Premiering on November 1, 2022, Below Deck Adventure is the fourth spin-off in the Below Deck franchise. This new series came on the heels of Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht and Below Deck Down Under. Unlike the other spin-offs, Below Deck Adventure sets a course over cold waters. It also includes an additional element for the charter guests onboard: extreme adventures.
Unfortunately, Season 1 was met with low viewership and even lower reactions. Reasons given for these “meh” feelings ranged from poor casting to poor production quality.
As for the casting, Deckhand Kyle Dickard was fired fairly early on due to his threatening of Nathan Morley. Captain Kerry Titheradge made this excellent call, however, Bosun Lewis Lupton showed Kyle grace. Simply put, Lewis needed Kyle’s skill set on deck, so he was willing to overlook Kyle’s toxic personality while ignoring Nathan’s calls for safety. This was a bad move on Lewis’s part, and while he had a few shining moments on board, this serious instance overshadowed his time on the series.
For production, 51 Minds Entertainment is the company that handles all of the Below Deck series. That said, Below Deck Adventure went with Shed Media, and the differences within were apparent right from the start. Captain Lee Rosbach stated on Hannah Ferrier’s Dear Reality, You’re Effed podcast, “51 Minds really developed it, we know what we have to do with the boats.” With a lack of lengthy camera time given to the guests excursions, it appeared that Shed dropped the ball on filming the land-based adventures, the entire driving force of this spin-off.
With that said, we still believe that this series is far from dead in the water. This is why we believe that Below Deck Adventure shouldn’t be cancelled (yet).
A Second Chance Saved Below Deck Sailing Yacht
Below Deck Sailing Yacht’s February 2020 premiere was a flop. Onboard, a romance that blossomed between Chef Adam Glick and Chief Stew Jenna MacGillivray quickly annoyed…everyone. Walking around the entangled duo often, crew members complained of the constant PDA, while viewers cringed at the instability found within this pairing. Elsewhere in casting, a lack of strong friendships and fun story lines existed, showing the overall casting was off.
When Below Deck Sailing Yacht returned for Season 2, the only returning face was that of Captain Glenn Shephard. This brought back some of the disappointed viewers, as Captain Glenn was beloved in Season 1. By episode 2, we could all feel the differences that great casting brings. With the introduction of the show’s (now) staples, Daisy Kelliher, Gary King, and Colin MacRae, Below Deck Sailing Yacht finally took off.
Below Deck Sailing Yacht is now one of the most popular series within the Below Deck franchise. With better casting, Below Deck Adventure could face these same results. Worst case scenario, should this series fail again, the plug can then be pulled.
Kasie, Nathan, and Faye Were Just Getting Started
Chief Stew Faye Clarke, Stewardess Kasie Faddah, and the aforementioned Deckhand Nathan formed a bond towards the middle of Below Deck Adventure’s Season 1. Apart from Captain Kerry, these three also came across as the most likable within the cast. Their friendship would be fun to feature again, should filming resume.
As a Chief Stew, Faye was great at her job. With big hair, flirtatious inclinations, and incredibly specific rules (girls must have their hair down and makeup on during charters for appearances), she was also fun to watch.
Raised in a strict Mormon home, Kasie is now a free-spirit. Her energy and ever-changing accent were infectious, with a side of confusing.
Nathan was one of the sweetest crew members onboard, making the threats sent from Kyle all the more maddening. On the deck, Nathan worked hard and was always smiling, aiming for high levels of guest satisfaction.
I’d love to see this friendship continue on. With the right supporting cast, these three could actually save the series.
Norway Is An Excellent Main Character
Another reason why Below Deck Adventure shouldn’t be cancelled has to do with the location. Hands down, the greatest part of the show’s inaugural season was Norway’s scenery. “Norway is just magical. This is the closest place to Heaven I’ve ever been,” Faye exclaimed in the series trailer. Captain Kerry added, “It’s just so hard to explain it unless you’re here.”
Super Yacht Mercury docked in Ålesund, a Norwegian port town on Norway’s west coast. Ålesund is surrounded by quaint villages, fjords, and mountains. Basically, it is gorgeous, and when viewed from my couch, it screamed “TRAVEL TO ME.”
Throughout the season, Mercury sailed through the dangerously thin Norwegian Fjords, which are narrow inlets surrounded by cliffs. Watching the views during docking(s) or charters was not only great television as tighter spaces created tension, but it was also swoon worthy, which many of the guests and crew alike discovered. Norway alone deserves a second chance.
The Adventure Aspect Is A Fun Twist
The adventure aspect really separates this Below Deck series from the others within the franchise. Parasailing, bicycling, cave exploring, horseback riding, heli-skiing, and rock climbing were just a few of the excursions that charter guests undertook while sailing through Norway. The crew also joined in, pushing through their own fears to entertain each of the guests in their care.
While we saw snippets of these adventures, they felt cut off at times. This is where production can correct their past mistakes. With additional cameras and lengthier footage(s), these adventures can finally shine.
For all of these reasons, we think that Below Deck Adventure should live to seas another day (cancel me instead for that mom-joke).
TELL US – DO YOU THINK BELOW DECK ADVENTURE SHOULDN’T BE CANCELLED? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IT RETURN FOR A SECOND SEASON?
