Bravo’s high-seas adventure series below deck has become one of the most successful reality television franchises featuring super yachts cruising the Baltic, Caribbean and Mediterranean seas, but recently, The show went downhill, evident by low ratings. below deck Is watchable and enjoyable for every person. There is also the mystification over the appeal of Gary King, a first mate who has a spirited temperament and a flirtatious charm, which makes him a likable character. below deck and its spin-offs, presented an escapism aspect to the series, keeping many hooked.
The premise of each episode of the franchise is when a group of wealthy guests board a boat for a lavish vacation. below deck takes the viewers through the crew’s daily life as they try to stop Up with the demanding guests, who slowly drive them to the brink of madness. Despite its popularity, below deck has changed significantly since its debut in 2013. The debut of Below deck adventure In November 2022 was not the best for the franchise, because it was not as exciting as the others, dropping the ratings. Lately, this has been the case for most below deck Shows, and here’s why.
The drama feels more contrived
There are a lot of manufactured scenes
When it comes to entertainment and drama, below deck is one of the most popular reality shows featuring luxurious mega yachts, heavy charter guests and exotic locations. However, there is still a question of how much of it is manufactured drama, and What role do producers have to play?. Turns out that most of the parts are completely unscripted. Although some conversations are prompted and some shots well edited, the series still depicts a small percentage of yachts’ real-life situations. nevertheless, below deck Focuses on drama, and the people on board know how to keep it up.
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For example, in Below deck Mediterranean Season 5, Captain Sandy Yawn fired Chief Stav Hannah Ferrier for having a CBD pen and undeclared Valium in her belongings. This was after getting a tip from Hannah’s bunk Molly White. Many felt like the whole issue was orchestrated to create maximum tensionThus increasing the chances of falling out, which would lead to drama.
Captain Sandy still lets Hannah go, even though Hannah says she has a prescription for the anti-anxiety medication. Although Hannah should have explained it earlier, the situation was exaggerated to create drama. In a recent reddit thread of front_crow_5328them proved this theory, With one comment that says:
“I think it was the plan to fire Hannah from day one of season 5 production. Something that has always bothered me about Sandy is that she creates problems when there shouldn’t be just to cause drama. Hannah was a victim that way. Too many times.”
moreover, below deck Had some of the most Scandalous guests who ended up making some unreasonable requests. Some have demanded gorgeous beach picnics in a short amount of time, while others have made extreme changes to their meals. below deck Season 8 was certainly a memorable one. A huge argument broke out as the charter guest argued over deckhand James Hough. Shay, a guest on board, expressed her interest in James and hoped she would ride a jetski with him.
However, a different guest, Lexi ends up on the adventure with James and a huge fight ensues, leaving the crew shocked (via Bravo). The incident was exaggerated to increase the drama. Next, most below deck Crew members do not seem qualified to perform their duties well. below deck Season 8 presented Elizabeth Frankini, who often failed to complete her tasks as expected.
She often left some tasks unattended or poorly done, And her carefree attitude was infuriating for all the crew members. Elizabeth further became distracted by her involvement, but with James prevented her from doing her job well. Bringing the crew members on board made the show more dramatic than anything else. It has also made yachting look less professional than it is.
There have been too many scandals across the franchise below deck
Too many to count
below deck The franchise has seen its fair share of scandals over the years. For example, many below deck Crew members have gotten involved Onboard romances that led to betrayal, public breakups, and more. Since most of below deck Cast members are young and attractive, it became difficult for them to fall for one another. This led to many bootmances and, in some situations, one-night stands. Natalia Scudder and Storm Smith from Below deck Mediterranean Season 7 didn’t have the best relationship.
Although he wanted to make it work, Natalya often caused unnecessary fights, Which made their relationship rockier and more dramatic. There have also been incidences of guest misconduct, such as the infamous incident in below deck Season 7 where a guest named Brandi caused a stir with her drunken behavior. She was caught on the beach struggling and seemingly in need of medical help. In another controversy, Peter Hunziker was fired from Below deck Mediterranean Season 5 for posting a misogynistic and racist post, which was not far-fetched from the behavior he depicted in the series.
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Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux’s paternity drama in Below deck sailing yacht Season 2 is one of the most scandalous romances. Dani Soares revealed that she was expecting after they wrapped filming. Unfortunately, Jean-Luc Expressed doubts about being the fatherWhich leads to a public paternity dispute. The off-screen drama became a huge talking point, but eventually, he admitted to being the father.
How can Bravo fix the Below Deck Universe?
Consider more crossovers, maybe
Since below deck Has expanded to other spin-offs, crossing between franchises can create buzz on different shows. Being crew members of Below Deck Med Work on others below deck franchises Could bring some interesting aspects to the show. It was the case when big names in the Real Housewives universe such as claudia jordan and cynthia bailey chartered a below deck Yacht. By combining below deck With points like South CharmThe cast members would Bring chaos combined with personal conflicts and romantic entanglements That could boost the ratings.
below deck Should also expand to other locations. They should consider expanding to exotic places like these Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and some unique destinations like Antarctica or the Galapagos Islands That would present new challenges but also breathtaking views. Below deck adventure Was on the right trajectory, as it presented a colder climate in Norway.
It had all the makings of a hit series, providing a unique setting in a grittier Norwegian environment and new faces, which was refreshing to the viewers. Therefore, bring back Below deck adventureWhich is on hiatus, can boost the ratings. Although these below deck Franchise has tried to increase diversity in the show, they should also select yachties from other parts of Africa rather than South Africa alone for more inclusivity.
Sources: front_crow_5328/reddit, Bravo/ YouTube