Below Deck is changing things up on us with the order its spin-offs are airing, but we are glad! After Below Deck Mediterranean Season 8 fell short with viewers, Below Deck Season 11 premiered on its heels. In typical Below Deck fashion, Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 would be next to air. However, this is not the case.
Recently, Bravo threw Below Deck fans for a loop by announcing Below Deck Med Season 9. Thankfully, the trailer teases a fun and upbeat season, unlike Season 8. Below Deck Med Season 9 has the potential to save the spin-off after Season 8, and we are confident it will. Here’s why!
Aesha Scott is Season 9’s Chief Stew
The most exciting reveal from the Season 9 trailer was the fact that Aesha Scott will be Season 9’s Chief Stew. Aesha made her debut on Below Deck Med Season 4, where she started as a 2nd Stew. After two seasons of Below Deck Med, Aesha served as the Chief Stew on Seasons 1 and 2 of Below Deck Down Under.
Aesha has been a fan favorite since day one, in part because her sense of humor is just unmatched. In addition to being hilarious, Aesha is a great team player and a good friend to her fellow crew as well. Aesha also takes her job very seriously, and excels regardless of which position she is in. It will be a lot of fun to see Aesha work as Chief Stew under her old boss, Captain Sandy Yawn. The two make a good team, and have always worked well together.
While Tumi Mhlongo was a good Chief Stew during Season 8, she wasn’t the most personable. Tumi was good at her job, but ultimately got caught up in too much drama. Aesha, on the other hand, is not one for the drama at all. It will be refreshing to have a fun Chief Stew like Aesha, rather than a serious one like Tumi.
Season 9 features an all new cast
No shade to the Below Deck Med Season 8 cast, but we needed a change! Apart from Captain Sandy and Aesha, Season 9 will feature a completely new cast of crew members. It’s always fun to meet a bunch of new cast members at once, and we are ready!
One of the biggest problems with the Season 8 cast was the repetitive drama. 2nd Stew Kyle Viljoen worked to ensure that there was always a problem, which became exhausting. Furthermore, Bosun Luka Brunton had a chaotic boatmance with Stew Jessika Asai, which also got old. There weren’t any cast members really worth rooting for, which made the season hard to watch.
Season 9, on the other hand, already looks more enticing than Season 8. While we don’t officially know the new cast members yet, they look pretty entertaining from what the trailer shows. Hopefully this new cast can work well together, while also sprinkling in a little captivating drama. This is reality television after all!
We will get to see Captain Sandy’s engagement
The trailer teases Captain Sandy proposing to her now wife Leah Shafer, which we can’t wait to see! Sandy first announced her engagement to Leah in September, which is presumably when Season 9 was airing. The trailer teases the crew hiding nearby to take photos, while Sandy proposes to Leah at dinner. This will be a fun change of scenery, and we are excited to see this special moment onscreen.
Despite receiving criticism throughout the seasons, Sandy has shown a lot of growth as a leader. During Season 8, Sandy got along great with her crew, despite all the drama onboard. However, we really didn’t see too much of Sandy during Season 8, as the crew was so chaotic. It will be nice to see the show focus on Sandy for a little bit, as she is the heart and soul of Below Deck Med!
While Below Deck Med Season 8 may not have impressed viewers, we are confident that Season 9 will. Between an iconic Chief Stew, a new crew, and a surprise engagement, Season 9 already looks like a blast!
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOU THE MOST EXCITED TO SEE DURING BELOW DECK MED SEASON 9?