Episode reviews

🌊 A Holiday in Handcuffs: Below Deck Season 12, Episode 9 Dials Up the Mayhem
By Sienna G, Senior Reality TV Correspondent

Just when you thought Below Deck couldn’t go any wilder, Episode 9—titled “A Holiday in Handcuffs”—hands viewers a charter guest meltdown for the history books. Between villa wounds, a guest who won’t get off the deep end, and actual police intervention, this episode stakes its claim as one of the most chaotic yet.

Villa Fallout: Love Islands Ruined by Reality

The crew returns to St. David, dead on their feet after two days of messy villa romance. The love quadrangle collapses further: Kyle bows out of chasing Solène; Damo and Solène establish a poolside “thing”—lips meet, friendship heists happen, and Jess’s hot-and-cold moves leave Bárbara heartbroken. The emotional wreckage leaves Bárbara feeling betrayed and confused.

Charter Guest Kelly: The Tippler Takes the Ship

Barely has the charter begun when Kelly—a visiting friend known for her “I’m super-up” attitude—spirals. She guzzles champagne, ignores Captain Kerry’s safety warnings, and scoffs at life jackets. When asked to behave, she clutches her “FBI family” card and declares, “You don’t know our tolerance”. Things come to a head when she jumps into the water mid-charter, forcing the crew to scramble for crowd control.

Captain Kerry Makes History: Police Called On Board

In a franchise first, Captain Kerry locks a belligerent Kelly in her cabin and calls French authorities to de-escalate the situation. The episode ends on a dramatic “To Be Continued” just as the police board the yacht—a jaw-dropping cliffhanger that breaks reality TV protocol

Crew Reactions & Redditalsy Relief

Reddit fans couldn’t help but cheer Captain Kerry’s unwavering boundary with Kelly. One fan said:

“If there’s one thing better than a nasty, rich person being told no, it’s them being arrested when they can’t handle it.”

Quick Hit Analysis

Rating: ★★★★★
“A Holiday in Handcuffs” is a breaking point episode—where out-of-hand guest antics, crew emotional glitches, and authority intervention collide in unprecedented Below Deck fashion. This electric chaos ushers in a new threshold for Bravo’s wildest franchise moments.