It's Bananas!

Her love for country music is her downfall in more ways than one...

Oh, Jillian....dear, sweet, innocent, stupid stupid stupid Jillian. Can you really really not look at Wes and not see the slime dripping off his skin and the evil in his smile? Have there really not been enough warning signs telling you this is a pretty bad start to a new relationship? What about Jake, the most stand-up guy in the universe coming to tell you that the dude is a lying sack of dog shit - now do you not think maybe it's time to call it a day? Nope. Not our girl. She just sits back, lets herself get manipulated over and over again, and we have sit and watch that weasel as he does it.

Don't get me wrong -- I know it's easy to be watching from my safe objective living room and saying all this. And we've all been fooled by jerks in our day - in our 20s maybe...BUT, I'm also sure that none of us have been simultaneously dating 4 other guys we were pretty damn sure were completely crazy about us at the same time that we were dating the jerk. I mean, she even said, "Do I trust the perfect guy or the bad boy?" Really? There's a question? No one is saying you have to date Jake but the man is practically a superhero. He saves babies and kittens in his spare time - he's not lying. And Wes - uch. That man!!!! Her attraction to him really makes me wonder if she's as together as she seems. Or maybe he just really is that convincing.

The worst part was when we finally met his family (after he manipulated Jillian into it) and it turned out to be a family made up entirely of females. So of course the guy knows how to play women! He grew up in a family full of them!! And there they were, all sitting around, giggling and worshipping Wes, laughing at how all other guys are nothing compared to his greatness. The guy's been convinced he hung the moon from the day he was born so he may not even realize how manipulative he is! Truly scary.

The return of....Ed? Can we get this guy a better name??

But of course many other things happened last night...Holy surprise Ed appearance!! That man is super attractive - he gets more handsome every time I see him and it's kind of surprising. He's just a surprise all around! I was happy for Jillian because I knew she needed the esteem boost after the whole awful Wes vs. Jake humiliation. And she really took Ed's leaving badly. So I'm thrilled he's back in the mix. I just think it's funny that he was all like, "I made a big mistake, I missed you, etc." No, dude - you made sure your job was secure, and you came back! Totally understandable.

Alas, my prediction was correct - no more darling young Michael.

As for the hometown dates, can we just say that Michael is the sweetest, cutest, funnest guy with the sweetest and funnest family? And he is going to make someone soooo happy....eventually. He was just way too young to be settling down just yet. And how adorable that he had too big a crush to even realize it! Oh man, if I didn't already have my man -- and wasn't also Jillian's age, I'd be hopping on the subway to Astoria right now to find the dude.

Reid worried me a little on his hometown date- only because his family was SO shocked to see him be even remotely affectionate with a girl. It made me question him a bit. Is he really being himself with Jillian? Or is it just really the first time he's fallen so hard for someone? I hope that's what it is...

And can we talk a moment about Kiptyn's family? I don't want to offend anyone. Well, that's not necessarily true....but am I the only one who thought they were insanely snobbish and obnoxious? To Kiptyn's credit, I don't see that in him at all -- but is Jillian really going to feel at home in that snooty, wealthy family? The whole thing had a very unpleasant and fake vibe that I thought was the antithesis of all things Jillian and it made me wonder about Kiptyn himself. I just hope she's keeping that in mind and not just thinking about getting in his pants.

The final four - finally.

Going forward, we really are down to the big gun guys -- all the ones she's really genuinely crazy about, which, sadly, very much includes Wes. I think Ed has to do some big time emotional catch-up to make up for all the time he missed. And Reid has to step up emotionally too. Kip seems to be able to do no wrong and can coast on the chemistry that knows no bounds. As for the devil in blue jeans, every week I hope is the week he shows his true colors, but he keeps showing 'em, and she keeps turning her head, so I don't know what has to happen to make her finally leave him rose-less. The thing I'm counting on now is the fact that I really don't think he's really all that into her! So maybe it won't be about him having a girlfriend or being there for the music or any of that crap....it will be that he's not showing enough emotion. And that will be the last straw -- I hope.

Michael - keep dancing.

See you next week guys!