunning coincidence that made Rachel and Zach agree the night was one of the best of their lives. After a kiss and a dance, Zach accepted a rose from Rachel.
"I think Rachel could be my future wife," Zach told the cameras. "... I’m falling for her really, really hard."
"This is all about finding love and it just feels like a really beautiful start to what could be something really amazing," Rachel agreed.
Gabby Questions Everything
While Rachel was busy on her one-on-one, Gabby decided to get some extra time in with the guys by visiting them at the house. After chatting with them and throwing a football around, though, Gabby was left disappointed by how the "men aren't being super forward."
"The lack of effort is a decision at this point. It doesn’t show initiative. It doesn’t show you’re ready," Gabby said in a confessional. "I feel like I’m giving so much to them and they’re not giving everything back. My expectations are so high that I’m terrified to be let down."
She was left in tears and felt "hurt" by the guys' behavior, telling the cameras, "It seems like the people that I wanted to love me didn’t. I don’t want to give my whole heart to someone just to have it broken again."
"It’s scary doing this week after week," she said. "I don’t know if I have the capacity to even keep breaking people's hearts or to potentially have mine broken."
Gabby's Two-on-One With Erich... and Her Grandpa
Though she was still feeling down, Gabby went ahead with her one-on-one with Erich. The nurse even invited a special guest along for the date: her grandpa.
The trio took a Jeep to an intention-setting ceremony, before heading to a bowling alley for more fun. While there, Gabby told the cameras that Erich was "rising to the occasion" and impressing her grandpa.
Things quickly turned serious on their dinner date, though, as Gabby got emotional when Erich began discussing his parents' "deep love" and his relationship with each of them. Hearing that touched a nerve for Gabby, and she opened up about her estranged relationship with her mom.
"I’ll maybe never know what it’s like to have a mother’s love," she said through tears, before excusing herself from the table.
"I can’t explain what it’s like to have a mom that doesn’t love you... Am I too broken for anyone to love?" Gabby questioned to a producer. "I’m terrified. What if Erich decides I’m not for him? I’m overwhelmed. What if I can’t do it? People want to see the Rachels because she’s easier. I’m too complicated. I’m messy."
In a confessional, Gabby further explained her fears. "I feel like I’m incredibly different than other women who’ve walked in my shoes. I don’t always want to explain my situation to people. It’s really, really hard."
Upon her return to the table, Gabby explained many of her feelings to Erich, who promised to be "open and honest" with her going forward. Erich's understanding made Gabby feel "connected" to him, and chose to offer him the rose.
"I’m the imperfect Bachelorette, but I think in some people’s eyes it’ll be perfect," Gabby told the cameras. "... I would give anything to be loved by someone like Erich."
A Group Date That's Far From Picture-Perfect
The largest group date in franchise history came next, as Gabby and Rachel rocked wedding dresses for an unforgettable photo shoot. The men were given costumes with varying levels of embarrassment, with everything from a pregnant woman to Daisy Dukes to a leaf-only look on display.
As the SoFi Stadium-set after-party got underway, Rachel was having the time of her life, connecting with Aven, Jordan and Tino. Gabby, meanwhile, started to struggle.
Tyler confessed to Gabby that he intended to pursue Rachel, before Hayden and Jacob did similarly. It was the last two men who upset Gabby, though, as the former said she was "rough around the edges," and the latter revealing that he wouldn't "have the heart to continue" if she was his only option.
"I think these guys coming to me saying that because I’m different they don’t want to be with me is validating that I’m maybe too much for people," Gabby told the cameras. "... My biggest fear was being too rough around the edges and now I am that for people. When it comes down to it, I want to be rough around the edges 'cause I know who I am on the inside and I’m f**king proud of it."
Rachel was oblivious to Gabby's night and handed out her rose to Aven. When Gabby declined to hand out a rose, Rachel was quick to check on her friend.
"What the f**k? Are you kidding me? Because there’s two of us they think they can act that way?" Rachel questioned after learning of the comments the men made to Gabby. "I’m gonna kill them."
Rejected Roses Galore
With the group date leaving a sour taste in their mouths, Gabby and Rachel jointly decided to make a change. They canceled the cocktail party, and decided to change the way they handed out roses.
Host Jesse Palmer informed the men of the change, telling them that, by accepting a rose from one woman, they would be "committing to dating one woman, that woman... and not the other."
At the start of the rose ceremony, Gabby let the men have it, telling them that "some conversations last night were hurtful and the impetus that we needed to move forward in our two separate journeys."
The rose ceremony then got underway, as Rachel handed out roses to Tino and Logan, and Gabby did so to Nate and Johnny. The night took a dramatic turn when Termayne declined Rachel's rose, and revealed he was focused on Gabby. That decision cost Rachel her rose, and Jesse was quick to come in and remove it from her podium.
After Gabby gave a rose to Spencer, Alec declined a rose from Rachel. Gabby then gave roses to Jason, Mario, Kirk and Quincey, while Rachel did so to Tyler, Ethan and Jordan. When Meatball declined Rachel's rose, she and Gabby left the room to regroup.
"This was supposed to be us taking the power back. We literally handed it right back to all of them by doing this. I can’t. Now I look stupid to everyone that has my rose," Rachel told Gabby, before saying in a confessional, "It was the hardest moment I’ve had as the Bachelorette. Truly... To be rejected again multiple times after you already feel like you don’t deserve it is hard."
Gabby and Rachel returned to the ceremony, and handed out their final roses to Michael and Hayden, respectively.
In an after-credits scene, Meatball reversed course and asked to continue on with Rachel. The pilot appeared to be considering the offer as the episode ended on a cliffhanger.
The Bachelorette airs Mondays on ABC. Keep up with the historic season by following along with ET's coverage of the series.
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