Summary
Below Deckused to have reunions at the end of each season, but they’ve been gone for a long while andI think they should make a comeback to provide closure for the cast and viewers. Throughout its time on Bravo,Below Deckhas become one of the most successful franchises on the network. Documenting the lives of a crew during a busy charter season,Below Deckshowcases the personal and professional issuesthat yachties face in a season together, though some of their drama is exaggerated for the cameras on the series. Each season used to have a reunion.
Below Deckreunions were meant to bring the cast together after the season aired to discuss the drama, provide updates on their situations, and re-live some of the more interesting, intense moments each season. Like a normal reality TV reunion,Below Deckreunions were belovedby some viewers who enjoyed the re-hashing of the drama from a slightly different perspective. I enjoyedBelow Deckreunions becausethey helped to take a look back at the drama of the season without the intensity of the moment happening in real-time, and provided viewers with a better idea of where the crew stood.
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Below Deck Used To Have Reunions Regularly
Throughout the early years ofBelow Deckand its spin-offs, the seasons typically had reunions where Bravo host Andy Cohen would sit down with the cast to discuss the season.Rehashing the drama of each crew, Andy would discuss the difficulties that each had gone downfor the yachties both personally and professionally. While the reunions weren’t always full of new drama, hearing both perspectives could help some of the drama of the season to cool down. Reunions were typically only one part, but supplemented the season in a fascinating way. Many yachties were happy to appear at the reunions.
The earliestBelow Deckseasons had reunions that were quick, easy, and got to the point. Andy would explain the events of the season and ask about specific charters, but things were typically simpler than they’ve been in more recent reunions. Now, with multi-part reunions that ask similar questions and don’t give the yachties much time to think over their answers, it’s clear that the lack of reunions has pushed the ones that do exist to be somewhat more complicated. I believe that bringing the reunions back wouldallow an interesting look back at theBelow Deckseasonat hand.
The Reunions Have Become Nearly Non-Existent
They’ve Nearly Entirely Removed Reunions
In recent years,Below Deckreunions have been few and far between. The traditionalBelow Deckdidn’t have a reunion for its most recent season. Instead, theBelow Deckseason 11 season ended with a neat, tidy episode about the final moments of the charter season, not providing any updates about what’s been going on with the crew. IfBelow Deckseason 11 had a reunion episode, it would’ve shown thatBosun Ben Willoughby and Deckhand Marie “Sunny” Marquishave been dating for over a year, rather than letting their final moments onBelow Deckrepresent their newly romantic relationship.
WithoutBelow Deck’s brand of reunions, the series hasn’t been able to keep viewers up to date on what’s happening with its cast members, even just days after the show finishes airing. While the yachties have social media, there are moments that would make more sense to discuss in front of each other, where fellow crew members can interject and provide their own commentary. ABelow Deckreunion would make sense, as the show deals with luxurious locales and grunt work aboard Mustuqie, so meeting together off the yacht makes more sense in order air out any issues more publicly.
Reunions Allow Below Deck Cast Members To Find Closure After Drama
They Ensure Cast Members Get To Talk Things Out
While the drama would be heavy on aBelow Deckreunion, meeting up would also be a way for the cast to discuss the season a bit more at length. Though the yachties get enough of their own drama while they’re onBelow Deckin the first place, the idea thatthey could discuss their issues, interests, and investment in each other in person is far more ideal. Giving them a platform to find full closure after some serious drama would be a great change for the network, which typically prioritizes the cast’s pain instead of their victories in life.
WhenBelow Deckfeatured reunions, the cast members were able to discuss anything and everything, as some moments needed to be rehashed a bit more than others. One of the most recent reunions, forBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 4, gave the crew the opportunity to talk about some of the major issues of the season while addressing controversies that had come up during the charter season.Without the reunion, the cast would’ve had to address everything on social media, which typically makes it more difficult to get the message across.Below Deckreunions allow cast members to explain themselves.
Without Reunions, Below Deck Seasons Feel Unfinished
There’s So Much More To Say
Typically,Below Deckseasons finish when the charter seasonhas ended, but just because the crew has left the superyacht doesn’t mean that their drama is over. When the show has reunions, people are able to discuss what happened and provide updates, which allows viewers to see the season as finished. Without reunions, the end of the season feels like a harsh, stark ending without much resolution, but with a reunion, the season feels far more finished by its end. With cast members being given the opportunity to speak up about their experiences, the reunion gives the season an ending.
I believe thatBelow Deckneeds to reinstate reunions for each season that have a more casual quality to them. If the cast members can get a chance to talk about their experiences after the show comes to an end, viewers will be able to resonate more easily with the stories they’re hearing.The cast of each season ofBelow Deckshould all be given the opportunity to speak their pieceabout what’s happened aboard each charter, regardless of how difficult that may be. WithBelow Deckhaving done fewer reunions in recent years, e they may sadly be gone forever.
Source:Below Deck/Instagram
Below Deck
Below Deck is a popular reality TV franchise that focuses on a group of crew members as they work on luxurious yachts and cater to their client’s needs. After the original series proved to be a success, Bravo developed a handful of spinoff shows including Below Deck Selling Yacht, Below Deck Adventure, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Mediterranean.
