Parents' Guide to

Below Deck

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Yacht crew reality is full of drinking and cursing.

TV Bravo Reality TV 2013
Below Deck Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Greeneguy
Greeneguy Adult
November 15, 2021
age 18+

Cursing!

They bleep out the F word and S word, but allow blaspheming of God’s name and Jesus’s name as well. Outrageous drunken behavior and sexual promiscuity. I am not a prude, but I would blush if I watched this with my mom and dad.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Rtoneal
Rtoneal Adult
September 11, 2021
age 2+

Great

Kate is a bitch and needs to move on
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

BELOW DECK is a reality series featuring the crew of the Honor, a 164 ft. luxury Caribbean charter mega yacht. Cameras follow Captain Lee Rosbach and his crew, first officer Aleks Taldykin, chief stewardess Adrienne Gang, marine engineer C.J. Lebeau, deck hands Eddie Lucas and David Bradberry, and yacht stewardesses Kat Held and Samantha Orme, as they make sure everything is ship shape for the wealthy guests who charter the boat to the tune of $200,000-300,000 a weekend. Also joining them is Chef Ben Robinson, who has an unlimited budget for cooking up gourmet meals with the finest of ingredients. When clients are on board the crew is busy serving signature cocktails, cleaning decks, and making sure that their clients are completely satisfied. But after they disembark, these yachties get the chance to enjoy life on a yacht in the Caribbean while living in very close quarters.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (6):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Below Deck features all the drama Bravo reality shows are known for, including illicit affairs, conflicts between co-workers, and lots of drinking. But what sets it apart is the uniqueness of the yachtie lifestyle, which requires a knowledge of -- and desire to -- offer high-level customer service in order to earn big tips, while following a chain of command and abiding by the strict rules of the boating industry. It also shows how yachties use the employment opportunity to experience a life they would otherwise never be able to afford.

These details are interesting, but the crew, which was hired specifically to serve under Captain Rosbach for the show, lacks the professionalism that one wants and/or expects to see when boarding any sort of boat, let alone a mega yacht. Some of the things that they are willing to do to earn their tips might also make you raise an eyebrow. It's not the sort of show you should tune into if you want to learn more about the charter boat industry, but it certainly offers a voyeuristic guilty pleasure.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about reality shows. Do reality shows have to offer a completely accurate portrayal of someone or something? Have you ever watched a reality show that didn't feel real at all?

  • What kind of impact does featuring folks drinking excessively on TV have on viewers? How can you lessen this impact on kids?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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