It’s that time of the week again: welcome to our Below Deck Med Season 8, Episode 5 recap! In the episode, titled “Max Tension,” there was a lot going on. The unthinkable happened when Tumi and Natalya decided to put their beef aside and get to work. One of the deck team got a promotion after always giving it their all. Former Below Deck Mediterranean charter guests made another triumphant comeback. And of course, Max got on a few people’s nerves. Here’s everything that went down in Below Deck Mediterranean Season 8, Episode 5.
Captain Sandy wants communication
We jump right back in where we left off. Haleigh is frustrated with Max, because he’s not listening. Captain Sandy’s been listening to their arguing, and radios over. “Slow down. Communicate.” Honestly, I think Haleigh was being a bit of a brat here. She fumes at Luka that he should be the one, as bosun, to deal with the newbie. Max calls it “ego.” I just think Haleigh is used to things being done in a certain way, and didn’t want to listen to her fellow deckie yammering on.
As the guests say goodbye, they point out that they travel a lot, but this experience has been “one of our best.” They give special props to Tumi, which likely leaves Natalya feeling some kind of way. Still, she’s just happy they didn’t pick up on the chaos below deck. In the tip meeting, Sandy says to “respect the position … and the workplace.” If Tumi and Natalya don’t figure something out by the end of next charter, she’ll be cutting somebody.
The crew earned a whopping $26,000 in tips, which amounts to $2,000 per person. It’s an incredible amount of money from guests who wanted perfection, and weren’t without complaints.
Natalya still doesn’t understand her relationship
Everything is beginning to make sense when it comes to Natalya’s attitude. Her boyfriend is all about an open relationship; for him, at least. Luka may be “the only thing getting me through my days,” according to the third stew, but she’s not ready to take that next step in her flirt game. When we see a passive aggressive text message from her man not to “hurt” him, we can see why. It seems the open side of this relationship is for him only. For now.
On the night out, we learn that Lara has a Natalya crush, Max will never let a woman pour her own drink due to his French heritage, Jessika drinks way too fast for someone who can’t handle it (relatable queen), and Jack believes himself to be Michael Jackson reborn. After seeing those dance moves, he probably shouldn’t give up the day job.
“Can we all just hit refresh?” Natalya says in a chat with Tumi and Kyle. She’s certainly changed her tune. They all agree to put everything behind them and move on. Tumi just hopes it’s not the alcohol talking. “I feel so f*cking stupid that we even got to this point,” Natalya says later on, after the crew have returned to the yacht. Let’s hope the peace lasts. Unlikely, as Kyle is silently stewing on Natalya revealing he had told her about his text from Tumi. He’s big mad, but not ready to show his hand just yet.
Below Deck Med Season 8, Episode 5: Lara gets a well-deserved promotion
As the crew prepare for the next charter, Max is feeling argumentative. He directly disobeys an order from Luka, which would land him in hot water if it was somebody else. Luka’s too sweet, but the fuse is lit. Don’t piss him off.
This charter will see Roy Orbison’s son, Roy Jr., return to voyage with Captain Sandy. He’s bringing his wife Asa and their cute-as-pie kids, as well as his brother and sister-in-law, and Ehren McGhehey from Jackass. They’re looking for veggie Italian food, kid-friendly meals, and a lot of fun. Having seen them on Below Deck Med before, they seem like a dream to cater for.
Jessika goes to Captain Sandy before the charter begins, complaining of feeling sick. She’s whisked off to the emergency room, while Natalya, Tumi, and Kyle plan the days ahead. Natalya has history working with kids, so she’s happy to be the “boat nanny.”
Then, right before the charter begins, Luka has some big news for Lara. “You’ve been f*cking smashing it, so you’re gonna become the lead deckhand.” It’s overwhelming news for Lara, who says her “dreams are literally just coming true.” She hopes that with the new role, she can motivate Max. Good luck!
The cutest charter guests arrive
When the charter guests arrive, it’s like old friends returning home. Tumi takes them on a tour of the boat, resulting in an especially cute moment when she tells the young boys about the “twin” room. “We’re not twins, we’re brothers!” Roy III corrects her. It’s hilarious and heartwarming, which is what we need after so many weeks of tantrums and tears.
Tumi recalls a time working as an au pair. It was her first job in America, for an African-American family. She says the children locked her in the garage, threw an iPad at her face while she was driving, and told her to go back to Africa. Fond memories!
Max keeps being told off for doing stupid things, like hanging off bars around the yacht. He says in confessional that he was never disciplined growing up, so he doesn’t know where the limit is.
Meanwhile, the interior is working extremely well together! They may be a person down, but in Natalya’s words, they’re the “dream team.” See what happens when you put your ego aside?
Watch your heads
Jack reveals the guests have asked for “five-star dining for kids.” I’m not sure they were the exact words, but he’s going with it. He’s got a few different people to impress with this dinner, including Captain Sandy, who’s been invited to join the guests. Thankfully, he knocks it out of the park. What does piss Sandy off, however, is the deck team.
They’ve decided to bring in the jet skis and the tender while the meal is ongoing. The weather is rough, so Luka thinks it’s a priority to get them in before it turns even worse. “That crane … I haven’t seen something like this before,” Lara interviews. “If that thing hits you, you will die.” The tender really is swinging wild. It’s rocking the boat, and causing a bit of chaos with the food.
Captain Sandy later tells Luka it was “too windy to lift the tender when we’re doing dinner.” He apologizes, and she says in confessional, “I bet he’ll never do it again.” We love constructive criticism and learning from our mistakes! Sandy is actually doing an incredible job with her crew this season. Fingers crossed that carries throughout!
Max gets ahead of himself
Before bed, Max whines that he wants more breaks. Luka warns that when things are this hectic, breaks are a luxury. They might not happen. Meanwhile, Natalya rings her boyfriend. He’s enjoying a party night with one male friend, and five women. Or, as Natalya puts it, he’s “dipping the doodle with five bitches at once.”
The next day, Max turns up 45 minutes late for his shift. “I’m pretty f*cking frustrated,” Luka says. He’s a calm guy, but “when I do go off … I do go off … I’m getting closer.”
As Lara is trying to guide Max up on deck, he’s talking back to her. He has a serious problem with authority, and passive-aggressively asks her about her experience on boats. “Your attitude stinks,” Lara responds. Sandy’s on her way, and next week, she’s going to demand the arguments come to an end.
Below Deck Med Season 8, Episode 5 is available to stream on Peacock. Below Deck Mediterranean continues Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF BELOW DECK MED SEASON 8, EPISODE 5? WERE YOU SHOCKED AT HOW WELL TUMI AND NATALYA WERE GETTING ALONG? IS MAX AS LAZY AS THE DECK TEAM MAKE OUT?
