There have been a lot of Below Deck franchise cast members who committed blunders or damaged their reputations, and there are six of them that I think should appear in the network again to have a redemption arc. The Below Deck franchise has blossomed into a powerhouse reality TV show since its premiere in 2014. The OG show came first, followed by Below Deck Mediterranean in 2016. Then, in 2020, Below Deck Sailing Yacht debuted, with the one and done spinoff Below Deck Adventure following. Below Deck Down Under, which is currently airing its third season, premiered in 2022.

There have been many villainous characters over the years across all the spinoffs, but I feel some of them have the ability, desire, and position to return to the franchise and change viewers’ perspectives. However, there are many cast members who behaved completely out of line and don’t deserve a chance at clearing their names. Cast members like Below Deck Adventure season 1’s Kyle Dickard, a deckhand who not only tried to instigate fist fights but also kissed a crew member in front of the guests.

Then there was Bosun Luke Jones from Below Deck Down Under season 2, who got into bed naked with Stewardess Margot Sisson when she was too intoxicated to consent. Another example of cast beyond redemption would be Below Deck Sailing Yacht‘s Gary King, who has displayed egregiously inappropriate, manipulative, and volatile behavior in the four seasons he’s been on the spinoff. Gary even has a lawsuit against him from a sexual misconduct allegation by a Below Deck makeup artist.

These sour names in the franchise are cast members who should never return or be allowed to vindicate themselves. However, I believe the six cast members on this list should get a chance at another fair shake, and have the wherewithal to prove their value. I think having controversial people back on board could not only prove entertaining but also surprisingly absolving if they act right and are redeemable.

6

Heather Chase

Below Deck Season 9

Heather Chase was cast as the Chief Stew in Below Deck season 9. Under her were Fraser Oldender and Jessica Albert. Where Heather ran into problems was with Deckhand Rayna Lindsey. While the pair were friends initially, Rayna turned on Heather after she heard Heather use the “N-word” while singing along to rap lyrics. Then, Heather repeated the phrase again later the same night when singing a rap song. Rayna was offended, but forgave Heather and educated her only to later throw the situation back in Heather’s face, causing Heather to feel disgraced.

I saw Heather as a very capable Chief Stew. I do think she lacked good judgment in her decision to use the N-word, even if it was singing along to a rap song. Aside from being apologetic to Rayna and learning from the circumstances, Heather issued an Instagram apology, owning and repenting her actions and words. I think Heather’s apology should be taken seriously, and she should be given another chance to showcase her talent and omit racial drama.

“I am sorry for the hurt my ignorance caused Rayna in tonight’s episode. While I apologized to Rayna throughout the season, I cannot express enough how truly remorseful I am. Part of my responsibility as Chief Stewardess is to provide a welcoming, safe environment for the crew and I fell short. Over the past nine months since this episode was filmed, I have learned how my words and actions can affect others and I vow to do better in the future.”

5

Jonathan Shillingford

Below Deck Med Season 9

Jonathan “Jono” Shillingford appeared in Below Deck Mediterranean season 9. He was in 13 episodes before Captain Sandy Yawn fired him. Jono struggled off and on during the season to adhere to the preference sheet and not succumb emotionally to the pressure of being a yacht chef. However, where he made his huge, charter-ending mistake, was when he fed a guest who had a severe raw seafood allergy raw seafood, in a near-fatal blunder that sent Captain Sandy up the wall.

“I’m really f***ing pissed,” Captain Sandy relayed.

Jono had a lot of talent as a chef, as he was a likable figure. I know he had to have learned from the huge cooking error, and I’m certain he wants to clear his name and set his reputation as a chef straight. I don’t think Captain Sandy would have him back after the shellfish incident, but I believe he could appear on another franchise show with honed skills and more attention to detail.

4

João Franco

Below Deck Med Season 3 & 4, Below Deck Down Under Season 2

João Franco originally appeared in Below Deck Med season 3 as a Deckhand, and then he returned for season 4 after Captain Sandy promoted him to Bosun. During those two seasons, João got a bad rap for being a misogynist in his pursuit of multiple women, and for when his drunken alter ego, Jezzaabob, came out to showcase his disrespectful and unmindful character. However, despite his poor personal behavior, João became the Bosun in Below Deck Down Under season 2, replacing Luke Jones.

That season, he did have somewhat of a redemption arc, as he appeared more mature and professionally-driven. But that arc came crashing down when he got into a boatmance with Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph, who was friends with João’s ex, who Tzarina alleged he was toxic towards. In the end, Jezzabob came out, and João hurt Tzarina’s feelings, leading his villain edit to remain. But I think João still has potential. There were strong glimmers in BDDU, and now that he is a captain in his own right, I think he could make a return and showcase more positive sides.

3

Ryan McKeown

Below Deck Down Under Season 1

Ryan McKeown may be the most controversial choice on my list for a cast member who should get a redemption arc. He was the Chef on Below Deck Down Under season 1 before his firing by Captain Jason. Chef Ryan had a strong personality that came with an attitude of pushback and unwillingness to work with the team. Moreover, Ryan did not take criticism well, and upon his firing, he was caught bad-mouthing Captain Jason.

While I don’t condone Chef Ryan’s disrespect of his crew mates or Captain Jason in the slightest, I think his extreme villain edit and reputation is something he may want to come back from. He likely doesn’t want his poor performance and perception to follow him in the culinary world, so having him return and try and garner forgiveness for his past transgressions would help him. He did show promise with his skill, and I feel that fans other than myself would love to want to hate him on-screen again while also looking for his redemption, if he has it in him.

2

Ashton Pienaar

Below Deck Seasons 6 & 7

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Ashton Pienaar was a Deckhand in Below Deck season 6, and then he was promoted by Captain Lee Rosbach to Bosun in season 7. In season 6, Ashton had a near-death experience involving an accident with the tender rope, and he was saved by a cameraman. The incident got Ashton a lot of sympathy, but he ruined his reputation in season 7 when he was physically and verbally aggressive towards Chief Stew Kate Chastain while drinking.

He was subsequently fired. These days, Ashton has publicly apologized and reinvented himself as a fitness coach. I see that Ashton could prove his worth like he did in season 6 now that he is a changed person. He just has to want to re-enter the franchise and get the opportunity. I’d like to forgive Ashton for the way he acted in season 7, and his return could help release him from his standing poor character.

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1

Kyle Viljoen

Below Deck Med

Kyle Viljoen debuted in Below Deck Med season 6 as the Second Stew, and he returned to the same role in season 7. I noticed that Kyle took his work very seriously, and that he had the most upbeat and friendly personality to please the guests. Kyle worked hard, ran ragged around the boat, and had an aspiration to be a chief stew. Where Kyle’s issues lay, was with his interpersonal relationships with his fellow crew members, specifically Natalya Scudder.

Not to mention, his demeanor was aggressive when confronted, and he was accused of being a bully. He got a talking to by Captain Sandy about his behavior, and I know he took being called out by someone he respected to heart. I believe that Kyle has good in him, and he excelled at his job, leading me to feel that he can be vindicated and redeemed.

The Below Deck cast members on this list were guilty of many mistakes during their respective seasons that ultimately led to their damaged reputations. But I think these six have the best chance of actually returning to the franchise to rehabilitate, make amends, and atone for their past actions. I think each of them has something to prove and reclaim, and having that chance in another season would not only make for good reality TV but also provide a shocking redemption arc twist to whatever season they land on.

Below Deck Down Under airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on Bravo.

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.

Created by

Mark Cronin, Rebecca Taylor Henning, Doug Henning