Are Bravo Fans Jumping the ‘Below Deck Med’ Ship?
Below Deck Mediterranean Season 5 was the highest-rated season in the series, while at the same time perhaps being the most hated.
Season 5 smashed records, becoming Bravo’s top-rated show. But the twists and turns left many fans feeling frustrated and sour as viewers flooded the Internet with remarks and comments about specific cast members. The season saw the most departures and, for the first time, a chief stew was fired.
Crew drama usurped guest antics this season as the revolving crew door made for a whirlwind of a season. Ratings remained high despite fan pushback but dropped during the first part of the reunion.
Do the reunion ratings tell the story?
Season 5 consistently hovered in the 1.6 million range with some extreme peaks. The season finale held steady but the reunion saw a significant drop. “S05E21 – 1.249 million viewers (0.44 18-49 demo),” according to Bravo Ratings for the first part of the reunion.
The ratings were attributed to Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen since the reunion was filmed via the Clubhouse. However, viewers vowed to stop watching after chief stew Hannah Ferrier was fired. “It’s was only for @hannahferrier_ and Kiko, unfortunately sandy had to be there,” one person replied on the thread.
“Seems she drove the fans away,” another person added referencing ratings from the season finale, which landed at 1.620 million viewers within the demo.
Viewers are still angry
Captain Sandy Yawn was a beloved crew member who smashed the glass ceiling as a female captain in a male-dominated industry. Below Deck Med also introduced the first female bosun this season.
Season 5 came on the heels of the misogyny seen on Below Deck Season 7, so viewers were optimistic to see women in charge. The season started on a high note but quickly unraveled. Beyond a few crew dustups, viewers were invested in the season of women in power — until the crew started to break down.
Trouble started when Yawn fired chef Hindrigo “Kiko” Lorran. Lorran was a huge fan favorite and beloved by viewers. Many cried foul when he was fired and they turned against Yawn. But their ire exploded when bosun Malia White demanded that chief stew Hannah Ferrier switch cabins with her so she could room with her boyfriend who took over as the chef.
White got her way, but she snapped a photo of Ferrier’s medication and vape pen during the cabin swap. White sent the photo to Yawn and Ferrier was fired in the morning.
Captain Sandy and Malia White went from loved to hated
Fan reaction to White and Yawn was extreme. Fans filled the Internet with angry memes and remarks about both crew members. White restricted commenting on her Instagram when fans bombarded it with snake memes and angry remarks.
Many fans still aren’t in a forgiving mood after the first part of the reunion either. “I think these two are snakes and nothing I saw tonight changes that,” one person tweeted along with photos of White and Yawn.
“Sandy finding reasons to bully Hannah,” another person wrote. Viewers also noticed that White was laughing during the reunion. “Malia giggling while Sandy is rude and condescending to Kiko is disgusting,” one person tweeted. White later clarified that she and some of the deckteam had a private conversation and jokes going during the virtual reunion.
The second part of the Below Deck Mediterranean reunion airs on Monday, Oct. 26 at 9/8c on Bravo.
