Below Deck Mediterranean Recap: I Can Fix Him

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At the start of this season, we learned Nathan had unexpectedly become a father. I wondered if he could handle the pressure, and as we reach the halfway point, he’s definitely taken center stage. He’s growing professionally, but it’s a painful process filled with mistakes, and personally, he’s making poor choices despite knowing better. This pattern of giving in to our worst impulses is a key theme this season. We saw it with Kizzi and Tommy – she knew ending things wasn’t the best move, but it felt most true to her character. The actors are fully embracing their roles, and Joe is the exception. His feelings for V are changing him, making him act unlike himself – a point emphasized repeatedly this week. While it’s good to be loved, this sets him up for a bigger conflict, especially since we know trouble is coming.

The show has a promising storyline, but this week’s episode felt slow after the charter guests left. There was too much focus on romantic relationships, which became repetitive. Fortunately, things picked up for Nathan at work. The episode starts with Nathan being scolded for Max letting Imran drive the small boat. Back on the yacht, Nathan explains to Max that Sandy was upset, but he couldn’t yell at him as usual because Imran was present. Sandy repeatedly tells Nathan to act like a leader. Later, Nathan asks the crew if he seems like a boss, and they unsurprisingly confirm that he does – it’s obvious they’ll agree with him, and he’s easily taken advantage of.

Sandy is fed up with a useless and constantly tipping-over chair – a decorative piece that guests ignore. She’s decided it won’t be making another appearance. Recognizing the tension, Nathan calls a meeting with his team, explaining that Sandy is putting a lot of pressure on him and he needs them to step up and make smart choices, like preventing guests from operating the boat’s tender. Max, however, doesn’t seem to take responsibility for his error and believes everyone is overreacting, as he’s preoccupied with pursuing a romance with Cathy. They’re visibly affectionate throughout the charter, with Max consistently bringing her coffee each morning. In a private interview, Max reveals a difficult childhood marked by his parents’ messy divorce and abandonment, explaining that this experience fuels his desire for a stable and respectful family of his own.

The deck crew is overwhelmed with work, while Josh spends two days preparing a beautifully roasted suckling pig – a traditional Spanish dish. The pig is a huge hit with the guests, who enjoy it with sides like spicy potatoes and tomato bread, and plenty of tequila. Meanwhile, Cathy and Kizzi are dealing with extremely soiled bedsheets – soaked with sweat, and the next day, what appears to be tanning lotion. It’s hot in Barcelona, but the guests have private bathrooms, leading Kizzi to wonder why they don’t shower before getting into bed. Kizzi is struggling emotionally throughout the charter, feeling stuck with laundry and overshadowed by Cathy’s skill. She confides in Josh, who encourages her to stay positive. Aesha also notices Kizzi’s low spirits and Kizzi admits that Cathy’s competence has hurt her feelings. Aesha reassures her they both bring unique strengths to the team and makes a point of boosting Kizzi’s confidence. The next morning, after Kizzi sets a lovely breakfast table, Aesha is quick to praise her efforts.

It’s frustrating how much Cathy needs to be told she’s doing a good job. It’s not like her job is easy – she had a difficult night dealing with Imran and Mike, who got excessively drunk. They behaved inappropriately in the hot tub, and Imran even tried to urinate overboard, justifying it by saying he does it on his own boat. Cathy remarkably kept her cool and didn’t tell him off, instead skillfully managing the situation while still addressing their requests. Later, after they broke a glass while wandering around, she firmly sent them to their cabins. Aesha even thought they secretly enjoyed being treated so sternly.

Sandy’s antics also amuse the other guests, who enjoy watching their friends get scolded by the stew. Luckily, it’s time for them to leave. As the Bravado prepares to dock, Sandy alerts Nathan to some strong winds that will make the process difficult. Nathan motivates his team as they get ready. I won’t pretend to understand the details of the docking maneuver – I’m just a writer, not a yacht captain! All I know is Sandy wanted to back into the slip, but the thruster malfunctioned. (A little ironic, considering who usually does the yelling!) So Nathan quickly devised a plan to use the dock lines to guide the boat in. He showed great leadership by calmly delegating tasks, making a smart on-the-spot decision, and working smoothly with the captain to solve the problem. Sandy is proud of Nathan, though she’s much more vocal when criticizing him than when offering praise.

The crew bid farewell to the guests. Imran apologized to Cathy for making her feel awkward, admitting he’d gotten too into his role as well. The secondary leads weren’t very memorable, but they left a generous $25,000 tip, averaging $2,272 each. During a meeting, Sandy praised everyone’s work but told the deck team they needed to step up their game. She then asked Nathan to finally choose a lead deckhand, something he’d struggled with due to ongoing issues within his team. On his request, Sandy suggested he pick the person he’d trust most in an emergency. However, Nathan was in a difficult position: choosing Joe might look like favoritism, while picking Max could be seen as avoiding that appearance. That left V, who Nathan considered inexperienced, but she was actually the most hardworking of the three.

Nathan is starting to understand that he can be assertive without resorting to anger or shouting. Meanwhile, Max is seeking advice from Joe – surprisingly – on how to pursue Cathy. Joe suggests Max be upfront about what he wants, even hinting that he should be clear the relationship might not last forever. As Joe explains how being with V is making him softer – he’s even enjoying cuddling – Nathan walks by and assigns them work, managing to be direct without being unpleasant. It seems the more Nathan grows professionally, the less self-control he has. He texts Gael about missing him right before spending the entire night with Kizzi. The crew notices a pattern: Nathan and Kizzi never actually talk, they just kiss.

Joe surprised everyone by sending a selfie with V to his mom, showing a softer side. Aesha noticed this change and advised V to be careful, knowing Joe’s past. V, however, seemed pleased with how she’d affected him, almost like she’d tamed a wild animal. Elsewhere, Cathy and Max were having a little trouble. Cathy was in a bad mood, likely because she’d been dealing with Imran and Mike all night, and she told Nathan and Josh she wasn’t looking for anything serious with Max. This was confusing for Max, especially since he’d felt very desired when she’d gotten upset about Kizzi kissing him, leaving him emotionally flustered. When Cathy refused to kiss him, he asked her what was wrong. He explained that he’s a very giving person, but she simply said she wasn’t feeling well. I was distracted by her matching starfish jewelry, but the main point is that Max offered to cancel their night and take her back to the boat. It’s hard not to find him endearing.

Before moving on, Cathy checked in with Kizzi after overhearing her tell Nathan she was struggling with a new team member. I initially thought Cathy was interfering, but it turned out to be helpful. Kizzi realized her issues were personal and had nothing to do with Cathy, who was understanding. They shared a hug, and Cathy left them to continue their flirtation, though Nathan quickly steered the conversation back to Gael. Kizzi felt bad for Nathan, still hung up on his ex – something she couldn’t relate to, as she hadn’t thought about Tommy since their last video call. Meanwhile, Nathan confided in Aesha about his difficulties adjusting to his role as bosun. She reassured him, sharing that her first season as chief stew was incredibly challenging, but that it’s all part of the job.

Nathan is still preoccupied with Gael and ends up drinking heavily with Kizzi at the club, leading to a long make-out session. At the same time, Joe asks V about her plans after the charter, hoping to invite her back to his place – seemingly ignoring their previously discussed end date. As Nathan and Kizzi, and Joe and V share intimate moments in the van on their way back to the boat, Cathy explains the contrast in how she and Max show affection. She tells Max, “I understand you’re French and affectionate, but you need to respect that I’m English and have different boundaries.”

As everyone winds down for the night, a lot is happening. Max confides in Josh that he worries he’s being too overwhelming with his feelings for Cathy. Meanwhile, Kizzi and Nathan share a very public make-out session until Aesha interrupts with her dinner. V and Joe have a serious conversation where she directly asks him if her past bothers him. Adding to the emotional weight, V’s birthday is next week, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of her friend Bon’s death, and she’s struggling with how she’ll cope. Joe assures her he’ll be there for her. However, he later admits in a private moment that he doesn’t want to hurt her, which feels like a foreshadowing of trouble. It’s a plea for everyone involved to just act normally and avoid unnecessary drama.

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2025-12-02 05:56