Below Deckhas involved producer plants over the years, most recentlyBelow Deck Mediterranean, but should the franchise continue the practice? Chef Johnathan “Jono” Shillingford and Bri Muller are the latest cast members to be accused of beingproducer plants onBelow Deck Mediterraneanbecause of their continued incompetency. However, they’re not the only producer plants to appear in the show. For example, Raquel “Rocky” Dakota was a wildly unpredictable stew onBelow Deckseason 3, and Ashton Pienaar nearly got himself killed onBelow Deckseason 7.
AsBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 9continues to unfold, Bri and Chef Jono have become increasingly erratic. Chef Jono nearly killed a guest by feeding them raw seafood after a few smooth sailing charters. Surprisingly, Captain Sandy Yawn allowed him to keep his job, mostly because she couldn’t find a replacement. Bri can’t seem to figure out how to do laundry, leading to the belief that she could be a producer plant meant to cause drama. While there are producer plants abound, is that a problem? Do they add to or detract from the entertainment?
Producer Plants Add To The Drama On Below Deck
They Exacerbate Situations
Even though some of the drama might be fabricated, there’s no doubt that producer plants add to theBelow Deckdrama. When Chef Jono’s cooking was subpar onBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 9, the drama was intensified as guests complained about his mediocre cooking. It was uncomfortable to watch the guests begrudgingly eat cookies and brownies for an anniversary dessert, butthe idea that Chef Jono could have gotten fired only added to the drama.
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Additionally, Bri has been central to the primary drama onBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 9, even though she’s likely a producer plant. She and Elena “Ellie” Dubaich’s feud began over their shared pursuit oflead deckhand Joe Bradleyand evolved into a full-blown hatred. Bri is incapable of doing the laundry, with crew members attempting to do their jobs in stinky clothes. While her incompetency is baffling, her constant mistakes add to the drama of the season, making for better entertainment.
Producer Plants Provide Comedic Relief
They’re Always Hilarious
Producer plants have brought the drama onBelow Deckseasons, but they’re also hilarious. Rocky’s eccentric personality and over-the-top antics—such as jumping off the yacht in a mermaid tail or performing impromptu acrobatics in the galley—were bafflingly hilarious. Her frequent emotional swings, such as exaggerating small issues, were entertaining. Rocky was too ridiculous to be a real stew, but she still added to the value of the show.
Aside from Chef Jono’s funny talking heads, Chef Rachel Hargrove also seemed to be a potential producer plant. Her bold, unfiltered personality provided comedic moments, especially her outrageous remarks and drinking habits. Her infamous “eat my cooter” rant, followed by her walking off the boat only to return the next day as if nothing happened, was staged but hilarious.
Bri might be one of the worst stews, butKasey Cohen was even more incompetentonBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 3. Kasey’s inability to perform basic stew duties, from not being able to carry a tray of drinks to not knowing how to make beds properly, was pretty funny. Her inexperience seemed exaggerated as if the producers kept her around to give viewers something to laugh at when hermistakes became too absurd to be real.
The Alleged Producer Plants From Below Deck Are The Most Memorable Cast Members
They Add To The Entertainment Value
Plain and simple, the producer plants onBelow Deckare often the most entertaining characters. Chef Mila Kolomeitseva was too ridiculous to be a genuine chef onBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 4, yet she’s impossible to forget. Chef Mila infamously made nachos with canned cheese and pre-made taco shells. Another particularly entertaining moment was when Mila was caught licking raw meat off a steak before serving it to guests.
Below Deck Mediterranean Season 9: Signs Ellie Dubiach Is A Producer Plant
Ellie Dubaich was quite the drama starter on Below Deck Mediterranean season 9, though there are signs she may have been a producer plant all along.
Currently, Chef Jono and Bri are under fire for being the producer plants, but they’re so memorable. Chef Jono is always hilarious, gossiping and quipping about his fellow crew members and charter guests. Additionally, Bri’s constant trainwreck never fails to entertain, even when it’s hard to believe someone could be this incapable of doing their job.
It’s no secret that reality TV isn’t entirely real.Producers manipulate situations and edit scenesfor peak entertainment value. Therefore, having crew members who are producer plants adds to the drama and fun of the series. While Chef Jono and Bri might be too inexperienced to work on a prestigious yacht for the Mustique, they’ve undoubtedly made theBelow Deckfranchise better.
Below Deck Mediterraneanseason 9 airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo and streams the next day on Peacock.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Cast
Below Deck Mediterranean is a Bravo reality television series that follows a crew that works aboard a gigantic superyacht during the busy season. The show highlights the challenges of the crew as they serve their high-end clientele. Each season tackles new locations, such as Greece, Croatia, Italy, and France, with some repeating.
