Romantic sparks flew, more or less, on the Season 3 debut of "Farmer Wants a Wife."
Some tears were shed and a few claws came out, too, as the FOX series introduced its four new bachelors and tossed them into an initial dating pool of 32 women.
Drama is the lifeblood of reality TV, and "Farmer Wants a Wife" doesn't mess around. Four farmers at the heart of the show had to choose among eight women each -- giving five a go-ahead and three the boot -- during Thursday's hourlong program.
Viewers also got their first look at Jay Woods, an Alabama man who owns a hay and cattle farm in Florence. Woods, 25, said he's looking for love on the show and his goal is a lasting relationship.
"I have everything I could ever dream of," Woods said. "I'm just missing somebody to share all that with."
READ: 'Family, faith, football': Alabama farmer seeks wife who appreciates all 3 on reality TV
Woods admitted to a bout of nerves at the start of the episode, but his overall goal was clear: "I definitely want to find the right one to bring home to mama."
If you missed Thursday's program -- or simply want a refresher on Woods and his TV quest for love -- here's what happened.
Repping Alabama: J'Marick "Jay" Woods grew up in a farming family in Lauderdale County. Football has been a big part of his life. ("If you're not from Alabama, you've gotta to know that football is king down here," Woods said.) He played for Florence High School, the University of Michigan and Duke University before injuries compelled him to call it quits. When his NFL dreams were dashed, Woods moved back home and bought his grandfather's land, which had been sold to others in the meantime. He now farms hay and cattle, and works as a sales rep.
Quotable: "I retired, and I decided to get back down to my roots, so I hung up the cleats and picked up the boots," Woods said.
Other farmers: Along with Woods, this season focuses on Matt Warren, 30, an avocado and exotic fruit farmer from Morro Bay, California; John Sansone, 25, a soy, corn and wheat farmer from St. Louis, Missouri; and Colton Hendricks, 28, a cattle rancher and horse trainer in Mena, Arkansas.
How it works: Each farmer on the show starts with a dating pool of eight women. After a round of speed dating -- which can be awkward or enticing -- each farmer selects five women who are transported to his property for dates, chores and getting-to-know-you sessions. The field of contestants narrows through 12-14 episodes, with the goal of finding the perfect mates for the four farmers.
Elite eight: Woods' initial dating pool consisted of Natalie Holland, Grace Clark, Julia Mya, Jackie Brougham, Kailee Hane, Karina Sabol, Viviane-Lee Reed and T'yana Nolen. "He seems so down to earth," Nolen said. "And come on -- he's hot, y'all."
Things we learned about Jay: Nervous? Maybe, but it certainly didn't show. Woods looked calm and confident throughout the episode, and displayed a ready sense of humor. Although he no longer plays football, he's still very much in shape, and was the first farmer to be shown shirtless on camera, toting a tree log across his shoulder.
Highlight this week: Woods kept his cool during a flirt session with Julia Mya, 22, a student and model from California. Mya immediately presented him with a photo of herself in a bikini and cowboy hat. "Even though I'm a city girl, I can be a farmer and look the part," she said. "You definitely look the part," Woods responded, raising his eyebrows. "Yeah, that's a good photo right there." When she took her leave -- after telling Woods she refuses to shovel animal poop and requires access to a Starbucks while on his farm -- the self-described "princess" told Woods he better hang on to her bikini photo. "I ain't complaining, but I thought this was a family show," Woods quipped.
They clicked: Woods seemed to forge an immediate connection with Grace Clark, 23, a nanny from Ellensburg, Wash. Although Clark seemed a mite reserved, she and Woods bonded while chatting about farm life. "Do you like goats?" Clark asked. "I love goats." Woods agreed, and gave his encounter with Clark a thumb's up. "That was good. I really liked that," he said of their conversation.
Good vibes: Woods also enjoyed his speed date with Karina Sabol, 23, an operations manager and gymnastics coach from Madison, Wisconsin. He praised her cheerful spirit and buoyant personality, which bodes well for their farm encounters.
Going to the farm: Grace Clark, Julia Mya, Karina Sabol, T'yana Nolen and Viviane-Lee Reed were selected by Woods for the next step: a visit to his property in Florence. He chose Clark for his first date, which means she'll spend 24 hours with him on the farm before the other women arrive.
Eliminated: Natalie Holland, Jackie Brougham and Kailee Hane were sent home. Of the three, only Holland was featured during the episode. "Farmer Jay's masculinity attracted me, right off the bat," she said. But that wasn't enough to keep Holland on the show.
Next up: On the March 27 episode, titled "We're Coming to Date Our Man," Woods has his first down-home date with Grace Clark, and the four other women arrive at his farm. Drama is sure to follow.
If you watch: New episodes of "Farmer Wants a Wife" air on Thursdays at 8 p.m. CT on FOX. Kimberly Williams-Paisley is the host of Season 3, which was filmed in advance.