['The Bachelor' - 'Season 15, Episode 7']

We know that some of you are under the impression that Brad Womack is kind of boring, but this week's 'Bachelor' is here to set you straight: Brad Womack is a REBEL without a clue.

Our studly hero is here to remind America that he's not the same pensive, cereal-eating, shirtless jogger with no personality that we once knew and loathed. He is, in fact, a rule-breaker, a risk-taker, a muscled amalgamation of Bruce Willis, Jack Bauer and Martin Riggs who doesn't need no stinkin' reality show producers telling him how to hand out roses and when to hold cocktail parties.

Or, he just doesn't like the awkwardness of keeping girls he doesn't want to make out with past their expiration date. One of the two.

But in the interests of breaking the rules, Brad decided to shake things up this week. Up until now, he'd kept poor, mousy Britt around long past the point of relevance, and when he finally decided to give her the one-on-one time she'd been praying for, it didn't take long for him to realize what we've all known for weeks -- she's kind of dull. Perfectly nice and inoffensive, but a little like chewing cardboard.

So, after making her jump off an unnecessarily high rock for the sake of drama and the running theme of "facing your fears," Brad told Britt in no uncertain terms that he had no desire to suck face with her as he's been doing with Michelle, Chantal, Ashley and Shawntel (Emily's far too proper for such unladylike behavior) and sent her off on the reject boat -- literally. Britt put up a good fight, trying to insist that she wanted to see where their relationship went, but for Brad, the only place it was going was in the trash, and Britt had to suffer the indignity of going home to a houseful of her enthusiastic competitors to break the news that she was leaving. Awk-ward. For once, Michelle's psychotic (oops, we totally meant psychic) prediction proved right.



Sadly, it seemed as though Michelle's crystal ball was a little foggy when it came to foreseeing her own fate -- after making a spectacle of herself on the group date (as is her wont) by grinding pornographically all over Brad for her Sports Illustrated shoot and thereby alienating Chantal and Ashley, it seemed our Bachelor finally wised up to just how cuckoo-bananas she truly is.

The whole group concept was unerringly tacky, of course, with Ashley and Chantal pretty much deciding to take off their bikini tops due to peer pressure while Brad lamented (not terribly loudly) how much of a bad idea the whole date had been. Did he really think bringing three sexually charged and competitive women out for a sleazy photo-shoot would count as a romantic way to spend the afternoon in the first place?

But it was admittedly glorious to see Michelle finally sent on the long walk of shame back to the limo, although she seemed a little too calm about the dismissal, as if she was planning on sneaking back and putting a horse's head in Brad's bed or boiling Chantal's bunny for breakfast. You haven't seen the last of Michelle, Brad -- sleep with one eye open! As it was, she dramatically laid down in the back of the limo and probably set about mentally concocting an alibi or two. It'll be much quieter and more sane without her, which is never a good thing on reality television, but Brad was long overdue a wake-up call.

Emily's one-on-one date was every bit as vanilla as she is -- the girl is sweet as pie, but also kind of blah. It's adorable to see how flustered Brad gets around her, and she certainly brings out his chivalrous nature, but the two certainly don't have the same kind of chemistry that Brad shares with Chantal/Shawntel, since all their conversations are kind of stilted. I have no doubt that Emily deserves love and is smart to guard and protect her heart (wait, wrong season) and her daughter from any more hurt, but Brad has clearly put the woman up on a pedestal and there's no way that they work on equal ground. I don't see that changing even after the hometown dates next week.

Shawntel's one-on-one date was far more comfortable, if completely contrived. After taking a quaint bicycle ride around the tropical paradise of Anguilla (book your flights now!) the couple indulged in some skipping, dancing and domino playing -- all completely authentic reality show experiences without an ounce of planning.

In true Disney fashion, a kindly old woman was also conveniently on hand to give Brad and Shawntel some sage relationship advice and tell them how cute they were as a couple, and then more of the locals were rounded up to play background extras in a concert by Banksy Banx (not to be confused with the graffiti artist) Anguilla's most famous musician, apparently.

Mostly there's just a lot of kissing, because that's the way to Brad's heart. Next week, we have the dreaded hometown dates to look forward to. Will Emily let Brad meet her daughter? Will Shawntel take Brad for a tour of her funeral home? Will Michelle return to wreak bloody revenge on those who have wronged her? You'll have to tune in to find out.

'The Bachelor' airs Mondays, 8PM ET on ABC.

Follow Laura on Twitter: @LauinLA.

Watch the full episode here: