By Cameron Thurlow

What could be better than trash reality TV to cure your hangover? I honestly wouldn’t argue a lot. The show in question that I recommend is Below Deck, a wonderful mix of young, hot, very stressed, often unstable and immature “yachties” from all walks of life who are tasked with satisfying every whim of the rich enough are going to charter a mega yacht for a few days and nights. The combination kind of works for so many reasons. First and foremost, it’s the most real reality TV show I’ve ever seen.

In discussing the show, I’ll try not to spoil too much because it really is a fun clock, but there are wonderful structures on the boat that keep the drama real, but not too real. By that I mean that the stakes are always carefully weighed between being funny and silly, as colleagues have done, and real problems – alcoholism, sex and relationships, future and money. As university students grow up, it is healthy to see these concepts really being portrayed. It teaches us how to deal with situations, people and things that are real in the big, wide, scary real world. To get up early, annoy your boss (they’re all still young) and learn to put on a brave face to serve the guests who are literally sitting on the rift pile below deck.

The guests are always brilliant too – extravagant, over the top, sometimes gross, and usually drunk. It’s a different way the stakes stay low: they are often smart enough to appreciate the work that is being done for them, thus taking some of the strain off the staff. You are paying an exorbitant amount of money, and there is no point getting mixed up on your own vacation (or vacation but they’re all American so use that word). They tip sometimes good and sometimes bad, which means that all employees are trying to pull themselves together to earn the tip. And because the show is real, you love or hate the guests as well as the staff. They hope they get a good tip (if they deserve it) and enjoy when a rookie gets a deserved scald from a senior. People go and get fired sometimes when they really don’t mesh or pull their weight. I won’t say who or when, but it’s an interesting twist. I hate to use that word again, but it’s the “most real” reality show I’ve seen.

It is really a fun watch

That’s not to say it doesn’t have the nice sheen that only polished junk has. The music, taken straight from a cheap 2000s music library, carries you with groovy, plunky baselines that play around or generally work over benign, if somewhat hilarious, moments of the crew. The editing is great too – a personal / house favorite is the scene change animation, where several small scenes pop up. The editor only plays with your expectations, which it will blow on the canvas. Try to guess which, like a slap in the mouth, the joy of validation, if you get it right, is stupid to meet.

And that’s why this dosage of television was just perfect. Just like the builder’s tea with some milk and sugar, or a phone call to the mom who was sitting around and half or fully watching, a whole season of simple television with your roommates and a big blanket felt great. I felt fragile, hungry, tired, energetic – hungover – and below deck with all its quirks and intrigues, and laughter picked me up and lay me on the sofa. And one season and many hours later, I kind of wanted to see more. But no, it has to wait – maybe Christmas.

Image: Susann Mielke from Pixabay

The post Trash TV Nook: Beneath Deck – Palatinate first appeared on DECKSAND FENCES DAILY.