by David McAlpine

Last time on The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love (which, by the way, is sounding way too cheesy at this point), Vienna got even more forward (as if that was even possible), Ali started to pull Jake closer to her side and Corrie got the axe.

Tonight, Jake gets to visit each of the girls on their home turf because it's hometown date time! He'll spend the next few days flying all over the country to date the girls and their families where they grew up. It's the epicenter of drama for every single Bachelor season and, considering who's in the final four of this season, I don't think this will be any different.

First up is Gia's hometown of New York City. Gia decides to take Jake on a boat ride to show him Manhattan (though I never really saw the Hudson as the main attraction of the biggest city in the U.S., honestly). They take some pictures of themselves kissing with the Statue of Liberty in the background, then things turn serious. Jake asks Gia about her past relationships and we find out her boyfriend was into some bad things, like cheating on Gia with all of her friends. Jersey Shore, much?

That night, Jake and Gia head back to have dinner with her family, who speak just like Gia. I mean, I always imagined that she would have a family like that, but seeing it with my own two eyes on television was a completely different (and much more entertaining) experience. Her mom bleeds love for Gia, while her stepbrother takes the protective stance on the white bread goody two shoes Gia brought home (like I said, Jersey Shore much?). Gia's mom keeps telling her how much she sees them together (unlike the rest of America), which seems to make Gia happy, though I question how she'll feel at the end of this when she's the one ousted because of their "lack of connection."

Ali's hometown date is next in Williamstown, Massachusetts, where Ali says the drama with the other girls isn't going to follow. I hate to say it, but I'll have to see it to believe that one, Ali. Jake is enjoying their "second" hometown date (remember, San Francisco counts as number one), which he says gives her an edge. The two play in the leaves on the ground and see all there is of the downtown area, then head to Ali's grandma's house, who she used to take care of. The catch: her grandmother is dead, Ali is seeking her approval from the afterlife. Cue the light from the clouds--clearly she approves.

Dinner is with the living members of Ali's family, where her mom admits to Googling Jake and liking what she found, especially that he wanted more than physical beauty. The conversation goes along so swimmingly, in fact, that Jake asks for Ali's mom's blessing just in case. And she says yes without hesitation, after having met Jake once. Maybe she counts every time she's Googled him as a chance to meet her future son-in-law.

Ali's mom also seems convinced that her daughter is getting that ring (though, unlike Gina's mother, she has several valid points). Cue Ali to tell Jake that if he proposed right now, she would say yes. Of course, this is no season finale, so we know that won't happen, but Jake seems to take the news exceptionally well. Finally we're seeing the right thing happen: Jake and Ali forever!

Across the country, Jake lands in Newberg, Oregon, where Tenley is waiting for him with that all-too-cute but all-too-quiet smile. And all she can talk about during their private time is her ex-husband! It's like once she told Jake, he's become her personal relationship therapist, which is a one-way ticket to rose-lessville. The two head to a dance studio, where Tenley performs the dance that a) is "in her heart," b) her ex-husband never saw and c) is now recycling for Jake. And oh, was it ever a dance. It makes me wonder how much dance training she's actually had and how much she paid for it. I mean, it was decent, but nothing passionate or inspiring like she made it out to be.

Tenley and Jake hit her parents' house, the ex-husband is still the huge elephant in the room, because Tenley won't stop explaining how she all but obsessed over him at home. Everyone in her family seemed to have the same thing to say ("she's had a really difficult year"), but they still love Jake. He goes ahead and asks for a second blessing (looks like Gia's chances are fading fast), and the parents both say yes, despite the rough times Tenley has weathered--just less than a year before this.

It's onto Vienna's hometown of Sanford, Florida, where Vienna (as scantily-clothed as ever) is waiting for Jake. They take a boat ride down the local river, where Vienna informs Jake that her dad doesn't like any of her boyfriend, but it doesn't matter because she's got him under control. This is very evident when he starts to cry at first sight of her since she left for the show.

Vienna makes it clear that she wants into this for the long haul (though she's only 23 and Jake is 30…anyone else see anything wrong with that picture?), so it's time for Daddy Dearest to intimidate Jake a little and make sure he knows what he expects as a father-in-law. Now, if I were Jake, I'd be more afraid of what Vienna expects, but that's just me. Jake finally reveals his true feelings about the drama in the house: the girls are just really jealous of Vienna, so that's why they hate her. My arms could not have gone any higher at this point during the show, except when her mother mentions that this is how Vienna has been her whole life because she's so "competitive."

Now would be the logical time for the rose ceremony, but this would not be an episode of The Bachelor without some major twist of drama that throws us all off our feet. Cue Ali knocking at Jake's hotel room door, crying. Oh shoot, I'm already having flashbacks of Jake's hotel room performance last season--this isn't looking good for our dear Ali. Apparently she has "the most impossible decision to make," because he work wants her to go back. Basically, she puts out an ultimatum: he can commit to her now or she leaves. His response is more wishy-washy than a box of Oxi-Clean, leaving Ali to make her own decision, which she says will be at the rose ceremony.

After a talk with Chris Harrison, Jake seems to be ready to make his decision. But wait, first Ali needs another one-on-one talk, where she tries to force the final rose answer out of him. I think she's smart, because she's given him enough time to actually be scared that she's leaving--so scared that he might, in fact, just give the rose to her. He can't answer it, though, so she doesn't want to leave the show with nothing. Instead, she walks out with her job still in hand. Jake reprises his hotel cry over the hotel railing with a little more Jason flair while the girls have their own celebration.

Tune in to the next episode of The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love to see what happens when Ali starts to regret her decision and makes a call to Jake--Monday at 8/7c only on ABC!

(Image courtesy of ABC)

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