The Bachelorette Season 4

DeAnna Pappas, the finalist on a 2007 edition of "The Bachelor" who was spurned at the last moment by Brad Womack, is now dispensing roses herself as the fourth female edition of the dating-contest perennial begins. Joining DeAnna on the opener is fellow 2007 finalist Jenni Croft, who helps DeAnna sift through the 25 candidates before she eliminates 10 of them in the first rose ceremony. But first, DeAnna must hand out three "first impression" roses, and her first one is literally that.

The 15 Week 1 survivors arrive at DeAnna's villa to learn that Jeremy, Jesse and Richard, the three who received "first-impression" roses, get to live there for a week. Then DeAnna and Graham go to a beach for sun, surf and serious talk. As for the other 14, DeAnna takes half to Hollywood's Magic Castle and the rest to Dodger Stadium for baseball swatting, national-anthem mangling and tips on love from Tommy Lasorda. Later, there's a push-up contest, and at the rose ceremony, three must go.

Twelve bachelors remain, 11 of whom find themselves backstage at Ellen DeGeneres' talk show, where they're quizzed by Ellen---and show off their "Ellen" boxer shorts. And 10 accompany DeAnna to a dude ranch, where Jeremy and Ron get into an argument. DeAnna also has two one-on-one dates: one with Jason, who has yet to tell her that he's already a dad; the other with Richard, who, she fears, might be just a "friend." At the rose ceremony, DeAnna pares the roster to nine.

DeAnna accuses the nine remaining bachelors of refusing to take the competition seriously, but first she invites them to compete in a singing contest. The prize: a one-on-one date that includes a private performance by Natasha Bedingfield. Six of the others accompany DeAnna to the California Speedway, where everyone gets behind the wheel, then Robert and Fred get a home-cooked meal (with one getting a rose after dessert). And following the rose-ceremony pruning, six guys are left standing.

With six bachelors remaining, DeAnna Pappas assesses the competition to win her heart so far, as do her six beaus. Also: outtakes from past episodes; an appearance by 2003 Bachelorette Trista Rehn and her husband, Ryan Sutter.

Jesse, Jason, Jeremy, Graham, Sean and Twilley accompany DeAnna to Palm Springs, where she and Sean take a tram to a mountaintop rendezvous for dinner, and Jeremy dines, dances (and sings) with her in Frank Sinatra's onetime home. As for the other four, their DeAnna time consists of an ATV ride through the desert. (One proves to be a particularly adept rider.) Then it's on to the rose ceremony, where two guys get bad news and four begin preparations for hometown dates.

DeAnna meets her final four on their home courts when she meets their families. One dinner is disturbingly tense, another's family warns her not to be a heartbreaker, and a third guy's mother is surprisingly candid. The fourth guy's family goes out of the way to make her feel at home---Greek feast included---but she wonders whether it's the bachelor or his family she finds so appealing. At the wrenching rose ceremony, one guy must go home again while the other three prepare for overnight dates.

Fifteen of DeAnna's suitors (including Robert and Fred, who both struck out on the same two-on-one date) dish with---and about---the Bachelorette who let them get away. The guys also predict which of the two finalists will succeed where they have failed. Rounding out the hour: clips and outtakes from the contest so far.

DeAnna accompanies her final three suitors to Grand Bahama Island for days filled with kayaking, off-road driving, Jet Skiing and horseback riding on the beach, followed by romantic dinners and, perhaps, nights spent in her fantasy suite. There are declarations of love and commitment galore, but she must say good-bye to one guy at the rose ceremony. As for the other two, they'll prepare for a trip to Georgia to meet DeAnna's family.

In the fourth-season finale, DeAnna has a choice to make between the two finalists after taking her two suitors to Grand Bahama Island and home to Georgia to meet her family. Island activities include a seaplane ride and scuba diving near sharks, but the guys are probably more concerned about their encounters with DeAnna's dad. Following a party, family members aren't shy about offering their opinions on her choice, but DeAnna sorts through her emotions crisply and doesn't dither over it.

In a season retrospective, DeAnna and her two finalists discuss the challenges of the contest and the rose ceremony that ended it. Also: British Bachelor Matt Grant (2008) and his intended, Shayne Lamas, give an update on their relationship.