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Has anyone watched "Below Deck"?

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Blue Ghost, Dec 5, 2016.

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  1. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    olderboater; I shrug my shoulders at the whole thing. I used to watch Buck Rogers in 1978 with Gil Gerard. Buck Rogers was not deep nor great theatre, and kind of corny, but it was fun. And to that extent a kind of "honest" entertainment in that you knew you were getting a fantasy. That as opposed to something billed as unscripted but scripted nonetheless.

    I used to watch Mutual Omaha, as well as National Geographic specials. but unlike Below Deck you're not seeing manufactured drama (not too much anyway). And I say more females watch these things because the drama focuses on interpersonal conflict, and if you read who's posting on the forums for those shows it appears to be 90% female.

    All I can say is if I was producing the thing it would be a straight action-adventure-drama. I'd have some studio splurge on a Lurssen yacht, and bill it as a Q-ship sailing off the Somali coast. Nothing like a good fire fight on screen.
  2. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    While your production sounds interesting, perhaps not what the viewer wants. I am not arguing that more females watch some of the shows, but I would say more males watch than the forums indicate. Closet viewers. Well, nor forum posters. And Below Deck has more male than many others. Survivor has a sizable male audience.

    As to the manufacturing the drama and some scripting, you know that from the beginning. They have cameras everywhere, tv crews. Oh and Bravo's latest attempt at attracting men to the show, a charter with all models.

    To the average person, just handling the boat isn't going to make a show. Even Law and Order had to add interpersonal conflict.

    Ultimately to each their own. We watch Below Deck under no illusions but just for entertainment. It's not a must watch but we dvr it and ultimately watch it
  3. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    Possibly. I've never found interpersonal conflict interesting on any level, and my opinion is that I think women like that kind of stuff more than men.

    I actually had a serious yacht show proposal back in 2005. It was simply called "Family Yacht", and was about a family whose tycoon father had them living on a fancy old fashioned sailing vessel from the 1930s. It was a family light drama / sit-com.

    It'll never get made. And some producer reading this board might run with the idea (if he hasn't proposed it already). Either way it strikes me as being a lot more palpable than "reality" stuff. I think people would like it a lot more than this show. But that's just my personal judgement.

    When Survivor hit the air is about the time I started cutting back on TV, and started to get back into sailing. And now there's all kinds of "reality" shows.

    I guess I just don't get peoples' tastes' in things. Oh well.

    So much for "Below Deck". Long may it live in reality TV lore.
  4. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Your idea would be very popular with sailors. Unless there was some sex or serious conflict, it would be hard to get a broad audience. However, it is just the type thing today to turn into a Netflix or Amazon show or just an online show. Actually the most similar thing I know to that is a couple blogging and using You Tube to support their sailing.

    If Carl was really on the ball...lol.....can't wait to see his reaction, he'd be starting a new television network, Yacht TV. It would be something like the golf network but all boats. If there was such a place, then shows like you described would be perfect.
  5. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    I'd be happy if it became a Netflix or Amazon deal. I was thinking it would be up Disney's ally. I don't think a good portion of the general TV viewing audience has a good perspective on the yachting crowd.

    I'm nobody special, but in the SF Bay Area I grew up with the sons and daughters of a lot of company heads, and the schools and stores we went to catered to all income brackets. You rarely found any real snobbery, as everyone got along. But I get the impression that maybe working Joe-six-pack and his family just don't know a lot about boaters of all income levels. The fixed income retired folks, the poor guy who only has a boat to his name, the guy who lives on his merchant, and so forth.

    I don't know. It's not a dream project or anything, just something I thought might be a good idea and people would enjoy. So when I saw the icon for Below Deck on Amazon Video, I was both elated and heart-broken, because someone broached the yachting scene, but it was another stinking reality show.

    Then I saw a few seconds of it, and became elated and heart broken for different reasons, because that meant if I ever got a chance I could produce my show and "blow this thing out of the water" (to coin a phrase) :D

    Just me :)
  6. DBowman78

    DBowman78 Senior Member

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    Happened to catch a few mins of the new Med season of Below Deck last night. They're onboard the Turquoise built "Talisman Mation".

    There was one scene where they were anchored near "Al Lusail" and "Katara" and the charter guests decided it would be a good idea to take the tender and visit both yachts. Naturally, they were turned away by the crew of "Al Lusail", who did not seem amused at all.
  7. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    New season of Below Deck Med and looks like they intend to go more extreme and be even more insane than before. Three returning cast members, larger boat. First episode last night had sea sick stew (she'd stewed small boat inland but never been out on the ocean before) and guests (who were total b...ches) hated all the food plus found the service to be lousy. From the trailers they showed though, looks like far worse ahead including sex in the crew cabins and fire in the galley.
  8. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    And then the charter guests said they weren't having fun. Apparently, they wanted to search for husbands. Perhaps they should have taken a cruise ship.
  9. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Bravo has flogged the story lines so hard the last few seasons that not much is left except over the top theatrics. Fire, collisions and groundings are about the only things left for shock value. Last nights episode was right out of central casting with the three female charter guests. The scenery is great though, nice to see Naples, Posillipo islands along with Capri. This could be the season that 98% of the yachting world turns its back on this made for TV sensationalism although I doubt it.
  10. DBowman78

    DBowman78 Senior Member

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    I had to laugh when they sent back the pasta dish because they didn't want any starch and it looked like something they could make at home, and then turned around and asked the chef to make grilled cheese and spaghetti.
  11. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Like many shows in that most of the things that happen, have occurred on charters, but not all on a single charter. Only thing last night that would not happen, is one would not take guests to another boat without having arranged it in advance.

    Charter guests from hell--happens
    New stew gets sea sick--happens
    Poor choice of food to serve--happens
    Poor service--happens

    Typical tv comedy, most things shown actually do occur, but you pack a year's worth into one show. At least they didn't have trouble anchoring last night. That was their big issue last season.

    It's also not aimed at the yachting world and yacht crews that do watch it, do so for humor, not to take it seriously. We ended up with pools last night on first couple to kiss, first to have sex, first crew to leave, first crew to be fired, first stew to fight with Hannah, first crew member to fight with Hannah, first person to get called to pilothouse by Sandy, first person for Sandy to micromanage. Everyone put in a dollar on each of about 10 bets so total of $140 bet and maximum anyone can lose is $10. 10 people will win $14 so net $4. Big time gambling.

    Which brings to a side discussion with gambling legalization. Will you have gambling on reality tv shows? Most definitely we will. I can see all sorts of betting on big brother helping ratings tremendously. Taped reality shows more difficult than live ones.
  12. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    And from those who have stewed on hundreds of charters, they've encountered that stupid and worse. Woman on her food list said she no eggs so they didn't serve her any at breakfast. She then said she wanted an omelet. When asked about it, she said she meant no naked eggs, not by themselves just sitting on a plate looking up at you. Said scrambled was ok, but not fried or poached.

    But then I can't drink milk and I love ice cream and that throws people.

    Now, I'm sure the guests last night were just paid to be total b...es and they did succeed. Bet when the cameras were off they were laughing and having fun with the crew.
  13. Matt46post

    Matt46post Senior Member

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    I was wondering if they use a boat with an all white interior because it works better for filming seems a little odd somebody would remodel a yacht and do it all in white