The Bachelorette, Episode 3: There Are Eight Guys in this Episode? Right?

So we get this long recap which bores me to tears because once again they promise that it will be. The most. Shocking. Rose. Ceremony. Ever. Okay, ABC. Again let me repeat that you tell us this every week and every week it's not really that shocking after all. I'm telling you the only way it will be shocking at this point is if Russ doesn't get a rose, strips down naked, sings the "I'm a Little Teapot" song, and declares that he's the former Roseanne Difiglia of Syosset, New York, prior to a very well timed trip to Sweden.

Now THAT would be shocking.

What's really shocking though is that we're about to enter our first episode without a Brian (especially Brian H. Sigh). How can we cope? Well I'm a Brian and that's just going to have to do for now.

It's the friend episode of The Bachelorette and you know what this means – individual date time. Missy is the first in the door. Trista has known her for about five years or so. Sara is next and this is a woman who practically goes back to the sandbox. And then there is Shannon from the first edition of The Bachelor (remember that classic moment where she walked back to Alex and demanded an explanation from that wound up being so lame it made him look like a fool?).

Fashion check – Missy, the black is okay. A bit overdone nowadays but okay. Sara, not digging the red as much but I can deal. Shannon, lose the stripes honey. Lose them. I know they make you look thinner from an optical illusion standpoint, but you're a toothpick as it is. Other than that, you're rockin' as usual.

As you know, when the friends come to visit, they have to pepper the possible candidates with some questions about their lives and so forth to see what kind of person they would be and how they think they will match up with eponymous character. Three of these people, as selected by the friends, go on special one-on-one dates with Trista while the remaining five go on a group date with her.

Now, let's do some back history here. For the past two editions, the people selected by the friends have all advanced to the next round. Bachelor 1 – Shannon, Trista, and Amanda. Bachelor 2 – Helene, Gwen, and Brooke. Will history repeat itself here?

Smitty takes the three women over to the guys’ house to stay with the men to help them get to know Trista and find out who gets the dates. Mike admits to a mini-crush on Shannon, whom he recognized immediately from the first show. Maybe he's thinking this could be a two for one special. If Trista doesn't pan out, there's always Shannon.

Fashion check on the men and Mike is looking nice in the white henley. Russell, Bob, and Greg are all doing the black shirt thing. Remember what I said about black being overdone? Jamie, loving the blue shirt. Rob looking very laid back in the t-shirt and jeans and hair much better than the last invitation night. Charlie looking more and more like a thug but at least this time it's more attractive than before. Mike is the first person up for the interview but we do get to see a lot of responses.

1) In bed are you a giver, a taker, a teaser, or a pleaser?

Mike – Giver
Rob – Giver
Greg – Pleaser
Ryan – Give, take and please.

2) What do you value in a relationship?

Jamie – Commitment. His parents have been married for 35 years. My parents, just to interject, have been married for 32.

3) If you are given a one-on-one date with Trista, what you would you do to make it romantic?

Charlie – He would talk to her and try to get to know her and her "barriers" better. What the hell? Barriers? This isn't New Year's Eve in Times Square, Charlie, where you're held back from seeing the ball drop.

Ryan – Ever the romantic, talking about walks on the beach and candlelight. I bet there's a poem involved somewhere as well.

Greg – Well he wrote Trista a song and even if he doesn't get to sing he it, he can sue to be on American Idol and sing it for her there.

Bob – Dance with Trista.

4) What size shoe do you where? (i.e., how big is your _____)

Rob – 10
Mike – 10.5 or 11
Jamie – 22… JUST KIDDING! (insert bad laugh here) A 12 (same size as me thank you very much – 13 in rugger boots though).
Bob – 12.5. He said he was going to say 12.5 to beat Jamie's size no matter what.

Back in the house, Missy, Sara, and Shannon are all dishing the guys. I so wish Shannon would change out of that striped top. It's really annoying me. I'm sure it looks better in person but it's giving me a headache.

Anyway, the women all like Jamie immediately and they think he's very well put together and has a firm head on his shoulders. However, Missy knows that something has to be up if Trista hasn't said that much about him. On paper and in person he looks great. But will he make it?