What To Listen To In Lieu Of ‘Below Deck’ Reunion

I am sure you've heard by now, my fellow true-blue Deckhead, that a Below Deck Season 4 reunion isn't happening. (And if you're hearing this for the first time right now, feel free to take a moment. Oh, and please don't hate the messenger.) What's the winter version of a summer bummer? A winter splinter? OK, I will run with it: this whole no Below Deck reunion thing is a total winter splinter.

Doesn’t Bravo know we want to see Kate Chastain and Ben Robinson square off about entrées, enormous floral arrangements, and their friendship again? Doesn't Bravo get that we need more of Sierra Storm and Kyle Dixon's weird feud? Doesn’t Bravo understand that we would like to watch Captain Lee Rosbach react to a supercut of crew members accidentally leaving appliances on? Doesn't Bravo realize I'm not ready to say bon voyage to Season 4?

Though nothing can actually replace a Bravo reunion special, there are a few solid ways to sort of fill the void. First of all, I can’t recommend last Thursday’s episode of the Watch What Crappens podcast enough. On this very special ep of the dependably fantastic Bravo recap pod, hosts Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam chat with Below Deck angels Chastain and Kelley Johnson about the wonderful drama bonanza that was Season 4. Over the course of the hour-long episode, the chief stew and the bosun let it rip about their co-stars, the master suite bathroom debacle, the science behind decorating a dining table, and beyond. I am so thankful for this mini reunion.

Oh, just a quick heads up before you hit the play button: there's some NSFW language.

And as far as required Below Deck reading goes, Rosbach’s post-finale blog entry belongs on the short list. Captain Lee's no-holds-barred Season 4 wrap-up really has it all: detailed (and occasionally scathing) evaluations of each crew member's overall performance, a reference to the handheld radios, a Jimmy Buffett lyric — really, what more could you ask for?

Oh, I suppose you could ask for an actual reunion special. Womp womp.

Images: Virginia Sherwood/Bravo; gingesbecray/tumblr