We open in Chase's hometown of Something Springs, Colorado, in the beautiful snow which is still not as gorgeous as Jojo herself. She says how much she is looking forward to hometowns and seeing if she clicks with the guys' families, and viewers throughout the nation with dysfunctional families feel hopeless about ever finding a mate as cute as Jojo. Chase, however, says that his parents had a bad divorce, and he will introduce Jojo to each parent separately. Then he and Jojo make out on a mountaintop, so rejoice, all ye with really messed up families!
We meet Chase's dad first, and he seems nice enough. He apparently is remarried with "lots of stepchildren" and has had "highs and lows" with Chase. Chase, on national TV, asks his dad why his first marriage didn't work out, which indicates that Chase still has what we call unresolved attachment issues. Chase's dad handles this question manfully, and Jojo says she now understands why Chase has trouble expressing his emotions and she likes seeing him so vulnerable. When Jojo leaves the room, Chase's dad asks him what if it doesn't work out, and he has learned that decisions affect lots of people, which totally is about divorcing with kids, versus anything going on here. Chase says he's all in and not worrying about the what if's, because anything his dad said, he'd say the opposite. But his dad didn't disappoint or embarrass him on TV, so all kids of divorce breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Now Jojo meets the rest of Jojo's family, and they enter a big loving home, unlike Chase's dad's solo appearance, so I guess she won the divorce. Jojo's mom is very gracious and complimentary towards Jojo, and the two ladies sit down and discuss Chase's inner life. Mom reassures Jojo that Chase has evolved and processed his grief about the divorce. Jojo says this is the kind of relationship she would want with a MIL, and most women would want nothing more than to dissect their husband's emotional internal life with a likeminded woman.
Chase and his sister talk about how he never wants to disappoint anyone like his dad disappointed them, and they talk about how hard it is for them to say "I love you" after witnessing the divorce. This whole interlude is like a massive cautionary tale against contentious divorces, which you can read more about here in a shameless plug for my book. Chase's mom sits down and talks and cries with him, and we can see that they are really close, and that he picked mom's side in the divorce pretty overtly. When walking her out to the car, Chase finally tells Jojo he's falling in love with her, and she seems happy about it, or at least not repulsed, but her lack of obvious joy makes me think Chase isn't going to be her husband.
Next up is Jordan's hometown of Chico, CA. They make out and he shows her his high school, site of his former football glory, emphasis on the word "former." The marquee says "Welcome home, Jordan and Jojo," so awwwww. They walk around, and he talks about never having had a highschool sweetheart, and how nice it is to walk around with Jojo, who is hotter than any highschool sweetheart ever. They discuss the fact that Jordan has no relationship with his brother Aaron, and Jojo asks if that will be a topic that is discussed at the visit, and he says no. Because leave it alone Jojo. She seems worried about his family dynamic, because her own brothers suck and she wants to marry into a perfect family that will redeem her life.
Jojo and Jordan approach his house with her bearing a tremendous bouquet. They both seem nervous, as he apparently never brings girls home. Jordan's brother, who shall be called Nameless because he might as well be, is weird looking and his girlfriend looks like a kewpie doll. Jordan's mom talks about Jordan trying to run away from home as a small child, and how "cute" that is, and not at all indicative of childhood anguish. Jojo continues to fixate on why Aaron isn't involved in the family, and asks Jordan's other brother, Nameless, about it. Nameless says he's impressed that Jordan shared his feelings about Aaron with her. Aaron is the one who's famous, right? So isn't it kind of declasse for Jojo to be so open about wanting him to be involved with the family again, just so she could meet him and stuff?
Jojo discusses that she loves Jordan for himself, not because he's someone's brother, which means she protests too much. Jordan and his mom discuss how happy he is with Jojo, and he says, "You and dad set the bar so high for what love is and what it should be." I hope that one day my kids discuss their love lives with me this touchingly, on national TV. Jojo and Jordan canoodle, and she says she's scared that he won't commit to her in the long run. But he's hot so she glosses over this qualm.
Next, in Florida, Jojo is excited to spend the day with Robbie and his pink shirt. He has her whistle and then a horse and carriage comes out of nowhere to whisk them away. Romance points for the Robster. They discuss how he loves her and blah blah. They meet Robbie's big loving family, who find her "adorable." Jojo tells Robbie's mom that he is "the most in touch with his feelings" out of all the guys, and she asks the mom about Robbie's ex and whether he is ready to be engaged. She tells the mom that she is falling in love with Robbie, and that she hasn't said that to anyone else. So she wants this to be her new MIL. Robbie and his mom sit down together and she tells him that the ex is making up rumors that he only dumped her to go on the show. He gets upset.
Robbie and Jojo sit down and he tells her that, gasp, people are saying he's "not here for the right reasons." She is anxious about trusting him in light of this new "evidence" that he left his ex only for the show. He insists that it's not true and she slapped him after a fight and he'll never talk to her again. He seems really distraught. I believe him. He says he thinks she is his future, and that he thinks he knows how she feels about him. But as she drives away in the limo in the rain, he voices-over his anxiety and fear that she won't be into him. Poor guy. I like Robbie, and not just because he's hot. Okay maybe it's because he's hot.
Next date is with Luke in Texas. His whole family is at a tremendous cookout, including fifty of his closest friends. Extroverts, man. They are something else. After this barbecue with more guests than my wedding, Luke sits down with his dad and they discuss life, love, and marriage. His dad chokes up telling Luke what a good job he did serving his country, and they say I love you to each other. Aww, manly father-son love.
Jojo jokes around with the fam, and then Luke pulls her away for some one-on-one romantic time. They get on some Texas horses and ride away to sit together and talk about the day. He says he hopes she felt like she fit in, and every time he's with her, his "heart gets more and more in awe." She cries from happiness and then they walk out into a field where there is a heart that he made out of roses, with a path lit by candles, and he tells her, "I want you to know my heart is yours, my heart is out there for you." This guy's heart is really a central focus of these conversations.
Rose ceremony at an airplane hangar, so the unwanted can be swiftly flown away. Jojo gets out of the limo in a dress that's as blue as her heart when she has to say bye bye to Chase. Because that's my prediction. Except she says it will be Luke, backstage. But now Luke asks to talk to her for a second, before she starts to hand out roses. So wait, does he know she's going to pick him to leave. And he tells her he's in love with her, versus the stuff he was saying before about his heart. Now will she have the cajones to dump him? She says she was waiting to hear him say that. So maybe now she'll dump Chase?
She dissolves in tears, and this will be continued next time, in a special two part episode, both Monday and Tuesday night. Oh Tuesday night is the stupid men tell all episode that I hate, because it's a waste of a week, but not this time! Smart move, ABC. And till we meet again, I remain, The Blogapist Who Says, At Least We'll See Chad Again.
This post was originally published here on Dr. Psych Mom. Follow Dr. Rodman on Dr. Psych Mom, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Order her book, How to Talk to Your Kids about Your Divorce: Healthy, Effective Communication Techniques for Your Changing Family. Learn about Dr. Rodman's private practice here. This blog is not intended as diagnosis, assessment, or treatment, and should not replace consultation with your medical provider.