When I first heard that Elena Dubaich was returning to Below Deck Mediterranean for Season 9, it made me happy. This scrunchie-loving blonde appeared briefly during Season 7, filling in as needed while a stew was down for the count. We did not have enough time to learn about Ellie back then, hence my eagerness to watch her take on an entire season as a stew. Unfortunately for me, Elena failed to thrive during Season 9, and if you Google her name, chances are, most of the headlines will include some pretty negative remarks. Thankfully, Elena also hates how she came across, and this, paired with a few additional factors, leads me to believe that she should return for another season of Below Deck Med.
To be blunt, I also wanted to hurl my remote controls around while watching some of her scenes. But humility goes a long way with me. I do believe that Elena is finally starting to read the room. If brought back, Ellie might be able to fix it, and by it, I mean everything, maybe.
Elena Dubaich should return to Below Deck Med for drama’s sake alone
If not for Elena, this season might have been a snoozefest. None of the other characters created storylines quite like this divisive queen. When her greener stew, Bri Muller, struggled in the laundry room, Elena verbally shat on her. Not helping matters, Bri and Ellie honed in on the same man, causing friction for days between these two ladies.
Elena also verbally sparred with Aesha Scott. Fighting with Aesha is a hard thing to do, as Aesha is sooooooooo lovelyyyy (read that in her accent or scram). Sadly, the dark land of hierarchy pulled Elena in, making her question decisions while mumbling about how she would have taken different tracks. Then, when Carrie O’Neill came on board to help finish the season, she outranked Elena, but Elena cared zero.
Aesha knew this would be an issue. Therefore, she refused to rank Carrie. Instead, Aesha labeled her new stew as a floater. Even still, Elena turned back into a power-hungry employee, causing even more problems in the interior department.
Were these problems annoying to watch? Yes. But were they dark, toxic, or harmful to others? No.
In a series known for toxicity, I say yes to petty, frustrating, dumb arguments. If Elena can learn how to check her issues with power and rankings while still showing up and showing out in her lacy catsuits for an attention-divided male, we should allow her that chance.
Elena Dubaich wants to learn and grow, so another season on Below Deck Med could benefit her career
A knowledgeable chief stew is hard to find. So when Bravo does locate a solid interior lead, they tend to hold on to them for multiple seasons. At this point, our three constant boss b*tches and b*tchoes are Aesha, Fraser Olender, and Daisy Kelliher. But Elena has made it clear that she hopes to be the fourth.
During Episode 13, Elena grew frustrated with Aesha. But to be fair, the chick overslept and still wanted to enjoy a lovely, leisurely breakfast. Aesha was allowed to tell her no, demanding that her stew put in some effort before taking a beat to eat. But Elena saw things differently.
“I’ve been working my ass off this entire season,” she complained in her confessional. Ellie then stated that she hopes to become a chief stew one day. Weirdly, this is why she thought Aesha might be annoyed with her. We all know this was not the case, but Elena lives in her head, so if she wants to toot her own horn, so be it.
After making this proclamation, Elena followed Aesha around the yacht, asking for her feedback, pointers, and tips. When this season ends, Elena hopes to jump on another vessel. Specifically, she desires to take on a chief stew position.
Elena wants to grow and learn, but during BDM Season 9, her ego swerved her chances. If Elena returned for another season, she could mindfully check her ego at the door and get a proper opportunity to level up in her career. And if not, well, cue the drama, which this series also needs.
Elena Dubaich has seen the light, and if she were to return to Below Deck Med, she’d be different (maybe)
Appearing virtually on Watch What Happens Live, Elena shocked the masses by taking accountability for her actions. She hates watching this season play out. But on the bright side, she now sees that she was in the wrong more times than not. Humility is a rare character trait for a reality television star, and I must admit, this is where my feelings for Ellie began to shift.
Speaking to Andy Cohen, Ellie admitted that she has behaved like an asshole. Watching how her costars perceived her was an eye-opening experience, to say the very least. She now understands that she was the villain in at least one storyline, and on this, Elena fully regrets her behavior(s).
“I should have been professional. I should have put my emotions aside and lifted [Bri] up and made her feel stronger,” Ellie gushed. Right away, a shocked Andy applauded Elena for her growth. I slow-clapped for this fallen stew as well. Again, humility goes a long way with me.
Has Elena just been living in the comments, skewing her words on purpose on WWHL to redirect the heat away from her back? Or, could Elena truly feel awful about her actions this season, which is why she is now eating her words with the boss daddy of Bravo? This answer is unknown, but I can think of one way to sufficiently answer this question. Elena should return to filming on Below Deck Med, where we will all be the final judge and jury on her allegedly changed behaviors.
Below Deck Mediterranean can be streamed on Peacock.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK ELENA DUBAICH SHOULD RETURN FOR ANOTHER SEASON OF BELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN? IF YOU SAID NO, WOULD YOU STILL WATCH IF THE NETWORK DISAGREES AND BRINGS HER BACK?
