There is so much drama between the stews this season of “Below Deck.” Barbie Pascual is crying to her mom in the bathroom during their day off at a resort because Fraser Olender doesn’t like her. Anthony Iracane is eavesdropping from outside but doesn’t know if he should go in and comfort her because it’s just too much feelings.
Outside, Fraser is b*tching about Barbie. “I am done.” Anthony tells Fraser that Barbie is crying and wants to leave but the chief stew just says, “Send a care package,” whilst sipping his margarita. That’s cold even for Fraser.
In a confessional, Xandi Olivier says Barbie is responsible for all the bad mojo in the interior. Flashbacks to Barbie being snarky to Xandi and Fraser. “If you don’t want to be here, no one’s forcing you to. Get off. I will help you pack,” Xandi tells the cameras.
On the beach, Kyle Stillie slurs to Barbie, “FoUr mOrE cHaRtErs. CaN yoU nOt bE a bAd b*tCh aNd jUst dO iT?” Barbie answers back that she’s not a quitter.
The “Below Deck” cast is all dressed up for dinner and newcomer Paris Field is wearing a black dress that Ben Willoughby the player appreciates. He says, “Wow,” and gives her a kiss on the cheek. Meanwhile, Sunny Marquis comes out in an equally slinky number and he barely looks at her. She’s grossed out by him and she can’t even blame her alter-ego, Sabrina.
The drama continues at dinner
Everyone is settled into their seats and about to clink glasses but then Barbie takes the stand. “Crew, I just want to apologize for all the sh*t that happened today,” she says, which starts out promising. Then she continues, “Everybody here knows that there’s sh*t going between me and Fraser.” He puts his drink down.
“We have to figure this out and I’m really sorry it has affected everybody,” Barbie says. Awkward! Xandi says, “I think that’s the worst toast I’ve ever heard but I’ll toast to it.” Maybe if everyone drinks more, they’ll forget about it.
Then, as if things weren’t tense enough, Ben asks Paris if she’s on social media while sitting across from Sunny. The disrespect is unreal with this guy. Sunny has had enough and goes to the other end of the table.
“I’ve got no idea what’s going on with Sunny and I. F*cking hell,” Ben tells the cameras. Maybe stop hitting on other women in front of the woman you’re schtupping? He then says, “Why am I in a situation like this again? Women!”
Ben Willoughby and Sunny Marquis have The Talk
Ben and Sunny go outside for a cigarette and he tells her, “I just want to spend more time with you. Honestly, I hope it’s reciprocated.”
“I don’t know, I feel disrespected in many ways,” she answers. “When someone else touches another person’s waist and ass in front of me and in front of everyone, that is just not okay, Ben.”
He asks her what their relationship status is and she says, “It doesn’t have to be titled, that we are an item for you to respect the fact that we’re sleeping with each other and we’re something.”
They say that they like each other and Ben rubs Sunny’s hands and it seems all is good until she asks if they’re an item. “We’re not dating right now,” he tells her. She immediately snatches her hand away.
“We’re becoming an item and we sleep together,” he explains. “Cool, I can live with that,” Sunny responds.
The crew goes back and everyone goes to bed early for once. Ben sleeps alone and Sunny climbs into Barbie’s bunk to have a good cry.
Fraser Olender tattles on Barbie Pascual
It’s the next morning and Fraser has already planned to speak with Captain Kerry Titheradge about Barbie. As soon as he wakes up, he radios Kerry and meets him in the bridge.
“I’ve tried everything I could and I’m speaking past tense because I’ve done everything. The lack of respect and undermining of my authority is way past its sell-by date,” Fraser says. “As far as I’m aware, insubordination is a fireable offense.”
Fraser informs Kerry about Barbie’s cringey speech the night before. “It was horrible,” he says. Kerry tells him that they need to find a replacement before firing Barbie.
The captain then gives Fraser some good advice. He points out that Fraser told him that Barbie was good at her job a couple of days ago. The chief stew admits that she does.
“I know you want to improve on your strength as a leader, but strength isn’t always acting on the power that you have,” Kerry says. “Try your best to remove the emotion from the situation.” Fraser agrees but it’s obvious he just wants Barbie gone.
Captain Kerry Titheradge gets Barbie Pascual’s point of view
“Spoke with Fraser. There seems to be some personality conflict going on and I want to ask how I can help,” Kerry tells Barbie.
“For me, it’s such an honor to be under Fraser, who knows so much. But, like, we clash,” Barbie says. Kerry asks, “So how are you going to get through that?” She informs him that she’s just been trying to keep her mouth shut.
Kerry tells her that it’s her emotions that are contributing to her conflict with Fraser. “He respects the work you do. You can’t fix what he does but you can fix the way you see things. So if you’re in a bad headspace and you can’t handle it, you’ve just got to say, ‘Look, right now I’m struggling. I’m doing my best. I’d like some time, please. Now if that doesn’t work for you, come and talk to me.”
Fraser and Barbie talk next. She tells him that she respects him and knows she can be difficult. He agrees. They both say they’re going to start fresh and he promises to try to not fire her. Fingers crossed!
The preference sheet meeting is already worrisome
The next guests on board are Carmen Felder, who is described as a socialite who has her own PR management company, and her boyfriend Ray. According to the preference sheet, they want to be referred to as King Ray and Queen Carmen. Just when they’re getting over the PTSD from Jill Zarin.
Fraser is instantly disgusted and it’s not just because he’s British.
There’s another guest named Tiphanie who doesn’t like sea phood and a gay guy named Brandon who’s not allergic to anything but he’s just picky.
“They’re going to be their own level of high-maintenance. Make sure your departments are impeccable,” Kerry advises. At this point, the “Below Deck” producers are just finding the most difficult charter guests for ratings.
All aboard the high-maintenance group
The charger guests come on board and Captain Kerry has cheap Party City crowns for the primaries.
In other news, Ben has made Sunny the lead deckhand and Dylan Pierre De Villiers is spiraling quietly because he thought he’d get the job. “Let’s just do our best, Dyl. We do our best regardless of any situation,” he says to himself as he changes out of his whites.
It’s the first meal of the charter and Anthony is already making mistakes. He made fish tacos despite Tiphanie specifically stating she doesn’t eat underwater creatures. Cheffie makes her a Caesar salad even though she doesn’t like vegetables either. Kerry is aware of all the issues on board so he’s being extra vigilant on the crew’s goings-on.
Brandon comes aboard after getting delayed and Fraser already doesn’t like him. He’s very extra and when he comes to dinner he says, “All this for me? Thank you so much,” even though he’s not paying for the charter.
Anthony has made a tuna ceviche for the guests and mac and cheese for Tiphanie. Some like the ceviche but others don’t. “These people like Burger King and McDonalds,” Fraser tells Paris. “They’re not going to like a ceviche.”
For the second course, Anthony serves chicken arepas, which Tiphanie approves of because it’s basically chicken and tortilla with no greens in sight. The rest complain that it’s basically chicken salad.
Dylan is tired of complaining to himself so he whines to Paris about not getting lead deckhand. She tells him to just deal with it.
The charter guests start fighting
Brandon has a bone to pick with King Ray. Apparently, they all went to a drag show and Ray walked off, which offended Brandon. Ray says it’s because he doesn’t like surprises. Brandon then says, “Carmen doesn’t have to tell me that I’m going with her somewhere that’s an all-Black event.”
“Ray’s point is, let me know what I’m walking into,” Carmen says. Fraser is glad they’re fighting because it takes the spotlight off of Anthony’s food flubs.
The fight escalates and one of the charter guests argues that it’s not about race or homophobia, it’s just about “being considerate.” Brandon has gone off somewhere so Tiphanie goes looking for him.
Meanwhile, Paris informs Ben that Dylan is salty about not getting lead deckhand. Ben tells Dylan that they’re going to chat in the morning about it, which is a total power move because now Dylan will be stewing about it all night.
Brandon is yelling on the staircase and Paris thinks chocolate lava cake will solve all the issues. However, Chef Anthony can’t find spoons or an ice cream scooper.
“It’s not good. It’s really not good,” Fraser tells the cameras. Anthony is holding a yellow bell pepper for some reason and Fraser says to him, “I need you to focus,” but Anthony’s eyes look like the lights are on but no one’s in the galley.
