Spoilers are ahead. The Bachelorette Hometowns episode moved speedily through Blake Moynes' and Justin Glaze's dates so it could properly allow the final hour to be All Greg Grippo, All The Time. Even that wasn't long enough to help viewers (and Katie Thurston) figure out what the hell was going on with Grippo. We're not done with the Jersey boy just yet, because the promo for the finale confirms that it's still the Greg Grippo show — even if he's supposedly leaving.
What started as a great family introduction date turned sour when Grippo confessed his love for Thurston, and she didn't react the way he expected her to. Their talk went so poorly that Grippo followed up on the conversation the next day. Things went from bad to worse when Grippo started to realize that he and Thurston weren't communicating at all over what was bothering him. "There’s obviously a disconnect here," Grippo said. Cue Thurston confirming this by saying. "I can’t even comprehend like what it is you're trying to say right now."
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After a convoluted conversation that was hard for everyone — including Grippo and Thurston — to follow, Grippo decided he wasn't getting what he needed from Thurston. "Who cares about the rose," he said. "If it’s not real, it’s not real." He then proclaimed to Thurston that he was "done." Despite Thurston (kinda?) trying to get him to stay, Greg stormed away from her. Thurston then locked herself in the bathroom and proclaimed that she, too, wanted to go home — but we know she doesn't. The promo shows that she sticks around long enough to welcome her family and to potentially choose between Moynes and Glaze. But the Grippo situation is far from over.
bachelor nation trying to follow along with greg and katie’s conversation like#TheBachelorette #bachelorette pic.twitter.com/jzIO3aTeBg
— bridgie (@bridgieloughlin) August 3, 2021
We are still owed a tearful limo exit from Grippo. We also haven't yet seen the teased conversation in multiple season trailers between host Tayshia Adams and a mystery person about leaving if “they’re not ready for this.” It's likely we'll see Grippo at least once more. It's guaranteed, however, that viewers will hear a lot more about him. An emotional Thurston is shown in the finale preview talking about how her love for Grippo was real. Plus, the other two men still need to be informed of his exit. Moynes was shown lamenting that if Thurston's heart is still with Grippo, then what is the point for the rest of them.
Us Weekly reported that Thurston's season wrapped filming early, with a source claiming that the schedule was based on Thurston's decisions. "Katie was in control and made sure the men she wanted were there and the men she wasn’t interested in, she sent packing,” the source said. It now seems like it was Grippo's departure that hastened the timeline. With Grippo gone, Thurston may have decided to send both of her remaining men home or his self-elimination may have illuminated the Bachelorette's preference for Moynes or Glaze.
On Desiree Hartsock's Bachelorette season, she was blindsided when her top choice Brooks Forester left ahead of Fantasy Suites. While some may have thought there was no way she could have switched so quickly to one of the other men, Hartsock viewed the situation differently. Hartsock's devastation over Forester's exit helped her see the rock who'd been there for her all along: Chris Siegfried. She ultimately picked Siegfried and the two have been married for six years.
Glaze and Moynes are allowed to question whether Thurston is truly over Grippo, but if she does pick one of them on finale night, it doesn't mean they were necessarily her second choice. Thurston may just have needed Grippo to move aside for her true feelings to become clear. Or... maybe she's still hung up on Grippo and we'll have a Peter Weber/Hannah Ann Sluss/Madison Prewett situation. But I'm tired, so fingers crossed it's the former.