‘Bachelorette’ recap: Leave the family therapy to Dr. Phil Dean’s family visit was the most cringeworthy moment of the whole season

Hometown visits are great because they provide a great dose of reality — a nice break from reality TV. Some really organic moments happened Monday night, like this one. I love black people so much:

That moment when… well, anything great happens. #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/nFg83iuRnv

— The Bachelorette (@BacheloretteABC) July 18, 2017

Eric’s family visit was a great way to highlight the monolithic black community trope and smash it. Eric and Rachel are from two completely different backgrounds, and that was showcased last night in a really authentic way. For example, Eric’s seamless code-switching. Eric took Rachel to the decidedly rougher side of Baltimore, but there was nothing rough about this family visit. Sure, there were some unresolved parental issues (“A lot of men don’t reach for the stars because they reach for the thing next to them: their mother,” is a nice way of saying sorry I never hugged you as a child. Not.) But it was presented correctly. It didn’t turn into a whole therapy session. Maybe it did, but Rachel — and America — were shielded from the more private moments. It’s too bad that Eric isn’t going to win (I think), because his family is an absolute gem.

Give Eric's family their own damn show. Like if Rachel doesn't pick him, give him a show where they help him find a woman. #TheBachelorette

— Janet Mock (@janetmock) July 18, 2017

Bryan’s family though … not so much. It’s not that his family is awful, but his mom was laying it on pretty thick — we get it, he’s your baby, your pride and joy, your precious, blah, blah, blah.

Rachel's laughing but something tells me Bryan's mom is dead serious about killing her #TheBachelorette

— Tierra R. Wilkins (@Yerraaa) July 18, 2017

But family aside, we still don’t know the real Bryan. He’s going to win, I can feel it in my bones. But Bryan, who are you, and why do you like Rachel? When his mom asked him about what he likes about Rachel, he kept it painfully generic. Bryan is in it to win it, but that may come back to hurt him in the long run. He’s been so focused on the hunt, he hasn’t taken time to bare his soul or connect with Rachel on a deeper level. All they do is make out, and I’m sick of it!

Dear Rachel,
Peter is life. Don't mess this up with wanting a proposal immediately.

Sincerely,
The world #TheBachelorette

— Shan (@shani_brewsy) July 18, 2017

On to Peter, Rachel’s true love. Unlike Bryan, Peter is taking his time, and his honesty is making Bachelor nation weep into their wineglasses all across America. Peter isn’t putting on any airs about falling in love or getting down on one knee. Gap-toothed bae is taking his time. Rachel, girl, I’m gonna need you to slow your roll and realize what you’ve got in your hands. He’s got a great, normal family. He’s great with kids. And he’s graying better than George Clooney ever could. I wish more seasons of The Bachelor/ette ended like every other dating show: with a date! A real date! A strongly worded commitment, even! But no, Rachel wants a husband.

https://twitter.com/PrincessProbz/status/887115822841421829

Remember how Eric’s family issues were edited wonderfully? Well, Dean’s hometown visit was the exact opposite. What a mess for everyone involved. Another shining example of the rather embarrassing job the editors have done this season. Dean has unresolved issues with his dad and is arguably even more stressed about the visit than Rachel is. Having grown up in a stable two-parent household, Rachel doesn’t seem to get it. Poor Dean was forced to rehash his father’s absenteeism on national television in what was the most uncomfortable 10 minutes in the history of the show.

Why are they showing this. This is a very private conversation that does not need to be shown& has nothing to do w the show #TheBachelorette

— Larissa Harsh (@MissLariss10) July 18, 2017

ABC we can fight for making dean go through this for publicity #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/qxmgSM8E5H

— ray (@itbray) July 18, 2017

And on top of that, he went home! After Rachel said she’s falling for him (and nobody else)! The fact that Dean and his father didn’t hug it out clearly fell short of Rachel’s expectations, because, again, she doesn’t get it. Not everyone has to be BFFs with their parents, Rach. It sucks that Dean had to pay the price, but right now Rachel is focused on clearing the way for Bryan to win, so y’all gotta go at some point.