The Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 love triangle has become messy, and the main culprit is shying away from taking responsibility. Stewards Elena “Ellie” Dubaich and Sabrina “Bri” Muller are embroiled in a nasty fight that’s impacting the interior crew’s work. Ellie, who is the second stew, appears to be sabotaging the work and reputation of Bri, the third stew. Although Ellie and Bri’s discord is playing out in their work, the real root of their problems is their shared interest in Lead Deckhand Joe Bradley.
Ellie and Bri are two new cast members on Below Deck Med season 9. They are bunkmates, and early in the season, Ellie took Bri under her wing and became her mentor. As tensions later rose between Ellie and Bri, Chief Stew Aesha Scott attempted to broker peace for the sake of the team. However, their drama is affecting their work, and Aesha will need to escalate the matter to Captain Sandy Yawn. With Bri’s shaky performance on the ship already under scrutiny, Sandy could potentially send Bri and Ellie home over their immature behavior.
Joe Sent Mixed Messages To Ellie And Bri
His Flirtation Led Both Women To Think They Had A Spark With Joe
The drama between Ellie and Bri began when they started flirting with Joe. The deckhand, who hails from Spain and attracted the women with his eyes, dark hair, and thick eyebrows, is a merciless flirt. He spoke openly about finding both women attractive, and he was unafraid to engage in playful banter with them during the crew’s downtime. Joe shared an intimate dance with Ellie during the crew’s night out, and he lusted after Bri’s tattoos, which he considers “forbidden fruit.”
While viewers became aware of Joe’s flirtatious personality early in the season, Ellie and Bri did not witness his interactions with one another. This led each of them to believe they had a potential for romance with Joe. Once Ellie and Bri began to suspect they were both interested in Joe, a competition developed between the stews.
Ellie And Bri Had A Falling Out After Bri And Joe’s Hookup
The Stewards’ Working Relationship Became Miserable Following Their Drama
Although Joe flirted with both women, Bri was the first to hook up with Joe. This led to a fight between her and Ellie, resulting in Bri leaving their shared cabin to sleep on the floor in Joe’s room. Bri and Ellie’s once-close coworking relationship began to crumble, with Ellie no longer offering Bri her support and even attempting to disrupt Bri’s work.
Bri has struggled with her laundry duties since the start of Below Deck Med season 9. Ellie suggested Bri take notes to keep track of her progress to make sure nothing was misplaced. However, when Ellie stumbled upon Bri’s notebook, she reported to Aesha that Bri was writing a “burn book” about Ellie to make her look bad. By escalating the matter to their superior, Ellie shifted from romantic rivalry to potentially threatening Bri’s employment. As their drama spun out of control, the ramifications of Joe’s flirtation grew.
Joe Denied Being Responsible For Their Drama
He Maintained His Flirtation With Both Women Was Harmless
Joe, for his part, saw no problem leading both women on. He said in one episode that he was flirting with Ellie and Bri to “test the waters on both ends,” hoping that if one romance did not work out, Joe had the other to fall back on. As soon as Ellie and Bri’s drama erupted, Joe seemed to abandon his flirtations and move on.
During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live on July 8, 2024, Joe defended his flirtation with both Ellie and Bri. He maintained that he did not intend to enter a serious relationship with either woman, a fact they were both aware of. However, Joe’s defense fails to acknowledge the emotions involved in flirting, even if a relationship is not the goal. Joe showed an interest in both women and shouldn’t have been surprised when they developed feelings.
Joe Should Have Anticipated The Chaos His Actions Caused
Drama Is Heightened In The Confined Quarters Of The Yacht
While Ellie and Bri are responsible for their actions, Joe needs to own up to his role in the mess. Instead, Joe seems to thrive on the drama, referring to himself as a “magnet to chaos.” Once Ellie and Bri’s fight became personal and no longer revolved around Joe, he removed himself from the situation and made no attempts to apologize or mediate between the two.
Tensions are already high aboard a ship when the crew is together at close quarters 24 hours a day and removed from the comforts of home. While flirting with two women is not a serious offense, it becomes riskier when the women work together closely, and their drama has the potential to impact the entire crew. Although Bri and Ellie are continuing to fuel the tension, the Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 drama all leads back to Joe.