Intriguing Highlights from Below Deck Season 11
Below Deck season 11 recently ended, and it proved to be the most entertaining season yet, signaling that future seasons need to have the same qualities. Season 11 began airing on February 5, 2024, and ended on May 27, 2024. There were a total of 17 episodes and nine different groups of guests in the eight-week-long charter season. Below Deck season 11 was historic because it was the first season without OG Captain Lee Rosbach, who helped make the show as famous as it is today.
Captain Lee bowed out of future seasons due to health concerns. In Below Deck season 10, viewers watched him have to leave the boat due to his medical issues and have the season taken over by Captain Sandy Yawn. Captain Lee came back for the end of the season, but it was clear that he was stretching himself thin. In the Below Deck franchise there are four shows total, the OG show, Below Deck Med, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, and Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck season 11 had all the components to make it the best season ever.
Captain Kerry Was A Great Figurehead
He Was The Perfect Replacement
Captain Kerry took the lead as figurehead for OG Below Deck series in season 11. Captain Kerry came from the only season of the spinoff Below Deck Adventure. Captain Kerry proved himself to be firm, but fair, and a team player in both Below Deck Adventure and Below Deck season 11. In season 11, Captain Kerry was confronted with several situations where he had to showcase his talent as a leader. First with Cat Baugh’s declining mental health, then with Bosun Jared Woodin’s mental health and inability to perform his job to the caliber he needed.
Captain Kerry endeavored to be a friend, an authority, and rule follower, and a captain who took the lives of his crew and guests very seriously.
Captain Kerry demonstrated all the qualities of a grade A captain, and has also been very personable and charismatic. He loves to laugh, talk about his personal life, and how much being a captain means to him.
He is perfect for the job and should remain the Below Deck figurehead in seasons to come.
Ben Was Very Dislikable
Ben Was A Great Villain
Ben stepped into the Bosun’s position after Bosun Jared got let go by Captain Kerry. Ben did not have any issues with his Bosun duties in docking and undocking the boat and giving Captain Kerry clear instructions, but he had issues with everything else. Ben became very unlikable for his hypocrisy. He bad-mouthed Jared as a Bosun only to become upset when deckhand Dylan Pierre De Villiers was critical of his decision-making in the Bosun position.
Ben also stirred the pot by causing drama between stews Barbie Pascual and Cat Baugh (via Bravo) and by meddling in Barbie and Kyle Stillie’s relationship by telling Barbie to be nicer to Kyle. Ben was also insubordinate with Captain Kerry after he disrespectfully did not clean his cabin after Captain Kerry announced cabin checks and trash-talked Captain Kerry’s leadership and authority. Ben also showed what a dislikable person he was by how he treated his love interest Sunny Marquis all season by taking her for granted, talking to his ex behind her back, and showing that his ego was overly inflated.
Ben also got ensnared in online drama with Captain Kerry which he instigated by calling Captain Kerry out for stating in an article that Ben was not his first choice as replacement Bosun. Ben thought Captain Kerry spoke against his work ethic, so he tried to stick up for himself but ended up looking really foolish. Moreover, Ben said he thought he got a bad edit and would not join Below Deck again, although he would love to join one of the other spinoffs.
“I’m at a crossroads as to whether the truth needs to be told or I don’t need to let this consume me anymore.”
Fraser Got A Redemption Arc As Chief Stew
Fraser Was A Joy To Watch
When Fraser Olender was a first-time chief stew in season 10 under Captain Lee and Captain Sandy he was harshly criticized by Captain Sandy who felt Fraser didn’t have what it took to be an effective leader. In season 11, Fraser proved Captain Sandy wrong.
He set boundaries with and between his stews, handled conflict with grace, heeded the advice of Captain Kerry, and showcased his immense talent as a passionate stew.
Below Deck fans love a redemption arc, and Fraser exemplified that in Below Deck season 11.
There Were Two Messy Below Deck Boatmances
Barbie & Kyle and Ben & Sunny
In Bravo’s Below Deck season 11, Ben and Sunny started their romance early on and it quickly spiraled. Ben did things, knowingly or unknowingly did things to make Sunny feel jealous or less than and then gaslit her into thinking she was the problem. It happened when Ben got called out for being flirty with new chief stew Paris Field, and it also happened when Ben got scolded for messaging his ex, Camille Lamb. Despite the drama, Ben and Sunny are still together today.
The other boatmance was between Barbie and Kyle. Barbie thought Kyle was not up to her standards and was disgusted and embarrassed by his usual behavior while Kyle thought Barbie was a quality girl he could bring home to his mom. They had several clashes over Barbie’s lack of trust and inability to accept Kyle for he was, and they ultimately broke up after their final night out.
Having two messy boatmances was highly entertaining on Below Deck season 11 and should hopefully be something every season has.
Interdepartmental Drama Was Entertaining
The Drama Was Satisfying To Watch
It was easy to pick sides in the interdepartmental drama in Below Deck season 11. Between Barbie being a trainwreck all season long with her drama with Cat, Fraser, and Xandi mixed with her messy feuds with Kyle and Ben, she brought a lot of entertainment value to the season. She was an easily intolerable character from her rich and privileged background to her griping about what her father would think of everything she was doing. Moreover, she could not get along with anybody and left the season upset and disliked.
On the deck team, Dylan’s bad-mouthing of Sunny’s promotion to the lead deckhand role was very uncalled for and gave Below Deck viewers the theme of misogyny they could criticize. Overall, Below Deck season 11 was highly entertaining for its interesting cast members, layers of interpersonal and work-related drama, and the messy boatmances. Future seasons in the Below Deck franchise should have all the qualities season 11 did.
