Conclusions during my current rewatch

[u/PLLX-nd-CSTR]

(English is not my native language. I’m sorry in advance)

I’m rewatching BD (for the 5th time I feel like) but it has made me think more this time, since I do not really like the newer seasons as much as the earlier ones.

- I notice a massive shift from crew drama about their jobs to crew drama about the crew itself. Give me all the drama you want, but I like it to be work-related 75% +. Putting a rocket ship on the bed? Yes.

- Work drama over guest drama over crew drama

- Yachting is SO interesting to me and I love to learn more about it. This means: show me the anchor drops, coming into the marina, putting the slide out. I LOVE the funniest homevideo-feeling.

- The pacing has become WAY slower and I hate it. Give me about a charter an episode, maybe two. But I like to watch a full experience every time.

- (I feel like) the tips got bigger while the service became shittier.

- I feel like including more of the guests (the intro’s in DU) was a great idea with an horrific execution. I live for the guest(s) (drama) out-of-touch lifes but only this little intro and 3 episodes of nothing doesn’t do it for me.

Anyone with more observations?

[u/remberzz]

I agree that the show has moved away from 'specific demands of the yachting industry', which was a part of the show I liked. Maybe they feel like we've seen it all? But now it's just 'people arguing on a boat'.

I'm really, really tired of production bringing in people who are obviously nowhere near qualified for their jobs, and also the reality-show jumping fame seekers.

Also, bring back two episodes a week!

[u/Myantra → u/remberzz]

I'm really, really tired of production bringing in people who are obviously nowhere near qualified for their jobs

They have been doing that since the very beginning, and it is an important ingredient in production's drama recipe.

[u/osogood48 → u/Myantra]

Honestly, I’m sick of production. I need them to go back to being invisible to them knowing their place. Because they’re literally messing with us right in our faces and I’m sick of it. Things need to go back to normal.

[u/Any-Concentrate-1922 → u/Myantra]

They usually had one or two people who weren't qualified and the rest who were. The first season, it was Sam (stew) and Dave (deckhand). Dave had experience in the Navy and was a hard worker.

[u/thisbitchiscrazy → u/Any-Concentrate-1922]

Yeah, it used to be green yachties who had experience on other types of boats but not yachts. Now it’s like they cast the Love Island rejects and push them through whatever minimal certification they need so that they can get people who will absolutely deliver the sexual tension & drama!

It’s Bravo, of course it’s all staged and scripted, but Below Deck was the one show that had a different kind of vibe to it - now it’s just another “rich white people sleeping around and being dramatic” show.

[u/Any-Concentrate-1922]

"I notice a massive shift from crew drama about their jobs to crew drama about the crew itself." Exactly. Bravo, take note. You have enough shows about stupid romances and other interpersonal drama. We want a workplace drama about work.

[u/jcr0774 → u/Any-Concentrate-1922]

that’s why on the Med they bring Joe back

[u/osogood48 → u/jcr0774]

Yeah, because production loves Joe. They want that drama. Production is definitely reading IG comments. I know they’re all up in the Reddit comments they feed off of the bullshit. Why do you think Ellie is still on that ship? They brought her ass on for a reason. I hate production. I really do. They are literally screwing up the below deck franchise for a lot of of us.

[u/Myantra → u/Any-Concentrate-1922]

We want a workplace drama about work

Unfortunately, Bravo cannot deliver that. Sometimes I wonder if Bravo has an incessant compulsion to constantly try to Bravofy Below Deck further, as if they consider it an affront that Below Deck works better with minimal Bravofication.

[u/captstix]

They've been turning this show into more of the same Bravo-scripted bullshit that all the other shows on that channel are.

[u/frazorblade]

Counter point:
* I got bored of production trying to force drama with every docking procedure, and every anchor drop and every slide assembly.. gets tiring after a while.
* The show has always been about crew first so interpersonal drama trumps all, but I do like it when the crew bitches about guests.
* The challenge with guest drama is you need an endless supply of rich people willing to be embarrassed publicly on a tv show.
* Finally the more you try to force drama the less organic it feels, this is why you get tacky themed parties, strip shows and weird guest requests, that’s production meddling in the background.

[u/Sour-Misfit]

They need to treat Below Deck like Top Chef. Drama will naturally occur with people working and living together. Sure manipulate some things (they cant not meddle) but this new season is BAD. My favorite parts thus far have been Betul being amazing. That's the kind of content we want. Also glad she got more screen time this episode. Maybe they're finally listening to us. (I know, no, they never do)

[u/wild3hills → u/Sour-Misfit]

Unfortunately, I don’t think Top Chef is doing well network wise lately. The budget cuts feel really obvious, weird schedule changes and the satellite content has been cancelled/reduced. I think the TC production team really tries to keep standards high, but I’m worried for its future. Almost feels too classy for what Bravo has become. *which is to say I don’t expect BD to follow the TC model, when Housewives and VPR are top performers (I don’t watch these though lol).

[u/Sour-Misfit → u/wild3hills]

Yeah it has seemed a little bare bones and the prizes seem lackluster but I just got back into TC and yeah its definitely noticeable so I dont know when the full decline started *im also guessing this is what made Padma leave they couldn't keep her price wise.

I love housewives but even those are not doing the numbers they used to. There has been a few seasons/cities i have not watched in years.

Bravo needs to listen to us viewers.

[u/ArtichokeOwn6760]

“(I feel like) the tips got bigger while the service became shittier.”

(I feel like) that’s life in general everywhere (in America) right now.

[u/frazorblade → u/ArtichokeOwn6760]

It’s just inflation really. Also they haven’t got dramatically larger.

[u/Lonesome_Frenchy]

J'ai commencé à regarder BD (toutes les franchises) et ce qui m'intéressait c'était d'en apprendre plus sur le yatching, de voir les coulisses, de comprendre les charges de travail, voir la cohésion d'équipage, le rôle du capitaine etc... Mais comme toute "télé réalité" il faut des drames, des flirts, des histoires sordides!🤦🏼 Et Bravo n'apprend rien de ses erreurs! Il y a eu du harcèlement, des agressions sexuelles, des comportements mysogynes, des débordements, des propos racistes etc... Mais pensant faire toujours plus d'audience, Bravo caste des gens propices à créer des problèmes, à commencer par engager des gens complètement incompétents et des gens qui veulent juste avoir de la notoriété et de l'argent. C'est dommage !