After a season-highlight episode last week , I came into this one with more enthusiasm. Unfortunately, that enthusiasm has been dampened almost as much as the leaky crew cabin. The first half of the episode is largely devoted to the Ellie-Joe-Bri mess, which doesn’t feel fun anymore (or was it ever fun?).
I’m protective of the girls and disappointed in them simultaneously. I fully condemn all online harassment of cast members, but it sure is tempting to throw a “GET A JOB. STAY AWAY FROM HER.
” into Joe’s comments. Joe starts off well enough, as he’s honest with Ellie. He tells her he actually doesn’t want to go on the date he said yes to hours earlier.
He doesn’t want anything serious and says he’s not ready for dating. She also doesn’t want anything serious and takes the rejection better than expected. Joe asks, “You don’t hate me?” What a cringey question from an adult man, telling on himself for being more concerned about how he comes off than about her feelings.
Ellie uses email sign-off speak to convey her dislike: “No worries, thank you so much.” Gossip travels fast around the crew cabins: Gael hears Joe tell Nathan what happened, so she goes to check on Ellie. We love Gael! For the crew night out, Ellie overdresses as usual, this time in a beaded pearl two-piece crop-top set that makes me think she’d be more at home on a Selling Sunset spinoff.
At dinner, she and Joe sit next to each other — I need a slo-mo play-by-play with commentary.