Man where to begin with this one? Things on the boat seem much calmer without Leon. The new chef Ben is a pretty hot-headed guy, but somehow is much more tolerable than Leon was. He can be a bit crazy and rude (we will get to that soon enough), but he really knows what he is doing and makes for a great chef, as well as a good addition to the team.
Ben isn't the only new guy, though. We also got to meet Dave, who has replaced whats-his-name from the first three episodes as my favorite deck hand. First off, he's gay, which is a major plus (hay gay guys on tv!). Second, he is hot, which only adds to how awesome the first statement was. And last, he's a super nice guy. But did I mention he is hot? I think I did, but just in case I didn't, he's hot.
Dave had been on the show before, and he was familiar with the regulars such as Ben, Kate, Amy, and Eddie. Emile instantly seemed threatened by him. I'm not sure why. He did say he wanted a girl as his roommate, but that isn't exactly a homophobic remark; more of just something a player would say (also it was unclear if at the time of the interview whether he knew Dave was gay). Dave did make an instant connection with Rocky, who love her or hate her, is pretty much the epitome of the gay mans best friend. That one was not too much of a surprise.
The charter guests this go around were a bit special. In a sort of Bravo All-Stars Crossover, two of the ladies from Real Housewives of Atlanta made their appearance, furthering my theory that the producers at Bravo are geniuses. Long time cast member Cynthia and last-season newbie Claudia are the main guests, along with their friends and family. Surprisingly they were really well mannered because if you've seen any episodes of RHOA you'll know that something crazy is always going on.
At first they were upset about having to stay on the boat all day the first day due to dangerous winds, but after getting massages and seeing how hunky Emile was, they were pretty content. Speaking of sexually exploiting people, they did manage got convince Amy to go and get Emile, dress him up in a tank top and some jeans, and feed them strawberries erotically. Amy, being the devious yet wonderful woman she is, had no problem coercing him, and it lead to a pretty amusing sight.
Emile wasn't the only one who had to bend to the ladies' whim. They informed Kate that they wanted a kitten. Not one to just drive to shore and get a real one, Kate took the alternative route and made Connie dress up. It was pretty funny, but also seemed a bit humiliating for Connie. I guess it was for the good of the tip, though.
Weirdly enough, the drama was at a minimum. This episode was mostly just for buildup to the finale, setting everything in place. What I mean is that there were small instances that happened, but nothing major, even though you know they will lead to a big blowup. The first culprit here is the continuation of the whole Eddie/Rocky love story. Eddie by this episode was completely done dealing with her, and was unsure what he even saw in her to begin with. We got to see things from Rocky's perspective, showing that Eddie wasn't showing her even a shred of respect. He was obviously doing it due to his guilt over cheating, and wanting to get back with his girlfriend when he got back home, but things are sure to boil over soon.
Other low-key drama included Ben in a number of ways. First off he was falling into some of Leon's habits being a bit pissed off when guests change their minds last minute. The first night he had completely finished dinner by the time the charter guests decided they weren't hungry any more. He does have a bit of hot streak. He even took out a bit of rage on Rocky when he tried to test her as to her culinary abilities. She didn't live up to his expectations, so he yelled at her and made her leave the kitchen.
Kate also played a big part in the tension with Ben. They had hooked up a few times before, but neither wanted to admit they liked one another. This lead to the two of them arguing more than anything else for the entire charter. Amy tried to defuse the situation with jokes, but nothing really worked. It is a slightly better situation than when Leon was around, but not by that much.
It was the last five or so minutes of this episode where things got a bit bizarre. They had the night off, and Captain Lee sent them off boat to dinner. The awkwardness of Eddie and Rocky became almost unbearable. Eddie definitely lied outright to Dave, saying he would never hook up with anyone, and then proceeded to call Rocky crazy in front of everyone when they were all saying how they were a big family. It wasn't a good move, and lead to the group being fractured for the rest of the dinner.
While Rocky was away, Connie let it all hang loose. She put Rocky on blast, saying how annoying she always was, leading to some pretty dirty looks from Emile. It was very much unlike her to be so open and frank with everyone, so I wonder if something was going on behind the scenes to spark this. This moment will definitely be talked about in the reunion, and I cannot wait to see that go down.
Below Deck is going strong even in it's third year, and it looks like everyone is making themselves known as to be able to come back for the inevitable season four. With a spinoff quickly approaching and a very solid crew now, it's obviously getting renewed. Now it seems they are all staking their claims as cast members, and trying to make sure they aren't left out next year. I don't think they have to worry too much, though. Perhaps the producers learned their lesson by bringing in horrible new people. We have Ben and Dave back, and let's hope they stay.
Also don't get rid of Kate. She's the Stassi of this gem.
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