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Ali Barthwell

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@wtflanksteak

Ali Barthwell is a writer who has been recapping reality TV shows—The Bachelor and Real Housewives among them—since 2015. She is an Emmy-winning writer for Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. Her work has been featured on The AV Club and Chicago Magazine.

  1. bachelor nation
    The Bachelor Recap: Lady in RedThe Bachelor innovates with a wild musical-guest appearance and a couples-therapy date. Utter perfection. No notes.
  2. bachelor nation
    The Bachelor Recap: Subterfuge in CroatiaThe Bachelor is throwing so much stuff at us at once, yet it’s hard to care about any of it.
  3. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: Villain Origin StoryThe other contestants have made this into the Shanae Show and are now just trying to catch up.
  4. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: Is This About Shrimp?This all could have been avoided if Elizabeth had just accepted some shrimp.
  5. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: Let Clayton HimboNot even Shrimpgate can slow down Shanae.
  6. overnights
    The Bachelorette Season-Finale Recap: Well-SuitedThis show has been incredibly invested in making us doubt that the man Michelle wants to spend the rest of her life with is really in love with her.
  7. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Soulmate StalemateLet it never be said that Michelle isn’t linguistically consistent.
  8. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Rest in PizzaBachelor Nation has had an intense year, so let’s just sit back and enjoy watching Will and Peter toss pizza-based insults at each other for a while.
  9. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Hometown Away From HomeAs her season unfolds with minimal drama and fanfare, it’s important to remember that Michelle is a tremendous Bachelorette.
  10. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Dealing With the PastChildren really are the future (of producing reality television).
  11. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: The Invisible WomanThis is an episode of men talking directly past Michelle’s head and not reading even one iota of the room.
  12. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: No Jacket RequiredJamie has decided he’s set the standard for all men on earth and he’s only in competition with himself.
  13. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Personal FoulJamie has chosen chaos.
  14. overnights
    The Bachelorette Season-Premiere Recap: Love NotesWhen your lead tells you to be authentic, vulnerable, and open, dammit, you better be authentic, vulnerable, and open!
  15. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Season-Finale Recap: Engagement PartyA three-hour finale begins with us somehow still at prom and ends at the ritualistic proposal altar.
  16. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Recap: You Can’t Outsmart the Bachelor Cinematic UniverseEveryone on this beach is truly acting a fool and risking it all for people whose names I barely remember.
  17. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Recap: You Should Have Never Let Me Become This PowerfulKenny and Mari’s Love Language is eating tacos off each other, which should be a crime because it’s truly gross.
  18. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Recap: Going to Need More Whipped CreamBrendan and Pieper’s public shaming and exit is ultimately unsatisfying because they didn’t learn their lesson.
  19. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Recap: Collective ActionThe arrival of Chris and Alana in Paradise necessitates an emergency meeting of Local Bach 41.
  20. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Recap: Heist in ParadiseBrendan and Pieper almost pull off the perfect heist, except the plan was stupid, they crashed the getaway car, and everyone knows they did it.
  21. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Recap: Cool GirlsHave any of these hot singles ever considered, I don’t know, maybe just talking to each other?
  22. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Recap: Cake WarsHear that? It’s the first rumblings of chaos hitting the beach.
  23. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Recap: Welcome to the RilenaissanceIs Bachelor in Paradise genuinely horny again?
  24. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Recap: Demi, GodIs all of this really necessary? How many emotionally fragile, sexually assertive white women does this franchise need?
  25. overnights
    Bachelor in Paradise Season-Premiere Recap: The Beach That Makes You BoldEveryone in Paradise this season is going to destroy each other emotionally, and I am here for it.
  26. overnights
    The Bachelorette Finale Recap: And Just Like ThatStop trying to make us believe that Katie’s a Carrie when she’s clearly a Miranda.
  27. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: The Look of LoveGreg may have said way too much, but Katie said way too little.
  28. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Encompassed With DramaAn emotionally devastating departure sets the stage for the first of many abrupt tonal shifts in this Men Tell All.
  29. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Rom-Com VibesKatie is looking for a lot in a man.
  30. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Point BlakeThis is Hunter’s villain-origin story.
  31. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: A Need-to-Know BasisDoes this Hyatt Regency exist outside space and time? That’s the only explanation for why we’re still doing this whole Thomas thing.
  32. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Mutual AuthenticationThe way things are going, this season is going to be five episodes long.
  33. overnights
    The Bachelorette Season-Premiere Recap: Horny Girl SummerAmerica’s Horniest Bachelorette is here to laugh at your sexual innuendo and make out with a grown man in a cat costume.
  34. overnights
    The Bachelor Season Finale Recap: The Bitter EndNo, there will not be a final embrace.
  35. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: Daddy LessonsAfter one tidy segment with his father, suddenly Matt’s deep-seated issues with commitment are solved? Yay?
  36. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: With Eyes Wide OpenFrom the dates we didn’t see to the toxic conflicts we most certainly did, this Women Tell All was a wild ride.
  37. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: This StinksBachelor Nation, step right up and behold this season’s most outrageous attraction: The Man Who Has Never Been Dumped.
  38. overnights
    We Need to Talk About The BachelorAs it becomes obvious that the person Matt favors is the one with a racist past, we have to step back and take a hard look at this show’s history.
  39. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: Fun and GamesThis week’s dates have a real sixth-grade-birthday-party energy to them.
  40. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: Don’t You Know That You’re Toxic?You don’t get credit for removing the people who spread rumors when you’re actively promoting those rumors, The Bachelor.
  41. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: Mean GirlsCould we try and get through the rest of this season without anyone pejoratively accusing anyone else of being a sex worker?
  42. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: Ladies in WaitingIt will truly be remarkable if Matt somehow manages to explode another season of this show.
  43. overnights
    The Bachelor Recap: Rage Against the QueenVictoria goes into full villain mode.
  44. overnights
    The Bachelor Season Premiere Recap: Just VibingMatt James’s season is off to a bland, chemistry-light start, but at least Vibratin’ Katie brought the prop comedy.
  45. overnights
    The Bachelorette Season Finale Recap: Words of AffirmationIn the midst of, well, everything, The Bachelorette managed to deliver one of its more satisfying love stories.
  46. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: The Eleventh HourAfter the year we’ve all had, don’t we deserve a happy ending without any twists and turns?
  47. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Say Something!It didn’t have to be like this, Tayshia.
  48. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Decision CrystalsTayshia is torn apart that she’s hurting people, but that’s what happens when you ask people to tell you their childhood trauma.
  49. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: Grin and BennettIn between the bookends of Bennett’s absolute nonsense, we are treated to, gasp, emotional conversations where people are actually seen and validated!
  50. overnights
    The Bachelorette Recap: When Zac Met TayshiaWe’re watching a woman realize that her dating options aren’t limited to men best described as “Spicoli-esque.”
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