Remember that one spin-off of Below Deck that only lasted a season? Yeah, very few do. Below Deck Adventure was a new kind of Below Deck. The series watched the adventures of a crew aboard a motoryacht that chartered all around Norway. With a colder climate and a plethora of extreme off-charter excursions, Below Deck Adventure should have worked. But something went wrong, and the series didn’t receive an order for more episodes.
New crew. New destination. New temperature. Debuting in November 2022, Bravo introduced the fourth spin-off of their Below Deck franchise, Below Deck Adventure. The series featured the on and off boat adventures of the luxury yacht Mercury while setting sail through the Fjords of Norway. Led by Captain Kerry Titheradge, the newest captain in the Below Deck Cinematic universe, he took his crew of fresh TV personalities through a terrain the reality franchise had never dared to go before: the cold. And perhaps that was one factor into why this series has been stuck at dock.
‘Below Deck Adventure’ Tried a New Aventure-Fueled Formula
Below Deck Adventure wasn’t the series’ first foray as a spin-off, but it was unique in the fact that there were no cross-over crew members. When each of the other three spin-offs began, there was at least one person on the crew that fans already knew of. Below Deck Mediterranean had Chef Ben Robinson from Below Deck, Below Deck Sailing Yacht had Chef Adam Glick from Below Deck Mediterranean, and Below Deck Down Under had Chief Stew Aesha Scott from Below Deck Mediterranean. Though it may not be a crucial factor, it is the only series not to continue the trend.
Throughout the 13-episode premiere season, the crew brought their luxury guests on an assortment of on-land excursions. Many of these outings were certainly not for the faint of heart. The first charter brought guests on an exploration in the Valldal caves. North Carolina divorcees went biking down Trollstigen Road, one of the steepest and most difficult paths to navigate. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Heather Gay and her friends went zip lining at Geiranger Nature Park. The fourth group of charter guests took on the mountains of Åndalsnes for a paragliding adventure. Amid a drag night and Pride celebrations, charter guests took a helicopter to Valderøya to repel down a mountain. In Vassvika, Norway, charter guests went horseback riding, though one guest didn’t make it very far on this excursion. The final group of guests were brought to the Marble Caves for a fashion show and a photoshoot celebrating the primary guest’s new fashion line. And yes, the stews had to model the Norwegian-inspired gowns, sans the glam. So why didn’t these extra special excursions help Below Deck Adventure?
The Crew Might’ve Sunk ‘Below Deck Adventure’
Alongside Captain Kerry Titheradge, the cast of Below Deck Adventurefeatured a cast of new faces to the Below Deck franchise. Leading the interior, Faye Clarke brought the professionalism but ultimately found herself at odds with her stews and chef, Jessica Condy. Chef Jess served five-star meals and high stress during every charter. Whose hair ended up in two of the dishes? The truth may never be revealed. Power-hungry Oriana Schneps and Kasie Faddah had a history of working with one another and often battled the other for that second epaulet.
On the exterior, Lewis Lupton served as Bosun with a sweet demeanor but lacked authority with his deckhands. The season started with three deckhands, but quickly found themselves shorthanded as cowboy Kyle Dickard was asked to resign after his sexual harassment incident with Kasie and the threat of violence towards Nathan Morley. Michael Gilman came to the Mercury for his first stint as a yachtie after his time working on a container ship. And then there was the oh-so promising Seth Jacobson, whose vast experience brought an ego to the Mercury as he undermined Lewis while catching the eye of Faye. Shockingly, when the time came to name a Lead Deckhand, it went to Seth over Nathan. Maybe that was the decision that sunk the ship.
The cast was filled with the usual suspects. There were attractive individuals with a range of yachting experience. There was the steadfast captain who was beyond capable — so capable that when the show went under, Bravo was terrified of losing him completely. Motoryacht Mercury had a temperamental chef whose range of emotions cost her crucial relationships and charter tips. The dueling stews didn’t really add much, leaving Chief Stew Faye trying to navigate how to manage her team. Once Kyle Dickard was gone, the exterior team lacked any semblance of cohesion or television excitement. So is the cast’s lack of cohesion the reason for the lack of success for Below Deck Adventure?
A Different Production Company Is Responsible for ‘Below Deck Adventure’
For whatever reason, Bravo decided not to continue forward with another order of Below Deck Adventure. Rarely does a hit franchise cut the chord as quickly as they did here. For those who watched the first season of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, that season also had some rough growing pains. What that series did was clean ship, keeping Captain Glen Shephard and the beloved Parsifall III, and introducing an entirely new crew for Season 2. What resulted was one of the most dynamic trios that has stayed on board through Season 4. So why couldn’t Mercury do the same thing? Is it because of the unique nature of a sailing yacht that saved that series?
The landscape that Below Deck Adventure provided was sensational. Even if a second season didn’t specifically stay in Norway, any other country in the region would have been sufficient. In fact, it’s not always that Below Deck stays the course in the same locale back-to-back seasons. It’s possible the network knew of the departure of Captain Lee Rosbach from the flagship series, so even if Below Deck Adventure continued, the spin-off would be without Captain Kerry? Well, it’s not uncommon for the series to start a second season with a new captain at the helm. Below Deck Mediterranean began with Captain Mark Howard before he departed and was replaced by Captain Sandy Yawn. With Captain Kerry out of the equation, was no one else salvageable? Certainly, that couldn’t be.
The heads of the department, Chief Stew Faye Clarke and Bosun Lewis Lupton were sufficient at their jobs. They provided enough television drama that warranted a second go. Deckhand Nathan Morley provided a fantastic aura, so sack the rest, bring in a new Captain, and you’ve got a Season 2! Unless that’s the problem. Is there another television-worthy yacht captain that is willing to film this behemoth reality series? Coincidentally, Below Deck Adventure was the only production company to not be produced by the same company as the flagship series and its spin-offs. Below Deck Adventure was helmed by Shed Media, a group known for multiple Real Housewives series. The other Below Deck franchises were brought to life by 51 Minds Entertainment. How important is this or is it all just a coincidence? There’s a nuance to making an episode of Below Deck, and Below Deck Adventure was just lacking in the storytelling department.
‘Below Deck Adventure’ Looks To Be Permanently Docked
The moment that Below Deck revealed that the series’ captain, Captain Kerry Titheradge, would be taking over for Captain Lee Rosbach on the flagship series, Adventure was officially lost at sea. Between an early firing of a dangerous deckhand, the complete lack of chemistry from the interior team, a displeasing chef, and a deck team that never got the credit they deserved, Below Deck Adventure wasn’t working. And yet, unlike Below Deck Sailing Yacht, there was no complete reset to salvage the series. While the series did deserve a second voyage as BDSY received, it never got the chance. Perhaps all the troubles on the first voyage made it unworthy of more charters in Scandinavia.
Below Deck Adventure had all the makings of a hit, but Bravo gave up on it. With years between the filming of the first season, it’s unlikely another adventure is underway. Now, will this deter the network from greenlighting another spin-off? It’s hard to say. Right now, Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean are riding strong. Below Deck Sailing Yacht has a fifth season coming. Below Deck Down Under? That’s another story. No matter how Below Deck Adventure fared, fans of the franchise aren’t hurting for content.
All episodes of Below Deck Adventure are available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.
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