Only three weeks into his tenure as Bachelor, Zach Shallcross proved he'll be doing things differently.
Before his next week of dates began on Monday's episode, Zach, 26, video-chatted with his mentor, former Bachelor Sean Lowe, to touch base about his journey so far.
"I think this is really working," Zach told Sean, 39.
Host Jesse Palmer informed the remaining 17 women that there would be two one-on-one dates this week and one group date. That first one-on-one went to Kaity.
FIRST ONE-ON-ONE
Zach warned Kaity, 27, that their activity for the night "might shock you a little bit." Then he proceeded to take her to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles after it closed. That didn't present an issue for Zach though — he had a key.
Zach and Kaity wandered around the museum taking in the exhibits.
"Imagine to live in the era of dinosaurs," Kaity wondered.
"I don't think we'd last very long," Zach said.
When Zach and Kaity sat down after touring the museum, he asked her what she wanted in a relationship.
"Seeing my past relationship, I know what I don't want," Kaity said. "You know, I was very vulnerable with him and it was like seven years on and off. It was like that toxic, tumultuous relationship that it took a toll on me big time and it made me put up like a lot of guards and question my self-worth."
Kaity added that she simply wanted "the basics" in a partner, telling Zach, "I just want a good man to treat me right."
"You deserve way more than just the basics," Zach responded.
Zach told Kaity she gave him butterflies and they kissed.
"Zach is a dream come true," Kaity gushed in an on-camera interview.
Zach offered Kaity a rose, which she accepted, as well as an additional proposal. "Would you like to spend the night here with me?" he asked.
Kaity agreed to stay over with Zach at the museum, so they headed to an indoor camping setup and changed into pajamas. Afterwards, they walked around the museum a bit more and took selfies.
"Oh my goodness, I love mountain goats!" Kaity remarked.
Back at the mansion, the other women speculated about when Kaity would be returning. When she showed back up the following morning in pajamas, Brooklyn thought, "It definitely looks like a walk of shame."
Kaity recounted her night for the group and described it as "very romantic."
"You had a little Fantasy Suite at the museum," Gabi pointed out.
GROUP DATE
For the mega group date, the show brought back a classic: The Bachelor Bowl. After doing some drills with the L.A. Chargers' Antonio Gates and Shawne Merriman, the women split up into two teams. Anastasia went down at the kickoff, but bounced right back.
"She's just milking this injury," Christina Mandrell told the cameras.
Gabi, 25, peed her pants during the first half and Christina, 26, scored a touchdown for the blue team to make it a tie score going into the second half.
The blue team, named The Ball Zachs, won in the end, which meant they got to go to the afterparty with Zach. The losing yellow team returned to the mansion.
"I walked away from that date feeling really special," Zach told the cameras.
Zach chatted with Christina first at the afterparty.
"I still am really, really scared and trying like here," the content creator told him.
Zach offered her reassurance. "Trust in what we have," he said to Christina. "Like, we are still getting to know each other so well to where you and I know each other a little bit more than maybe a lot of other relationships I have."
Later, Zach told Charity he recognized the effort she'd been making. "Your effort on this date made me feel special," he said. "I'm all for this. I'm a big fan."
But things with Bailey weren't going as well. The executive recruiter, 27, told Zach she felt like their relationship was "regressing."
"I do notice that things feel off," Zach concurred. "And yeah, I think it doesn't feel like the same spark."
Zach offered her reassurance. "Trust in what we have," he said to Christina. "Like, we are still getting to know each other so well to where you and I know each other a little bit more than maybe a lot of other relationships I have."
Later, Zach told Charity he recognized the effort she'd been making. "Your effort on this date made me feel special," he said. "I'm all for this. I'm a big fan."
But things with Bailey weren't going as well. The executive recruiter, 27, told Zach she felt like their relationship was "regressing."
"I do notice that things feel off," Zach concurred. "And yeah, I think it doesn't feel like the same spark."
"I'm mad that it wasn't me," Christina told the other women after Zach left.
The group called out Christina for ruining the moment for Charity, and Charity walked out in tears.
SECOND ONE-ON-ONE
Aly received a delivery of a wedding dress to the mansion, but when she showed up on her one-on-one date with Zach, she learned the two of them would be skydiving.
"I am losing my mind right now," Aly, 26, told Zach.
But they both went through with jumping out of the plane without any issue and relaxed afterwards with some champagne in the hot tub. "You make this so fun," Zach told Aly before kissing her.
During the dinner portion of the date, Zach and Aly recapped the once-in-a-lifetime experience they had together earlier and discussed what they want in a partner.
"I'm looking for someone who has their s--- together," Zach said, adding that he thought Aly fell into that category.
"I fool a lot of people," she joked.
Zach asked her why, and Aly said she considered herself "very Type A."
"I like to be in control of how the date goes and what I'm doing," Aly said. "That just I think manifests from just some of my past relationships that I've been in, and either being with people who are controlling or using controlling as a coping mechanism. If I can control everything that goes on then no one can hurt me."
Zach told Aly he found her to be a "kick-ass woman."
"What you are naturally is what I'm 100 percent interested in," he continued.
Zach offered Aly a rose and they ended the night with a private performance from country artist Griffin Palmer.
POOL PARTY
Jesse, 44, informed the ladies that, instead of a cocktail party, Zach wanted to do a pool party.
"How much better is this than a formal cocktail party?" Zach said when he arrived.
Zach barbecued and the women took shots in the pool on the sunny day. But the fun took a dramatic turn when Brianna sat down with Zach to ask him why he felt he couldn't get comfortable around her as he mentioned in their last conversation.
"Talking to you, it just feels off," Zach said. "But I just don't know, it just seems guarded."
Brianna, 24, informed Zach that she wanted to leave and he supported her decision. "We can't force anything that's not there," he said.
Brianna cited intimidation on Christina's part as one of the reasons she chose to go and claimed "a lot of the girls are struggling … to be authentic" because of the single mom.
"She made Charity cry after you gave her the rose last time," Brianna informed Zach. "She made me cry several times."
Zach couldn't believe what Brianna told him. "I'm shocked," he said. "It just doesn't make sense."
Zach wanted to get to the bottom of that situation ASAP, so he approached the group and pulled Christina to talk.
"It's come to my attention that women in the house have felt hurt and insecure because of you," Zach told her. "And I was shocked and I wanted to talk to you about that."
Christina acknowledged there had been issues. "I'm able to be just outgoing and happy and loud and a lot of people are taking that as me wanting to be the center of attention and that I feel like I'm privileged in a way or more special or have a better relationship with you than other people because I met your family," she said.
Zach told Christina he didn't want to deal with stuff like this on his journey to find love. Christina implored, "It would be a mistake to believe this."
Zach needed more time to think, though, and canceled the remainder of the pool party.
ROSE CEREMONY
"To be honest, I'm struggling right now a little bit," Zach told the group at the top of the rose ceremony. "I want you to know that this is so important and I don't make these decisions … I don't make them easy. It's really difficult to feel fully okay with what to do and how to do it."
Zach handed out roses to: Jess, Gabi, Ariel, Genevie (who hurt her arm during The Bachelor Bowl), Greer, Cara, Kylee, Davia, Anastasia and Brooklyn. The final rose came down to Christina or Mercedes.
"It's the biggest eternal battle I've had maybe forever," Zach said in an on-camera interview. "It's the most difficult decision I've made to date."
Ultimately, he asked non-profit manager Mercedes, 24, to stay and sent Christina home.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
