TV review: The Bachelor NZ -- Sophie fails to crystallise romance

TOO QUIRKY: Bachelor hopeful Sophie's love of crystals did not win over the Bachelor.

If there was one message from Monday's night's episode of The Bachelor New Zealand, it's this: It's OK to be quirky, but not too quirky.

For those who may not be familiar with The Bachelor formula, it's pretty simple. Put 20 young, single women in a house together; give them one guy who they have to try to impress on a series of dates and challenges.

The Bachelor allows the girls he likes to stay by giving them a red rose. The girls are whittled down until he has to choose between two final girls.

What could possibly go wrong?

The show is as horrible as it sounds, but it must be popular because we're now up to season three in New Zealand. I guess there must be something addictive about watching a group of girls simper over one man and bitch about the other girls behind their backs.

Season three of The Bachelor has really ramped up the bitchiness to crazy levels.

"There's nothing to her but those great big tits," snarked one girl about another contestant.

Another girl said that if any other contestant kissed Zac, this season's Bachelor, they needed to "sleep with one eye open".

One of the non-bitchy girls was Sophie, a 26-year-old from Hamilton. On Monday night's episode Sophie was chosen for a group date with five other girls and Zac, who had to judge the girls on their execution of a 4WD course.

Sophie's excellent driving won her the challenge which meant she got her own mini-date with Zac - a picnic in the forest.

I was warming to Sophie. She was extremely beautiful, and came across as intelligent, mature and a little bit quirky. She seemed to have a genuine liking for our Bachelor.

But then Sophie made a fatal error. She mentioned that she liked crystals and had brought a few of them along with her when she was picked for the show.

Zac's face dropped, and Sophie's fate was sealed: she would not be getting a rose tonight.

However, quirky paid off for season three's "wild child" Lily. Lily used her alone time with Zac to show him how she had written a list of questions she wanted to ask him on her thigh, and she pulled up her very short dress to show him.

This tactic impressed Zac so much Lily got a rose on the spot.

By the bye, the 4WD challenge was little more than a product placement for Suzuki.

The Bachelor NZ screens on Sunday and Monday evenings on TV3.