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Meredith Busts Broncs, Chops on 'The Bachelorette'
By Rick Porter
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
10:43 PM PT
 We're two weeks into the second edition of "The Bachelorette," and it's been educational so far. Some lessons from Wednesday's (Jan. 21) episode: When predicting who's getting sent home, smart money is on the guys who, when you see them on screen, make you go "Which one's he again?"This Meredith seems like a pretty cool chick. We had glimpses from her time on "The Bachelor," but now that she's in the center of things, she's showing herself to be more than the tall, pretty woman whose grandmother died while she was filming "The Bachelor." She appears unafraid to be herself in front of the cameras, and by extension, the 15 million or so people watching. She calls high-maintenance guy Rick (no relation) on his picky ways, then proceeds to whup his behind at bowling, something "The Rules" (remember that anachronistic man-landing bible?) would consider anathema. Likewise, when pharmaceutical salesman Brad goes all Lloyd Dobler during some one-on-one time and can't stop talking, she tells him to slow the heck down. This is a woman with whom a fella could share a beer. It's okay for a guy to out himself as a metrosexual -- particularly if he's already established some rapport with a woman -- but he would be wise to hold off on saying he pictures a woman carrying his child, at least on the first date.The latter is just good sense, but hockey player Harold illustrates the point on the first group date, in which he, Marcus, Brad, Matt, Chad, Ryan M. and Sean accompany Meredith to the desert for some ATV action. Harold was just trying to emphasize the fact that he felt something for Meredith, but she pronounces herself "freaked out a little" at the idea.Next up for Meredith is the one-on-one date she bestowed on Rick -- the slipper guy from last week's show -- by virtue of giving him a white rose at the first boot-off. They head to a fat Beverly Hills mansion that is now the rented home of Michael Jackson. What one guy needs with 37,000 square feet is not mine to say, but I digress.During the date, Rick proclaims himself a metrosexual, then confirms his self-diagnosis by rejecting a proffered beverage in favor of a "California oak chardonnay" and flicking the basil off his Caprese salad during dinner.He acquits himself a little better when the two go bowling on the house's private lanes, although his pregame smack talk stirs up Meredith's competitive side and she beats him, 128-113. Still, she's the one who makes the move to kiss him -- her first televised lip-lock -- on the way home.The second group date is with Todd, Ian, Lanny, Ryan R., Eliot, Damon and Robert on a ranch. As astute "Bachelor" viewers will recall, Meredith is none too comfortable around horses, but Texas cowboy Lanny steps in to help ease her fears.It being a ranch and all, there's a rodeo-ish contest that involves herding a certain cow into a pen to win some alone time with Meredith. Funny man Todd wins it and shows a little of his personality -- plus a bitchin' western shirt -- to Meredith, who's happy to find out her first impression of him as a shy guy was wrong.Rose night comes, and there's little suspense, given that we've barely even glimpsed a couple of the guys so far. Meredith is refreshingly honest about her selection, saying the 15 men "are all good guys in their own right, but right for me? Not all of them."Roses go to Todd, Lanny, Rick, Chad, both Ryans, Brad, Sean, Ian and Matt. Baby-dreaming Harold, Marcus, Damon, Robert and Eliot are sent home, none with too much on-camera fuming.That apparently comes next week, when a thus far pixellated guy goes off after being rejected. That's the stuff we like.
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