When the Below Deck franchise is at its best, it serves up a cocktail that’s the perfect mix of interpersonal drama among the crew and grueling customer-service workplace drama, with beautiful locations as the garnish. This season has been mostly lacking the difficult guests part of that recipe, and I’m happy to say this episode corrects that. These Dallas socialites definitely aren’t America’s sweethearts .
The primary Mahisha Dellinger is the CEO and founder of a natural hair-care brand and had her own short-lived show about female entrepreneurship on OWN, Mind Your Business With Mahisha . If this charter was an audition for Bravo, I don’t think she’s getting another show or convincing anyone to bring back The Real Housewives of Dallas . Mahisha’s friend’s husband, Mike, is a retired NBA player, so Iain puts together a dinky-looking basketball hoop in anticipation of their arrival.
While he does this, a montage of all the past deck-crew mistakes plays as if haunting him. Gael drives the tender with Joe to pick up the provisions, and she tells us this part of the job is her biggest insecurity. She’s thrilled to gain experience, and I’m thrilled that the provisions include a huge balloon arch for a “fire and ice” party that night.
I’m eager for some slapstick comedy trying to get this thing on the boat. As Aesha and Nathan maneuver it around later, the arch almost gets crushed in the sliding doors, but she saves it with her knee. Say what you will ab.