Below Deck producers are revealing what fans get wrong about the show and other fun behind the scenes details. The hit Bravo show always brings a slew of questions from fans, and now some of them are getting answered.
Executive producers Mark Cronin and Courtland Cox chatted with The Daily Dish regarding the Bravo reality TV series. After seven seasons and over 100 episodes, there is so much for the producers to share with fans.
The one thing fans get wrong about Below Deck
There are probably a lot of things that fans get wrong when it comes to the show. However, there is one misconception that the producers want to set the record straight about. Courtland says fans are wrong regarding how real the show is, and he blames it all on the reality TV genre.
“What the viewers get wrong most is how real the show really is. Our job is to sort of stay in the background and turn cameras on what’s really happening. I think people are so jaded by reality TV. We are really genuinely filming what’s happening on a working charter yacht with people that are working on the yacht,” he said.
Courtland said he wished the producers were creative enough to come up with the outlandish situations on the show. It is all authentic, thanks to crazy casting.
Guests pay for the charter, not the show
Charter guests pay for their trip on the boat, not the show. There has been speculation that Bravo pays for the guests to be on Below Deck. According to Mark, that is not the case.
Feet kicked up binge watching #BelowDeck . Today is a good day pic.twitter.com/HTnf88uKDL
— Reality Talk Cafe (@RealityTalkCafe) February 22, 2020
“They spend their real money to be on the show. And then the tip they leave, they decide what it is,” Mark explained.
Most of the people who appear on the show as guests, have charted boats or are eager to do so for the first time. Mark revealed the guests are looking for a yachting experience, not the chance to appear on television.
What the producers really think of demanding charter guests
The more difficult the charter guest is, the more entertaining it is for producers. Yes, a challenging guest is not fun for the yacht crew but they make for great television.
One of Courtland’s favorite difficult guests is Steve Bradley, who appeared in Seasons 3 and 6.
“Steve is 1 million percent, Steve. Like, if I could bottle the essence of Steve and inject that into my veins, I would totally do that because he is authentically, 1,000 percent living his life. He finds joy in everything, and he has a great time,” Courtland stated.
Honestly below deck and summer house are my fave franchises on @BravoTV rn pic.twitter.com/k4B6KLpXOc
— Tayler Stipes (@taylerthegoat) February 20, 2020
How the show has changed
After seven seasons, Below Deck has changed in several ways. Mainly it has gotten so much bigger.
For example, the daily production schedule is more extended because Mark and Courtland realized lots of good drama happens at night.
The first season filming would stop at 10 p.m., but the crew was up until the wee hours of the morning. Now the cameras are rolling until the cast members fall asleep. Below Deck is capturing like 125 percent more footage than before thanks to longer hours and surveillance cameras.
Courtland admits one big challenge is keeping the show compelling so fans will continue to watch.
“It’s always trying to stay one step ahead and anticipate what the audience wants to see, but still keeping with the authenticity of that world. It’s a fine balance of not interfering in what’s happening but capturing things in a way that’s compelling and keeps the audience engaged,” the producer exclaimed.
Below Deck fans are certainly getting some necessary insight into the series thanks to executive producers, Mark Cronin and Courtland Cox.