Below Deck Recap: Under Pressure

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In case some episodes this season appeared hectic or hurried, “Yacht-chella” (a rather absurd title) leisurely guides us through several action-packed days aboard the St. David. Solène’s dominance over the boat’s social dynamics not only sends ripples through various departments and causes personal and professional issues but also brings some unbearably obnoxious guests onboard, whom we haven’t encountered in a while. These individuals are insufferable. Despite it being aggravating that Solène seems so neglectful of her job that she nearly misses the guests’ arrival at the dock, it rekindles a sense of satisfaction for the audience to witness these guests treating her so rudely. Supporting the crew against obnoxious wealthy individuals is a delightfully nostalgic aspect of Below Deck.

This week, we continue with the topic of Caio’s dismissal, which he seems to accept stoically – or as they would say in Brazil, on his chest. Caio doesn’t appear overly affected by it; it comes as no surprise to anyone aboard that the captain decided to let him go. Kerry had already begun reviewing resumes for a replacement bosun when he realized Caio’s time was running out. Unfortunately, my hopes for Jess getting promoted were dashed! The following day, New York City’s very own Hugo joined us. His self-assured demeanor immediately boosted Kyle’s confidence on the ship, particularly during the smooth undocking and navigation through the bridge. Damo isn’t as quick to trust Hugo; he finds it annoying when Hugo advises them not to spill their coffees on the teak. However, this is a petty reaction from Damo, and all in all, things are looking positive for Hugo’s tenure on board.

In a new phrasing: The team working on the deck requires a robust leader due to Solène’s issues extending beyond her department. Before going out with the crew for fun, Solène was anxious about Kyle having strong feelings for her. While everyone else wears black clothes, Anthony stands out in a white button-down shirt. In the van, Solène tells the girls that she’s not as interested in Kyle as he is. Kyle persistently tries to win Solène over throughout the night, but by the time they reach the club, Jess pulls Solène into the bathroom and they kiss. Initially, Solène contemplates keeping their kiss a secret, but she sees an opportunity to create distance between herself and Kyle by continuing to kiss Jess in front of everyone, including Kyle. This action is quite chilly. When Jess warns that Kyle will be angry, all Solène says is “I don’t care. That’s life.

On the boat once again, Kyle confesses his frustrations to Damo about his poor judgment of character, having been deceived not only by Barbie but also by Solène now. The sting of rejection is bad enough, but adding humiliation to it makes it even worse to witness Kyle so downcast due to Solène’s thoughtless cruelty. She seems to have the entire boat under her spell and has no qualms about manipulating everyone for her own gain. While such cunningness may be beneficial on a reality show like “Love Island”, on “Below Deck” it comes off as cold-hearted and borderline sociopathic.

The growing romantic connection between Jess and Solene is causing some unease in their relationship with Kyle. During a conversation with Damo while tidying up the deck, Jess ponders whether Kyle might have assumed they were pursuing something more serious than Solene did. Despite this, she maintains a sensible perspective on the situation and tries to keep her distance from Solene, who, although she has flirted with women in the past, reveals that she’s never spent an extended period of time with another woman. In a private moment, Jess acknowledges that being an experiment for straight girls doesn’t particularly bother her; later on, Solene shares that while she has been attracted to women before, she had never previously spent more than one night with another woman… until now. Throughout the rest of the episode, Jess and Solene continue to share a bed and cuddle every night.

Despite ending things with Kyle, Solène hasn’t completely moved on. The following day, she apologizes to him with pleading eyes, inquiring if he’s upset with her. They reconcile with a hug, followed by a few playful kisses on the cheek and some friendly shoulder nips, which Solène admits made her feel pleased. In the crew lounge, Solène shares this detail with Barbara. On the first day of the charter, Solène and Kyle share a secret kiss as Fraser leads the guests on a tour of the boat. In a private moment, Solène expresses hope that she won’t have to choose between the two deckhands – it’s more enjoyable to enjoy both!

Solene seems to be causing trouble, but Jason’s behavior toward her when he appears near St. David isn’t appropriate either. Before they even board, Leslie, Jason, and their group of friends seem to generate issues. For their second night, they ask for a “full-blown concert” including live performances, VIP sections (there are about seven of them), and a stage. Fraser has to scramble to find an event organizer who can arrange this demand in just one day for $20,000, the budget allotted for this extravagant whim. Since it’s Carnival in Sint Maarten, he asks the organizer to bring along Carnival dancers and a DJ to entertain the guests, as well as set up a stage on the dock. I can’t fathom the purpose of something like this. You’ve chartered a yacht; you didn’t purchase tickets for a music festival. Why not enjoy the yacht by swimming in the ocean or sipping cold cocktails anytime you want and simply take a moment to relax?

The warning from the concert was clear, yet as the guests were disembarking from the dock, Solène arrived late, rushing to join the crew lineup before every guest had greeted each team member. Jason, in an abrupt manner, scolded her for being tardy, commenting that she needed to improve, and then questioned why the crew wasn’t returning to the boat sooner. After a tour of the yacht, Fraser informed the captain that the upcoming charter would be challenging, and as the drinks began to flow, Kerry grew more anxious about the state of the interior. During lunch, he convened a meeting with Fraser and all the stews to inform them that they should voice any disrespect immediately. “We can handle demands,” he declared. “Rudeness and degradation, we cannot accept.” Speak up, Captain!

As a movie critic, I must admit that the dynamic between Anthony and Jason in this kitchen scene is rather tense. While Anthony appears to be brimming with confidence over his veal piccata dish, Jason swiftly undermines him, suggesting he needs more practice. Anthony, ever gracious, prepares another one for his skeptical colleague while the rest of the crew seem to simmer in their own frustrations during service.

Barbara, on the other hand, finds herself irritated by Rainbeau’s playful foot tap to move aside. Instead of a simple “Excuse me,” she believes this minor gesture bothers her only because it came from Rainbeau. It seems that at this point, Rainbeau could do anything and Barbara and Solène would find a reason to criticize – simply because they seem to have taken a dislike to the newcomer who is doing her best.

It’s clear that discussing the matter openly would only help Rainbeau express her discontent more effectively. It appears she believes enduring her difficulties silently makes her more admirable, a notion that seems to be connected to Fight Island in some way. Earlier, during dinner before the charter began, there was a brief mention of the stews’ schedule, but it faded before Rainbeau could inform Barbara about how she still needs to work late despite not having to wake up at 5 a.m. Because Solène doesn’t complete her tasks, Rainbeau has to work overtime. On the first night of the charter, Rainbeau asks Solène to check the toilets before bed, but Solène resists doing it. Damo, who is also on the late shift, understands the extra effort Rainbeau puts in due to Solène’s negligence and advises her that sacrificing for the team is different from working more so others can work less. Now could be an opportune moment for Rainbeau to address this imbalance with Fraser, who seems to have noticed a problem with Solène’s performance for the first time this season; he even scolds her for being late in meeting the guests.

The dinner theme for the first night’s gathering is inspired by ’90s teenage TV shows. Guest Lauren made a rather unrefined toast, saying, “Live by one and die by the other. We love the smell of both,” referring to guns and danger. While these words were questionable, they were relatively minor compared to the day’s other indiscretions. The most inappropriate behavior was displayed by Jason, who was extremely rude, and a woman named Dawn, whom Fraser drew Devil horns on a photograph. Dawn continually berated Rainbeau throughout the day and night, criticizing her shots, claiming that as the Queen of the Universe, she doesn’t appreciate tequila. Fortunately, the guests retired to their beds after dinner. Anthony prepared a delicious seafood paella and a scrumptious lemon tart with candles for Jason’s birthday celebration, and even these picky eaters couldn’t find fault with them. Since rejoining the boat, Anthony has been doing an admirable job, but despite his ongoing anger towards Fraser, he hasn’t taken any action yet.

The following day marks Barbara’s birthday, and as the sun rises, Fraser finds himself anxious about the “Yacht-chella” event he has planned for the night. With only seven hours left before the concert begins, he hops into a car with Kerry to inspect the stage setup at the dock. Unfortunately, there appears to be no progress made. Kerry informs Fraser that the guests are extremely demanding and if they fail to deliver, the crew will bear the brunt of their wrath. This situation certainly adds tension, although it seems likely that the guests will find fault with whatever Fraser manages to organize due to their unfriendly nature.

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2025-07-08 05:54