In some ways, *The Golden Bachelor* Season 2 feels like it’s only just begun. But after saying goodbye to three more women this week, Mel Owens has officially handed out his three Hometown Week stems and is headed to meet the families! That’s right, folks — Hometown Week is already on the horizon, followed by Fantasy Suite Week, a Women Tell All special, and then the *Golden Bachelor* Season 2 finale!
So who made the cut, who got cut, and who self-eliminated ahead of the make-it-or-break-it week? We’ve got answers.
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### The Golden Bachelor Group Date Recap: Good Vibes Only
Tonight’s episode featured Mel’s final group date of the season to Butterfly Mountain, where he brought Peg, Debbie, Cheryl, Nicole, and Carol on a spiritual journey to rid themselves of negative emotions and become more aligned. The group engaged in mud baths, ice plunges, tantric yoga, and other cleansing activities.
Mel managed to snag crucial one-on-one time with all the ladies. However, two Golden Gals were emitting some negative energy.
The first was… you guessed it, Nicolle! After episodes packed with PDA with Mel and openly discussing her plans to leverage her *Golden Bachelor* fame for an influencer career, Nicolle gave Mel a glimpse of her true intentions. When asked where she saw herself in five years, she immediately focused on business:
> “My dad is my accountant, he takes care of my finances, and he says, ‘You could have a little more income coming in.’ I work on Instagram, I’m working on monetizing it, and would love to author a cookbook with plant-based recipes.”
Mel later admitted to the cameras,
> “There’s a few things in the conversation that gave me pause. This could have been what Robin talked about.”
Instead of probing further, Mel ultimately brushed aside those concerns and sent her home.
The second source of negative vibes came from Carol. She realized that she and Mel must be lagging behind the other relationships because she was the only remaining woman who hadn’t received a one-on-one date. With Hometown Week rapidly approaching, Carol concluded that although she was interested in Mel, they hadn’t formed a solid enough connection. She chose to self-eliminate — a decision that, while disappointing for fans of hers (myself included), was admirable in its honesty and self-awareness.
At this point in the journey, it seemed clear that Cindy and Debbie were definite rose recipients. Nicolle’s spell on Mel was broken, and the last rose would come down to Peg or Cheryl.
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### Mel Owens and Cindy Angelcyk Cullers’ One-on-One Date Recap: The Sun, The Moon, and The Stars
While Cindy didn’t receive Mel’s first impression rose, from Night 1 it was obvious he had his eye on her. Their physical chemistry accelerated quickly.
For their one-on-one date, Mel took Cindy horseback riding up to Griffith Observatory. There, Cindy opened up about her life — her divorce seven years ago, her three daughters, and her struggles to find love since then.
> “I am shocked to be feeling the way I’m feeling,” she admitted. She told Mel, “My feelings for you are real.”
He returned the sentiment, gifting her her own personal star in the sky. The two spent the night kissing, bonding, dancing, and stargazing at the Observatory. Cindy summed up the experience perfectly:
> “He’s the sun, the moon, and the stars for me all wrapped up into one.”
Safe to say, she was headed to Hometown Week.
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### The Golden Bachelor: Who Went Home? Who’s Getting a Hometown Date?
Before the toughest rose ceremony yet, Mel said he “prayed on it” and carefully decided which three women would advance to the next round.
Ahead of the big night, all the women FaceTimed with their loved ones before learning their fate.
In addition to Carol’s self-elimination, Cheryl and Nicolle were also sent home.
True to form, Nicolle stirred the pot on her way out:
> “When it doesn’t work out with the one you pick, cause it probably won’t, you call me. I mean that. I’m a little surprised at this outcome, I really thought it was gonna be me, it should have been. Mel didn’t choose me but maybe you’ll choose me for *The Golden Bachelorette*, you never know.”
ABC, please do NOT choose her for *The Golden Bachelorette*! Let’s keep it wholesome, people!
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### Mel’s Top Three Moving On to Hometown Week
– **Cindy Angelcyk Cullers:** 60-year-old retired biomedical engineer from Austin, Texas
– **Debbie Siebers:** 65-year-old fitness professional from Denver, Colorado
– **Peg Munson:** 62-year-old from Las Vegas, Nevada
Will the loved ones accept Mel with open arms, or will they be as skeptical as Bachelor Nation was when Season 2 first started? Stay tuned for next week’s recap!
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New episodes of *The Golden Bachelor* Season 2 premiere Wednesdays on ABC, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
https://decider.com/2025/10/15/who-went-home-on-the-golden-bachelor-tonight-golden-bachelor-recap-episode-5-mel-owens-final-three/
