The Below Deck Franchise Should Expand (And Here’s Why It Hasn’t Yet)
The Below Deck OG show and its spinoffs have been wildly popular in the reality TV world, but there is a reason it is holding back on expanding. I have been a Below Deck fan for many years and have been able to both binge old seasons and watch new ones as they come out. The franchise has come very far in the last 11 years it has been on TV, seeing many memorable captains and crew members pass through. The show has its format and editing down, and the show has not slowed in viewership or engagement.
Currently, fans have been watching Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 with Captain Sandy Yawn at the helm. In Below Deck season 11, which finished airing in late May 2024, viewers saw former Below Deck Adventure captain, Captain Kerry Titheradge, fill the position that prominent Bravolebrity Captain Lee Rosbach had after he left the franchise due to health reasons. There have been some mainstay Chief Stews who have also helped the show, like Aesha Scott, Daisy Kelliher, and Fraser Olender. With so much franchise success, I’m wondering why the series hasn’t expanded further, but there seems to be reason for that.
Below Deck Has Five Shows
Four Are Still Airing Regularly
Below Deck season 1 premiered in July 2013, and has 11 seasons available to watch with season 12 rumored to have already been filmed with Fraser Olender and Captain Kerry. Below Deck Med premiered in May 2016 and has nine seasons. Below Deck Sailing Yacht premiered in February 2020 and has four seasons with the fifth season likely imminent. Below Deck Down Under premiered in March 2022 and has two seasons. It aired almost concurrently with Below Deck Adventure season 1 which started in November 2022, and only aired one season.
The Below Deck franchise has typically followed an airing schedule, and it has been thrown into flux in 2024. After Below Deck season 11, Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 should have premiered, especially considering filming for the season was likely done in August 2023 as it had been done in years past. However, Below Deck Med season 9 premiered in its place despite season 8 ending just back in late January 2024.
With my expert knowledge of the show, I believe the scheduling chaos is due to Below Deck Sailing Yacht First Officer Gary King’s sexual misconduct allegations, and the network trying to downplay his role and make strategic edits in the scandal’s wake.
Currently, there is no word on when BDSY season 5 will air, but Gary has mentioned being determined to continue in the franchise despite the controversy.
What Happened To Below Deck Adventure?
It Was The Only Cold Weather Below Deck Adaption
Bravo’s Below Deck Adventure was a highly anticipated addition to the franchise and was the first cold-weather adaptation in the series. I think it delivered compelling drama and had several dramatic crew dynamics and boatmances to keep fans entertained. It was Captain Kerry’s debut into the franchise and the series received favorable reviews as a whole, but it has not come back since season 1. I think the show is currently on a hiatus, as it has not been officially canceled. I feel like Bravo will bring back the show when the timing is right in the network’s schedule.
What Are Below Deck’s Possibilities For Expansion?
What Other Spinoffs Could Below Deck Have?
There are many corners of the globe the Below Deck empire has yet to explore. Below Deck season 7 was the only season to take place in Southeast Asia, Thailand specifically, so that is an area worth exploring more of. I’ve noticed many of the yachties also hail from South Africa, so the yachting scene there or in other parts of Africa could touch on parts yet unseen. Another cold weather adaption could take place in Alaska, or even Greenland.
Many reality TV shows are heading towards inclusivity, with shows such as The Ultimatum: Queer Love’s having an LGBTQ+ casting premise.
Therefore, I believe the Below Deck franchise should consider having a spinoff with crew members from the LGBTQ+ community or close allies.
It would open the franchise up to a wider audience and demonstrate the show’s ability to expand positively.
I think the Below Deck franchise could use an all-star spinoff featuring popular cast members from throughout the franchise. With egos at play, some cast stepping down a role, and big personalities clashing between departments, a spinoff like that could become wildly popular. Since only a few cast members return every season, having a mixed and recognizable crew in an all-star spinoff could be very fun.
Why Hasn’t Below Deck Made More Spinoffs?
There Are Clues Toward An Answer
With the controversy surrounding Gary King and how BDSY with Gary in it will be received by the Below Deck audience, I think the network is holding off on expanding until the issues quiet down or get resolved. Moreover, the franchise is likely trying not to spread itself too thin, with so much time, money, and logistics going into every season. However, Below Deck is a powerhouse show that has the reach to add more spinoffs.
90 Day Fiancé is a good model for how Below Deck could expand. The 90 Day Fiancé network currently has six main shows and two others to its name that air on a schedule. The 90 Day Fiancé network has kept viewers engaged with their format for years, and since the viewership with Below Deck is largely the same, an expansion wouldn’t be a far-off idea.
Getting enough captains who want the pressures of doing their job while on a global stage might also be a roadblock for the franchise’s expansion. However, there are many past Below Deck deckhands that now have their Captain license. Former deckhands like João Franco, understand the show and want to step up to the plate.
In any case, the Below Deck franchise isn’t going anywhere, and while they should expand, I don’t think that would even be a possibility until after Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 airs.
The Below Deck franchise is also very good at keeping things under wraps so I don’t think it’s likely fans would hear of an upcoming spinoff until it’s nearly arrived. I believe the network should expand, but the behind-the-scenes logistics seem to be what’s stopping the propulsion.
