The essential episodes of Below Deck
Watch these 25 in order and you've got Below Deck — each pick states its reason.
- 01
The Honor crew welcomes their first group of charter guests: a gaggle of flamboyant fashion photographers who prove to be a boatload of trouble. Kat makes a shocking discovery that forces her into an agonizing decision; should she rat out the guests and ruin the charter, or risk serious consequences by turning a blind-eye? Adrienne chews out Sam for failing to respect her authority, but Sam refuses to back down and the two stews butt heads.
- 02
Sam and CJ take their flirting to the next level after a night out. The Honor's new charter guests are five single guys who enlist Dave and Eddie as wingmen in their quest to pick up women. After a night of trolling the local clubs, the charter guests bring back a special friend who isn't quite what they were looking for. It's Dave's birthday and his boyfriend has a very special surprise in store for him. There is definite dissent in the stewardess ranks as Adrienne, Kat and Sam continue to have big problems working with one another. Sam and CJ take their flirting to the next level after a night out.
- 03
As the crew enjoys a boozy night out at a beach bar, a frightening accident brings the night to a sudden halt. Kate grows increasingly unhappy with Kat's bad attitude and constant complaining, but is Kat acting out because she fears Kate and Ben are getting just a little too close? Andrew hopes to make amends for his mistakes by giving the female guests a special performance on the skydeck. As the crew enjoys a boozy night out at a beach bar, they probe for details about Kat and Amy's tense history until a frightening accident brings the night to a sudden halt.
- 04
I'm Ironing the Captain's Shorts
After their less-than-stellar date, Rocky relegates Emile to the friend zone, and he's not having any of it. Meanwhile, Kate fails to provision a special bottle of tequila for the new charter guests, and it could spell disaster for the tip if she can't find it in time. A new deckhand arrives and the ladies of Eros all are too happy to have some new eye-candy. Searching for motivation, Rocky finds it in the way of a musical she writes in the laundry room. Eddie's girlfriend issues are distracting him from his deckie duties, putting him on thin ice with Captain Lee. Tensions between Leon and Kate hit a new high when Leon mistimes a meal and Kate is left to clean up his mess.
- 05
Connie and Rocky's whipped cream bikini party leaves a big mess on Eros. Eddie's long-distance relationship is on the rocks, and his problems are compounded when Dane and the other deckies make a series of stupid mistakes. The charter guests, a group of former sorority sisters escaping their husbands and kids, keep the crew hustling as they relive some college hijinks. Rocky finally gets in the galley to make dinner, and the reviews aren't great. Meanwhile, Emile gets a discouraging letter from Rocky.
- 06
Emile is miffed when Rocky spells out the status of their relationship in a public way. The charter guests, a preppy brother and sister, request an elaborate multi-course tasting menu, but Leon's failure to order provisions in time puts the meal, and the crew's tip, in jeopardy. Dane's professional and personal issues cause his crewmates to become very alarmed. A freak storm creates chaos for the crew and the guests, but the storm brewing between Kate and Leon could be the real disaster.
- 07
The crew enjoys a day off with an island hideaway, but Dane's drunken behavior leads to a confrontation with Eddie that puts Dane's future on the boat in jeopardy. When the charter guests, founders of a multi-million dollar apparel company, challenge Leon on his meal choices, he has to make a quick fix for the sake of the crew's tip. After witnessing Kate's failed attempts to smooth things out with Leon, Captain Lee issues the crew a stern warning.
- 08
The stews are excited to welcome aboard a family of gorgeous charter guests, to celebrate their dad's 50th birthday. Leon commits a big faux pas by ignoring a guest's request to refrain from serving rabbit for dinner. Connie's deckhand skills impress Eddie and Captain Lee, but Emile is feeling underappreciated. Eddie begins to question his closeness with Rocky, but there's more at risk than personal relationships when a fire breaks out in the galley putting the whole boat in danger.
- 09
Captain Lee grills the crew as he tries to find out the cause of the galley fire and the inquiry leads to a contentious dismissal. In a fit of rebellion against Lee's decision, Rocky takes a dramatic, unauthorized dive off the boat leaving her crew-mates shorthanded and angry. With Captain Lee at his wit's end due to the ongoing chaos on the boat, his crew have to band together to create a special 50th birthday celebration for their charter guest, but an angry blow-up between Kate and Rocky could spoil the party. Meanwhile, A familiar face stirs things up when he joins the boat.
- 10
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Cynthia Bailey and Claudia Jordan, along with family and friends board the Eros to celebrate Cynthia's birthday, but bad weather keeps them stuck at the dock where the crew must work extra hard to pamper their charter guests. Veteran deckhand Dave joins the boat, but his fellow "deckie" Emile proves to be the guests' favorite eye candy, and the ladies demand his constant attention. Chef Ben's return complicates his relationship with Kate, which quickly affects the rest of the crew dynamic. Meanwhile, Rocky is confused and hurt when she overhears Eddie making multiple derogatory comments about her.
- 11
As Rocky struggles to maintain her emotional composure as her frustrations with her job and Eddie mount, Eddie learns that Rocky has been following his girlfriend on social media. Ben wows the new charter guests with a massive steakhouse-style dinner, but is frustrated when they are unhappy with his breakfast dishes. Rocky divulges details of her and Eddie's secret affair to Amy and Emile, but when Emile threatens to confront Eddie the ladies have to keep him under control.
- 12
Kate and Amy let Rocky know what they really think of her work ethic (or lack thereof). Eddie opens up about how his personal drama affected his ability to lead the crew, and Emile reveals how he took matters into his own hands after Rocky's rejection. Deckhand Don returns to face the cast for the first time since his sudden resignation, and Captain Lee explains why Chef Leon and his beef cheeks had to go. Tensions rise as Kate is accused of drinking on duty the night of the galley fire.
- 13
Eddie and Rocky come clean about their laundry room affair. Kate and Ben try to figure out if they have a romantic future together. Meanwhile, Connie explains why she likes Emile better when his mouth stays shut and Captain Lee has a special dose of tough love for two members of the cast. Things get tense when Rocky claims she and Eddie continued their fling even after the end of the charter season.
- 14
Veterans Captain Lee, Kate, Ben, and Kelley are joined by five new crewmembers as they prepare the luxury yacht Valor for a new charter season. The crew welcomes their first charter guests, a social media obsessed darling along with her friends. Kate is tasked with breaking in two new junior stewardesses, but when one misses her flight Kate is unsure if she will be able to handle the charter shorthanded. With added pressure of being a first time bosun under Captain Lee Kelley has his hands full with his headstrong senior deckhand Trevor. Ben and Kate must find their new middle ground as Ben comes to grips with Kate's new relationship.
- 15
The One Where the Charter Guests Almost Die
Captain Lee grows increasingly frustrated with Kelley after a series of missteps by the newly minted bosun. Kate is surprised by a visitor that rattles Ben's ego to the core. Kelley steps up his game in his pursuit of Emily. Meanwhile a terrifying boating accident leaves the lives of the charter guests hanging in the balance.
- 16
Sierra spirals out of control. Emily questions if Ben is truly "just friends" with Kate. Kyle makes Ashley a very attractive offer. Kate sits Nico and Lauren down for a one-on-one chat and Ben crosses a line with Kate that changes the dynamic of their friendship forever.
- 17
Andy Cohen interviews the Valor crew members about the most outrageous and controversial moments of the season, answering viewers' most burning questions.
- 18
As Captain Lee and the crew of My Seanna continue to cater to Steve's unpredictable antics, Chandler struggles to find his footing with Captain Lee and his deck team. Meanwhile, the interior unveils some of their cracks during a busy dinner service. Later, as the crew celebrates their first night in Tahiti, Ashton proves to be a ladies man and Chandler is pushed to his limit after an explosive encounter with Rhylee.
- 19
The crew pulls off a once-in-a-lifetime surprise dinner for the primary guests, but Kevin is left with doubts about Kate's standard of service. During a night out, Courtney is less than impressed with the behavior of her fellow crew members. Brian makes a mistake with major consequences and Ashton crosses a line with a junior member of his crew.
- 20
Captain Lee returns to the Caribbean aboard My Seanna with a brand-new crew and one familiar face, Eddie Lucas, but a critical injury sends Lee to the hospital and puts the fate of the charter season in question. Eddie's return to yachting is rocky as he deals with a new team and a green but lovable deckhand. Chief Stewardess Francesca sets high standards for her interior crew, but this rubs some the wrong way.
- 21
Eddie struggles with how to earn back Rayna's trust while the interior team deals with a demanding group of Hamilton-obsessed guests. Captain Lee is worried that the crew's five-star service could be slipping as Rachel attempts an extravagant dinner. Meanwhile, the crew works to redeem their rocky start to the charter with a fun beach picnic, will a surprise guest be enough to win back these guests?
- 22
An essential missing ingredient sets up Rachel's multicourse dinner for disaster. Fraser realizes he needs a different approach to his management style after witnessing an embarrassing spat between his interior team. On deck, Ben notices a change in Tony's demeanor. Flirtations grow between Ross and Katie. Capt. Lee makes a worrisome call to his doctor as his injury progresses.
- 23
Ben deals with the fallout of disrespecting Capt. Kerry as the crew of St. David does their best to end the season strong. Kyle struggles to keep his clothes on, much to Barbie's dismay. Sunny debates if there's a future for her and Ben off the boat. Buried tensions come to a head resulting in an explosive fight that shocks the entire crew.
- 24
The crew celebrates Kyle's birthday while he gets acquainted with the local tourists. Kyle's bruised ego causes him to lash out at Solene and reveal a shocking secret. Captain Kerry and his crew grapple with what to do about Kyle's revelation.
- 25
The crew pulls together an explosive final charter; the status of St. David's boatmances, friendships and rivalries remain uncertain as the charter season concludes.
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