The Golden Bachelor premiere garnered multi-year viewership highs for the Bachelor franchise, and three episodes in, the series shows absolutely no signs of turning down the charm.
As connections between 72-year-old Gerry Turner and his 12 remaining senior ladies grow stronger, his search for late-in-life love becomes more challenging, heartwarming, and hopeful each passing week.
Episode 3 featured laughter, tears, romantic dates, conflict, a visit from a Bachelor Nation alum, and yet another unexpected departure. So who snagged a one-on-one date? How did The Golden Bachelor‘s latest group date go? And who went home? Decider’s Golden Bachelor recap breaks down all the highs and lows of Episode 3.
Clinging To Camaraderie, Flirting With Cattiness
The Golden Bachelor loves a dramatic teaser shot, which is why Episode 3 kicked off with America’s sweet angelic grandzaddy inexplicably sobbing outside the mansion. Before we watched our golden guy get crushed, we checked in with the 12 spirited seniors vying for his heart. With “crunch time” approaching. the women gathered in the mansion to chit-chat, sip beverages that aren’t champagne, and reflect on their connections with Ger Ber. “The vibe is camaraderie, yet we have to protect our hearts,” one woman explained. “I’m nervous that some of the women might start to get a bit more catty.”
Some of The Golden Bachelor‘s most refreshing aspects have been the noteworthy absence of aggressive competition and petty drama, coupled with consistent displays of emotional maturity and encouragement from the women. And despite some bumps in the road, that remains true. Episode 3 showed Kathy forming “a group” called ASKN (April, Susan, Kathy, and Nancy) with the motto, “You’re ASKN, we’re TELLN.” And though the clique caused a bit of a divide within the house, The Golden Bachelor‘s early drama was based in valid emotions and handled with a decorum the franchise’s other series have lacked.
The Golden Bachelor Group Date Recap: Kaitlyn Bristowe Turns Up The Talent
First date of Episode 3? A group date! But not just any group date…Jesse Palmer invited all 12 women to compete in a talent show, where the winner would get a romantic one-on-one dinner with Gerry. The dream! The men welcomed former Bachelorette lead Kaitlyn Bristowe to the stage to help judge the competition, and the golden gals showed their stuff in a delightful display of strength, humor, and vulnerability. Sandra flexed her standup skills. Susan broke a board with some serious karate moves. Ellen gave the crowd a taste of her middle school sex ed lessons. Faith sang an original song. April tried her hand at spoken word. Kathy flexed with a few pushups. Nancy did, uh, something with whipped cream. Leslie, a professional dancer, brought Gerry on stage for a sexy dance. And Joan spent the day spiraling over her lack of special talents only to recite a hilarious original poem called, “I Just Hope I Don’t Vomit On Your Shoes,” and win the whole dang thing.
Gerry And Joan’s One-On-One Recap:
Was Joan’s performance peak Golden Bachelor talent? No! But Gerry valued her personality, vulnerability, and bravery, so he followed his heart and took Joan to a romantic dinner where they bonded over losing their spouses, getting back in the dating game, and hope for their future together. “Somebody that puts themselves out there like that — it’s super attractive to me,” Gerry told Joan. “I need to make a toast to you. I’m as excited to be spending time with you as I’ve ever been with anyone. Here’s to you and here’s to a future.”
Joan said she started dating a year after her husband passed, but ultimately felt it was too soon. Now, two and a half years later, she left her daughter and 15-day-old grandchild to invest in herself and her future love story. Although she accepted Gerry’s rose, their potential happy ending came crashing down before the episode’s end.
“I’m Gonna Miss You”
The morning after Joan and Gerry’s romantic dinner cameras caught Joan sobbing on the phone to her daughter, who was struggling post C-section. One episode after Marina left the show to care for her family, Joan went inside crying and told the women that although her heart was breaking she had to go back home and be a mom. Knowing how confident she felt in her connection with Gerry, her fellow contestants cried for her. Meanwhile, Gerry was being driven to the mansion after waking up “feeling like a million bucks.”
Joan thanked Gerry for the first deep romantic connection she’s felt since her husband passed and explained her situation. “I understand. I get it. But I cant tell you how disappointed I am,” he said with tears in his eyes. “I was so excited this morning I was out of bed dancing. I was thrilled that we had a conversation like we did and there’s a moral compass that we both share and sometimes the right thing to do is the hardest.” The two hugged, cried, and said goodbye. Even after Joan left the mansion, Gerry remained outside sobbing.
Gerry And Ellen’s One-On-One Recap: “Have You Ever Been Kissed At 100 Ft?“
Despite Gerry’s heartbreak, he remained committed to the journey and put on a snazzy blue jacket for a one-on-one date with Ellen. Fashion designer Michael Costello walked into the mansion and brought Ellen to “Dress Paradise” where she had a little fashion show and picked a fairytale pink dress for a day of being pampered, Gerry style.
“Ellen is the one that I can be most myself with,” Gerry told cameras. “But will there be a more romantic connection?” The two pregamed the main event by chatting about their wedding days, past partners, and more. Gerry revealed that he and his wife didn’t have a honeymoon because they were “broke” — so broke they invited their parents for visits because they knew they’d bring them groceries. He gifted Ellen a gorgeous pair of earrings and swept her away to a hot air balloon, where he asked, “Have you ever been kissed at 100 feet?” before planting a big smooch on her lips. “There’s something about her personality that pulls me in,” he told cameras. “She could be the one I spend the rest of my life with.” Needless to say, Ellen got the rose.
Happy (And Sad) Hour
Throughout Episode 3, mostly one-sided tension between Kathy and one of Gerry’s favorite gals Theresa had been building, because Theresa couldn’t stop gushing about her memorable Episode 2 date, which made Kathy understandably sad and insecure. Ahead of the cocktail party, Kathy’s friend April asked the women to keep their mouths shut if they have intimate moments with Gerry out of respect for everyone involved, and Theresa wondered if the comment was directed at her.
While April was telling Theresa that Kathy was upset, Kathy was tearing up in front of Gerry and claiming she experienced “a lot of meanness” over the week. America’s sweet angelic grandzaddy responded by telling Kathy her emotions were valid and giving her a rose ahead of the ceremony. Theresa asked to chat with Kathy, told her she loves her, and listened as Kathy explained how the date recaps made her feel dismissed.
“That’s the kind of stuff that sounds possessive and territorial,” Kathy said. Theresa left the conversation feeling horrible, and Gerry found her crying in a bedroom. “If in your heart you don’t believe you were doing anything to hurt someone, then I think you should let it go” he said.
The Golden Bachelor Rose Ceremony Recap: Who Went Home Episode 3?
Because The Golden Bachelor producers continue to do these seniors dirty, the group gathered for another STANDING — not sitting — rose ceremony where Faith got Gerry’s first rose and Theresa received his final rose. In addition to Joan, Edith and Christina went home in Episode 3. And just when it seemed the beef between Kathy and Theresa was squashed, Theresa leaned over to Kathy and shared TMI about her connection with Gerry…AGAIN.
“I think she’s a nice person, but I can’t figure out if she’s dumb as a rock or knows exactly what she’s doing,” Kathy told cameras. “I don’t want to take the gloves off. I don’t want to be mean. But zip your lips.” Will the feud continue? Only time will tell.
New episodes of The Golden Bachelor air on Thursdays from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC. Next-day streaming is available on Hulu. And be sure to read our interview with Gerry Turner for more Golden Bachelor tidbits.
