Summary of episode 6 of “The Golden Maiden”.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

During the exciting and risky “Hometown Week” (episode 6) of the first season of the ABC series The Golden Maiden (airing Wednesday nights on ABC, 8-10 p.m. EST; streaming on Hulu the following night) four guys were still competing for the love of the rather elusive Joan Vassos, 61: Frenchman Pascal, 69; serious and in love Chock, 60; regular guy Jordan, 61; and emergency room doctor Guy, 66, the last semifinalists in the original field of 24 men.

If you think that trying to get married is stressful, try de facto four times in a row

Wedding bells (and an all-expenses-paid honeymoon) are in Joan’s future if she so chooses, but first she must travel to each boy’s hometown and meet his family and closest friends. What she said when considering visiting Chock in Wichita also applied to all four visits to her hometown: “I’m a little nervous going there because it’s his friends and family and it’s a big group, and I wonder how Will I remember all these names?” She had to say it over and over in the Hometowns episode.

Joan still carries the torch

Another obstacle to their never-ending love was Joanna’s ambivalence towards the entire dating scene. For a widow seemingly looking for a new husband, she is unusually preoccupied with the deceased love of her life, John, her husband of 32 years. But the show must go on, in life and on TV, and her mixed feelings show that for adults, romance is… complicated.

“I don’t think I’ve reached the love stage yet because I’m very protective of my heart,” she said, “but I’m moving in that direction. So I hope I’m in a really good place to find the next great love of my life.

There were 9 mentions of this particular courtship “journey” for Joanna and her suitors during this episode, up from 14 last week, down from an all-time low of 8 the week before – but thankfully less than 24 mentions of the word in the premiere.

With a final decision looming for all of the show’s participants, they all began to talk about the need to guard their hearts: the word “guardian” was said nine times – equating to mentions of “journey.”

Her first date at home with Guy had an ominous overtone

“I’d like to find someone to spend my golden years with,” Joan said, and the setting was promising: a boat ride with Guy on spectacularly blue Lake Tahoe. “It’s like our happy place, so relaxing,” she said. “But everything I haven’t done since John died brings back new memories. John had my heart for so many years. It’s weird to think that someone else could be a part of me.” Guy asked her, “Should I guard my heart? Will I be set up for failure?” She replied without consolation, “Part of me thinks about John’s memories and feels guilty that how could I have had feelings for someone else back then? This feeling of guilt keeps creeping in. I deserve love, but I need to let John go a little.

Joan got along great with Guy’s family members, who told him how devastating his divorce was and rooted for her to marry him and join the clan as soon as possible.

“My only concern is that he might be heartbroken,” Guy’s son said. “They say fools flock in, but sometimes you have to be a fool when it comes to love.” When he asked Guy to rate his love for Joan on a scale of one (low) to 10 (absolute love), Guy took 1.5 seconds to say “9.5”.

“Really?” said his son. “Do you think you’ll propose?”

Four seconds later, Guy said, “Yes. I fell in love with this woman. This is God’s sincerest truth.”

In truth, does Joan really reciprocate Guy’s crush on her?

Their kisses did not appear to be burning with passion, and Joan told Guy’s son that their relationship “was like a slow burn. He was just always so sweet and always so caring. This is what I need in my life right now, just like a good person. She praised his vulnerability. “He is so open to love. I feel like our relationship is better than ever.” But is this enough?