Below Deck: Is something missing this season? Paging Kate Chastain!

Below Deck is cruising through the season already, but are we missing the banter between Captain Lee Rosbach and Kate Chastain?

Below Deck has been a part of our Bravo lives for many years, mostly under the leadership of Captain Lee Rosbach.  In the eighth season of the original show, it seems we are missing something from the usual banter.  The crew seems nice and competent enough, including the new chief stew, Francesca Rubi, but are we missing Kate Chastain?

Below Deck is one of those shows that usually brings comfort.  We know the boat, we know the situation, we usually know the captain and chief stew.  While having Captain Lee back on our screens has been comforting, it seems that he doesn’t have as much of a connection with any of the crew either.

The only returning crew member is Eddie Lucas, but Eddie isn’t one for the drama either.  With all of the new faces, Lee seems focused on making sure the guests have a good time as always.  Everyone else has their hands full with boat responsibilities and doesn’t have time for drama.  We know that the pandemic impacted filming at some point, but what if they didn’t get very far into the season before guests stopped flying in to film?

Chef Rachel Hargrove seems almost too competent (for now).  Even when she cried over the multi-ingredient omlettes, she didn’t let it impact her next meal.  She whipped up some crazy french toast and didn’t give those guests the opportunity to wear her down.  A chef meltdown is almost instrumental to a good season of Below Deck, but when will she crack?!

In addition to that, Lee is so much more understanding than other captains.  Last season, Sandy Yawn was lurking around every corner ready to fire people for laundry.  Imagine if she got a damp shirt?  She would have fired everyone immediately!  He understands that his damp shirt isn’t a priority for the interior, the guests are.  It would be nice to have a dry shirt next time, but he has bigger sushi to roll.

Based on the previews, there is drama ahead on the high seas, but we still miss Kate.  All of the crew is great, but things just aren’t the same without her humor.  Perhaps when the crew starts having breakdowns on the high sea we will feel more at home.  Who doesn’t relate to a meltdown, right?

Below Deck is on Bravo Monday nights at 9 PM ET!