Throughout several of BDSY’s crew have returned for continuous seasons, creating an interesting sense of camaraderie in the series. With Captain Glenn working alongside some of the same crew each season, the show is familiar.

Though both Chief Stew Daisy Kelliher and First Officer Gary King have returned for Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5, most of the rest of the cast is full of new faces to the franchise. While there’s been some drama between Daisy and Gary, there’s a lot more drama surrounding the newer cast that hasn’t felt as authentic on the show. Some have wondered if the cast are just struggling while others believe the storylines are being heavily influenced by producers. With many feeling the strain of producer interference, viewers are wondering if the show can bounce back

BDSY Was One Of Bravo’s Most Anticipated 2024 Premieres

The Show Had Been Missed

Below Deck Sailing Yacht was set to be one of Bravo’s most exciting shows of 2024, as it had been missing from the lineup throughout the year and viewers were confused on whether it would return or not. BDSY fans were eager to see the season, which had been filmed in 2023, but knew that things weren’t going to be easy after Gary’s sexual misconduct allegations came to light. Gary, one of the show’s most polarizing cast , has been a drama magnet throughout his time on the show, creating interesting storylines that viewers have ed for years to come.

With Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4 having been one of the most dramatic seasons of the series, many were ready to see even more drama in the next season. As viewers waited patiently for the next premiere, they were keeping tabs on the BDSY season 4 cast, especially after the difficult reunion of the season showed a crack in their foundation. With the love triangle between Gary, Chief Stew Daisy, and Chief Engineer Colin MacRae having pushed the longtime friends away from each other, viewers knew that even without Colin reing the cast, BDSY season 5 would be exciting.

Gary King’s Bad Behavior Put A Stain On Below Deck Sailing Yacht

His Behavior Off Screen Was Uncalled For

Although Gary has a larger-than-life personality on screen, his desire for drama has put his character in jeopardy throughout the run of Below Deck Sailing Yacht. With his dramatic storylines becoming integral to the show’s success, it was shocking when his off-screen behavior became something that made it impossible to keep him a big part of the show. Between Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4 and season 5, Gary was accused of sexual misconduct by a Below Deck franchise makeup artist, which put the show’s producers in a difficult position. While Gary denied the allegations, they were still out there.

Rather than severing ties with Gary in the middle of BDSY season 5, which was filming when the allegations surfaced, the producers opted to heavily edit Gary out of the season. Attempting to distance the franchise from the scandal without completely cutting him out, Gary’s presence has been minimal, and viewers have been outraged. The decision has only fueled criticism from viewers, many of whom felt the show was protecting Gary without reason. The fallout from Gary’s scandal has left a major stain on the series, making it clear that producers felt they couldn’t continue on with or without him.

BDSY Producers Shifted Gears To Create Drama Without Gary

They Needed To Fill In The Gaps

As Gary’s screentime, which typically contributes to the major drama on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5, drastically reduced this season, the producers were faced with an issue that they needed to resolve quickly. Rather than investing more into Gary, the BDSY producers chose to reshape the season around drama from other cast , especially those new to the show. Putting together storylines about stews Danni Warren and Diana Cruz struggling with Chief Stew Daisy along with some of the deckhands facing drama within the team, the show has featured low-stakes drama that hasn’t been interesting, as it’s felt inauthentic.

Many Below Deck Sailing Yacht viewers have speculated about the presence of producer-planted cast , who are meant to be less about authenticity and more about stirring the pot, as the storylines on the screen feel strangely inauthentic. With the lack of Gary-driven drama available, Below Deck Sailing Yacht producers likely had to shift their focus to the weaker stories of the season, which has pushed fans to look into their practices this season. As the series looks ahead to the end of Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5, viewers have been consistently struggling to find enjoyment in the show.

Can Below Deck Sailing Yacht Make A Comeback?

The Show Needs To Be Overhauled

Although it seems likely that Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 6 will be airing on Bravo in 2025, it’s not clear if the series will be able to recapture the magic of its past seasons. Originally a standout series of the franchise, Below Deck Sailing Yacht has struggled this season and created issues for viewers that weren’t present in previous seasons. The reliance on potential producer plants to create drama on the series has been difficult to deal with, and viewers aren’t interested in seeing another Below Deck Sailing Yacht season that seems to be entirely comprised of producer-driven drama.

Though there will likely be another season of Below Deck Sailing Yacht in the future, it needs to change tremendously before it returns for another charter season on Parsifal III. While Bravo viewers expect a certain quality of reality TV on the network, they also expect a specific level of reality in their reality shows. With Gary likely not returning and the cast getting a bit of an overhaul, Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 6 could use the next season as a rebranding for the series. The show could change its trajectory and become a must-watch for Below Deck viewers.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.

Source: Below Deck/Instagram