‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 7, Episode 6 Recap: Brendan and Pieper Are the New Villains of the Beach
Everyone knows that gaining Instagram followers comes into consideration when deciding whether to take part in a season of Bachelor in Paradise. But the unspoken rule is that you’re not supposed to talk about it on camera. Brendan Morais and newcomer Pieper James broke that rule last night and their co-stars (and fans) aren’t happy about it.
Episode 6 focused on two main love triangles: Joe Amabile, Serena Pitt, and Kendall Long, and Brendan, Pieper, and Natasha Parker. Here’s what happened.
Kendall and Joe have a talk
We learned at the end of the last episode that Kendall had returned to Paradise, but her intentions were unclear. On the daybed where they had their first-ever conversation, the former couple reminisced about the memories they’d made on the beach.
“The main thing I’m trying to say is it’s really difficult for me to go from being each other’s everything to just being nothing,” Kendall told Joe.
“But it didn’t go like that,” he argued, going on to remind her that he came back to Los Angeles to try and convince her to move to Chicago with him. But Kendall didn’t want to leave her home state.
In an interview with producers, Joe said: “I think it’s pretty clear that Kendall still loves me. But I don’t know if I still love Kendall. I have something going on with Serena that I don’t just want to throw away.”
When Joe spoke to Serena about his conversation with his ex, he told her he’s unclear about Kendall’s intentions. “I want to keep going on the pace that we’re going,” he told his new love interest. So the two decided to proceed with caution. Since Kendall was there to stay (“to find love”), Serena requested that if Joe discovered he had any feelings left for Kendall, he tell Serena so she can move on.
Pieper joins the cast of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ and Natasha gets to the bottom of Brendan’s lies
When Pieper walked down the steps to join the rest of the Bachelor in Paradise cast, Brendan lit up like a Christmas tree. She entered, of course, with a date card in hand. And without talking to any other men, she asked Brendan to accompany her.
On the date, Brendan filled Pieper in on what had taken place on the beach so far. He told her what he told his fellow cast members after they’d confronted him about dating Pieper before Paradise. After Brendan’s recount, Pieper said, “I just feel like you’re kind of downplaying what we had.” In an interview with producers she said, “I don’t know why we’re talking like we’ve never met before.” Brendan then explained to Pieper that he “can’t have a girlfriend” when he enters Paradise. “I was navigating this in a way to hopefully, potentially be here while you’re here. You already know how I feel about you.”
About Natasha, Brendan said, “she had zero prospects” other than him.
After their date, Brendan and Pieper were immediately coupled up. Natasha asked to speak with Pieper about her relationship with Brendan. Pieper gave different information than Brendan had. She told Natasha they had hung out about 10 times prior to Paradise (Brendan had told her they’d seen each other twice). She also told Natasha she’d visited Brendan in Boston.
“I feel like a casualty in his convoluted plan… I was played 100%,” said Natasha.
Then Natasha spoke to Brendan. He told her that he “specifically” told her that he didn’t have romantic feelings for her. “You didn’t say that, though,” said Natasha. Then he told her she had “selective hearing” and Natasha laughed. Again, Brendan inferred that, without him, Natasha would have had no other prospects. “Who would you have explored?” he asked her.
“You don’t have to act like you care anymore,” she said, exiting the conversation. “The act is over.”
A little later, we see Brendan and Pieper on a daybed attempting to quietly talk about their Instagram followers. Brendan suggested that it was great for Pieper that her name was brought up so many times before she even arrived.
The other ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ couples: Noah and Abigail; Kenny, Mari, Tia, and Demi
After their talk last episode, Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer both decided they want to keep pursuing one another. “I don’t see a reason to ruin a good thing,” said Noah. “It just made me realize how much I care about you,” Abigal agreed. They kissed on it to seal the deal.
And then there’s Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin-Solis and Demi Burnett and Tia Booth. Right after Kenny arrived back from his date with Tia, Mari pulled him aside and told him, “I still obviously really like you.” He told her that he’ll talk with her tomorrow. To a producer, he said, “The Mari situation is different than the other ones because there is something special.”
After his talk with Mari, Demi pulled Kenny aside to talk to him about everything. He told her that he had a fun time with Tia and that he’d spoken again with Mari. “He’s like obsessed with [Mari] in some weird f—– up way,” she told producers.
After that conversation, Kenny told the camera: “I’ve got Demi possibly gonna cut my throat and wear my face as a mask.”
The episode ended without a rose ceremony.
