La vie à bord

I hate reality TV shows normally. But this one is very entertaining, especially in times like these!

Six weeks a yacht crew of about 12 people is penned up 24/7 in the smallest spaces possible- working, sleeping, cooking, partying, fighting... while they have to serve and entertain up to 20 hours a day, during one to three days charters, highly demanding rich guests, sometimes wannabe sophisticated and mostly disrespectful, condescending scum and alcoholics, arrogant and spoiled pricks and brats, with only few exceptions.

Of course this creates much tension and pressure and brings out the most abysmal behaviors in one or the other crew member. Ego trips, cabin fever, intrigues and drama are preprogrammed! Especially the vengeful, cunning, yet sometimes really funny "resting bitxx face" chief stewardess Kate Chastain became the mistress of sabotage, manipulation and emotional cruelty. This might be the result of working too long in such a male-dominated, sexist, cynical, degrading, coldhearted and shallow environment. She herself mentioned more than once after every sexual harassment towards crew members: "this is nothing, I've seen far worse..." So one can imagine what happens with no cameras present. I can't remember who, but someone on this show once said something like: " I've sold my soul..."

This show is a great depiction of rich societies hedonism, chauvinism and sexism, and how they get away with it too easy, without legal consequences, although there should be some. Because again: money rules the world. So a mega yacht seems to be an even easier as usual hunting ground for predators and a perfect playground for bullies, both amongst the crew and the guests, though the guests are those who get away with it every time, while the "working class" at least sometimes has to face consequences.

At this point: kudos to all women in this show, who were able to stay positive, mostly calm, graceful, respectful and strong despite the stress and the embarrassing, degrading treatment they had to endure not only from guests, but more from their own crew members; especially Amy Johnson from season 2 and Courtney Skippon and Simone Mashile from Season 7. The only permanent sincere, gentle and respectful man from this show I remember was Deckhand David Alanson Bradberry.

Captain Lee sometimes comes off as a bit grumpy, but in general seems to be a decent and correct person with conservative values. His old- fashioned, too military hierarchy- driven leadership, where people often are only allowed to speak up, if he's gracious, might make it more complicated for the crew members to cope with their problematic personal and professional relationships. For him clearly rank and age go before everything. And it seems, sometimes he still mixes up fear with respect. That may be one reason why some of the crew lie and try to cover up their mistakes. Although it makes no sense, when everything gets filmed. After watching all seven seasons, I really wonder, why he is so shocked and surprised every time at the seasons reunions about the outcome of the shows, if he never shows interest in the first place when disputes occur and crew members try to approach him?!

The background information about the sometimes hard and dangerous, yet exciting and joyful yachting life and the beautiful sceneries make the whole show very watchable, otherwise it would just be like big brother.

I give this show 6 Stars, because the music gets annoying and stories get repetitive over time, but most of all for the lack of improvement relating to solutions for sexual harassment. Some crew members an guests are absolutely likeable, some okay, some are just idiots. The perfect mix for this kind of show.

Let's talk about Kate Chastain. We saw her last year on The Traitors and I was interested to see where she came from, which led me to Lower Deck. So we tried it out, and it's a surprisingly entertaining show about what happens among the crew of an elite motor yacht.

I see comments from people calling Kate "mean" or a "bully". That's nonsense. The producers hire a LOT of questionable employees ... Captain Lee doesn't get to make that call, though hopefully he gets to weigh in. At least he gets to fire the worst of the worst.

However, every season has some employees who think they're the tail that wags the dog, rather than EMPLOYEES who should shut up and do their jobs. If you've never managed employees, maybe you can take the side of these infantile idiots. If you've ever been a manager, then you'll see that Kate's reactions to the goof-ups and goof-offs is often remarkably restrained.

It's a high-end business, not a kindergarden. When the boss says jump, don't question if you should jump, say "How high?" Some of these nitwits don't even understand the word 'jump' in the first place.

You get to see some great scenery, and some of the bits with guests are a pleasure to watch. Some of the guests are people I'd NEVER hang around with or invite to my house ... especially the drunks. No excuse for that, vacation or not.

I've taken to trying out a few of the things the chefs on the show do. It's fun and tasty.

And the editors are clever enough to make the end of each episode demand starting the next. It's a terrible temptation to binge old seasons for that reason. LOL.

Brilliant. I can't stop watching it. I love how you get to have an all access pass, so you can see what the charter guests are seeing and what a life of luxury they have. But also that you get to see what happens "Below Deck", what there going through and what romance is in the air. What I think I like about it the most is that you get to see the different sections of the crews, and that they put in what the person is saying at that moment which is always funny. I must say though I do like Kate and Ben they are so funny together, which makes it have a great vibe, especially when it gets really irate in the kitchen. Love it, watched, Brilliant.

Below Deck (TV) 8 stars 2013 5/15/2020

This reality series gets high marks because it pairs interesting characters with an interesting premise. We may never charter a luxury yacht, but "Below Deck" gives us an all-access pass, including a look behind the curtain. These are some reasons that the concept of the show works so well:

1. The Venue. A charter yacht is like a floating Vegas casino in the sense that it demands the ultimate in client service while simultaneously requiring crew skills. If you fall short in your dealings with the clientele, you will lose money. If you fall short in your sailing duties, it can result in loss of life or serious property damage. Furthermore, the quarters are cramped, especially in those areas where the crew lives for weeks at a time. This creates cabin fever and stressful interactions. 2. The Crew. The business attracts young people, especially those looking for adventure, who are not saddled with responsibilities. As a result, there are plenty of partyers and young people looking to hook up. Conversely, the captain wants a responsible crew that puts the business and the boat before self. The crews tend to be attractive and fit. 3. The Guests. These people pay big bucks to be pampered. Like the whales in Vegas, they expect the best. And they are often not afraid of making odd or presumptuous requests. Their tips significantly define the degree of success of each charter.

The ship is run like a military operation, with a hierarchy of ranks. Discipline is strict. But if you are living among the beauty and the tender climes of the Caribbean, surrounded by comely coworkers and entertainment venues, you might allow your attention to wander occasionally. The result is plenty of drama and comedy.

The show also pierces the veil of cordiality, contrasting the polite ministrations of the crew with their behind-the-scenes editorials. This is a show for adults.

This programme is classic. The crew are very interesting. The clients,although not always, are loke spoilt rich kids (the girls). In they act like kids. The staff drama is great. The pretty ladies that melt down allll the time. And the pretty boys with GIANT EGOS.. lol. Go Ashton. He has a crazy huge EGO. Loves himself. Haha. And it always works. Funny as.