Below Deck Mediterranean Season 9, Episode 15 Recap: It’s All About Ellie

Below Deck Med Season 9, Episode 15 recap.
Photo Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo via Getty Images

Welcome to the Below Deck Mediterranean Season 9, Episode 15 recap! In this week’s episode, called “Fourth Stew’s a Charm,” Joe attempts to work things out with Gael while Ellie plays power games with the new girl, Carrie. Gael and Nathan have an unexpected falling out over their post-season travel plans, and Captain Sandy makes some happy plans of her own. Here are some of the highlights from Below Deck Med Season 9, Episode 15.

Joe extends an olive branch to Gael on Below Deck Mediterranean

Below Deck Med Season 9.
Photo Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

While grabbing some dinner, Aesha tells Nathan how nice it is to have another stew, especially one who knows what she’s doing. She’s actually sitting down to eat for the first time all season!

Joe approaches Gael and asks if they can talk. He doesn’t understand what he’s done to her. She’s just touchy about the way he speaks to her. Calling her a “princess” didn’t go over well.

She just seems to resent everything he says to her, and rightly so after his juvenile way of speaking. But he is the lead deckhand and entitled to give her direction. Gael has the right to feel however she wants to feel.

Joe apologizes for speaking to her in a way that upset her. I think he’s just not used to working with women and doesn’t understand that certain things can be triggering. He definitely needs to learn, as this is not an excuse.

There are only two charters left in the season. “Let’s get over it,” he says, and they hug it out.

Ellie’s ego is out of control

Ellie remains highly bothered on Below Deck Med Season 9.
Photo Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

As the three junior stews decorate for an after-dinner party, Carrie realizes Ellie is trying to throw her weight around.

“I’m sensing that Ellie is trying to assert her authority,” Carrie observes. “[But] I’m not here to take her job. I’m just here to help.”

Later, Aesha sends Carrie down to the laundry to catch up on things. Since Bri’s the early girl, she’s already in bed, so they won’t be in each other’s way.

Joe just can’t help himself stopping by the laundry room to flirt a bit with Carrie. Hasn’t he learned his lesson by now? Leave the girls alone, Joe.

Aesha pops down and asks Carrie to go check on the guests and see if they need anything. As Carrie’s preparing a round of tequila shots, Ellie asks her if she’ll help clear the table. Carrie says she will as soon as she serves the guests their drinks.

Aesha reminds Ellie that she asked Carrie to check on the guests. She sees that Ellie’s just a little too eager to boss Carrie around.

Again, feeling insecure, Ellie asks Carrie, “Do you mind if you do the dishes and I do the service?” Even though that’s not what Aesha asked her to do, Carrie doesn’t want to make waves and says sure.

“I was under the impression we just needed somebody to help with the odd jobs,” Ellie interviews. “But now I’m started to feel like … a weak link in the team, cause I feel like I was actually carrying the whole team this season.”

Wow. Ellie’s really got an inflated sense of her own importance. But Carrie’s not about the drama.

“I know what drama does to an interior team,” Carrie interviews. “I’ve seen it, and I’m definitely not here to cause it.”

Is Carrie “stealing Ellie’s spotlight?”

New Below Deck Med stew Carrie is ruffling Ellie's feathers by existing.
Photo Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

When it’s time for lunch, Aesha asks Carrie and Bri to go wait by the galley to start running plates for dinner. Ellie can go on her break.

But when Ellie thinks she’s needed to help serve dinner, Aesha says, “Not you. I was talking to Carrie.”

“Carrie taking the spotlight from me … is definitely a bit hurtful,” Ellie interviews. She’s just helping serve food so you can go on your break, Ellie. It’s not like she got the cover of Time. But Ellie feels “tossed to the sideline.” Are we playing football now? Stop the clock!

“I don’t understand,” Ellie continues. “I’ve done my best the entire season. It makes me not even care. I don’t want to prove myself to these people anymore. It’s very insensitive towards me.” Wow. This girl needs to get a grip.

Working together at the bar, Carrie tells Aesha that Ellie doesn’t want her help. She wants to do everything all by herself.

“Last night, I almost died,” Carrie whispers, so Ellie won’t overhear. “She was like … ‘Let me do the drinks.’”

“I feel so grateful and happy that Carrie is here,” Aesha interviews. “It takes the pressure off me and my team. I need us to be a cohesive team, and I feel like Ellie is making things less efficient so she can maintain her status … or her ego.”

“One of my biggest goals of the season was to maintain really high standards,” Aesha interviews. “Now that we finally have our fourth stew, I think we’re doing a really good bloody job. It feels really good.”

Bri loves her snap-on color beads

The laundry continues to elude Bri Muller on Below Deck Med Season 9.
Photo Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

After having so much trouble with the laundry and almost getting fired over it, Bri now has her color beads which snap onto the clothing. Everyone’s assigned a color, and she’s doing really well with the new system.

When Captain Sandy asks how the new system’s going, Bri answers, “It’s made laundry kind of fun. Thank you, Cap! I’m so happy.”

While stripping the beds after the charter guests leave, Carrie tries to make conversation with Ellie and asks if she has a boyfriend. That’s when she fills Carrie in on the Joe situation and how he caused a lot of tension between her and Bri. But they both agree that he’s a sweetheart and very good-looking, despite playing Ellie and Bri against each other.

Aesha hears Carrie’s side

Always a wonderful host, Aesha Scott prepares drinks on Below Deck Med.
Photo Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

Aesha and Carrie are taking a break together in the crew mess. “How’s it going?” Aesha asks. “What’s been happening?”

“Ellie is trying to hurry me along,” Carrie responds. “Like, what to do, effort-wise, cabins. And like, if it came from you, fine. But, please, don’t tell me to do [anything] unless it’s coming from you [Aesha].”

“I’m just going to remind her,” Aesha replies, “that the only time she should be telling you to do something is if I’m on break.”

“Otherwise, there’s too many cooks in the shoe,” Carrie says. Huh? I think she means, “too many cooks in the kitchen.” Aesha didn’t seem to catch that.

“It’s hard for me to fault Carrie for anything,” Ellie admits in a confessional. “She’s here just trying to do a good job. I’m mainly being triggered by Aesha’s behavior towards me. I’ve been her ‘A player’ this entire season. So, why would you risk burning a bridge with me over a random person that just got here yesterday?”

Bri and Ellie are over Joe

Joe Bradley, the doorknob of Below Deck Med Season 9.
Photo Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

Meanwhile, Ellie’s annoyed with Joe for giving so much attention to the shiny new girl. They all do that. And to be fair, so do girls. Everybody’s drawn to the new person, especially if they’re attractive.

When Joe walks right past Ellie to go flirt with Carrie, she indignantly asks Bri, “Did you see that? He didn’t even look at me. He just went to talk to Carrie.”

In a confessional, Ellie adds, “I’ve had it with Joe ’cause he’s not even choosing women based on whom he’s attracted to. He just chooses the person that gives him the most attention. No man in his right mind would turn down an incredible night with me!” Okay. Get over him, girl. He’s not worth your time. And while you’re at it, you might need to get over yourself a little bit, too.

“It’s just so disrespectful,” she complains to Ellie. “Who does that?” Boys do, Ellie. They like shiny things and are easily distracted, especially the younger, more immature ones. Their brains are still forming.

“You’re too gorgeous to be worried about such a prawn,” Bri tells her. A “prawn?!” Is she calling Joe a shrimp?

“It’s too much,” Ellie complains. “I just want to get off this f*cking boat and go home.” Soon, Ellie. Only one more charter.

Sandy plans her surprise

Sandy Yawn proposes on Below Deck Med Season 9.
Photo Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

Sandy’s girlfriend Leah is coming to Greece for a visit. We all know this is when Sandy proposed to Leah, so it should be very exciting. But didn’t we already see this on another show? I just feel like I’ve seen the proposal somewhere else already. Maybe it’s because it happened over a year ago and is already old news.

“I’m nervous that Leah’s coming out to see me,” Sandy interviews, “for the first time ever. You could put me out in the middle of a storm. I don’t really get that nervous. [But] proposing to Leah? I’m shaking from the inside out.”

Aww! I can’t wait to see this play out on TV. I love Sandy and love seeing her so happy.

Nathan’s sudden plans send Gael off the deep end

Nathan struggles with Gael on Below Deck Med season 9.
Photo Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

In the meantime, Nathan is really surprised at himself that he’s not playing the field like Joe. That’s what he’d normally do, but he likes Gael.

“I’m not the person that settles,” Nathan interviews. “But I do really like her. Gael is the exception.”

In the van on the way back from crew night, Joe finds a $16 flight to Ireland and drunkenly books tickets for himself and Nathan.

When Joe makes the announcement, Aesha looks at Gael. “When are you going on your trip?” Gael and Nathan had been talking about going to Prague together once the season was over.

“Did you invite Gael to Dublin?” Carrie chimes in.

“She’s coming with me,” Nathan confidently says.

“I’m just the d*ckhead in the dark,” Gael interviews, “thinking that we have all these plans.”

“I’m on my own,” she tells Aesha. “He booked flights before I did. That’s my fault.” He’s drunk, Gael. Plus, it was Joe who booked the flights.

“He should’ve talked to you about plans,” Aesha says.

“I can’t expect anything from anyone,” Gael sniffles. “That’s it.”

“Max [her previous boyfriend] didn’t prioritize me,” Gael interviews. “Now I’m realizing, holy sh*t! I just went through a breakup, and I’m just gonna be treated like sh*t again.”

To Aesha, she says, “You don’t have to be sad for me. I’ll be okay.”

But then she sobs, “I’ve been trying to hold it in, but it’s been so hard. Every day he breaks my heart.”

Below Deck Mediterranean airs Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo.

TELL US –  WHAT DID YOU THINK OF BELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN SEASON 9, EPISODE 15? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF GAEL’S BREAKDOWN? DO YOU THINK SHE OVERREACTED?

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