The Below Deck Mediterranean Season 8 trailer just dropped, and it looks WILD. Taking place onboard the 180-foot Motor Yacht Mustique, the crew appears to have problems popping up right off of the bat. Before they can even leave the dock, visa issues arise, threatening to leave two crew members behind. As for the yacht, panels are seen falling, which is ironic, as the interior department underneath is also coming apart.
Season 8 teases the usual boatmances and cast squabbles that viewers have come to expect. It also suggests that at least one charter guest will be reprimanded for their antics onboard. Also reprimanded is someone from the interior department, who is possibly then fired. In addition, Captain Sandy Yawn will be sustaining an injury to her wrist.
It’s…a lot. Overall, this season looks exciting, dramatic, and messy, so obviously we’ll be watching, as hot mess calls to hot mess. After watching the Below Deck Mediterranean Season 8 trailer, these are the main reasons why we are so excited for this series to now air.
There Are Five Returning Cast Members
Each season, the captain of each series typically returns, alongside one or two already known Below Deck personalities. These returning faces help to connect the viewers quickly with each new season’s cast. That said, Below Deck Mediterranean Season 8 has five returning cast members, which is rare.
Captain Sandy and her Season 7’s Stews, Natalya Scudder and Kyle Viljoen, are all set to return for Season 8. In addition, Tumi Mhlongo and Luka Brunton will be crossing over from Below Deck Down Under to join them onboard.
It will be interesting to watch Tumi, who worked well underneath Captain Jason Chambers, interact with Captain Sandy. Will she get on just as well with her new boss? This curious mind is dying to know. It will also be exciting to see how these five familiar faces interact, mainly because the trailer suggests it’ll be similar to that of a dumpster fire.
There Are Two Female Deckhands
It’s no secret that Captain Sandy is all about empowering women in the male-dominated yachting industry. She has therefore mentored many women who have stepped onboard her given yachts. Malia White is a great example of this, as she rose from a green deckhand all the way up to a Bosun. Though she is currently not on the series, Malia is continuing to rise up, earning new certifications along the way.
For these reasons, it should not come as a surprise that the casting department has supplied Captain Sandy with two female deckhands for Season 8. As long as they work hard and make it clear that yachting is their passion, deckhands Haleigh Gorman and Lara Du Preez will do just fine. But, if Captain Sandy finds out that yachting is not their passion, which was a bold claim that she made against her former Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier, then…yikes.
We’re rooting for these ladies, and we are excited to see how their deck team functions during Below Deck Mediterranean’s Season 8.
We’ll See Kyle and Natalya’s Feud – Round 2
On Below Deck Mediterranean Season 7, Kyle and Natalya didn’t bond. Their former Chief Stew Natasha Webb made a poor decision in not ranking her stews. Therefore, the hierarchy between these two remained unclear. This led to many arguments between the pair, as both found themselves worthy of being on service over the grunt jobs of cleaning and laundry.
At the Season 7 reunion, Natalya explained that she and Kyle were “fine now. Like, we’re unblocked on Instagram.”
One quick look at Instagram will show you that the pair are likely again at odds, as they no longer follow each other online. Sadly, they also both fail to follow Tumi, who will be their Chief Stew. That said, Kyle and Tumi both follow Stew Jessika Asai. Jessika does not follow Natalya, however, which points to the possibility that Natalya could be the one who is rocking the boat.
Combined with the Season 8 trailer, this current social media narrative suggests that the interior department will face obstacles. In the trailer, it is even hinted that Captain Sandy will be firing someone, and for the life of us, we cannot guess if she is referring to Kyle or Natalya. So yeah, I guess you could say that we are already invested, and are all the more excited to watch this (likely) mess go down.
Tumi Is Breaking Glass Ceilings
Tumi will be the first South African Chief Stew to star on the Below Deck franchise. This is a much needed step in the right direction in terms of diversifying the series.
It would be a shame if Season 8 leads to Tumi’s failure, simply due to her aforementioned dramatic team. However, during her time on Below Deck Under Season 1, Tumi swiftly and efficiently shut down the crew’s main hothead. If she can handle Chef Ryan McKeown, then I’m confident that she can handle Kyle and Natalya.
We are fully rooting for Tumi. It will be exciting to watch her career advance, and we truly hope that she thrives.
Captain Sandy Might Pull a Captain Lee
We all remember when Captain Lee Rosbach had to step away during Below Deck Season 10. While he was off receiving medical attention, Captain Sandy stepped into his wheelhouse, leading his crew through several charters.
It seems that the injured Captain storyline once again takes place, as the trailer shows Captain Sandy sustaining an injury. One of the crew members can even be heard asking if “Captain’s off the boat?” It will be exciting to see if another leader is brought onboard, or, if Captain Sandy will be allowed to remain at the helm, leading this chaotic cast.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOU THE MOST EXCITED ABOUT AFTER WATCHING THE BELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN SEASON 8 TRAILER?
