Wow, so I’ve finally caught up…a lot to digest there.
That whole episode was kinda awkward…ironic because they all spent so much time talking about how it’s not awkward lol. I think because playing all the dates right after one another it gives an odd sense and you do realize that Sam is saying the same things over and over again. I think they handled the “speed dating” thing much better with the editing last year. In fact the whole editing for tonight was odd. In the preview at the start they showed both Nina and Heather talking to Sam at the cocktail party but then they made it a point on the show that they didn’t. weird. And Sarah all of a sudden was getting a bit of a bitchy edit about Lana and she’s never seemed anything but sweet. Very odd. Knowing she and Lana are both in the final 3 I really hope they’re not planning on throwing her under the bus to help ease the reaction if Sam chooses Lana.
It’s sad with Sam and Heather because their relationship hasn’t progressed and I think it’s because they’re both completely clueless to the real issue and to their own involvement in that. Heather’s walls in regards to physical intimacy with Sam seemed to pop up a while ago (always having her leg between them, etc) and it coincided with falling for him. Knowing that’s made her vulnerable (and she seems to have some serious childhood baggage) I think she needs some kind of gesture from Sam to let those physical walls down. However it hasn’t come and I think it’s because Sam is simply under the impression that she's the only one at fault for trying to push them into the friendzone. I don’t think he actually realises how hard she’s fallen or considered the possibility that that’s made her vulnerable and shut off physically. The "dude" thing for me is a defensive thing but I think Sam only sees it as her friend zoning them. It kills the intimacy but not because she wants to. That part of the fault comes back on Heather because she doesn’t show Sam that there’s a lot more under the surface in terms of her feelings. She’s told the audience but she hasn’t told Sam. I get the impression that she thinks her place is pretty secure (or did until tonight) and doesn’t think she needs to give him anything else and put herself out there to get crushed until she knows she’s the one – but that kinda goes back on Sam because up until this point he’s made it very easy for her (first roses, on all the dates, etc).
It’s kinda sad because there was a lot of potential there but they didn’t get on the same page when they needed to.
Sorry about my long post - I can't believe I wrote that much about the Bach haha - but it just became apparent what I think has gone wrong for Sam and Heather tonight. I'm happy I got to see that because now i'll understand her leaving.
Now off to read your commentaries which I sadly had to miss tonight.