The Bachelor Ben Flajnik Visits Courtney's Family in Scottsdale with Mixed Results

The Bachelor Ben Flajnik was off to see the wizards. Well, the wizards as far as the families who have been hidden up until now, but who are behind the women who still interest this California wine maker on the ABC reality show many viewers consider their most important guilty pleasure.

As these fans know, this week was all about home town dates, with everyone who is intrigued by this TV dating show wondering what will happen in Scottsdale when Ben meets evil Courtney's family. Will they be a den of vampires? Will Court's parent's live in a coven? Wait, and see.

Menwhile, it's one to the first stop that isn't Arizona. No, it's Ocala, Florida, the town from whence Lindzi hails. Although she lives in Seattle, this is where her kin have settled and this is where the horsewoman who showed up to meet Bachelor Ben on a stead during the initial gathering of all the female hopefuls can ride to her heart's content.

And so it's no surprise that Ben and Lindzi have a horsey date, one in which her sweet mount takes the pair around the track is a carriage. Yep. That whole romantic idea that riding in a horse-drawn vehicle will last as a memory forever was the ploy here.

Then there's the predictable picnic in the grass where sweet nothings are whispered between The Bachelor and the becoming Lindzi.

Then it's show time as Ben meets Lindzi's parents, Margy and Harry. This happens in the backyard where talk turned to an old romance and Lindzi's mom and dad's marriage at San Francisco City Hall, the same exact place where Ben and Lindzi enjoyed their very first date.

Coincidences aside, Harry and Margy egg Ben on for a carriage race, which ends when Lindzi and her suitor must carry the parents back to the home front. Talk of horses and cheerleading ensues, after which time Bachelor Ben asks Linda's father for permission if or when he decided to propose. Talk about premature! In any case, Ben does not get a direct answer but he does learn that he is a "nice young man."

S'mores late, Ben kisses Lindi goodbye--for now--but not before commenting that he may be "in love" with this Floridian. Hmmm.

The next destination for Bachelor Ben is Clarksville, Tennessee which is where Kacie B meets her would-be lover on Buster Boguskie Field. A lot of razzle dazzle hails our hero with a marching band, all while rain starts to ball. Oh, and Kacie is, of course, twirling her baton.

Although a bit trite in the way of welcoming someone you lust, er, love to meet your family, the fact is that this very football field is named after Kacie's grandfather.

After a bit of talk about her grandparents who are now deceased, Ben and Kacie call on the lady's father Denny, her mother Martha, and her sibling Allison, the latter of whom learns from her sister that Flajnick is her "future husband." OK.

Ben and dad Denny have a talk, winemaker to tee totaler. It doesn't go well (go figure), especially when the father says, "Don't rush into anything." Then Ben blabs, "…I do have strong feelings for your daughter and some of these other women also, and that's why this is so difficult."

You think?

Denny throws down the gauntlet at that particular exclamation and tells The Bachelor that Ben better not hurt his kid, so he should tell her if she's not "the one." As for mom, well Martha isn't any more convinced than her husband that this is the guy for their Kacie.

To make a very long segment of The Bachelor short, this may be the last train to Clarksville for Ben since it looks like Kacie may not be long for the show, at least not if she wants to keep her family in her life. Because, when all is said and done, if Ben asks for her hand, dad is going to say no and if his daughter says yes then it's rift city for this close clan.

The third day means a trip to Texas where, in Fort Worth, The Bachelor is welcomed by Nicki and two go shopping for some proper Western gear. Ben isn't exactly fit for modeling his big hat and kick ass boots for anyone other than his girl number three (and the entire television audience who sees him) but he does have a laugh at his own expense, realizing this isn't the look for him.

As regular watcher may remember, Nicki is divorced so her parents are particularly sensitive to the needs of their vulnerable daughter. As soon as the couple arrives at the old homestead, mom Laura takes her daughter aside for some serious talk. And, yes, Nicki tells her parent that she is, indeed, "in love" and that not only would Ben be the perfect life partner, but the perfect father as well.

But she doesn't stop there. Nicki eventually tells Ben that she loves him. Yep, she utters the l-word right then and there, at her parent's home at the end of a very long day and a very long week for The Bachelor.

And so now it's time to get the last but not least home town date over with. But this is probably the one everyone has been waiting for so here goes Ben to visit the disastrous Countney in Scottsdale, Arizona.

At the get-go, Courtney confesses to The Bachelor that perhaps she should have been kinder to the other women bidding for his attention (you think?).

With that said but not necessarily since, it's off to lunch with Courtney's father Rick, her mother Sherry, and her sister Rachel.

The meal time jabber is typical of any conversation you might hear on the TV reality show, minus much interaction with the actual person with whom Courtney is supposed to be ready to marry. This is one self-involved family and they don't seem impressed by The Bachelor, especially mom who says right to camera, "I'd be very surprised if she is in love with him."

Other scenes have Courtney and Rachel jawing with each other while Ben listens to Rick's lessons in love.

Courtney's dad says, "I always tell young people that marriage is life's biggest gamble. There's only a fifty percent chance of winning."

Great information for someone who is on a television show for the vary purpose of getting married. But then again, this is Courtney father speaking.

The visit was no without some drama in the form of this bachelorette urging her future husband (she thinks) that they should practice writing wedding vows. Then Ben is instructed to read those vows in a faux ceremony. Whatever.

After that fourth and final (and very strange) home town visit, it's time for Bachelor Ben to get rid of one of these women. He has to narrow his list down to three and so Lindzi, Nikki, Courtney and Kacie line up to find out who is not going to get that rose on Monday night's show.

At the end of the day (and the episode), Kacie is thrown under the bus by The Bachelor Ben. Of course, she's devastated and says in the limo--through tears--that she knew she was going to be eliminated and she is not sure why.

Whatever the real reason is not divulged but what is is that the rest of the group are going to Switzerland to continue the wining, dining and whatever else happens in this romantic European winter wonderland.

And so, with that said, stayed tuned next time for some more travel adventures with The Bachelor Ben Flajnick and some definite antics from Courtney. After all has been said, done, and then some, she remains the frontrunner on this ABC reality show who constantly reminds everyone she's "winning."

Image: Logo, The Bachelor, courtesy ABC

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