Bachelor nation was blessed with not one but two episodes of the show this week. So grab your wine and tune in for a full recap of this rendition.

Episode 1: Hello Malta

For this episode, Joey and the girls headed to Malta, a European island in the Mediterranean Sea. 

Lexi’s one-on-one

Lexi, the 30-year-old digital strategist from Atlanta, was picked first for the one-on-one in Malta. The couple spent the day exploring the country, sightseeing and food tasting. 

Watching the couple explore the city was so sweet, and the two shared some very sweet chemistry. 

At the end of the date, Lexi revealed to Joey over dinner that she suffers from Stage 5 Endometriosis, meaning she may struggle with fertility. 

Lexi choosing to share this struggle was very strong of her, and I can’t imagine the thoughts that were going through her mind during the dinner. Joey’s response was very mature and reassuring, and the date ended with Lexi receiving a rose. 

The two-on-one

In this episode, we got to see a two-on-one date, which never fails to leave viewers with their jaws dropped. Maria and Sydney were chosen to venture out on a date with Joey, with the intention of Joey finally getting clarification on the drama between the two.

With a two-on-one date, only one person gets a rose. The other is sent home. 

Sydney got her shot with Joey first, where she, once again, accused Maria of attacking her and others in the house. Maria followed up, stood her ground and asked Joey to be honest about his trust in her.

You’ll have to watch the show for the full drama sesh — but let me say, Sydney has got the gaslighting thing DOWN.

At the end of the date, Joey sat down for dinner with the two girls, where he gave them each one more chance to make peace. In the end, Joey told Sydney he could not give her the rose and walked her out.

Maria got the rose, making it to the next round. Sydney is headed home to see her cats – goodbye and good riddance. 

The rose ceremony resulted in Edwina and Allison being sent home. I liked both Edwina and Allison, so I was sad to see them go. 

Episode Two: Welcome to Andalusia

For the second part of the two-part special, the bachelor and his women traveled to Andalusia, Spain, for the week. I’d like to go on the show solely for the opportunity to travel (I’m jealous). 

Kelsey T. was picked for the first date, where she and Joey spent the afternoon exploring the city. The pair wined and dined the day away. 

The pair seemed to really hit it off, and I can see Kelsey T. going very far in the show. 

Also, her hair?? Unbelievable.

After the date, Kelsey shared the pains of losing her mother to cancer and how that impacted her. Joey gave her a rose, as he should.

An artistic group date

The group date consisted of the women unleashing their inner artist, as they were challenged to paint a picture that describes their feelings about Joey.

Joey created an image of a man holding a ring and shared a sweet message. The date was overall pretty uneventful and peaceful.

Jess’s painting earned her extra time with Joey, where the couple changed into bathing suits and painted a white sheet – and each other. 

Maria earned herself the group date rose as Joey felt the two had finally reconnected after the drama.

The final one-on-one

Rachel, the 26-year-old nurse from Honolulu, was chosen for the second one-on-one date, where the couple watched and then joined in on a flamenco show. Viewers got to see Joey make a fashion statement with shorts and high-heeled boots.

The pair seemed to have a lot of fun together, and Joey expressed he felt the passion and chemistry with Rachel, and she earned herself a rose. 

At dinner, Rachel expressed the challenges of being in a relationship with a nurse and what that would look like with Joey. The date ended in yet another smooch, of course.

The high-tension cocktail party and rose ceremony

Even with Sydney out of the house, the drama with Maria still didn’t fail to take over. Jess led the evening this time.

After Maria (who already has a rose) interrupted a private moment with Joey, Jess expressed her anger for Maria’s actions.

This ultimately led to a blowout between Jess and Maria, with a few occasional remarks and smirks from Lea, of course. 

The rose ceremony resulted in Autumn and Madina being sent home. Both were, in my opinion great girls, but they just didn’t have as much chemistry with Joey as the other girls do.

In next week’s episode, the crew travels to Montreal, Canada, so we will see if the drama dies down.

Kelsie Horner is assistant managing editor. Contact her at [email protected].