This season’s hometown week surely left a mark on our ringleader Zach Shallcross as he got quite the dose of “tough love.”
Week 8 aired last night on ABC, and Bachelor Nation watched Zach travel across America to meet the families of his top four women.
The episode had its fair share of noteworthy moments, from Zach being unable to answer Ariel’s brother’s questions to Kaity making him build furniture for her new house.
There were also plenty of tears shed by the contestants and their families, with all four ladies even telling Zach that they were falling in love with him after their dates.
The episode started at Gabi’s hometown in Vermont, where Zach was forced to try a variety of maple syrups.
And, while Week 8 started sweet, Zach seemed to get himself in some sticky situations as the week progressed.
Zach Shallcross meets Gabi’s sweet family in Vermont
While Gabi’s hometown date was a bit more low-key, Zach seemed to fit right into her family as he met with her mom, dad, sister, and two brothers.
However, the biggest standout from Gabi’s hometown was her dad, Kevin, and his point of view on falling in love — claiming it could happen in as little as a day.
He also told his story of meeting Gabi’s mom in the lunchroom, which melted the hearts of Bachelor Nation.
The date ended with Gabi showing concern that Zach would “forget about her” since she had the first date, but Zach assured her that would not be the case.
Zach eats cow tongue and gets grilled by Ariel’s brother in NYC
Next up was Ariel’s hometown, which took place in the heart of New York City.
Ariel took Zach on a food tour around the West Village, starting with pizza and ending with pastrami and cow tongue sandwiches at a Jewish deli.
Although Ariel warned him that her family would be tough, Zach was truly tested by Ariel’s very protective brother when they chatted.
Zach hesitated when Ariel’s brother asked why she should be with him, finally ending his answer with the fact that he’s a “good cook” — something that didn’t sit right with her brother.
Zach was also asked if he knew Ariel’s birthday and middle name — which he didn’t — and tried to cover up by saying the small details weren’t as important to learn right away.
While Ariel’s dad was just as tough as her brother, he also showed a bit more of a soft side regarding the situation, claiming to trust his daughter wholeheartedly.
Zach meets Charity’s ‘picture perfect’ family in Georgia
Heading to Columbus, Georgia, Zach met Charity’s family in a casual backyard barbeque setting.
Charity’s family noted that she seemed happy alongside Zach and that they would support a relationship between the two going forward.
Bachelor Nation fell in love with Charity’s brother, who sat down with Zach for a mature, one-on-one conversation about Zach’s feelings for his sister.
Charity and Zach ended their date at a line-dancing bar to really give Zach the full experience of what life would be like in her hometown.
Zach builds furniture for Kaity’s new house in Austin
For the last hometown date, Zach went back to, well, his own hometown.
Kaity coincidentally lives in Austin, Texas, which, needless to say, would make the transition from the show to real life a lot more feasible since they have both planted roots in the same city.
Kaity chose to have a “normal” day with Zach, taking him grocery shopping and having him build some furniture for her brand-new house.
Zach went on to meet Kaity’s family, most importantly her mom, who Kaity has opened up about this season after explaining how the father figures in her life had walked out.
The date was very emotional for Kaity, especially since she values her mother’s opinion over anyone else’s. So, as soon as she got the green light, she felt comfortable enough to tell Zach she was falling in love with him.
Zach says goodbye to Charity after hometown dates
As Zach made his most difficult decision to date, he handed his roses to Ariel, Gabi, and Kaity. All three women will now have the chance to spend the night with the leading man in the fantasy suite, which fans will get to see in next week’s episode.
While Charity was clearly crushed to be sent home, Zach still told her that she “deserved all the love” he “couldn’t give to her.”
In Tuesday night’s preview for the Women Tell All, Charity is seen taking the hot seat, which should be tear-jerking as she will most likely open up about her emotional exit.
The Bachelor: The Women Tell All airs on Tuesday, March 14, at 8/7c on ABC.