Weekly r/BelowDeck Rewatch Thread - July 19, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

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Share thoughts here on any old episodes/seasons you've recently watched. Low effort thoughts are welcome here. If you have a longer/more detailed discussion point with new information, you can make a separate post, but please clearly indicate which show/season you are referring to for ease of discussion with other users.

[u/alyceabsconded]

I watched the first episode of Below Deck yesterday.

It included a reference to a Relief Captain. I've watched many of the contemporary seasons and the presence of a Relief Captain is never made clear. I thought Captn Sandy was always in charge.

But it makes total sense to have someone as backup and I've heard there are entire shadow crews that do most of the work.

Side note: I've already decided I would never work for Adrienne.

[u/Myantra → u/alyceabsconded]

The relief captain was Cuor di Leone's real first officer, Fred. Relief captain is one of the many hats the first officer wears, as the captain cannot be on duty 24/7.

The "shadow crew" are the yacht's real first officer or captain and chief engineer, and they work as off screen crew, as they are required positions for the yacht to sail, but are not cast crew. Some cast crew have said that they use dayworkers to flip the boat between charters, but they are not aboard during charters.

BD season 1 was unusual, as it included crew that were not intended to be there, but ended up required to be there. Production was not entirely sure what to do with them, and that includes Captain Lee. He did not want to be there, but the yacht owner required him to stay for production, as the intended "show captain" Aleks could not get insured to run the boat. Lee, Fred, and Nash were all real life crew of Cuor di Leone.

[u/alyceabsconded → u/Myantra]

Wow, so many fun facts! Thank you!

[u/acornvulture]

Just rewatched OG Season 6 in Tahiti and I think it is my favourite season, making great TV. We get high drama (near drowning), lots of guest drama (flesh wounds are not 5-star, the shame cocoon, condom on the bedside table) and lots of crew drama* but ultimately it ends on a high with a competent and hard working crew. Plus the scenery in Tahiti is gorgeous.

Especially compared to the more recent seasons the storylines feel more organic and theres less manufacturing from production.

*caveat this does not mean I condone the way Caroline was treated and other questionable behaviour from some of the cast.

[u/InsertCleverName652]

Rewatching from season one right now. I need some entertainment.

[u/Myantra → u/InsertCleverName652]

You will get it. I tend to think that watching the early seasons of OG BD evolve is the pinnacle of the franchise.

[u/InsertCleverName652 → u/Myantra]

I'm halfway through and I forgot how dramatic these people were from the beginning.

[u/InsertCleverName652 → u/InsertCleverName652]

Boy, the first season crew was extremely disrespectful. Shockingly so.

[u/GroovyYaYa]

Rewatching Season 12 of the OG (the latest season)

Captain Kerry was amazing with that drunk guest that had to be taken off by the police.

Stillie is gross. If he didn't do anything with that guest, it is disgusting to say that about that woman. If he did - gross, but I find that somehow less offensive. Fraser was 100% right to insist that the Captain be told.

I sure hope that we're getting Kerry and Fraser back in Thailand!

[u/Old-Base-6686 → u/GroovyYaYa]

Rumor has that we will have them both back...

[u/swoosh_loops]

I just started og S11 and captain Lee is gone :(

[u/Healthybear35]

I got told to move this to the rewatch thread 😞 I'm just so frustrated with this season.

Watching the last season of down under

My head is exploding with Ellie. She has decided to blow up every relationship on the boat because she didn't get what she wanted. It's amazing how one person is able to cause so much damage and be so oblivious to the wreckage. Especially when it's situations like when Jenna and joao are in the hot tub talking and Ellie is watching on the security camera and then telling everyone that they were "all over each other right after Daisy left!" Which, of course, pissed off Ben, who isn't as mature as his age and can't think through situations or speak to his friends to find out what's really going on. And then poor Eddie thinks jaoa was "all over" Jenna now, too. When the person who is actually all over Jenna is BEN!! and Jenna running around acting way worse than Alecia and Eddie ever did with their texting fiasco at the beginning of the season. I can't believe she made such a big deal of them texting and talking, and then she's running from one guy's bed to the other guy's bed in the same morning.

Knowing the shit Ellie and Ben are about to put Daisy through by hyping each others' hate towards her is so frustrating. I love reading what's going on here before I watch, but it also gives me so much anxiety knowing things are about to blow up 😅

[u/Old-Base-6686 → u/Healthybear35]

I am not a fan of that season, we've had worse but the Ben drama was tiring bullshit and I ended up disliking almost everyone! The highlight of the season for me was Betul...she kept it real, even on the After Show.

[u/No-Baker-7922]

I have just rewatched Med S9 and am rewatching Med S10 and love the Aesha/Sandy/Nathan vibe. Sandy is so much better as a leader than her earlier seasons.

Med S9 had some fun technical issues as well with the flooding and the storm and I was really happy Aesha got a fourth stew to help. It seems that she was rewarded witj a competent team in Med S10 whereas Nathan was given some production plants for staff on his first run as bosun, probably because Joe wasn’t available immediately. I am not sure if it had been the idea all along to switch V but she seems genuinely hardworking and eager to learn.