Below Deck Mediterranean is back, and still at the helm is Captain Sandy Yawn. For several seasons, viewers have been torn between liking her or hating her. The controversy mostly comes from her inability to let go, as she enjoys micromanaging her crew. However, with her faults, Sandy also adds a lot to the ship, thanks to her caring demeanor and yearning for those around her to succeed.
Captain Sandy is often singled out by fans due to the work environment she fosters on the yacht. Since day one, Sandy hasn’t been popular, but no one can deny she makes from some amazing TV moments.
What Makes Sandy Unlikable Also Makes Her Entertaining
During the last season of Below Deck, Captain Sandy Yawn was called upon to fill in for an ailing Captain Lee Rosbach, but boy, did she cause a few waves after stepping onto the boat. Not only did she fire stew Camille Lamb, but she also developed one hell of a feud with Fraser Olender.
While some viewers found Captain Sandy overbearing, I and many others enjoyed the drama she brought to the small screen. Captain Lee had been losing his touch and, dare say, became boring. Sandy did what any good captain does—cut the dead weight.
Captain Sandy didn’t muck around when it came to Camille, who was lazy beyond words and insubordinate. But her time with Fraser was just pure dramatics. After overhearing his gossip in the pantry, which was actually just venting frustrations, Sandy referred to her chief stew as a “cancer” on the boat. However, she didn’t really take the time to get to know him.
A few episodes were rocky, but eventually, the two worked it out. It made for a very heartwarming moment that was naturally caught by the Bravo cameras and noted as a redemption moment.
Sandy Embodies Toxic Aspects
Sometimes, what makes Sandy so controversial is her ability to embrace the toxic work ethic that Americans have embraced for years. A common narrative in the states is “live to work, not work to live,” and it is slowly killing our society. At times, Sandy seems robotic as she often says you can’t be good at your job unless you love it.
Often, Sandy’s team-building exercises are moments that cause injury or illness. For example, Sandy set up the Below Deck teams with uneven athletic abilities and pitted the deck and interior teams against each other. Sandy also made sure to single out Fraser as a bullying tactic.
While sometimes hard to watch, Sandy’s toxic ways do make for one hell of a storyline. The Colorado native’s attributes are often hidden by the facade of wanting everyone to do well, which she would call tough love. However, it could be argued that Sandy would rather break the workers that she deemed unfit for her beloved industry. Sometimes, the plan works, but other times, it is just explosives for the episode.
Captain Sandy Loves a Good Feud
Bravo fans live for a good feud between TV personalities, and Captain Sandy is no exception to this rule. Season 5 showed Hannah Ferrier and Sandy really getting into it after the skipper learned that the stew had Valium and a CBD vape pen onboard. In an unpopular move, Sandy decided she had to fire Hannah due to Maritime Law. The axing would go down in Below Deck history, but not before Sandy was made into the villain.
During Season 10 of Below Deck, Sandy raised some eyebrows after not conferring with Captain Lee about a firing. Captain Sandy often takes the bull by the horns and rarely backs down from a fight. It’s what makes her great for the small screen.
Ultimately, I know what I’m tuning in for. All I want is an hour of TV where I don’t have to think and can enjoy the view. Personally, Sandy doesn’t bother me all that much, but there mere fact that some viewers go crazy when she returns each season is reason enough that she is still starring on the show—we just love to talk about her!
TELL US – DO YOU THINK CAPTAIN SANDY YAWN IS ENTERTAINING ON BELOW DECK?
