Ben H. for Bachelor - Week 4 Power Rankings

14 left. The competition is becoming more fierce. Which is music to our ears. It's also becoming slightly more manageable to keep track of the remaining ladies. Except. Wait a minute. Who the hell are Rachel and Leah? Anyone? Bueller? 

Anyway, last week can pretty much be summed up with: hot tubs. Hot tubs everywhere. In a field. At a spa. In the middle of a soccer field. Okay not that last one. But seriously, Bachelor producers. Why not?

Also, girls are mean to each other. Like, really mean.

If they could put a hot tub on the moon, there would be a 1-on-1 date there.

What joys do we have to look forward to this week? The gaggle of girls and our dreamy Bachelor head to Vegas. The odds are in our favor for another wild episode.

POWER 5

I lost yet another POWER 5 pick last week (Shushanna) and I only have two remaining to Chase's three. My two remaining (Caila and Jennifer) pale in comparison to Chase's (Caila, Becca, Lauren H.) but I still have hope that one of mine will go far. 

Admin Note: To help you keep track of where our remaining POWER 5 contestants land in each of our weekly rankings, we will mark them with an *.

POWER RANKINGS

The Rules: We will rank the remaining Bachelor contestants. Points will be awarded each week based on how well each of us predict the contestants going home. For example, if Josh puts CONTESTANT A in spot 7 and Chase puts CONTESTANT A in spot 10 and CONTESTANT A goes home, Josh will get 7 points and Chase will get 10. 

The winner will be based on the player with the most points at the end of the season (this ain't golf, folks). 

After saying goodbye to Shushanna, Jami and Lace (who left of her own volition to "work on herself") the score sits:

• Chase: 97
• Josh: 93

Check out this week's rankings below!

1. *Caila, 24, Software Sales Representative, Hudson, OH - Caila is going to be top-ranked for another week here on The Bachelor Power Rankings. But her hold is slipping. She’s staying here because no one has had a date as strong as Caila this season. That said, she had a little bit of a meltdown. She needs to play it cool. You know… like you would in real life. Because this is totally real life.
2. *Becca, 26, Chiropractic Assistant, San Diego, CA - Becca is due for a 1-on-1 in these next couple weeks. She has to be. And she’s going to shine. I’m pretty sure she is here for the right reasons… and that's going to take her far.
3. Lauren B., 25, Flight Attendant, Marina Del Rey, CA - Lauren B. had a good week. Good connection on the 1-on-1 date, no major drama, didn’t really question the random hot tub in the middle of nowhere. BUT there is a controversy: Lauren is a flight attendant and said she was scared of going on the prop plane. I don’t buy the fear. Why can’t our contestants be honest with our charming, lovable bachelor?
4. Jubilee, 24, War Veteran, Fort Lauderdale, FL - I could focus on the date itself, her heartbreaking background, or the drama at the mansion…but instead I’d like to rejoice and be being thankful that I wasn’t on national TV the first time I ever ate caviar. I would’ve spit it out, too. You go, Jubilee. You go.
5. JoJo, 24, Real Estate Developer, Dallas, TX - I’ve been working on this for the past 3 weeks. How would Ben address JoJo’s mother if she was playing the cello on their hometown date? “Hello, JoJo Ma.”
6. Jennifer, 25, Small Business Owner, Fort Lauderdale, FL - The primary reason I watch The Bachelor is because it gives me a relatively legitimate reason to drink wine on a Monday night. The secondary reason is to gawk at the drama. At this stage in the season, we’re going to begin to wind down on the crazy-person drama (Lace!) and get into the falling-in-love-with-the-same-person drama. As those contributing to CPD (crazy-person-drama) go home, we start getting more screen time for people like Jennifer. 
7. Amanda, 25, Esthetician, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - As with Jennifer, Amanda should start getting more screen time. She seems pleasant enough. But she needs to get more attention. Quickly. If you don't establish yourself in the next couple weeks, you’re in trouble.
8. *Lauren H., 25, Kindergarten Teacher, Ann Arbor, MI - Rationally, I know that Lauren H. should be ranked closer to the bottom... But I just can’t drop her beneath the twins.
9. Emily and Haley (The Twins), 22, Twins, Las Vegas, NV – While I really haven’t given it the ole college try, I still can’t tell them apart.  
10. Leah, 25, Event Planner, Denver CO - Leah continues to go week-in and week-out without doing anything memorable. But yet she’s still here. I think. Is she still on the show?
11. Olivia, 23, News Anchor, Austin, TX - I hope and pray that this was a cruel editing trick. But the cankles conversation (or canklesation) was one of the most painful things I’ve ever witnessed. The lack of empathy, combined with her unusually rotund ankles, is causing Olivia’s chances to continue to plummet. Don’t worry, Ben. I thought she was charming on the first night, too. 
12. Rachel, 23, Unemployed, Little Rock, AR - Rachel didn’t play her cards right. Everyone who is anyone knows that when playing a sport on a group date, you ALWAYS get injured and then demand attention from you adoring bachelor. Whatever you do, don’t be strong. Don’t go back on the field. Getting hurt, staying on the field, and losing to Olivia makes you an after thought. 
13. Amber, 30, Bartender, Chicago, IL - Villains gon’ vil! Amber officially took control of the “Jubilee Is the Worst” train last week. In her efforts to protect Ben from Jubilee, she’s turned into a villain. My question is how is Amber falling into the drama trap? Act like you’ve been here before. Because you have.

1. Lauren B., 25, Flight Attendant, Marina Del Rey, CA - She had the first 1-on-1 date last week, which involved flying in a single prop plane (she was nervous about this despite being a flight attendant - suspect), a hot tub in the middle of a field (because, why not), dinner (where she told Ben "I really want to meet your family but HAHAHA I DON'T MEAN LIKE RIGHT NOW") and a private concert. In a normal, real life scenario, the date might be cause for concern. But this is The Bachelor and Ben is smitten. Lauren B. ascends to the top spot.
2. *Caila, 24, Software Sales Representative, Hudson, OH - She didn't have a 1-on-1 date or a group date last week. And she only moves down a spot. THAT'S staying power. She'll be around for the long haul.
3. Becca, 26, Chiropractic Assistant, San Diego, CA - Becca remains steady in the Top 3. She's established herself with Ben and is (mostly) staying clear of the drama. She'll get a 1-on-1 date soon and cement herself at the top of the pack.
4. Jubilee, 24, War Veteran, Fort Lauderdale, FL - The 1-on-1 date she had was supremely awkward. But Ben was intrigued. And he was really moved by Jubilee's personal story. The other girls don't like her but Ben does. And that's all that matters at this point.
5. Lauren H., 25, Kindergarten Teacher, Ann Arbor, MI - She didn't do much last week (she was on the losing soccer team during the group date) but she did wear a shirt that read "Lettuce be friends" around the house. So for that, she vaults into the Top 5 this week.
6. Amanda, 25, Esthetician, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - She didn't get much screen time last week. But she still has kids at home. So she still won't win this season.
7. JoJo, 24, Real Estate Developer, Dallas, TX - JoJo didn't get a date last week but she doesn't have anything to worry about for now. She made a big enough impression last week to carry her through for a little while.
8. Emily and Haley (The Twins), 22, Twins, Las Vegas, NV - The inevitable 2-on-1 date has to be coming soon, right? The show heads to Vegas tonight. The twins will literally be home. Might as well just leave them both there and save The Bachelor producers some money on flights home. Side note: Emily was a pretty good goalie during the soccer match. Even if it was against girls who'd never laid eyes on a soccer ball before the day of that date. 
9. *Jennifer, 25, Small Business Owner, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Jennifer's a mystery. She was on the group date last week but lost the soccer match so she had to go back to the mansion. We haven't seen much interaction between her and Ben so it's hard to tell if she's making any kind of impression on him. If she doesn't make a move this week, we will be saying goodbye to her before you know it. That's bad news for her and me (stupid POWER 5 pick!).
10. Rachel, 23, Unemployed, Little Rock, AR - Good news: she finally appeared on the show outside of a rose ceremony. Bad news: it was because she got "hurt" in the soccer match during the group date. And then her team lost because she was hurt. Or maybe it was because she was terrible at soccer to begin with. Either way, it doesn't bode well for her. 
11. Leah, 25, Event Planner, Denver CO - Look. Here's the thing. Leah was on the group date. Didn't notice her? Well that's not that strange. It was a big group date and she was probably on the losing team so she went back to the mansion instead of being in the smaller group that got to spend the evening with Ben. Wait. What's that? She was on the winning team? So she was on the entire group date? And we know nothing about her. Like. Literally nothing. I could not pick her out of a line-up. How is she still around???
12. Amber, 30, Bartender, Chicago, IL - Every week she annoys me more and more. And every week I hope that Ben will send her home. She got the group date rose last week but made a rookie mistake when she called out Jubilee IN FRONT OF BEN WHO WAS TRYING TO COMFORT HER.
13. Olivia, 23, News Anchor, Austin, TX - tone-deaf (tōn′dĕf′) adj. - Unable to appreciate or understand the concerns or difficulties of others; out-of-touch... Ben sad about a friends' death > cankle concerns. Read the room, boo.

Ben H. for Bachelor - Week 3 Power Rankings

And then there were 17. (Holy crap we still have to eliminate 16 girls to get the the winner?! What a freaking long season.)

Last week saw the girls be equal parts crazy (see: Olivia and Lace) and genuine (see: Caila and Becca). We saw both good dates (see: ERROR - FOOTAGE NOT FOUND) and bad dates (see: Homecoming Queen competition, hanging out in a jacuzzi in a jacuzzi store, visiting Dr. Love so Ben could see whose chemicals matched closest with his). We saw both Kevin Hart and Ice Cube make cameos and attempt to drop as many references as they possibly could to their film RIDE ALONG 2 (Ice Cube - what happened, bro?).

(L-R) Dr. Love and Ben. Dr. Love is TOTALLY legit. He graduated with Dr. Pepper.

All in all, just another week on the greatest/worst reality show on TV.

Check out Chase and I's updated rankings below and get that wine ready for another wild ride on Monday night!

POWER 5

I lost another POWER 5 pick last week (Jackie) and we are now left with three women each from our preseason picks. Two of mine are looking rough (anyone not named Caila). Chase's are looking much more stable (Caila, Becca, Lauren H.). 

Admin Note: To help you keep track of where our remaining POWER 5 contestants land in each of our weekly rankings, we will mark them with an *.

POWER RANKINGS

The Rules: We will rank the remaining Bachelor contestants. Points will be awarded each week based on how well each of us predict the contestants going home. For example, if Josh puts CONTESTANT A in spot 7 and Chase puts CONTESTANT A in spot 10 and CONTESTANT A goes home, Josh will get 7 points and Chase will get 10. 

The winner will be based on the player with the most points at the end of the season (this ain't golf, folks). 

After saying goodbye to Mandi, Jackie, Samantha and (walkout) Lauren "LB," the score sits:

• Chase: 57
• Josh: 54

1. *Caila, 24, Software Sales Representative, Hudson, OH - Talk about a slam dunk. Caila absolutely nailed her 1-on-1 date, despite it being quite a weird, weird date. At least Jimmy Kimmel had clothes on in the hot tub when he crashed a 1-on-1 date a few years back. Caila nailed it. She’s in the driver’s seat. (Well technically, she was in the passenger seat. And Kevin Hart and Ice Cube were in the back seat. But you get what I’m saying.)
2. *Becca, 26, Chiropractic Assistant, San Diego, CA - First off... did you see her jump shot? I don't think that the producers edited her shots to make her look better than she actually is. Becca is a straight up baller. These rankings are just like preseason college basketball rankings: Last seasons' best teams start the new season at top of the rankings. Until someone defeats Becca, she'll be the queen of the court. Also. She's terrible at geography. I mean. Terrible. 
3. JoJo, 24, Real Estate Developer, Dallas, TX - Zero to Sixty. JoJo came out of nowhere! One minute she was worried about her connection with Ben and the next thing you know she's on a rooftop (telling Ben it's the highest she's ever been? I don't buy it) making out like high schoolers. Good for JoJo.    
4. Lauren B., 25, Flight Attendant, Marina Del Rey, CA - We've lost a Lauren every single week. The battle for which Lauren rests on her Laurels continues: We are down to 2 and Lauren B. has a SLIGHT edge on Lauren H. 
5. Jubilee, 24, War Veteran, Fort Lauderdale, FL - While I'm still not necessarily sold on Jubilee, I think she's poised to make a run. She has severe disdain for Lace (which improves her ranking in my book) and just doesn't seem to be down with drama. We aren't really sure why she came on this show. But you know, Jubilee is kind of a fun name and let's us use party emojis on Twitter. So that's a party. 
6. Jennifer, 25, Small Business Owner, Fort Lauderdale, FL - She's got the kiss in the bag. At this point, if you've gotten a kiss from Ben, you're in the drivers seat. She's normal, connects well with Ben and isn't Lace. So she's in really good shape. 
7. Amanda, 25, Esthetician, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - I always have an internal discussion when the conversation about kids from other relationships comes up: Does The Bachelor really not care that she has kids? Or do the producers tell him he has to say that? Ben's interaction makes me think the former. And seriously, how adorable is that? Inevitably, she's going to get sent home because she needs to spend time with her children. So what I'm saying is sell high on Amanda. Her stock can't go up from here. 
8. *Lauren H., 25, Kindergarten Teacher, Ann Arbor, MI - Down a few slots this week just for being a bit absent from the action. Maybe she's playing the long game. But while she's trying to be normal, all the other girls are making their moves. Make your move, Lauren H. Your kindergarteners are cheering for you. 
9. Emily and Haley (The Twins), 22, Twins, Las Vegas, NV - You know that Facebook friend* that you keep around because their posts are mildly entertaining in that "train wreck" kind of way? The twins are the physical embodiment of that on The Bachelor. Ben wants to look away, but he just can't. Yet. And more importantly, the best 2-on-1 date in Bachelor history is approaching. *If you don't know who that friend is, you very well may be that person.
10. Leah, 25, Event Planner, Denver CO - Last week I accidentally left Leah off my rankings until Josh pointed it out to me. She's in that weird purgatory state: not a front runner, but not going anywhere yet. If she doesn't stand out this week, she'll be gone well before Valentine's Day.  
11. Olivia, 23, News Anchor, Austin, TX - I got this one wrong. Olivia is crazy. The thing is... does Ben know? He HAS too. More importantly... we got the incredible screenshot of Olivia's mouth being 20 feet open. All of the memes. If you're reading this blog and NOT following the live tweets, you're missing out. Severely. 
12. Jami, 23, Bartender, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada - I've literally watched every minute of the show so far and have NOTHING substantial to write about her. Nothing. 
13. Shushanna, 27, Mathematician, Salt Lake City, UT - Good news. She speaks English. Bad news. Not much time with Ben, so he may not know she speaks English. Hopefully she speaks Benglish. AM I RIGHT? NAILED IT. 
14. Amber, 30, Bartender, Chicago, IL - You heard it here first: Amber was going home last week until she got bailed out by "LB" who decided to leave (thereby giving up her pursuit of love AND unlimited open bars). Amber is gone. Or needs to be gone.
15. Lace, 25, Real Estate Agent, Denver, CO - Oh dear me. I haven't been as happy about a Bachelor outcome since Juan Pablo's season ended and we didn't have to deal with him ever again. We get Lace for at least one more week. And this, my friends, is reason to celebrate. 
16. Rachel, 23, Unemployed, Little Rock, AR - I think Rachel is still on the show. But I don't really know for sure. Check back next week. She won't be here. Or maybe she will and I still won't know who she is or why I'm continuing to have to write 2-3 sentences about her in this blog. 

1. *Caila, 24, Software Sales Representative, Hudson, OH - Not only did she snag the coveted first 1-on-1 date, she knocked it out of the park (despite the supremely awkward Kevin Hart/Ice Cube crash). She’s safe for the long run. And best of all, it appears she might steer clear of the upcoming drama.
2. Becca, 26, Chiropractic Assistant, San Diego, CA - Girl can BALL. She was draining baskets like she trains with Steph Curry. Better than that, she seems genuine and Ben digs her. Safe.
3. Amanda, 25, Esthetician, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Amanda spoke up and told Ben about her kids. And despite telling him with her incessantly irritating voice, Ben was totally okay with it. She won't win (you heard it here first) but she is safe for a while. Welcome to the Top 3!
4. JoJo, 24, Real Estate Developer, Dallas, TX - Girl got a kiss on the group date and then the group date rose. And she's still got that "I can cook a quesadilla" ace up her sleeve. Sitting pretty in the TOP 4.
5. Lauren B., 25, Flight Attendant, Marina Del Rey, CA - You can tell Ben likes her. A Bachelor intern Ben spent time printing a 4x6 picture on Chris Harrison's photo printer of the first time they met (which was what - three days prior?). Regardless of who accomplished the printing, he pulled out something personal for her. This early in the game search for love, that's a good sign.
6. Lauren H., 25, Kindergarten Teacher, Ann Arbor, MI - The Laurens are sitting comfortably in the Top 10. Lauren H. was also given something personal during the cocktail party before the rose ceremony - she was awarded a meaningless super cute ribbon for her work in the totally fake science fair that happened during the first group date. As dumb as it was (and it was DUMB), it's a step in the right direction. 
7. Jubilee, 24, War Veteran, Fort Lauderdale, FL - She seemed slightly more into him than he did into her (she couldn't quite snag that group date rose) but she still gets a spot in the top 10 because there was some definite chemistry.
8. Emily and Haley (The Twins), 22, Twins, Las Vegas, NV - These girls are dumb as bricks. Best of all, THEY ADMIT IT. From last week: "I'm not that smart." - Emily or Haley (it could have been either since they look and act the same and I zone out when they are talking). But since they aren't going home until a dramatic 2-on-1 date, I'm putting them squarely in the middle of the pack.
9. *Jennifer, 25, Small Business Owner, Fort Lauderdale, FL - She made little impression in Week 2. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. If she can have a couple good moments, this POWER 5 pick might just redeem itself! Plus, there's ALWAYS a silent contestant who makes it near the end and we are all like: "WHAT THE HELL HAS SHE EVEN SPOKEN A SINGLE WORD THIS ENTIRE SEASON?" Jennifer - it could be you!
10. Olivia, 23, News Anchor, Austin, TX - You’re terrible. And worst of all, Ben is totally buying whatever it is your gaping mouth is selling. Gross. I'm putting her this low in case she actually goes home (which, knowing this show, she won't for a while).
11. *Shushanna, 27, Mathematician, Salt Lake City, UT - Oof. Rough POWER 5 pick. She snuck by this week but once the dust settles, it's clear this match won't add up. Her time is short so she should plot her next move in life (get it - PLOT. LIKE ON GRAPH PAPER. CAUSE SHE'S INTO MATH).
12. Jami, 23, Bartender, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada - Canadians are lovely. I work with some on a regular basis. But gurrrrrrrrrrl - Ben's got NO TIME for Canadians in his life. See: Bristowe, Kaitlyn.
13. Leah, 25, Event Planner, Denver CO - Who are you? Did you get any screen time last week? No? Please go home so I can remember the names of the people who can actually win this season.
14. Rachel, 23, Unemployed, Little Rock, AR - Who are you? How did you get a rose? Did you convince the producers to leave you on the show because you are unemployed? Probs, yeah.
15. Amber, 30, Bartender, Chicago, IL - You are so boring. And you couldn't beat Mandi in a footrace and therefore ended up the Homecoming Princess - translation: Homecoming Queen LOSER. You barely scraped by last week. Pack your bags. Chicago is calling.
16. Lace, 25, Real Estate Agent, Denver, CO - What the what? It's shocking that she made it this far. But this is The Bachelor after all and we all know that the producers Ben totally makes all of the decisions so anything can happen. Go home, Lace. Despite what you say, you’re crazy.

Ben H. for Bachelor - Week 2 Power Rankings

Well the premiere episode was a doozy. 28 women entered and only 21 remained unscathed at the end of the night as seven were sent packing. Some eliminations were sound - Tiara the Chicken Enthusiast was wacky as can be - and some were baffling - Laura "Red Velvet" seemed to be a shoo-in for a first night rose.

They're not weird. They're special.

Among the 21 left, Ben kept some with real potential (see: Caila and Becca) and inexplicably kept some without (see: "LOVE ME NOW" Lace and  "MAKE A SCENE" Mandi).

This season promises to be the most dramatic ever (LOL Chris Harrison) and Chase and I will be here every week to rank the remaining ladies.

POWER 5

Chase and I didn't fare as well as we'd hoped with our POWER 5 pre-season rankings. But, we have to stick by what we picked. In Week 1, Chase lost two of his POWER 5 members (Breanne and Laura) and I lost one of mine (Jessica).

Admin Note: To help you keep track of where our remaining POWER 5 contestants land in each of our weekly rankings, we will mark them with an *.

POWER RANKINGS

The Rules: We will rank the remaining Bachelor contestants. Points will be awarded each week based on how well each of us predict the contestants going home. For example, if Josh puts CONTESTANT A in spot 7 and Chase puts CONTESTANT A in spot 10 and CONTESTANT A goes home, Josh will get 7 points and Chase will get 10. 

The winner will be based on the player with the most points at the end of the season (this ain't golf, folks). 

I've lost every season to Chase. Could this be my year?

1. Olivia, 23, News Anchor, Austin, TX - First things first, congratulations to Olivia for getting the coveted First Impression Rose. As Josh highlighted in a blog post from last year, the first impression rose is a BIG DEAL. Olivia will be around for a while.
2. *Becca, 26, Chiropractic Assistant, San Diego, CA - You could see it in Ben’s eyes. Ben is smitten with Becca. I believe Becca is there for the right reasons. On top of that, these two would just be adorable together. I’m rooting for love. 
3. *Caila, 24, Software Sales Representative, Hudson, OH - Can you imagine being at a point in your life that you decided to break up with your current love interest to PURSUE A GUY ON TELEVISION? Better yet... can you imagine that it might actually work?
4. Emily and Haley (The Twins), 22, Twins, Las Vegas, NV - A few things factor into their ranking this week: 1) They’re clearly not going anywhere as the producers are going to play this whole “Ohmygoshtheyaretwins” story line up for a while. 2) All the other girls are ridiculously intimidated by the fact that these two girls look the same. It is literally like The Bachelor Mansion (and by proxy, America) has never seen twins before. 3) If they put the twins on a 2-on-1 date, it will officially be the best thing that’s ever happened on this television show.
5. *Lauren H., 25, Kindergarten Teacher, Ann Arbor, MI - And then there were three. Lauren H catapulted herself into the "Lauren-Lead" this week. She distinguished herself in a sea of Laurens and connected well with Ben. 
6. Lauren B., 25, Flight Attendant, Marina Del Rey, CA - I swear that The Bachelor franchise has a requirement that they have a flight attendant just so they can use airplane puns.
7. Lauren “LB”, 23, Fashion Buyer, Stillwater, OK - I have LB as the last ranking Lauren but don’t read too far into this. This is the Year of the Laurens.
8. Jubilee, 24, War Veteran, Fort Lauderdale, FL - I wasn’t really expecting to rank Jubilee this high. She struck me as a bit odd up front, but it turns out that’s just the military clichés that The Bachelor producers crammed into her introduction. Ben and Jubilee appear to have a bit of connection. She’s safe for these coming weeks.
9. Amber, 30, Bartender, Chicago, IL - I don’t know. I just have a hard time getting excited about Amber. Does anyone remember her? Or anything about her? The whole "bring back someone from a previous season" is wonderful when its someone that has brillo pad hair (Nick V) or when it is someone that made an impact on the show (Becca)…but when you bring back Amber…what’s it do for you? 
10. Amanda, 25, Esthetician, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Amanda is this season’s token single mother. While single parents have a track record of not making a huge impact, there is always a chance she could make a Juan Pablo style run. I don’t see it happening. As a Bachelor veteran, she hangs around for a few weeks before Ben let’s her go because he wants to “be fair to her kids.”  All that said… at least her kids aren’t named Kale.
11. JoJo, 24, Real Estate Developer, Dallas, TX - I was probably one of three people to watch the post-show, QVC-style, Chris Harrison-hosted After The Rose talk show. But damn did I enjoy it. Not only did we learn that Ashley S. (Yes. That Ashley S.) is engaged, but the special guest on the show pretty much read the Urban Dictionary definition of a unicorn. I had no idea. Thanks, Chris Harrison.
12. Jennifer, 25, Small Business Owner, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Homegirl has morals as evidenced by her answer to the which law she would break: Tan nude at the beach!
13. Jami, 23, Bartender, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada - The debate about Jami is not about the missing vowel at the end of her name but about whether she ACTUALLY knows Kaitlyn. Logic follows that since Jami is Canadian she knows all other Canadians. It feels contrived and I don’t believe it for a maple syrup second.
14. Samantha, 26, Attorney, New Smyrna Beach, FL - I’m all about lawyers. I’m marrying one. Highly suggest it. ALL THAT SAID: 1) There’s no way she found out she passed the bar while she was getting into the limo. I object. 2) We’ve already done the whole lawyer thing with Andi. Staaaaahp.
15. Shushanna, 27, Mathematician, Salt Lake City, UT - There has to be more to Shushanna than what aired on Monday night. The mystique and mystery of NEVER SPEAKING TO YOUR ENGLISH SPEAKING SUITOR definitely raises the intrigue.
16. Jackie, 23, Gerontologist, San Francisco, CA - The commitment of making a save the date and giving it to Ben out of the limo is pretty impressive, but the hashtag could have used some work. Alternatives, you ask? Why yes, I’d love to supply some: #ForeverAndEverABen #BenForTheWin
17. Leah, 25, Event Planner, Denver CO - It’s never a good sign when you write your Power Rankings and TOTALLY LEAVE SOMEONE OFF THE LIST. Leah, at present, is an afterthought. Just like this write up. 
18. Lace, 25, Real Estate Agent, Denver, CO - Lace is simultaneously everything that is right about The Bachelor franchise and everything that is wrong. She makes the show unbearable, yet is the reason why we watch the show. I hope she sticks around a few weeks, but after Eye Contact-Gate last week to conclude the show, I cant see her lasting. But, my friends, we can always hope for Bachelor In Paradise.
19. Rachel, 23, Unemployed, Little Rock, AR - We’re still at the point in the season where there are enough contestants left on the show for me to sit in front of a television for two hours and not know who someone is on the show. I guess she seems nice?
20. Mandi, 28, Dentist, Portland, OR - Every year, I work on Week 2 Power Rankings and I come across people like Mandi. She’s on the show still, but there is no possible way that any rational bachelor would choose to keep her on the show. Mandi is a producer’s pick this year and Ben will be getting rid of her as soon as he can.

 

1. *Caila, 24, Software Sales Representative, Hudson, OH - She made a great first impression and she caught his eye (like OMG they are BOTH software sales reps). Being a brunette may work against her in the long run (it seems "Gentle-Ben Prefer(s) Blondes”) but she’s sticking around for a while.
   
2. Becca, 26, Chiropractic Assistant, San Diego, CA - She’s a pro. And she proved it last week. Ben was awe-struck when he saw her. And in a good way.
3. Olivia, 23, News Anchor, Austin, TX - She got the ever important First Impression Rose so she gets an honorary spot in the top three this week. But the season long preview we got makes it seem like drama is brewing and that Olivia may be the brewmaster. If that holds, expect her ranking to drop faster than a brick on the Home Alone bad guys.
4. Samantha, 26, Attorney, New Smyrna Beach, FL - If Chase and I had picked a POWER 6 last week, she would have made it into mine. She seems super down to earth and someone who could be really good for Ben. She’s this high on the list because I like her. Unfortunately, her good real life qualities mean she could be a bad match for The Bachelor (and I do mean the production).
5. Lauren B., 25, Flight Attendant, Marina Del Rey, CA - The Lauren Ben liked best.
6. Amanda, 25, Esthetician, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Having kids has never really helped in the past (she has two). And a good strong voice is a must (hers is grating). But it seems like Ben really took a liking to her. So who knows?
7. Lauren H., 25, Kindergarten Teacher, Ann Arbor, MI - The Lauren Ben thought was cute.
8. Amber, 30, Bartender, Chicago, IL - Eh. It seems like she is going to manufacture drama. Leave that to the producers!
9. *Shushanna, 27, Mathematician, Salt Lake City, UT - She seemed like such a good POWER 5 pick from her bio. Then she didn’t speak a single word in a language Ben understood in the premiere. And yet… he kept her over a person like Laura who was perfectly nice and beautiful and spoke his language. Can you imagine how high her stock could fly if she busts out some good ole English phrases?
10. Emily and Haley (The Twins), 22, Twins, Las Vegas, NV - Does anyone else wonder what their LinkedIn profiles look like if they list their profession as “twins?" I cannot wait for the inevitable (and definitely not forced upon him) 2-on-1 date showdown where Ben will have to pick one (but hopefully dumps them both). It won’t be this week so they are safe for now.
11. Jubilee, 24, War Veteran, Fort Lauderdale, FL - She seemed intense but Ben was kind of into that. Do I think this War Veteran will get Ben to stand at attention (wink wink)? Only time will tell. (LOL WHAT a bad military joke but seriously thanks for your service).
12. *Jennifer, 25, Small Business Owner, Fort Lauderdale, FL - She led with “Jenn and Ben - easy to remember.” out of the limo. And honestly, that’s the only reason I remembered who she was from the episode so hats off to her. This POWER 5 pick of mine barely snuck through but I think she is vanilla enough to stay another week. Plus, there are bigger fish to fry (read: Lace).
13. *Jackie, 23, Gerontologist, San Francisco, CA - I’m sticking by her because she’s in my POWER 5. But she was a dud in the premiere. Let’s hope things improve for her this week.
14. Jami, 23, Bartender, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada - She said she knows Kaitlyn because she’s from Canada and apparently Canada has 12 residents. She seems safe for now but there’s no way Ben trusts his heart with another Canuck!
15. JoJo, 24, Real Estate Developer, Dallas, TX - I remember nothing about her from last week. But her bio says she can cook a mean quesadilla. So… might be worth keeping around.
16. Leah, 25, Event Planner, Denver CO - Unmemorable. But her bio says she has two dove tattoos on the back of her calves (shades of Kaitlyn???) and she ended two of her bio questions in prepositions and one didn’t have any punctuation and OH MY GOD DID SHE EVEN GO TO SCHOOL?
17. Lauren “LB”, 23, Fashion Buyer, Stillwater, OK - The Lauren none of us can remember.
18. Rachel, 23, Unemployed, Little Rock, AR - She’s unemployed and she’s not afraid to flaunt that in the lower third every time she’s on TV. Props, girl.
19. Lace, 25, Real Estate Agent, Denver, CO - Such good TV. So bad for Ben. The romantic in me hopes she goes home. The rest of me hopes she stays until the final two. 
20. Mandi, 28, Dentist, Portland, OR - You are a mess. And we love you for that.

Ben H. for Bachelor - Week 1 POWER 5 Preview

It's time. Ben H. officially takes The Bachelor crown tonight. And this is good news for all of us fans. Not only is he far more personable than Farmer Chris, he's not Nick V. (the other rumored choice that would have been "DEFCON 5" level bad news).

Now that's one good looking dude.

Chase and I are back all season to give you our Power Rankings of the remaining women (i.e. who we think has the best chance, week to week, to win Ben's heart). But since there are 28 women to start and most of them are indistinguishable from one another (blonde, looking for love, here for the right reasons, etc.), we are previewing the season with our POWER 5. These are the five ladies we think will go the furthest with Ben (not in that way - get your minds out of the gutter).

We'll be back next week with our first set of Power Rankings and an explanation of the competition rules for all of you newbies.

But for now, the POWER 5. For those of you not familiar from previous seasons, the POWER 5 are the five women each of us thinks has the best shot at making the actual final 5. If you think this is nearly impossible with 28 women to start, you'd be sort of right. But for some context, Chase and I are actually pretty good at this. On the most recent season of The Bachelorette, I picked the winner in my POWER 5 (Shawn "Ryan Gosling Lookalike" B.) and Chase picked a top four finisher in his POWER 5 (Ben "Bodybuilder" Z.).

These are blind guesses based on brief bios and a short teaser clip from ABC to guide us. Neither of us read spoilers. Remember - spoilers suck.

Scoring of the POWER 5 for the competition is straightforward. When we get to the final 5 women, Chase and I will revisit each of our POWER 5 choices. For each woman in our POWER 5 who makes the actual final 5, we will be awarded 1 bonus point (for a maximum of 5 bonus points).

Will either of us strike gold this season? Without further ado, here are our picks:

Becca, 26, Chiropractic Assistant, San Diego, CA

She’s a seasoned veteran (she finished second on Farmer Chris' season). She knows the game. And by game, I mean the pursuit of love. She’s my early favorite. She won’t fall victim to the normal rookie mistakes. She’s in it for love. Or a book deal.

Lauren H, 25, Kindergarten Teacher, Ann Arbor, MI 

Logic and statistics tell me that someone named Lauren has a very high probability of making a deep run in the show. Of the four Laurens, Lauren H. is my odds on favorite to make a run. The "H," by the way, stands for “HereForTheRightReasons.”
 
Breanne, 30, Nutritional Therapist, Seattle, WA 

Of all the fruits and vegetables in the entire world to pick as her favorite, she goes with a carrot. She describes the carrot as sweet, sassy and bright. Next time you’re in the produce section, be sure to remember these words of wisdom and grab some for your next stir fry.
 
Caila, 24, Software Sales Rep, Hudson, OH 

She apparently hates when her date says things like: “Here is a leaf on a bush we passed on our first date because I’m a romantic guy.” WE ALL HATE THAT GUY, CAILA. This girl speaks the truth.
 
Laura, 24, Account Executive, Louisville, KY 

This is a bit of a risky pick: How many redheads advance far into the season? That said, her answers to the canned questions are spot on. Her guilty desert pleasure is a White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. An ENTIRE CAKE. She owns her paleness - I can identify with her “can’t live without sunscreen” answer - and she just seems like a real person.

Caila, 24, Software Sales Rep, Hudson, OH 

Sure she has what could be a fake job. Sure she is short (Ben H. is a whole foot taller). And sure she has the world’s smallest tattoo of the Hawaiian Islands (1/2 of an inch) despite seemingly having no connection with Hawaii (she says her nationality is half Filipino and half German/Irish/Swiss). But look at the positives. She likes classic movies (do we think half of the other girls have even seen My Fair Lady?), she is a Game of Thrones fan and she has pretty good taste in music. She could be a keeper if she plays her cards right.

Jackie, 23, Gerontologist, San Francisco, CA 

This was my toughest POWER 5 pick. There’s as good a chance that she goes the distance as there is that she is a total cuckoo, gets hammered and promptly gets sent home on Night 1 (great for television, bad for me).

But I heard somewhere that Ben H. is kind of a religious person (or maybe I made that up but screw research - this is The Bachelor and I don't have time to find the truth) and Jackie lists the Bible as one of the five things she can’t live without. Could this be a match made in heaven?

Jennifer, 25, Small Business Owner, Fort Lauderdale, FL 

Jennifer seems to have a lot of things going for her – good height (5’7”), a business owner (impressive for a 25 year old if it’s legit) and a sense of humor (she face-planted in front of an ex – comedy gold).

But she worries me in other areas – she lists Divergent as one of her favorite movies (a decent book but an objectively bad film), she is super driven to be married and she seems particularly obsessed with Ben H. If she can keep these three things under wraps (especially her love of Divergent the movie), she could go far.

Jessica, 23, Accountant, Boca Raton, FL 

She’s young but accomplished. I don’t know anything about accounting but it seems like passing four exams in 6 months to become a CPA is a pretty impressive accomplishment. I barely passed four exams in four years of college so props to this girl.
 
She also likes Dodgeball (good choice) and low-key bars, which I dig.

My concern is that she doesn’t have a mature enough idea of what it means to be engaged or married. Though now that I think of it, that has hardly stopped anyone in the past so Jessica might not have any problems!

Shushanna, 27, Mathematician, Salt Lake City, Utah 

It seems to be a tradition that I pick someone with a totally wacky name for my POWER 5 and here we are with the wackiest of names. I’ve never heard of anyone named Shushanna. Is it real? Did someone make a mistake at the hospital and the computer didn't have spellcheck? Regardless, if we can get past that (maybe they will just call her "Anna"), we’ve actually got a pretty good candidate for Ben H.
 
Pros: She likes Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception is a great film), she’s intelligent (she’s a mathematician which puts her well above other contestants this season who definitely have made up professions like “Twin,” “Unemployed” and “Chicken Enthusiast”), she cooks and she is just older than Ben (hopefully that translates into maturity).

Cons: She likes strange dance music (what is she hiding?), she’s short (Ben H. at 6’4” will tower over her at 5’2”) and she doesn’t believe in love (ummm, is she for real? This is The Bachelor. That ain't gonna fly.).