This article contains spoilers for Bachelor in Paradise Season 7.
After Natasha Parker was blindsided by the Pieper James and Brendan Morais pre-show romance debacle on Season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise, fans were hoping that the podcast host would soon find love on the beach.
When Dr. Joe Park, who appeared on Clare Crawley/Tayshia Adams’ season of The Bachelorette, arrived in Paradise, he immediately pulled Natasha for a chat.
He did ask Peter Weber’s former ex out on a date but it became obvious that Dr. Joe’s relationship with Brendan, his existing friend, would make it difficult to establish a relationship with Natasha.
For a refresher on their awkward dinner date and some of the most popular memes and tweets about it, keep reading.
Natasha liked Dr. Joe’s “calm energy” on ‘Bachelor in Paradise,’ but his friendship with Brendan was a curveball.
When the anesthesiologist first walked down in Week 5, Natasha admired his “calm energy.” The two briefly chatted before Dr. Joe asked Natasha about the date.
Dr. Joe asked Natasha about her past and why she was not attached during their dinner. Although she was reluctant to discuss her past with Brendan, Natasha did briefly talk about it.
“I do know you and Brendan are close…” Natasha began. “If I am going, to be honest, he really almost ruined this whole experience for me.”
Dr. Joe was stunned.
“Brendan? My Brendan?” Dr. Joe was shocked.
The New Yorker briefly spoke about Brendan’s preshow involvement with Pieper.
“It just seemed like he was waiting for her to come and, by doing that, completely jeopardized this experience for me,” the Click Bait host shared.
Dr. Joe then acknowledged that he knew Brendan and Pieper had something going on, but he didn’t think they were “dating-dating” before the show.
In his confessional, Dr. Joe said that it was “unfortunate” that his close friend had been the one to “hurt” Natasha.
Back at the date, he said that the two were in “no rush,” and he seemed to shut down any and all possibilities of a romance.
“When I told him who I had been talking to on the beach, everything changed. I could just see the conflict. It was written all over his face,” Natasha said before adding that their potential relationship was already “over.”
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ fans had some strong reactions to Dr. Joe’s arrival, and to his date with Natasha.
It was a very disappointing date between Natasha, Joe, and Joe. The episode was a huge hit online, with many people commenting on it.
This tweet doesn’t seem to have aged well as the episode progressed but it reminds of the hope we all had that Natasha would work.
Viewers could almost see the wheels turning in the medical professional’s brain when he was asked about Pieper and Brendan.
Brendan saying that Natasha had zero options may be one of his most regrettable lines (but nothing is as cringey as when he referred to the group as “Joe [Amabile] and his mob of disgruntled females”).
Natasha was also flagged with a red flag.
Though Natasha and Joe are not going to be the next “it” couple in Paradise, there is still plenty of time for the two to find love with other on the beach.
Bachelor in Paradise airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.