It’s Time for Below Deck Reunions to Make a Comeback: Closure is Key
Below Deck used to have reunions at the end of each season, but they’ve been gone for a long while and I think they should make a comeback to provide closure for the cast and viewers. Throughout its time on Bravo, Below Deck has become one of the most successful franchises on the network. Documenting the lives of a crew during a busy charter season, Below Deck showcases the personal and professional issues that yachties face in a season together, though some of their drama is exaggerated for the cameras on the series. Each season used to have a reunion.
Below Deck reunions were meant to bring the cast together after the season aired to discuss the drama, provide updates on their situations, and re-live some of the more interesting, intense moments each season. Like a normal reality TV reunion, Below Deck reunions were beloved by some viewers who enjoyed the re-hashing of the drama from a slightly different perspective. I enjoyed Below Deck reunions because they helped to take a look back at the drama of the season without the intensity of the moment happening in real-time, and provided viewers with a better idea of where the crew stood.
Below Deck Used To Have Reunions Regularly
Most Seasons Had Reunions Early On
The Reunions Have Become Nearly Non-Existent
They’ve Nearly Entirely Removed Reunions
In recent years, Below Deck reunions have been few and far between. The traditional Below Deck didn’t have a reunion for its most recent season. Instead, the Below Deck season 11 season ended with a neat, tidy episode about the final moments of the charter season, not providing any updates about what’s been going on with the crew. If Below Deck season 11 had a reunion episode, it would’ve shown that Bosun Ben Willoughby and Deckhand Marie “Sunny” Marquis have been dating for over a year, rather than letting their final moments on Below Deck represent their newly romantic relationship.
Without Below Deck’s brand of reunions, the series hasn’t been able to keep viewers up to date on what’s happening with its cast members, even just days after the show finishes airing. While the yachties have social media, there are moments that would make more sense to discuss in front of each other, where fellow crew members can interject and provide their own commentary. A Below Deck reunion would make sense, as the show deals with luxurious locales and grunt work aboard Mustuqie, so meeting together off the yacht makes more sense in order air out any issues more publicly.
Reunions Allow Below Deck Cast Members To Find Closure After Drama
They Ensure Cast Members Get To Talk Things Out
While the drama would be heavy on a Below Deck reunion, meeting up would also be a way for the cast to discuss the season a bit more at length. Though the yachties get enough of their own drama while they’re on Below Deck in the first place, the idea that they could discuss their issues, interests, and investment in each other in person is far more ideal. Giving them a platform to find full closure after some serious drama would be a great change for the network, which typically prioritizes the cast’s pain instead of their victories in life.
When Below Deck featured reunions, the cast members were able to discuss anything and everything, as some moments needed to be rehashed a bit more than others. One of the most recent reunions, for Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4, gave the crew the opportunity to talk about some of the major issues of the season while addressing controversies that had come up during the charter season. Without the reunion, the cast would’ve had to address everything on social media, which typically makes it more difficult to get the message across. Below Deck reunions allow cast members to explain themselves.
Without Reunions, Below Deck Seasons Feel Unfinished
There’s So Much More To Say
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Typically, Below Deck seasons finish when the charter season has ended, but just because the crew has left the superyacht doesn’t mean that their drama is over. When the show has reunions, people are able to discuss what happened and provide updates, which allows viewers to see the season as finished. Without reunions, the end of the season feels like a harsh, stark ending without much resolution, but with a reunion, the season feels far more finished by its end. With cast members being given the opportunity to speak up about their experiences, the reunion gives the season an ending.
I believe that Below Deck needs to reinstate reunions for each season that have a more casual quality to them. If the cast members can get a chance to talk about their experiences after the show comes to an end, viewers will be able to resonate more easily with the stories they’re hearing. The cast of each season of Below Deck should all be given the opportunity to speak their piece about what’s happened aboard each charter, regardless of how difficult that may be. With Below Deck having done fewer reunions in recent years, e they may sadly be gone forever.
