Below Deckhas some of the best reality TV cast members in the Bravo universe, butsome yachties have gone from fan favorites to villains and vice versathroughout their years in the franchise. WithBelow Deckhaving been part of the Bravospheresince 2013, the original series was only the first in the franchise. WithBelow Deck Mediterraneanjoining in shortly after the first premiere, thenBelow Deck Sailing YachtandBelow Deck Down Underin the subsequent years, the franchise has been one of the most popular on the network.
Viewers flocked to the exciting style of the series, the drama, and the charm ofBelow Deckas the franchise continued to expand and bring more cast members into the spotlight. Asmore yachties joined theBelow Deckfamily, viewers got the opportunity to get to know new members of the different crews. While some cast members have stayed true to their initial personalities upon being introduced to the series, others have shifted and changed. While yachties likeBelow Deck’sformer Chief Stew Kate Chastain have remained fan favorites, others have earned that title and even more have lost it.
Even withall the drama ofBelow Deckshows, some cast members have had the ability to define their personalities with time as a part of the superyacht or sailing yacht crew they’re part of. Whether through personal growth, self-actualization, or new circumstances that change the way the audience sees them, many of the yachties who start as heroes of the series can turn to villains, while others who start dastardly gain some perspective and become favorites.The yachties aboardBelow Deckvessels have a unique opportunity to see their actions backon screen, which often changes them.
WhilesomeBelow Deckyachties are marked as villainousat the very beginning of their time on the show, others grow into the role as they move through the charter seasons they’re part of. There have been many arcs within the franchise that have changed the way viewers see yachties, but for all of the downward spirals that they’ve seen, there have been rebounds with several of the yachties who have been able to revamp their perception.The yachties’ time onBelow Deckcan be a bit unpredictable, but their viewer perception can make or break their experiences.
8Captain Lee Rosbach
Fan Favorite To Villain
As one of the firstBelow Deckcrew members in the original series, Captain Lee Rosbach has long been considered one of the best yachties in the franchise. Captain Lee, who’s spent his whole working life in the yachting industry, has been beloved for years because of his no-nonsense leadership style and quick, cutting wit that often went over crew members’ heads.Captain Lee was always working hard aboardBelow Deckvessels to maintain decorum with his crew. He valued fairness and professionalism but through the supportive moments, Captain Lee had a hot temper that pushed viewers away.
In the later seasons of Captain Lee’sBelow Decktenure, he had some issues with his health and demeanor that left fans confused on where he stood with the series. After finally retiringafterBelow Deckseason 10, where Captain Sandy Yawn spent half the season covering for him because of medical complications, Captain Lee began to speak out against the franchise and Captain Sandy herself. The pair had never seen eye to eye, but after some seemingly misogynistic comments toward Captain Sandy,Captain Lee has gone from someoneBelow Deckviewers adore to a franchise villain.
7Cloye Martin
Villain To Fan Favorite
As a new member of theBelow Deckfranchise, Chef Cloyce Martin’s first appearances onBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5weren’t the most favorable. Chef Cloyce, who’s in his early 20s and has spoken extensively about his range of experience working in kitchens professionally, was seen as a young, arrogant chef who couldn’t possibly be as good as he claimed. Coming into the charter season with what appeared to be an attitude,Chef Cloyce was quickly someoneBelow Deck Sailing Yachtviewers were wary of.
While Chef Cloyce did have a wide range of skills, it quickly became clear that working aboard a sailing yacht was something that would put him in over his head. After being criticized when he struggled through the first charters of the season,Chef Cloyce’s villain status began cracking at the surface. It was interesting for viewers to be able to watch him shift and change as a chef in order to meet the needs of the guests onBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5’s charter season.
6Daisy Kelliher
AnotherBelow Deck Sailing Yachtyachtie, Chief Stew Daisy Kelliher, has been a part of the show since its early seasons. Joining the crew duringBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 2, Daisy quickly became a beacon of professionalism as she moved through each charter season. Known for her warmth and sense of humor, Daisy was able to put her crew at ease and made it clear that she was able to manage her stews amid a high level of chaos.Daisy’s been praised throughout her time onBelow Deck Sailing Yachtfor being able to be likable amid the stress.
As her time onBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5 closed in,many wondered if Daisy would continueto perform at the same level after some major drama hit her personal life during the previous season. While she’s been able to continue to work at a similar level, Daisy’s interpersonal issues have pushed her to be a bit more critical and dismissive of her stews. While she’s still charming and witty,Daisy’s suffered from the changes in the sailing yacht’s dynamics, which have changed how she performs on board.
5Captain Sandy Yawn
AlthoughCaptain Sandy has had her struggleswith Captain Lee in recent years, in past seasons ofBelow DeckMediterranean,she’s had a hard time staying neutral in other drama. Captain Sandy was always seen as a far more firm manager than Captain Lee, but her time onBelow Deck Mediterraneanwas always a success. Though Captain Sandy was a competent captain,she was known as more of a villain throughout theBelow Deckfranchise because of her management style, which included a bit more micro-managing than Captain Lee.
Through the years, it’s become clear that Captain Sandy is a lot less villainous than she appeared in the early seasons of the series. While she has softened a bit in her management style, Captain Sandy has always been big on giving her crew chances to improve as she’s walked through charter season after charter season, knowing that mistakes don’t make or break a yachtie. Though there are some exceptions to her rules,Captain Sandy’s mellowed out considerably and has become a fan favoriteamongBelow Deckviewers.
4Ashton Pienaar
WhileBelow Deckseason 6’s Ashton Pienaarwas someone that viewers enjoyed watching during his inaugural season on the series, things shifted quickly in the aftermath. During his first charter with theBelow Deckcrew, Ashton came off as a charming, hard-working yachtie who had some incredible skills aboard the superyacht. While he was doing well in his role,Ashton had a near-death experience duringBelow Deckseason 6that also won him the sympathy of the audience. Many considered him to be a great bosun, but when he returned forBelow Deckseason 7, things had changed.
After his accident,Ashton’s behavior became erratic and aggressive, especially as he moved throughBelow Deckseason 7. From getting into Chief Stew Kate Chastain’s face to drinking heavily during crew nights out, Ashton became a darker version of himself that viewers came to see issues with. While his reputation had been good throughout his first charter season, the changes that came after his accident and followed him through the second charter season pushed viewers to see Ashton as aBelow Deckvillain.
3Gary King
Below Deck Sailing Yacht’sGary Kinghas been all over the spectrum when it comes to fan perception, which has been interesting to see throughout his years on the series. While Gary has had struggles in the past in his relationships aboard the sailing yacht, he’s typically seen as more of a villain because of his treatment of the women aboard Parsifal III. Throughout the years, Gary’s reputation as a playboy has developed to create some perception issues. Whensexual misconduct allegations came out about Gary and aBelow Deckfranchise makeup artist, he was quickly dubbed a villain.
While Gary’s actions have pushed him to be edited out ofBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5 consistently, it’s been clear that there’s more to the story than what’s been shared. Though Gary has vehemently denied the accusations, his behavior has proven to create issues for the series as a whole. Even so,Gary’s persona on screen seems to be healing a bit after being edited out of the showfor his behavior. As he’s been featured a bit more in recent episodes,Below Deckviewers have been appreciating his personality and building him up to be a fan favorite.
2Rachel Hargrove
Although Chef Rachel Hargrove appeared in a number of seasons ofBelow Deck,she had a fascinating flip from a fan favorite chef to a more villainous figure in the franchise.Rachel’s culinary abilities made it clearthat she was going to be a great fit for theBelow Deckcrew, as she was wonderful at making creative meals for the luxury guests. Though she struggled with feedback at times,Rachel was able to winBelow Deckfans over with her mix of skills and winning personality. She consistently delivered wonderful dishes that earned her and the Captain praise.
While Rachel was great at her job, she began to feel more polarizing as she became more outspoken in her years with the franchise. After a few confrontations with crew members and outbursts in the galley, it became clear that she was having a hard time with the pressures aboard theBelow Deckvessel. While many empathized with her,it was clear that her behavior had become unprofessionalin a way, which pushed manyBelow Deckviewers away.
1João Franco
Although João Franco has been a part of two different shows within theBelow Deckfranchise, his reputation as a villain is what has followed him for the majority of his journey on screen. Originally onBelow Deck Mediterranean,João was a difficult person to get along with throughout his early charter seasons. While he was an incredibly skilled yachtie, João had a hard time connecting with his fellow yachties and didn’t understand how to talk to the people he was working with. Dismissive and off-putting, it was hard for people to find João likeable.
As he moved through his time betweenBelow Deckshows,it appears João was able to rectifysome of the more difficult parts of his personality. When he joinedBelow Deck Down Under,João was a more personable verson of himselfwho had all the skills necessary to work with Captain Jason Chambers successfully. Though he wasn’t all soft edges and kind words, João was a lot more palatable, and even became more of a fan favorite withBelow Deckviewers.
Source:Below Deck/Instagram
Below Deck
Below Deck is a popular reality TV franchise that focuses on a group of crew members as they work on luxurious yachts and cater to their client’s needs. After the original series proved to be a success, Bravo developed a handful of spinoff shows including Below Deck Selling Yacht, Below Deck Adventure, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Mediterranean.
