So we’re three episodes deep, and things are getting real, fellow viewers!

Jasmine started the episode out strong, going on a romantic helicopter tour of Jamaica with Fireman Kevin (not to be confused with Kevin P). The pair appeared to have great chemistry on their one-on-one date. In fact, we the viewers were treated to some delightfully sexy PDA; however, their love connection was somewhat strained when Jasmine became bizarrely pearl-clutching after Fireman Kevin confessed to having been on a hundred first dates. Come on, Jasmine! Fireman Kevin is a hot thirty-two-year-old guy who lives in Toronto, where there’s always someone new on Tinder. Of course he’s dated a lot.

In a stroke of savvy producer interference, Jasmine’s date with Fireman Kevin concluded with a candlelit dinner in a bat cave. This was particularly entertaining, as the dude is terrified of bats. Having said all this, Kevin ultimately charmed Jasmine and received a rose, so his dating history and fear of flying rodents didn’t do any serious damage.

Next, there was a dance-themed group date. On said date, the dudes in attendance had to learn a choreographed number. Sadly, Jasmine’s parade of hunks did not groove as well as Channing Tatum in Magic Mike. The date proved far more awkward than sexy, though I did enjoy watching the gentlemen dress up like The New Kids on the Block circa 1990 for their performance.

Sadly, the fellow who seemed to distinguish himself most on the episode’s first group date was Drew, a man whose name fittingly rhymes with ew. Of course he’s incredibly handsome, but the guy is arrogant and a half, telling the cameras he is certain Jasmine is already “in love” with him, and insulting his fellow competitors any chance he gets. To Jasmine, Drew presents a decidedly more charming persona. And herein provides the show’s central dramatic question, will Jasmine see the men for who they really are, or will she fall for a jerk?

The Bachelorette is a show where its leading lady is at an informational disadvantage compared to her audience, which provides much of the show’s dramatic value. We at home get to see the men’s confessionals; we know who they are when not in her presence. We are given the insight to her suitors’ thought processes that Jasmine lacks. So of course, I yelled at my TV when she gave Drew a rose, yet it is probably the experience of watching someone choose someone you know is wrong for her that makes the show relatable. It may ultimately even be what makes this show truly watchable.

How often have you chosen the wrong paramore, all because you are not omniscient and can only see the person your date presents to you? Watching Jasmine make the same mistakes so many of us have made at some point in our lives is what takes The Bachelorette from pure helicopter-riding fantasy to something a bit more grounded. Her struggle is what makes you root for her.

The dilemma of how to sort the wheat from the chaff was also a prominent theme on the second group date of this week’s episode, where Jasmine and the men worked on art projects with local children. The central conflict on this outing arose as Jasmine wondered aloud whether David was there for the right reasons, or simply to gain exposure for his career as a musician. Methinks it’s the latter, and I hope she’ll conclude that soon.

In the end, The Bachelorette Canada is a show that presents its viewers with a heightened, more romantic version of reality; however, what makes it so addictive is that, for all its sparkly floor-length dresses and impossibly beautiful suitors, it tells a fairly common story. It is the tale of a woman just trying to get to know people – some of whom may be hiding who they really are.

In short, Jasmine’s dating life really isn’t that different from yours. Sure, The Bachelorette is living a fairytale characterized by travel, adventure, and impossibly perfect hair, but at the same time, she’s living your life too. That’s the show’s primary contradiction, and it’s also its strength.

Thank you to Two Oceans Wine for partnering with us on this post, and for hooking us up with the sweetest Bachelorette Canada viewing kit: popcorn, a cozy blanket, socks, a chocolate rose (!!!) and two bottles of beautiful wine (Two Oceans Sauvignon Blanc and Two Oceans Shiraz). Now that’s how you do The Bachelorette Canada in style.