S03.E03: Pretty Cheeks

[sunshine2288]

Not sure how I feel about Kate...her TH's are amusing but I like Leon. The man is hot and I'm not even going to pretend my reasoning is anything but shallow.

[Granimal]

I think Don and Rocky have the same problem; they think they're too good for the jobs they're doing.  That may be true, but that's where they are, so they need to do the job.  Don didn't want to do it so he left; I think Rocky should do the same if she feels the job isn't for her.  

 

I'm certain that Don and Rocky are not too good to do an honest day's work for an honest day's pay.

 

Leon has been rude to Kate since the first time they met. If anything she is at least asking him questions about where he worked and trying to engage him. He treats her like "the help". Would he treat her like that if she were a man? I highly doubt he would tell a male chief stew that he likes two pillows at night, so make it happen. Does this mean he's sexist? In my mind- yes. Then again, I'm making an assumption based on what I've seen. Based on the fact that I haven't seen Leon interact with any male chief stews I can't be 100% certain that he's a sexist, arrogant, asshole. At this point its just an assumption and not one I'd be willing to wager on.

 

Kate has disliked various white people. Her not liking Leon because of his race is another different assumption. We have no evidence to support this. She was friends with the unrefined Kat and the unrefined Connie, so I don't think she's snooty about who she pals around with on the job. I think that assuming that someone is racist because they're white and blonde is, at best, an unsupported assumption at this point.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Granimal

[BogoGog24]

Let's not forget Leon also made some kind of comment about Kate doing his laundry, as well as also cleaning their bathroom in addition to all the ones she already cleans. Yeah we have no evidence to support he's sexist, but it sure seems like he believes it's a woman's duty to clean everything. Either that or he thinks because that is Kate's job for the guests it means she does it for the crew too. 

[candall]

Well, I know this debate is getting tiresome, but I don't perceive Leon as ever treating Kate like his servant.  Ha, like she'd ever put up with that.  "Nuclear device detonates on reality show yacht." 

 

He expects her to do his laundry because the stews do all the laundry on the ship.  He did sound brusque when he said "I need two pillows" but men often sound blunt compared to the way women tend to express the same thought.  I'm sure I would have said, "Do you know where I might find an extra pillow?" which is nice, but also ridiculous since she's the head stew and in charge of the linens.  In any event, I didn't see any finger snapping hop-to-it assholery.  And finally, he expects her to maintain her half of the bathroom because it's a shared 3x5 space and she's a grownup.

 

Although maybe a tad less mature than Leon, since she's more than happy to snipe about him to the camera and you know if he were willing to do the same, the producers would be thrilled to run the footage.

 

Mm-hmm, not a big Kate fan.  In fact I think Adrienne is probably a better head stew, except she got saddled with twin weasels snapping at her ass 24 hours a day.  Kate's only battled Amy--over being too sweet or too cheerful or something--and now Rocky the Squirrel.  Pfft, chump change.

 

But I wouldn't quit watching because I don't like a character loved by others.  These shows are always cast with incongruous personalities, so we fall right into their evil plan when we favor different ones.

Edited September 13, 2015 by candall

[Neurochick]

But I wouldn't quit watching because I don't like a character loved by others.  These shows are always cast with incongruous personalities, so we fall right into their evil plan when we favor different ones.

 

Correct.  I don't like Kate and I think she could be a elitist, but that doesn't mean everybody has to think the way I do.  So, YMMV.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Neurochick

[Kiss my mutt]

It looks like someone filed away Kate's features. One of her talking heads looked like he face was flat like two dimensional.

I think Kate has leadership abilities but she is not what I would consider a people person. Even when she is trying to come off as gracious to the guests it sounds insincere and even a bit patronizing.

[trimthatfat]

Well, I know this debate is getting tiresome, but I don't perceive Leon as ever treating Kate like his servant.  Ha, like she'd ever put up with that.  "Nuclear device detonates on reality show yacht." 

 

He expects her to do his laundry because the stews do all the laundry on the ship.  He did sound brusque when he said "I need two pillows" but men often sound blunt compared to the way women tend to express the same thought.  I'm sure I would have said, "Do you know where I might find an extra pillow?" which is nice, but also ridiculous since she's the head stew and in charge of the linens.  In any event, I didn't see any finger snapping hop-to-it assholery.  And finally, he expects her to maintain her half of the bathroom because it's a shared 3x5 space and she's a grownup.

 

Although maybe a tad less mature than Leon, since she's more than happy to snipe about him to the camera and you know if he were willing to do the same, the producers would be thrilled to run the footage.

I agree with all of this.

 

I don't like Kate. I maintain my opinion that her dislike of Leon is due to more than just a personality clash or disagreement and that she's a condescending elitist. She seems to be a fan favorite which is fine - I just don't like her.

[BogoGog24]

I'm kind of surprised that only Kate and Kelley (who's not even on the show anymore) have character threads. Where are the ones for the more popular "characters" like Eddie, Captain Lee, Amy, and what about the newbies like Emile, Rocky, Leon, and Connie? I would start them but I'm no good at coming up with clever titles for them. 

Edited September 14, 2015 by BogoGog24

[OnceSane]

I'm kind of surprised that only Kate and Kelley (who's not even on the show anymore) have character threads. Where are the ones for the more popular "characters" like Eddie, Captain Lee, Amy, and what about the newbies like Emile, Rocky, Leon, and Connie? I would start them but I'm no good at coming up with clever titles for them.

Please feel free to make the threads, we can crowdsource catchy subtitles.

[kitten59]

I can see why Kate is such a polarizing figure, I get it....but without her, this show would not be the same. Like it or not, she is a big draw. ALL of them talk smack in their talking heads, but Kate does it with that calm demeanor, and she lets it rip, and I love it! More often than not, she is bang on, too ;-). She's is comedy gold!

[Diane Mars]

QE2, not called a cruise ship, an ocean liner.  If Kate knew better, she should have corrected him.  

For my part, regarding all that discussion, I'm 100% SURE that Kate asked him so "candid" and "innocent" questions in order to let him "out" himself regarding his lack of knowledge and experience...

 

And regarding the food, as a Chef's wife and restaurant holder, I'm also 100% SURE that he's absolutely NOT versatile in cooking, nor as experienced as he claims. He probably has some "recipe tricks" he masters, but he's not able to got out of his comfort zone.

 

And I also believe that Kate has noticed that too, and that she's just waiting that he fells in the trap he created by lying/embellishing his resume and, IMHO, that's only a question of time

Edited September 14, 2015 by Diane Mars

[RedHawk]

Of course Chef Leon should not have lied on or embellished his resume, but if so, how has it harmed Kate or the crew? Leon seems to know his way around a yacht kitchen, his meals are on time, and the guests are loving them. If he were somehow blowing it I can see why Kate would expose him. So far however he's done a fine job and I could see maybe at the end of the season Kate telling him that she suspects he's lied, but otherwise no harm no foul? It's not like a lie about his past experience could cause harm the way a steward or engineer lying about his or her boat knowledge could endanger the boat or crew.

[Diane Mars]

Of course Chef Leon should not have lied on or embellished his resume, but if so, how has it harmed Kate or the crew? Leon seems to know his way around a yacht kitchen, his meals are on time, and the guests are loving them. If he were somehow blowing it I can see why Kate would expose him. So far however he's done a fine job and I could see maybe at the end of the season Kate telling him that she suspects he's lied, but otherwise no harm no foul? It's not like a lie about his past experience could cause harm the way a steward or engineer lying about his or her boat knowledge could endanger the boat or crew.

No, he's not always on time, and he tries to accommodate the plate's names to what he's able to do... ("Mexican Spaghetti" anyone ?!) The problem is not that he lied or embellished his resume, but that he's not able to cope with what he pretends.

 

And Kate is not exposing him... He's doing it by himself. Once again, it's just a question of time.

 

Of course, it's only my opinion, but, as an "insider" regarding cooking and hosting, I'm sure I'm not so far from reality.

[biakbiak]

He ran a restaurant, cafe and catering company for years in Cairns, solid/good reviews about the food from a quick Google search (including raves for his beef cheeks). The only time he has been shown being late was when the guests wanted the lobsters and conch shortly after they arrived back which was admittedly a stupid plan but one that the guests should have had patience with given he would need to cook it (though in this case he could have started the frozen conch ceviche early). Nothing like the literal hours guests often waited when Ben was chef.

In the end the guests have been extremely happy with the food, prior yacht experience or not.

Edited September 14, 2015 by biakbiak

[Bruinsfan]

The lying to the guests bugged me a little, but then again I'm not the sort to throw a hissyfit if a restaurant runs out of the dish I've ordered or encounters a problem in the cooking. It may be better to seek forgiveness after the fact than permission when cooking for super-rich diners who expect their every whim to be catered to.

 

That dressing question could have easily been dealt with by Leon coming out to speak to the guests, saying it was a hush-hush family recipe, and giving them one or two ingredients as clues in a conspiratorial whisper. That would have made them feel included while preserving the big secret for his hypothetical mass market release or whatever. Of course it would have required basic social skills, which Leon seems to have passed on in favor of learning to cook well.

[pasdetrois]

Kate is a self-appointed fault-finder and quite competitive. She makes snap decisions on whether she likes someone as soon as she meets them, then goes after the ones she doesn't.

 

In my opinion, her radar is especially sensitive to people who don't take her crap, or who are skilled enough to challenge her queen bee status. She'll have a couple allies on board, to avoid the appearance of complete obnoxiousness, and she'll throw everyone off with her sly talking heads. She's quite disingenuous, sounding reasonable and funny in her talking heads. And she knows how to kiss the captain's ass.

 

If you're on her side, then working for her is probably great. If not, then she's your basic nightmare, especially in such close quarters. 

[BogoGog24]

Side note: I decided to make character threads for the remaining cast members for anybody interested in discussing them in more detail that doesn't necessarily pertain to a particular episode. Now we just need some clever subtitles!

Edit: I decided not to make one for Don since he left the show, but if someone else feels we need it, feel free. ;)

Edited September 14, 2015 by BogoGog24

[RedHawk]

I rewatched the scene where Don quits, and it seems so odd that he says [paraphrasing] "There's a guy downstairs who is my REAL boss that I've got to answer to." He's referring to the 1st Engineer and of course totally disrespecting Capt. Lee. I'm wondering if Don was hired as an engineer and then invited to be part of the show, told that he'd need to function as a deckhand for the filmed scenes because the deckhands mix with the guests.

 

So he maybe wound up with two jobs and that's why he acts so put out when Eddie acts like his boss and why he seemed to think he didn't have to obey Capt. Lee as the ultimate authority on the boat. Somehow he got it into this dim-bulb head that Capt. Lee wasn't really the Captain because he was on the TV show? Otherwise, I can't figure out how Don could behave so stupidly. 

[BogoGog24]

As others have astutely pointed out, it sounds kind of like Rocky and Don were told they'd have different jobs as opposed to what their jobs actually ended up being in order to create drama, so it's a possibility. 

[LIGirl]

As others have astutely pointed out, it sounds kind of like Rocky and Don were told they'd have different jobs as opposed to what their jobs actually ended up being in order to create drama, so it's a possibility. 

 

Because of Don's engineering background/experience, I can maaaaaybe buy that for him, but not Rocky.  She said she has worked on a handful of charters.  But if she wanted to be outside more often and not stuck inside doing "maid work", then wouldn't she have said she was a deckhand during those charters and not a stew, and therefore been a deckhand on the show?  I'm sure the producers would've let her be a deckhand if that's where her experience lies.  Surely they would've (unfortunately) thought she was better "ratings gold" than Connie.  It would make no sense for Rocky to accept a position as a stew if that's not what she ever did.  And now I'm even questioning if she truly did 6 or 7 (as she claimed) charters as a stew because why else would she be complaining about being stuck inside rather than outside?  She should KNOW what it entails to be a stew (especially vs. a deckhand).   This whole thing is so stupid and I hate that Rocky ever graced our screens to begin with. :P

[biakbiak]

Also, Don has been shown twice being dismissive of the orders from the 1st engineer once when he wanted Eddie to learn how to get the jet skis aboard and when he tried to over rule Smile and Connie about the bumpers which weren't orders from Eddie but the 1st Engineer.

[Bruinsfan]

I thought those were the first mate's orders, not those of his "real boss" the engineer. Which is moot, as my understanding is the first mate is also the engineer's boss, (and that of everyone else on the crew except the captain).

[donovan]

In the iron ore shipping business, the First Mate is in charge of the deck, the Chief Engineer is in charge of the engine room, with the Captain above them both. So if Don were wearing his deckhand 'hat' he takes orders from the First Mate, not the Chief Engineer and vice versa. (there is a whole hierarchy of people above deckhands - a 3rd mate (if they had one) would be above a deckhand)

 

Perhaps it is different than the yachting industry.

 

Either way of course, an order from the Captain supersedes any other orders. And you don't talk back to the Captain. ever. Could get you assigned to your room until you hit the next port where you are escorted from the ship and left to your own devices.

[BogoGog24]

What about the bosun? I thought he was in charge of the deck?

[rehoboth]

I rewatched the scene where Don quits, and it seems so odd that he says [paraphrasing] "There's a guy downstairs who is my REAL boss that I've got to answer to." He's referring to the 1st Engineer and of course totally disrespecting Capt. Lee. I'm wondering if Don was hired as an engineer and then invited to be part of the show, told that he'd need to function as a deckhand for the filmed scenes because the deckhands mix with the guests.

 

So he maybe wound up with two jobs and that's why he acts so put out when Eddie acts like his boss and why he seemed to think he didn't have to obey Capt. Lee as the ultimate authority on the boat. Somehow he got it into this dim-bulb head that Capt. Lee wasn't really the Captain because he was on the TV show? Otherwise, I can't figure out how Don could behave so stupidly. 

 

I believe that Captain Lee is not, in fact, the captain.  The real captain is not seen on the show and is busy actually running the ship and is "that guy downstairs".  There are others running the ship (engineers) who have never been seen before this year but were there all along on the prior seasons.  "Captain" Lee is second in command (first mate?).  This info was from an article from when the show first came on a couple of years ago.  I think the link was from this forum.

 

It seems that Don was not well-versed on what he should and should not say in front of the cameras and it's no wonder that people are confused.

[biakbiak]

I believe that Captain Lee is not, in fact, the captain.  The real captain is not seen on the show and is busy actually running the ship and is "that guy downstairs".  There are others running the ship (engineers) who have never been seen before this year but were there all along on the prior seasons.  "Captain" Lee is second in command (first mate?).  This info was from an article from when the show first came on a couple of years ago.  I think the link was from this forum.

 

It seems that Don was not well-versed on what he should and should not say in front of the cameras and it's no wonder that people are confused.

Every article I have read about the show has said that Captain Lee is the Captain but there are other crew members that we don't see, though even back in the first season we would occasionally see them and this season we have seen the 1st Mate or 1st Engineer twice with his name and title labelled on screen, I just forget which one he was labelled.

[Rebecca]

Every article I have read about the show has said that Captain Lee is the Captain but there are other crew members that we don't see, though even back in the first season we would occasionally see them and this season we have seen the 1st Mate or 1st Engineer twice with his name and title labelled on screen, I just forget which one he was labelled.

Yes. And if you notice the tip is always split with two more people than we actually see on the show.

[hatchetgirl]

I think Captain Lee is the captain. If he wasn't, he'd be just another monkey around there. Lol

[HumblePi]

Bravo's display of sexism is so blatant in the using of Rocky to sell the sexual side of Below Deck that it's shameful. "Pretty butt cheeks" is used time and time again by Bravo to encourage the male audience to tune in to this sexist trash that I'm surprised the network hasn't been sued for it.

 

Bravo, we know that Rocky has a great body, nearly all the women on this show do. But to so blatantly promote sex by the gratuitous filming of Rocky's ass in a bathing suit is over-killing selling the sexual visual gratification. Rocky in the Jacuzzi all by herself being spurned by Emile decides to take a 'dive' head first to the very bottom of the Jacuzzi exposing her butt to the camera. This was an unjustifiable and unmistakable sexual marketing technique that took it to a whole new level of using sex for ratings. Emile had gone inside and Rocky decides to deep dive into a 2 ft deep Jacuzzi? What women in her right mind would get her hair wet that late at night when nobody is around? It was completely done to show her ass to the camera, no other reason at all.

Edited September 19, 2015 by HumblePi

[BogoGog24]

TBH I don't think Rocky ever is in her right mind though LOL

[Rebecca]

I think Rocky is just that much of an attention seeker. Who the hell brings a collection of thong bathing suits when a) they are WORKING on a ship b) on TV? An attention whore.

[FozzyBear]

As others have astutely pointed out, it sounds kind of like Rocky and Don were told they'd have different jobs as opposed to what their jobs actually ended up being in order to create drama, so it's a possibility.

I actually got the impression that they both thought this show was more staged than I guess it actually is. I felt like they both thought they were being hired as entertainers who might have to pretend to do work for a few filming scenes. How much "work" the cast is expected to do I couldn't say, but it sounds like it was more than they thought.

I think Kate and Leon are a case of being too much alike to get along. As for the salad dressing just say "Oh its oil and vinegar and garlic, but I don't have a recipe. I just do a pinch of this and that." I cant believe he's never had to come out a talk to dinners. It's pretty common to have people ask for recipes, especially if you do private chef/catering/small restaurant type stuff. (I'm an eater, not a cook). I've hear several chefs play of the "oh I don't really have a recipe" line with enough charm that no one caught the BS. It really is part of the job.

[Bruinsfan]

They should have watched previous seasons before signing on. My impression is that the deckhands work like dogs most of their waking hours, and the stews are responsible for cleaning at least all the guest areas of that ginormous luxury yacht to the satisfaction of pampered rich people, in addition to handling the actual pampering and doing laundry for the whole crew. It might be worth it for the beautiful views and the chance to have brief shore leaves in Caribbean paradises, but I'd expect to be busting my ass like Cinderella all the hours I was on the clock.

[Liberty]

They should have watched previous seasons before signing on. My impression is that the deckhands work like dogs most of their waking hours, and the stews are responsible for cleaning at least all the guest areas of that ginormous luxury yacht to the satisfaction of pampered rich people, in addition to handling the actual pampering and doing laundry for the whole crew. It might be worth it for the beautiful views and the chance to have brief shore leaves in Caribbean paradises, but I'd expect to be busting my ass like Cinderella all the hours I was on the clock.

 

Might be worth it for a few thousand in cash tips a week with on the job training.

[turbogirlnyc]

It looks like someone filed away Kate's features. One of her talking heads looked like he face was flat like two dimensional.

I think Kate has leadership abilities but she is not what I would consider a people person. Even when she is trying to come off as gracious to the guests it sounds insincere and even a bit patronizing.

 

The two dimensional flat face is likely a result of her weight. I have the same problem. I've gotten fillers before and that's exactly how I described my issue to the plastic surgeon. He's told me multiple times to stop losing weight. Not trying to get defensive or anything, but Kate and I have a similar face shape..