Episode 1 (or "New Money")
- June 7
FLOM1: Erin chose money.
FLOM2: Chad
(sorry, guys)
chose love.
Thus
begins the third chapter of our little story here. And
so far as we know, Erin, Wade, and that other guy are
pretty much out of it. Think of this year as the Final
Fantasy of the series. At least for now.
Preston
Mercer is your typical 25-year-old businessman looking
for love on television. Or at least a pretty good
showmance. These sixteen women are also looking for
love. But what they don't know is that aside from one
strapping hunk of Preston, they're also competing for a
cash prize, anywhere from $1 to $1,000,000. They don't
know how much they're worth, and they won't know until
they either cash the check or burn it. Preston knows,
though, and he also knows that they must ultimately make
a choice. He also knows that the women don't know about
who has what. He ALSO knows that the women don't know
that he knows, and... well, you get it. The rub is, all
17 people involved will be forced to gauge why they're
here. For love... or money.
But
we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Let's go to the
beginning (and a pretty One-Tree-Hill-ish theme), where
no one knows a damned thing.
Ladies
arrive in a cavalcade of overpriced luxury SUVs: By
name, we have Jamie (asst. buyer/Bucks County,
PA), Lauren (administrative assistant/Winchester,
MA), Leslie (estate planner/Boca Raton, FL),
Monica (student/Pueblo, CO... and if you were "very
mature for your age", you wouldn't even be ON this
show), Rachel (flight attendant/Chicago - she's
great in bed... her words), Meredith (branch
manager for a rental company/Dallas), Rebekah
(bartender/West Palm Beach), Melayne
(communications specialist/Mesa, AZ - virginal cuddle
slut... okay, those are MY words), Beth (Pilates
instructor/Palm Beach), Tiniesha
(paralegal/Pennsauken, NJ), Heather (government
clerk/Lancaster, PA), Andrea (party
planner/Marlton, NJ), Johanna (yoga
instructor/Phoenix), Melody (account
manager/Pasadena, TX), Ali (business
development/Santa Monica), and PJ (assistant
media buyer/Rockwell, TX).
Jordan
meets the ladies out in front, telling of their
adventure in true love... yeah, right. For those playing
along at home, this is twist #1: "I've come to break
you" form: "I know you've all come here looking for
love. I'm happy to inform you that you've found a whole
lot more than that. Welcome to 'For Love... or Money'."
New game on. Right now, the ladies have a million things
going on in their heads, all with George Washington's
face on them.
Next up,
it's bedroom picking time. Yes, it's about as bloody as
its gets for a TV-PG show. And yes, Andrea's going to be
an issue. Quote of the night: "You're not going to sleep
with some guy's money. You're going to sleep with him."
Dinnertime next, and Jordan's back with news of the
upcoming bombshell (twist #2.. dizzy yet?).
Jordan
tells the ladies of the man that will arrive at the
mansion in the very near future. Since we know of FLOM,
we know that there's more than love at stake. How much
more? Well... "There's only one problem. These checks
are blank." Of course they're not REALLY blank, but they
are printed with invisible ink. Cue the black light.
Jordan tells the women of the spread, from a cool mill
to a cool mill on a million-dollar spectacular final
spin if you follow. There's a choice, of course, but
this time, they have to make the decision without
knowing how much they have. Theoretically, you could
blow the house on a nice piece of Preston, or you could
pass up true love for a measly buck.
End
question: What price love?
Jordan
mixes the checks, and the ladies pick and choose,
hanging them in the secret gallery. Ali notes the game
can play them just as well as they can play the game.
Next
morning, and the ladies train to keep a straight face
while "lying". Technically, it's not lying. It's just
hiding the truth. And even more so, you're doing it in
front of fifteen others who are also doing it. Who's
telling the truth around here, anyway?
Jordan
enters again with news that the man will arrive tonight.
Expect more bloodshed. But first, expect makeup to the
fullest, as prepwork goes into meeting the bachelor.
Andrea wants to make herself known. Rachel wants to play
the game. Which will work? We'll see, as Preston Mercer
makes the scene. Preston started out as a mortgage
broker. From there, he made his way to casinos, skiing,
golfing, fishing, and ultimately the top of his game.
But
where would he be without his parents? His mom's German,
and his dad is half Japanese. Interesting mix of family.
Interesting mix of friends. Interesting well-wishers
around, as Jordan enters the scene again. But not
without Preston. He's outside on "the balcony" with a
second host (does that count in the twists? Guess not).
Taking a hint from Erin Brodie, Preston will present
each woman with a ring symbolizing friendship and the
possibility of something more.
Meanwhile, Jordan informs the ladies that the only way
they will ever know how much they're playing for is
either if they are eliminated or if they manage to get
Preston to fall headoverheelsinlovewithyou. Time
machine?
PJ meets
the man first, followed by Monica, Jamie, Melody,
Rebekah, Lauren, Meredith, Johanna, Melayne, Beth, Ali,
Heather, Rachel, Tiniesha, and last but not least by any
stretch, Andrea. He's in it for fun. They're in it for
blood. Or something.
And now
Jordan's in it, letting everyone know that tomorrow, six
women are going home empty-handed.
Cut to
tomorrow, as Preston surprises the girls with breakfast.
Yes, he can cook, too. So while Preston is thinking
about cracking eggs, the ladies are thinking about
cracking heads. Heather vents about not liking to play
games, especially with love, and especially for a
dollar. She and Ali join the stragglers club for
breakfast. There are some people who are competitive in
this game, and Preston hopes to bag one of them.
Well,
his first cut (which is always the deepest) comes
tonight, and no one is looking forward to it. At all.
Jordan arrives with an umbrella. It's storming outside
(SYM-bolism). Jordan leaves, and Preston arrives. This
is beginning to look more like "Clue". But needless to
say, Preston must make his first kills.
Melayne
is down first, and she's back up. Joining her in the
winner's stair is ... not Johanna. She has to give up
the ring. PJ stays, as do Jamie and Tiniesha. Beth
exits. Ali doesn't. Heather exits, having not said a
thing. Meredith goes, being too "friend" like. Rebekah
and Leslie stay. Lauren goes. Monica stays. Bug stays,
bug goes. Andrea stays, leaving Melody and Rachel.
Melody gets the call down... and the hook. Rachel stays.
Elimination ends, as now we reveal how much the
eliminated women were playing for.
Johanna - $1,000,000
Beth - $250,000
Heather - $100,000
Meredith - $1
Lauren - $500,000
Melody - $50,000
Over?
Not by a longshot, as auxiliary host leads Preston to
Jordan... and the gallery. Instantly, he's in for a
roller coaster. "They're not here for love. They're here
for love... or money." He tells Preston of the choice
and, in twist #3, his own choice: "her love... or her
money." But again, the spread, which will be revealed to
Preston and only Preston. But of course, being the
diligent recapper I am, I reveal, now, to you...
Ali
- $1,000,000
Jamie - $250,000
Rebekah - $1
PJ - $50,000
Tiniesha - $1,000,000
Leslie - $1,000,000
Monica - $1
Andrea - $500,000
Melayne - $100,000
Rachel - $1
Nothing
beats the vision of your world through a blacklight.
Next day, a game at breakfast involving boxes. And look,
Jordan's back. Dating starts today. But not all of them
are going. There will be two group dates, and three
ladies are going to stay at home. In one of the ten
boxes is a silver heart. Whoever has the heart decides
who stays home. That would be Rebekah, as she decides (tearily)
Leslie, Jamie, and Rachel - who didn't get a reason
why... BUT her plan may have backfired (twist #4), as
they compete for a one-on-one dinner. Each woman will
write a poem to Preston anonymously. Best one wins.
As for
group dates, Melayne, PJ, Ali, and Tiniesha leave in an
hour. Meanwhile Rachel rushes up to her room, having
been crushed by Ali... among others. Andrea notes that
"it's all about Rachel".
Preston
arrives in a track suit, ready to blow off some steam -
cycling. PJ walks through first, giving Preston the
opportunity for some me-time. Two of them, Ali and
Tiniesha, have $1 million checks. He's hoping to connect
with both. While PJ and Ali cycles between money and
Preston, Preston just plain cycles. PJ gets some more
one-on-one time, as Preston wants to break her bubble.
He admires her innocence.
Next
day, a message at breakfast: "3 OF U HAVE $1 MIL". If my
knowledge of text messaging serves me right, that
basically means... three of you have $1 million checks.
Andrea, Monica, and Rebekah head out for their group
date in a limo, while Monica is extremely excitable.
So we
have a limo leading to.. a gym. Preston and the girls
are playing a little NBC Street. Andrea comes out with
the midriff. She's come to play. So has Preston, as
whoever makes a basket first wins the alone-time. That
would be Rebekah after a couple of bricks. Preston has a
chance to figure out where she's coming from. She's very
flirtatious. "She'll make you feel like a million
dollars, but she's only worth a dollar. She definitely
has the potential to be in it for love."
And
Monica's idea of flirting? "I can put my legs behind my
head and make a pretzel out of my body." Alrighty then.
Def
Poetry is next, as Preston chooses... Rachel's poem.
She's really going to have to put out in order to make
up for the $1 check. They head to Paradise Cove, taking
in the sights and the sounds of the beach. Preston
starts to fall for the personality as the two take in a
kiss. Rachel can't stop talking, as she tries to win his
favor. "Just fall for me. That's all I need. There's
money there, and I'm not screwing up my chance at that."
Oh my
God, she IS evil!
It goes
on a bit, as Preston realizes that "if she can lie to
them, she can lie to me." And PJ - and the rest of the
girls - catch wind of her plan to pawn the ring? What
the hell?! Rachel told the ladies that her and Preston
did not kiss. Big lie.
So
basically, she's not even worth the dollar she's up for.
Can Preston read that before elimination time? We'll
find out, but first, it's pool time.
Okay,
it's elimination time now. Four are leaving tonight.
It's nice and... not raining now, so we're going out
back. Rachel's first... she's staying. Melayne's in...
and she's gone. PJ joins... Rachel. Leslie joins...
Melayne. Rebekah goes to the balcony. Tiniesha goes...
to the house. Andrea and Jamie join the winners, leaving
Ali and Monica. Ali gets the call down. And she's
staying, leaving Monica with nothing left to do than
give back the ring... and tell Preston off for not
choosing her. It felt like breaking up with a
girlfriend. So says Preston. Walk it off... Walk it
off...
Okay,
here's where we stand. One woman - Ali - still has
$1,000,000. Two women - Rebekah and Rachel - have a
dollar.
And
Jordan has a secret. We play Garry Moore next time.
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