Fans are worried about the future of the Below Deck series. Is it on the brink of collapse?

Fans are worried about the future of the Below Deck series. Is it on the brink of collapse?

Below Deck season 11 ended with a bang as one of the crew members lost their cool and left St. David early, but the rest of the franchise feels like it’s out to sea, leaving me wondering what’s next for the once bright future of Below Deck. Throughout the years, Bravo has created Below Deck spin-offs catering to different styles of yachting and parts of the world. The original Below Deck began in 2016, as shows like Vanderpump Rules became more popular and brought more notoriety to Bravo as a network. The beginning of the Below Deck franchise was humble.

When Below Deck Mediterranean, the first spin-off, began later in 2016, the franchise didn’t diversify again quickly. Viewers were interested in the duality of the shows, combining something as luxurious as chartering a superyacht with the difficult grunt work it takes to keep the vessel running. After years of watching the Captains work with their crews, Bravo invested more in the Below Deck franchise with the creation of Below Deck Sailing Yacht in 2020, followed by Below Deck Down Under and Below Deck Adventure in 2022, but things have changed quickly in the franchise and it feels like it’s crumbling.

There’s No News On New Seasons Of Below Deck Sailing Yacht & Below Deck Down Under

After Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean got premiere dates in mid-2024, many were curious as to when the newest seasons of the other shows in the franchise would be announced. Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5, which has already been filmed, and Below Deck Down Under season 3, which has been announced by Bravo, are still nowhere to be found. It’s possible that with some major casting shifts for one series and some major legalities for the other, the Below Deck spin-offs are being held by the network, but both have been announced and hyped up by the network.

While Below Deck Down Under season 3 is likely less of an issue for Bravo, I believe the troubling nature of the cast members on the shows is what’s holding up announcements about the future of both. First Officer Gary King was accused of sexual misconduct after the last season of the series. Despite viewers calling for his removal from the series, Gary was spotted filming Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 last summer.

The issues on Below Deck Down Under season 2 surrounding Luke Jones’ attempted assault of Margot Sisson were handled during the season, as Luke was let go after Captain Jason Chambers was made aware of the issue. Still, the reputation of the series and its connotation with troubling sexual behavior may be a problem for Bravo. To me, it feels likely that the network is worried about further scandal, which is delaying the show’s return.

Below Deck Adventure Only Had One Season

While two of Below Deck’s other spin-offs are gearing up for seasons that may not find themselves released, Below Deck Adventure is a mystery that may remain unsolved. Although Below Deck Adventure started off strong with a crew including Captain Kerry Titheradge. The Captain and his crew were responsible for taking charter guests to beautiful locations that could provide thrilling adventures, like caving expeditions, biking courses, and other extreme undertakings. With the crew responsible for the guests’ experiences, there was more at stake from charter to charter, and with higher stakes, sometimes more failure from the Below Deck Adventure crew.

Though many enjoyed the more extreme nature of Below Deck Adventure season 1, the difficulties of producing the series were far more obvious than with other Below Deck shows. Bringing guests on adventures that were meant to be challenging meant that the crew was dealing with higher stakes through every charter, which made it more difficult for them to do their jobs in general. Audiences were surprised when Below Deck Adventure was only given one season, but I think the quick run was likely a test for Bravo to see if viewers were interested in more in-depth Below Deck content.

Bravo May Stick To Their Mainstays: Below Deck & Below Deck Med

While Below Deck is a successful franchise, the main two shows have been the most successful while the newer spin-offs have either been flops with viewers, or problematic for their cast behavior. Though Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean have had their more difficult charter seasons, the shows have both been able to function through years of filming and become some of the top-performing shows on Bravo. Below Deck Adventure was an unfortunate flop for the network, and while the future of the show hasn’t been formally announced, the fact that it hasn’t come back is telling.

While Below Deck Down Under was a hit for the network, the troubling nature of the casts’ behavior during the most recent season was enough to give Bravo pause about the next season of the series. It appears that something similar has happened with Below Deck Sailing Yacht, even though viewers are aware that there’s already another season of the show filmed. I believe that Bravo is hoping to stick to the main two series to keep Below Deck’s legacy alive, as they’ve been the most successful. With Below Deck continuing to reign supreme, it’s worth keeping the franchise small.