SueTube – Let’s talk TV with critic Susan Young

Yes, I watched “The Bachelor” Monday night and was going to write something immediately about what happened. Then I thought, no, let’s see what Bradster has to say for himself when, or I guess if, he shows up for the “After the Final Rose” special last night.

Oh Brad, don’t be so sad

Guess the contract made him show up, but he didn’t cut loose with any real explanations. Like, why fly DeAnna’s dad out for the BIG MOMENT if you weren’t going to follow through?

Reality check here: Brad’s rich. He’s handsome. Brad doesn’t need to come on a reality show to find a wife, but the national exposure sure doesn’t hurt his Texas bar business.

But rather than write something up while still testy about Brad the cad, I decided to wait a bit to mull it over. Because I’m not really sure what I think of Brad Womack. At first, I saw somebody who just couldn’t take that final step to commitment. Honestly, I believed all along that he had the lust thing going for Bettina and liked laughing with Jenni. Either one provided great date material, but I never believed he seriously wanted to married either one.

In hindsight, it’s better for Jenni to get dumped now rather than later, right?

But DeAnna? Now that girl felt like a keeper to me.

What was it that scared him off? All we see is what the TV producers have edited for us, so maybe DeAnna had a little something that made Brad believe he didn’t really want to marry her. I think it was when she told him how she liked things done a certain way, and by golly get out of her way if things aren’t done to her liking.

Perhaps the honesty was too much.

DeAnna, it’s better to be dropped at the rose altar than the wedding altar

Or maybe Brad just realized that he wasn’t in love with any one of them, and it was ridiculous to keep acting as if he was. I can imagine the energy that gets whipped up in this type of atmosphere, and perhaps he got on a fast-moving train and almost made a mistake he’d regret the rest of his life.

After all, how many of these reality show romances really work out? OK, Trista and Ryan and Byron and Mary from “The Bachelor” and Rob ‘n Amber from “Survivor” and “Amazing Race” aside.

That’s not a great batting average in anyone’s book.

So I’m going to slide a tad over to Brad’s side. I think he did an honorable, and honest, thing when he opted to let the rose lie on the table. He just should have made that final decision BEFORE flying DeAnna’s dad out. (And don’t you just know that D’s dad wants to kick-his-ass).

Of course, this doesn’t help out “The Bachelor,” because now we know we can watch the whole thing and still not end up with Prince Charming breaking out the glass slipper.

Brad traveled to Walnut Creek and, in tonight’s episode, met with Sheena Stewart’s parents, Greg and Beverly.

We think Beverly was set up a bit by the producers, especially when it looked like Brad was rolling his eyes at her while she talked about him being a perfect fit for Sheena and something about the Big Dipper and the hot tub.

Beverly told bachelor Brad that “I see the chemistry” between them, but I’ve been thinking all along that Brad was just trying for twin brother Chad’s sake.

CHAD WOMACK posed as brother BRAD WOMACK, but Sheena wasn’t fooled

When Chad met Sheena, he felt she was someone his brother should pay attention to. And Brad tried, even saying that when he met the Stewarts he hoped they could “develop a nice connection.”

Not exactly the statement you make when you are about to meet the parents of a woman you are madly in love with.

Beverly and Greg were charming people, with Beverly remarking the two had been married for 24 years and were “lifers.” We’ve all seen the promos with Beverly telling Brad that “I know she’s THE ONE.”

We think it might have been better if Sheena and Chad had started dating. At this point, I’m more than a little worried about Brad’s continued infatuation with Bettina, who doesn’t seem like she’s all that into Brad.

And after the bout with the judgemental dad, mom and stepmom? Bettina’s dad Robert pronouncing that Brad was a “disappointment.” and Anne saying that she couldn’t believe her stepdaughter had “hooked up with a guy who owns a bunch of bars.”

“I feel like I’m being judged..I can only hear so much about how I don’t look good on paper,” Brad says.

Oh, really Brad? Then why did you give B a rose? Not your best move, my man.

DeANNA, SHEENA, BETTINA, JENNI

Our own sweet Sheena has made it into the final four.

Which means next week we get a chance to see how bachelor Brad fared in Walnut Creek with Sheena’s parents. From the previews, it looks like Sheena’s mom is quite a beauty, and a bit more outspoken than her kinda shy daughter.

JENNI, DeANNA, BETTINA, SHEENA , the Final Four

We honestly think it’s between DeAnna and Sheena for the final rose, with Bettina the b-dog getting unmasked by Brad next week. We could have told you about the B weeks ago, Brad. Jenni’s sweet, but we don’t see any sparks flying.

But first, we must talk Hillary and her monumental breakdown at the end of tonight’s show. Didn’t she catch a single vibe Brad was giving out during the four-girl pool party? He obviously looked at her like she was just a pal, and she read all the wrong signals.

Call the wahmbulance. Come on, girl. You’re a nurse. Get it together. Show of hands of anyone who would want her by your bedside after this little meltdown.

HILLARY and BRAD (Photo Craig Sjodin/ABC)

But back to our Sheena. The previews to this episode just loved showing her doing the banana peel slide down the stairs, but actually it wasn’t that bad. She did look fabulous in her diamond earrings Brad gave her. We got all Pretty Woman with that scene. Then when they danced outside with the orchestra playing, I mean gosh golly gee whiz, it doesn’t get any more romantic than that, does it?

I just wish he would stop saying how much his twin brother was smitten with Sheena. It’s almost like he’s trying to talk himself into liking her.

Hey, maybe if things don’t work out with Brad, Sheena can test drive the other twin.

Walnut Creek’s Sheena got another rose tonight, and things look rosy indeed for our local girl.

SHEENA gets a rose from BRAD

In a touching moment with bachelor Brad Womack, he said that she was “straightforward with her emotions tonight, and I like to see that.” He also mentioned how his twin brother, who tried the old switcheroo with the girls in an earlier episode, “opened his eyes” to what Sheena was all about.

Sheena was one of the bachelorettes who wasn’t fooled by the twin.

The herd is getting thinned pretty quickly now. Brad pared down the group from nine to six women tonight.

The final six are JENNI, KRISTY, BETTINA, BRAD WOMACK, HILLARY, SHEENA, DeANNA Photo by Karen Neal/ABC

Next week’s previews look pretty provocative. We see Sheena looking fabulous as she walks down the stairs for her one-on-one date with Brad. As the narrator says it is the most romantic date ever, we see poor Sheena slip on the stairs.

But the big fall next week seems to be Hillary. The previews mention a “dramatic departure.” Hopefully that means our Sheena is safe.

SHEENA may slip next week, but it’s HILLARY who takes the big fall

The 25 bachelorettes hoping to lasso rich Texan Brad Womack were revealed today, and one of them is from Walnut Creek.

Sheena, 23, is an internet marketing executive who wasn’t in the promos for the show, which begins at 9:30 Monday (Sept. 24) on ABC.

SHEENA got a picture on the ABC site. Does that mean she’s in the 15?

They do, however, mention an eye-catching beauty who has a secret past, an outspoken vixen dubbed “McNasty” and a devout Christian woman who is also a streaker.

The 90-minute opener cuts the herd down from 25 women to just 15 potential soul mates. In the premiere, one introduces herself in Greek, two talk freak sports injuries, an acupuncturist diagnoses him by examining his tongue and a news anchor decides to interview the bachelor in order to wow him.

And one shows off her webbed toes. Creepy.

The 25 women are:

Bettina, 27, a realtor who currently resides in Washington, DC.

DeAnna, 25, a realtor who currently resides in Neunan, GA.

Erin, 25, a publishing sales executive who currently resides in Tampa, FL.

Estefania, 26, an executive assistant who currently resides in Atlanta, GA.

Hillary, 27, a registered nurse who currently resides in Philadelphia, PA.

Jade, 24, a boutique sales worker who currently resides in Nashville, TN.

Jenni, 27, a Phoenix Suns cheerleader who currently resides in Wichita, KS.

Jessica, 27, a news anchor who currently resides in Lady Lake, FL.

Juli, 24, a law student who currently resides in Chicago, IL.

Kim, 31, a realtor who currently resides in Woodbridge, CT.

Kristy, 29, an acupuncturist, who currently resides in Chicago, IL.

Lindsey, 25, a model who currently resides in Livania, MI.

Lori, 33, a biology teacher who currently resides in Annapolis, MD.

Mallory, 24, a nanny who currently resides in Honolulu, HI.

Melissa, 28, an event planner who currently resides in Westchester, NY.

McCarten, 26, an account manager who currently resides in San Diego, CA.

Michele, 30, a realtor who currently resides in South Brunswick, NJ.

Morgan, 24, a graduate student who currently resides in Tempe, AZ.

Natalie, 25, a law student who currently resides in Duncanville, TX.

Rigina, 31, an account representative who currently resides in San Diego, CA.

Sarah, 23, a bar manager who currently resides in O’Fallon, IL.

Sheena, 23, an internet marketing executive who currently resides in Walnut Creek, CA.

Solisa, 25, an esthetician who currently resides in Georgetown, TX.

Susan, 35, a project analyst who currently resides in St. Charles, IL.

Tauni, 31, an ER nurse who currently resides in St. Louis Park, MN.