Below Deck Adventure is the fourth spin-off in the Below Deck franchise. Just 8 months prior, the third spin-off, Below Deck Down Under, also debuted. This third series was a hit right off of the bat. So much so that it is already airing its second season. Below Deck Adventure, unfortunately, did not have this same reception, and therefore, its future is currently unknown.
Despite its low viewership, we personally found Below Deck Adventure to be a nice change of pace in this ever-expanding franchise. This series is the first to take place over cold waters, making the hassles of dragging out water toys and the dreaded yacht slide not often seen. The scenery within this spin-off was also different, as it was filmed primarily in Norway.
In Norway, the summers tend to be a bit cooler. This lends to more land-based activities over the usual beach picnics with water inflatables for beach canvasing. All of these differing factors worked together well to help promote this series’ largest change—the addition of extreme adventures.
With all of these factors that help to set this newest series apart from it’s predecessors, we genuinely hope that Bravo picks filming back up for a Season 2. However, certain things fell flat in Season 1. Therefore, changes will need to be made to help this series land better amongst the viewers. With that in mind, these are the Below Deck Adventure improvements we think Bravo should implement.
Switch Production Companies
Shed Media typically produces the Real Housewives series on Bravo, while 51 Minds Entertainment covers the Below Deck Series. However, Shed Media took on Below Deck Adventure, and the differences in production values were apparent. At times, it felt like there were not enough cameras around to capture the drama, both on land and on the yacht.
Confessionals were taped, just like the other Below Deck series, but the focus on backstories and reassessing prior events felt lacking. As part of the Below Deck Adventure improvements, Bravo should switch production companies, allowing 51 Minds to take over this series. If not, the crews within Shed Media should try it all again, with more cameras and a better laid out plan to cover all of their bases (and angles) within the crew’s drama and the land-based activities.
51 Minds Entertainment also heavily promotes each Below Deck series that they cover on their Instagram page. In comparison, Shed Media only gave Below Deck Adventure a single shout-out. For all of these reasons, we feel that Shed Media needs to step it up, or, hand it over.
This point also ties in with the need for the production company to step up their game. You see, the adventures, which should have been the focal point of this series, were not shown in depth. These adventures should have been the highlight of each episode, focusing on how the crews made things exciting while also handling the situations arising within each excursion.
With shorter clips focused on each adventure, they instead came off rather boring. Overall, it felt like roughly 2-3 minutes of footage was given to the actual adventures, while 20 minutes of footage was allocated on the crews and the charter guests talking about what they’ll eat and do before and after their trips ashore.
We need more footage of the adventures. Stat.
Overhaul The Cast
Chief Stew Faye Clarke, Stewardess Kasie Faddah, and Deckhand Nathan Morley formed a bond towards the middle of this series, which was fun to watch. Elsewhere in the Season 1 cast, a lack of friendships and bonds was apparent. While these three can stay, or be dispersed amongst the other series in this franchise, we feel like a Below Deck Adventure cast overhaul could greatly benefit this spin-off.
In addition to a new cast, it is rumored that Captain Kerry Titheradge is set to take over Captain Lee Rosbach‘s wheelhouse on Below Deck Season 11. Therefore, this series might also need a new Skipper. A woman could be great, but we’ll take anyone with a sense of humor and strong leadership skills.
Though highly skilled, Chef Jessica Condy created a lot of drama in the galley. She often refused to pack lunches and snacks for guests as they went ashore. Meltdowns during dinner services were also common. If Below Deck Adventure could find a chill, proficient replacement, alongside teams of fun, capable deckhands and stewardesses, this series might just be saved.
Might we suggest Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 4’s Chef Ileisha Dell?
Allow For More Crew Nights Off
Some of the best captured footage in this franchise occurs during crew nights out, where the liquor flows freely and the uniforms (and manners) are placed aside for several hours. With the stresses of each charter ending, crews typically use these hours to hook-up, jump in the hot tubs on their respective yachts, and goof around like the drunken children that they still are at heart.
However, Below Deck Adventure didn’t have that many nights off. With back-to-back charter guests, the crew often had to turn over the boat for the next day. After doing this, they typically then went to bed early. This goes hand-in-hand with the lack of true bonds forming, as their nights out together felt cut short.
With two to three additional night’s of debauchery given, Season 2 might just see a more cohesive crew form, and for this, we’d happily watch.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT BRAVO COULD DO TO HELP IMPROVE BELOW DECK ADVENTURE? DO YOU THINK BRAVO WILL IMPLEMENT THESE BELOW DECK ADVENTURE IMPROVEMENTS?