Bachelor, March 31: Can a Furbee Be a True Villainess?

This is the forth season of The Bachelor I have watched, thanks to my girlfriend, P.J. As you have probably deduced, The Bachelor was her call, and though I could get up off the couch and read a book, I've grown to enjoy the show, and P.J.'s running critique of the cast.

This go round, the bachelor, Matt Grant, hails from jolly ol' England. The strapping six foot five global financier / rugby player resembles a younger Christopher Reeve. In any case, he got P.J.'s nod as a fitting stud. In her estimation, however, he is not as dreamy as the bachelor from a few seasons ago, Lt. Andy Baldwin. I have to admit, there was something about a man in uniform to set the heart aflutter, and Grant's rugby outfit looked girlish compared to Lt. Andy's navy whites.

What was missing this season was a proper villainess until Robin, from Holland, Michigan, stepped forward this week to fill the role. I always wonder how much of the conflict on the show is due to creative editing. With her short quaffed hair and pearly whites dominating her round face, Robin looks more like a Furbee than an evil step sister. The tiara wearing contestant, her name escapes me, from a previous season, with her slurry, yet salty rebukes, got more into character. That's what I like!

This week, nine of the ladies joined Grant in a half-hearted rugby match that ended when tiny Marshana, a fashion designer from New York, split her lip. The remainder of contestants pouted on the field as Grant helped apply an icepack. Not much high drama here, but spilled blood is always a plus.

The spotlight, this week, shined on Shayne, a twenty-two year old actress, and daughter of actor Lorenzo Lammas, who admitted it, "Took a leap of faith," to be on the show. Shayne is a stand-out beauty, with her bleached and tanned Malibu look, and she admitted to being "high maintenance." I don't think Grant was concerned about the maintenance cost as their one on one evening date at a winery-lodge wore on. This is typical of The Bachelor or should the show be called The Opportunist. Shayne's speech became visibly slurred as Grant opted to surprise her with a rose, a signal that the contestant will stay on the show for the next episode.

"She's drunk," P.J. said from the other end of the couch.

"You think," I replied.