‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 9, Episode 3 Recap: Poo Baby, Team Brayden, And More

Over the course of three episodes, Bachelor in Paradise Season 9 went from toe sucking to poo babies, so I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t fearful for whatever awaits us next week.

Fresh off the first Paradise Season 9 rose ceremony, Episode 3 kicked off with the girls taking control of the roses and two new arrivals joining the cast. (Yes, one was another ex of former Bachelorette Rachel Recchia! No, we’re not joking!) There were tears, romantic one-on-one dates, a concerning visit from an on-call ER physician, and — finally, at long last — talk of the mysterious Paradise “poo baby.”

Looking for a Bachelor in Paradise Season 9, Episode 3 recap? Curious who joined the cast? Who went on a date? And if the poo baby was delivered? We’ve got you covered.

Tanner Courtad Takes Kat Izzo On A Date

First Season 9 newbie to step foot in Paradise Episode 3 with date card in hand? Tanner Courtad from Charity Lawson’s season of The Bachelorette. He told host Jesse Palmer he was excited to meet Kat Izzo and Jess Girod, and though he was Jess’ first Paradise pick, Tanner asked Brayden’s girl Kat on the date. Much to Kat’s dismay, the two went horseback riding on the beach. But after the scary part was over, they sat on the sand, toasted champagne, and made out in the ocean. Kat even told Tanner she was enjoying their time together more than her time with Brayden, which brings us to the biggest twist of Paradise Season 9…

Bachelor in Paradise‘s Biggest Season 9 Twist: Team Brayden

Based on Brayden’s insufferable Bachelorette run, if you told me that I — let alone the rest of Charity’s guys — would not only be empathizing with this man in Paradise, but would genuinely grow to like him, I probably would have laughed in your face. And yet, everyone was Team Brayden in Episode 4…even Aaron B!

The 24-year-old earring aficionado opened the episode by explaining how hard and fast he’d fallen for Kat. Even after she accepted Tanner’s date invitation, Brayden still had hope that she’d come back to him. But the “little puppy dog” still spent the night spiraling over the thought of losing Kat. Much to my surprise and delight, however, he wasn’t spiraling alone. His former Bachelorette haters Aaron B, Sean, and Aaron S, bonded, laughed with, and lifted him up in his time of need. Aww!

Tyler “Mr Abs” Norris Makes His Paradise Return

Next Bachelor Nation alum down the stairs? Rachel Recchia’s ex and Paradise Season 8 contestant Tyler Norris. The 26-year-old business owner arrived as Tyler 2.0 with some serious arm muscles and unfinished business with Rachel. He pulled her aside to catch up, and though the vibes were flirty AF, he ultimately asked Mercedes on a date in yet another crushing blow to Will Urena, who mere minutes before Tyler’s arrival dared utter the words, “I’m so giddy, there’s nothing you can do to ruin my day!” Think again, sir!

The Tyler/Mercedes/Will Love Triangle

As if Will’s Olivia and Kylee love triangle wasn’t painful enough, right after his brief rose ceremony high he was unsuspectingly thrown into another love triangle with Mercedes and Tyler. After accepting Tyler’s one-on-one invite, Mercedes accompanied him to a romantic dinner where the two laid eyes on TWO special signs from the universe: a shooting star and a raccoon. Talk about a match made in Paradise! Tyler revealed that he decided to come back on the show after seeing Mercedes on Zach Shallcross’ season of The Bachelor, and Mercedes revealed Tyler was first on her list. They used their shooting star to wish for an amazing night, and it ended with fireworks, a kiss, and — of course — Will crying on the beach.

Aaron S, Will You Accept This Poo Baby?

We interrupt these love triangle updates with a special poo baby report! Paradise has been teasing some serious Season 9 bowel issues from the start, and Episode 4 finally gave us some insight on Sam Jeffries’ “crappy situation.” After learning that Sam was going on “nine days of no pooping,” Dr. Kelly Tenbrink, an on-call ER physician, visited the beach to talk about drastic actions. He explained that if laxatives, stool softeners, and a targeted diet didn’t work by sunrise, they’d have to consider delivering a “poo baby” to remove the waste from her body.

With a poo baby countdown in the corner of the screen, Bachelor in Paradise showed a stressed-out Sam telling Olivia, Wells, and eventually her Paradise partner Aaron S about her unexpected dilemma. His response? Assembling a “poo poo platter” of coffee, salad, olive oil shots, and Mexican food; leading her in some exercises; and reminding her “It’s not your poop baby it’s our poop baby.” So romantic. After a “cheers to making shit happen” toast, Sam excused herself to use the restroom with four and a half hours left on the clock. Will she be able to stay in Paradise? Only time will tell.

The Return Of The Murder Birds

When describing the “murder birds” that land on the beach and rip crab hearts out, Season 9 contestant Blake switched the conversation to the women of Paradise, explaining, “We got a couple murder birds down on the beach.” (For the purposes of this episode, those Murder Birds are named Kat and Mercedes.)

After their romantic date, Kat and Tanner arrived back on the beach hand-in-hand and promptly crushed Brayden’s heart to bits. Kat explained that her feelings and energy levels were different around Tanner, and she wasn’t sure she saw her and Brayden’s romance growing. Brayden let her go, but he ultimately felt confused, dumbfounded, and played. He called Kat’s behavior “cold as ice” as his boys comforted him, then later explained he “felt like a dirty whore.” OK sir, calm down.

After Jess and Kylee pulled Kat aside to tell her to be more considerate of Brayden’s feelings, Kat grew super defensive with him. “She took a big-ass samurai sword and drove it through my heart and now she’s trying to paint me as this bad guy, and like I’m being confrontational and turning herself into this victim?” Brayden said. “There’s a man-eater on this beach and y’all need to watch out.”

Will’s night didn’t go much better, but unlike Brayden, he didn’t get fully dumped…yet. After Mercedes and Tyler returned from their date, she sat Will down and said she wanted to sleep on her feelings, scope out the vibes tomorrow, and let him and Tanner know where her head was at later on.

Will Will and Mercedes make it? Will Brayden find love on the beach again? And will Sam safely deliver her poo baby? Tune in next week to find out!

New episodes of Bachelor in Paradise Season 9 air on Thursdays from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. on ABC. Next-day streaming is available on Hulu.