The Bachelor fan base is divided over a tense conversation between lead Zach Shallcross and contestant Greer Blitzer on episode 5. Here’s what Zach and Greer said, how fans reacted to the awkward moment, and Greer’s cryptic response after the episode aired.
[Spoiler alert: The Bachelor Season 27 Episode 5 spoilers ahead.]
‘The Bachelor’ episode 5: Zach Shallcross gets the coronavirus (COVID-19) and has an uncomfortable conversation with Greer Blitzer
Season 27, episode 5 of The Bachelor took place in London, and was supposed to show two one-on-one dates and one group date. Instead, only the first one-on-one took place before the lead, Zach Shallcross, tested positive for the coronavirus, cutting the week short and preventing the group dates and his second one-on-one with Charity Lawson.
24-year-old Greer Blitzer visibly struggled with jealousy as another contestant, Gabi Elnicki, went on her solo date with Zach that involved a shopping spree, creating their own perfume, and playtime with Queen Elizabeth’s corgis.
Greer, who hadn’t gotten a one-on-one date with Zach since receiving the first impression rose on night one, attempted to salvage the week when she got the chance (as did all the other contestants) to talk with the bachelor – on an iPad.
Greer told Zach that she could relate to how he felt about getting sick during such a pivotal moment in his quest to find love because she had contracted the illness during Q4 of her sales job.
Zach appeared irritated by the comparison, telling Greer it wasn’t really the same thing. After the conversation, Greer tearfully told other contestants that she felt insecure about getting a rose that night, saving her from elimination.
When the rose ceremony took place (with Zach handing out the flowers virtually through a large screen instead of in person), Greer received the last rose of the night.
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Bachelor nation is divided over Zach Shallcross and Greer Blitzer’s awkward conversation
Fans of The Bachelor are torn over whether Zach Shallcross was wrong to be upset about Greer Blitzer’s comparison or if contrasting her sales job to his journey to find love was insulting. Members of Bachelor nation discussed the moment in a Reddit thread.
Many sided with Greer, saying she was trying to empathize with Zach. “What is wrong about caring about your job and fretting over getting sick during an important work time?” one fan wrote. Another said, “Zach’s reaction was a major turn off. It was so evident that she was just trying to compare her own COVID experience to his and he took it the wrong way.”
Others said that between Greer’s jealousy over Gabi’s one-on-one date and her iPad conversation with Zach, she came off as self-centered. “Her comment wasn’t [sympathetic] to him, it was her humble brag that, to me, translated that she is so good at sales, she missed her quota bc of covid….which definitely made it sound like she was trying to redirect the conversation to herself.”
Others said that Zach’s illness during the episode excused his reaction. “I’m no Zach stan but to be fair to the man, he had covid. Kind of understandable that he wasn’t able to filter his words.”
The contestant shared an Instagram post responding to the episode drama
On Feb. 21, the night the episode showing Zach Shallcross and Greer Blitzer’s tense conversation aired, Greer shared a cryptic Instagram post. The caption seemed to address her awkward moment with Zach.
She shared a selfie and captioned it, “Women who care about their careers are hot.”
Fans flocked to the comments section of her post to show support. “You are a boss and he definitely doesn’t understand you!” one fan wrote, while another said, “Your sales career is more important than his reality show career babe.”
