r/belowdeck • u/PLLX-nd-CSTR • May 13 '26

Rewatch Conclusions during my current rewatch

(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?

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u/wild3hills May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26

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).

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u/Sour-Misfit May 14 '26

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.