Below Deck Recap: Casa Amor

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Solène dominating this season or the cast allowing her to do so without consequence.

As a movie critic, I’d rephrase the scene like this:

In my take on “Bad Romance,” we find ourselves in a tangled web of emotions right from the start. Solène, Kyle, and Jess form the initial love triangle, but things quickly get complicated. The first twist comes when I shared a passionate kiss with Damo in the steaming hot tub – what a moment! But then, Solène moves on to Kyle, only for Jess to steal a kiss from Solène. A classic love triangle unfolds, and it seems like Solène and Kyle might have been secretly seeing each other.

However, the real game-changer comes when Damo approaches me for drinks. I must admit, I was wary of his intentions since he claims to be straight. Yet, over shared stories about our childhoods, we bonded in a way that made me question my assumptions. Damo bravely opened up about his strained relationship with his father, while I revealed how finding my voice at the age of six and embracing my true self only recently have been pivotal moments for me.

Despite the connection, nothing more transpired between Damo and me in that episode. Later on, I assure Bárbara that our encounter was strictly platonic, so it’s fair to say that this relationship is dead on arrival. The dance of love continues with Jess now locking lips with Bárbara, adding another layer of complexity to the already chaotic romantic landscape.

In the course of the day, while they were aboard the St. David, Barbara subtly advised Solene to establish firmer boundaries. She suggested that referring to Jess as a friend while spending every night with her might cause discomfort. However, Solene seemed to ignore this sound advice and continued to flirt with Kyle during dinner. Later on, Jess confronted Solene about hearing rumors of her actions behind her back, and they agreed that each could kiss whoever they desired; since Solene had never considered anyone else’s feelings but her own. In a private conversation, Jess expressed her feelings for Solene, acknowledging that she likes her, while Solene admitted that she wanted to be in a relationship with herself. It’s clear, Solene, that we all can see this about you!

As I sit down amidst the crew, my mind is buzzing like an alarm clock. I confide in Bárbara that the evening’s events have left me recognizing the need for solitude and detachment from emotions. In a private moment, Bárbara ponders if there might be something between us, but the idea seems far-fetched when, as soon as we’re back on the boat, Solène and I are inseparable, sharing a hot tub. I can mute the alarm for now, but I can’t silence it entirely. Later, Solène tells me she values our friendship deeply. After everything that’s happened, Bárbara swears she won’t get mixed up with me out of loyalty to Solène. What makes her think that Solène even cares about such trivial matters?

In simpler terms, Solene is focused on how she can use the love triangle to her advantage. She keeps Jess and Kyle close, knowing that their feelings for each other will keep Bárbara attached. Meanwhile, she keeps an eye on Kyle to maintain control over the male characters. By manipulating both Jess and Kyle, she ensures significant screen time throughout the season. At Carnival, Solene kisses Damo, cementing her power over the entire department. Hugo seems unlikely to be involved in this scheme, but it doesn’t matter since she already has most of the control. It’s as if she’s playing a game similar to Survivor with a twist of Love Island on Below Deck. When Solene kissed Damo, it upset both Jess and Kyle. Damo immediately told his friend about the kiss, and later they promised never to let a girl interfere “until a girl interferes.” Jess admits that the kiss makes her feel uncomfortable but doesn’t confront Solene about it.

In a surprising move, I find myself vying for Barbara’s notice, only to be initially brushed off by her. However, our lips meet in a fleeting kiss later on, and that evening, she texts me that she’s “sorry” about Solene. Damo seems to be the one with the most accurate read of the situation: he knows that Solene will act according to her whims, whenever they choose to surface. If we don’t all come to terms with this truth soon, I fear we’re in for a long, frustrating ride during the rest of the season.

There’s still a chance that Solène could lose her position. The following day, Jess shares some texts she exchanged with Bárbara with Fraser. At the beach club, after being encouraged by Fraser and Rainbeau, Jess approaches Bárbara privately to discuss things. Directly asking if there’s something between them, Jess inquires, “Are we more than just friends or not?” In essence, Bárbara clarifies that she doesn’t want to be the backup option because she identifies as a lesbian and is available. She’s concerned that Jess might be interested in her due to Solène’s infidelity with Damo and Kyle, which is a more valid concern than worrying about Solène’s feelings since they don’t seem to exist. However, Jess has her appeal; she informs Bárbara that she plans to vacate her room that night and only wants to kiss her. They share a kiss, and for a moment, it seemed like this could mark the end of Solène’s reign — but she’s observing them closely, determined not to give up easily. In the sneak peek, we see Solène making her next move on Damo.

In simpler terms, our last resort is that he’ll continue to maintain a clear understanding of Solène’s manipulative romantic actions, and ideally, in an ideal scenario, he might collaborate with Rainbeau, who is the focus of Solène’s professional deceit. The story begins with Rainbeau crying because the other stews betrayed her to Fraser after a meeting about tips. She explains to Fraser that she asked Bárbara and Solène to clean cabins, but they didn’t inform her that they had done everything except for the main bedroom, assuming Rainbeau would do it herself. Fraser tells her he will handle it, but he doesn’t take much action beyond saying that. Rainbeau states she’s stopped protecting the team, but during their next discussion about the issue, all she does is apologize. Things will only get better for Rainbeau when she directly tells Fraser that Solène is a burden who expects others to complete tasks she doesn’t want to do herself. Unfortunately, their conversation is so convoluted and influenced by Rainbeau’s longing for affection that, when Fraser promises to support her, she responds by revealing that Anthony has been speaking poorly about him behind his back.

Previously, Anthony filled Rainbeau in on the previous season’s commotion and inquired if Fraser had been speaking ill of him, which seemed overly suspicious. Rainbeau reassured him that she wouldn’t disclose such information because she valued honesty and would never betray her superior, unlike Barbie. On the screen, snapshots of tweets criticizing Fraser appeared, prompting Fraser to explain to Rainbeau that Anthony was actually upset due to social media feedback. However, the real issue was that Anthony’s work was deteriorating, and although Fraser didn’t have the power to fire him, he believed it was his duty to inform Kerry about how Anthony’s errors were impacting the team’s overall performance.

Before leaving for Carnival, Anthony and Fraser engage in playful banter – “I’m not happy with you,” Anthony says, to which Fraser responds, “That’s your issue” – but their tension escalates only after they’ve had a significant amount of alcohol. Upon their highly intoxicated return to the villa at 3 p.m., Anthony confides in Rainbeau that his issue is trusting people too much. This becomes apparent when, despite planning to work together on dinner, everyone else is relaxing, taking pictures, and drinking while he works with Hugo’s sole assistance. This infuriates Anthony so much that he storms off to his room, angrily pressing the air-conditioner remote against the wall and slamming the door. Damo tries to speak with him, and Rainbeau informs Fraser that Anthony’s anger might stem from the frequent reminders of last season’s drama.

In a turn of events you might have foreseen as a major confrontation, instead, it was swift and brief. Anthony found himself shedding tears as he shared Barbie’s words with Fraser, who retorted by expressing his indifference towards Barbie and claiming credit for Anthony’s job on the St. David. However, the conversation took a heartwarming turn when Anthony expressed his deep affection for Fraser, which was reciprocated. They shared a kiss, hug, and returned to their table. Going beyond reconciliation, Anthony even apologized to the entire crew and declared his love for them. All’s well that ends well.

I must clarify, I find this resolution quite appealing. In a group torn apart by Solène’s heartless manipulations, Anthony’s genuine remorse and discontent offer comfort. However, it’s rather absurd, given all the anticipation, that this is how Anthony’s personal conflict with Fraser concludes. It’s not even the most intriguing event during dinner: Solène manages to hog the spotlight again.

When someone inquires about her strengths and weaknesses from the previous voyage, she admits that her weakness was Rainbeau telling her to retire for the night before changing her mind and instructing her to clean all the toilets. What truly transpired is that Rainbeau suggested sleeping, then remembered the need to check the dayheads and asked her to do it promptly before logging off.

Rainbeau tries to defend herself, asserting that Solène is distorting the truth about what occurred, but Solène threatens her with a warning to “tread carefully.” Despite being wrong, Solène is more vocal and vindictive, thus having the final say. Rainbeau retreats to the bathroom to compose herself, and in a private moment, she shares more about growing up in a household that didn’t value emotions.

In this situation, I hope Rainbeau will finally stand up assertively towards Solène. She hints at retaliation by implying that if Solène chooses to behave rudely, she’ll respond in kind. She also expresses frustration to herself about Solène being a lazy, self-centered individual who is only on the yacht for media attention and doesn’t value her work or the effort put into making it easier for her. However, Rainbeau’s approach has a significant issue: It relies on Solène showing concern, whether for the job or for Rainbeau’s feelings. Unfortunately, Solène views Rainbeau’s time as something she is entitled to and resents being expected to express gratitude. Solène appears angry at Rainbeau for being the only crew member who doesn’t cater to her every demand. Here’s wishing that Rainbeau can maintain her brave stance — perhaps she’ll even find others who will join her cause.

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2025-07-22 05:54