Joe Bradley was quite the character onBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 9, but that doesn’t mean he’ll return for season 10. He joined the series as a franchise-firstBelow Deckyachtie hailing from Liverpool, England. As soon as he became a part of the crew, Joe gravitated toward hisfellow deckhand Nathan Gallagher, and they formed a close friendship. Nathan wasn’t the only other cast member that Joe took a liking to, though, as he swiftly gotinvolved in a love triangle with stews Bri Muller and Elena “Ellie” Dubaich.
His time onBelow Deck Medwas dominated by his boatmances, and his yachtie skills were less important to the storyline. He was deemed lead deckhand, though Captain Sandy Yawn chastised Iain Maclean for choosing him for that position. Despite not particularly liking either woman, they fought over him for most of season 9. By the end of the charter season, Bri and Ellie bailed out of their respective boatmances with him. However, Joe felt another spark whenCarrie O’Neill joined the crewas a late arrival.
10Joe Didn’t Get Along With Gael
He Started Treating Her Differently Due To Her Boatmance With Nathan
At the top of the charter season, the deck team was extremely close. Joe, Nathan, and Gael Cameron became a trio and had an undeniable friendship among themselves. Bosun Iain Maclean meshed well with them but sometimes left them alone to handle tasks. The trio was admittedly frustrated with their Bosun’s performance, but they luckily had each other to lean on. However, whenNathan and Gael’s boatmancebudded, Joe seemed to act differently towards Gael. He subconsciously grew upset with his fellow deckhand.Headmitted he thought she was being treated like a “princess.”Gael’s performance never faltered throughout her time on season 9, and it truly seemed like Joe was somewhat jealous of her connection with Nathan. Nonetheless, he undoubtedly treated her differently than the rest of the men on deck did, and made a bad impression.
When Captain Sandy learned Iain named Joe lead deckhand, she was upset and confused. She had no idea that the Bosun had promoted one of the deck team members, let alone before their work had begun. After taking a brief look at their experience,Iain thought Joe was the right choice for lead deckhand, though Captain Sandy said Nathan was the better option. On deck, Joe struggled at times. When his performance faltered, Captain Sandy tapped Nathan to step into his role and pick up his slack. With the captain taking such a liking to another deckhand, there are not many hints that she’d choose to invite Joe over Nathan if given the choice.
8Joe Caused A Lot Of Drama With His Hook-Ups
He Hooked Up With Bri & Ellie Back-To-Back
Whether he meant to or not, Joe’s many romances onboard the Mustique affected the crewthroughout season 9. Bri and Ellie were both attracted to him and didn’t back down in their pursuits. Sure, the second stew admitted she wanted to explore a boatmance with him first, but Bri made her move on Joe before Ellie got the chance. They both went on to hook up with the lead deckhand, and none of them showed any loyalty to the other.Bri and Ellie’s feudaffected the interior team, leaving Aesha Scott with little to no help all season.
While the women fought among themselves about Joe, he perpetuated their drama by not admitting whom he wanted to be with.
He didn’t have to get down on one knee and propose to Bri or Ellie, buttheir drama could have been avoided if he had chosen one woman to hook up with. Instead, Joe had his cake and ate it too. They only stopped pursuing him when Ellie heard him singing a song about not wanting to be with either of them. Joe hasn’t admitted his fault in their season-long feud and likely never will. In fact, once he was done with Bri and Ellie, he swiftly moved on to Carrie, proving he didn’t care about their feelings.
7His Performance On Deck Didn’t Justify All The Drama
Below Deck Med Will Be Fine Without His Womanizing
While Joe was busy starting conflicts with interior team members, his performance on deck didn’t justify how much drama he created. In pastBelow Deckseasons, there have been plenty of troublemakers among the crew. While someyachties are known to stir the pot, their expertise prevents them from being fired. Now and then, they return to the show. João Franco is a great example of a crew member who exhibited bad behavior but continued to return to the franchise due to his experience on deck. João had two rough seasons onBelow Deck Medbut was entrusted to lead as the Bosun onBelow Deck Down Underseason 2, whenLuke Jones was fired for sexual misconductmid-season. He had the skills to justify his return, though Joe didn’t at that point in his yachting career.
6Joe Was There To Have Fun, Not Work
He Enjoyed Being On The TV Show
The lead deckhand seemed to join the crew ofBelow Deck Medseason 9 not for the additional yachting experience but for the once in a lifetime experience. It’s not every day that yachties get the opportunity to appear in theBelow Deckfranchise. Sometimes, new cast members get too excited about appearing on the reality show, as opposed to performing their jobs as crew members. Joe wasn’t a terrible lead deckhand, thoughhe notably came alive in the confessional chair as opposed to on deck.He formed a close friendship with Nathan, and they utilized that to their advantage to create content for the show. However, Joe should have been more focused on work instead of play. Joe’s:
There are times when it’s okay to have fun on board, but in general, trying to really enjoy a challenging job like this isn’t the best strategy. Every position is ultimately about pleasing the end-user - the primary charter guest and whomever they bring along. Getting tips and accolades means considering the client, not oneself.
5Joe Didn’t Admit That He Mistreated Women
He Let Bri & Ellie Fight Over Him
Joe isn’t entirely to blame for Bri and Ellie’s feud, though there’s no denying he played a hand in their issues. He wiped his hands clean of both the women by the time Carrie joined the crew, and didn’t look back once. Gael noticed his treatment of Bri and Ellie and told him it’d be better to admit his feelings to both of them. Instead,he disregarded them, and didn’t apologize for misleading and confusing them.By the same token, Joe didn’t believe he acted rudely toward Gael and wouldn’t own up to being in the wrong for treating her differently once her boatmance with Nathan began.
The kind of arrogance that Joe displayed, and his very low emotional intelligence, make him a villain. His weaknesses are the problem. He’s so self-absorbed that he doesn’t seem to understand how his actions make him look. Everyone notices his revolting behavior.
4He Dropped The Ball A Few Times
Joe Wasn’t Ready To Be A Leader
Aside from his personal flaws, Joe dropped the ball as the lead deckhand a few times. At the beginning of season 9,Nathan and a guest went paddleboarding and drifted off to sea. They tried to wave to someone from the deck but, unfortunately, they had to be brought back to the Mustique by a neighboring catamaran. It was Iain’s job to ensure someone from the deck team was watching them. However, some of that responsibility also fell on Joe’s shoulders. It was a misstep on both of their parts, and he gracefully took the blame for the incident.
3Iain & Joe Were Poor Leaders Of The Deck Team
Nathan Was Better Positioned To Be Iain’s Right Hand
Iain and Joe were not the strongest leading duo. The Bosun left the deck team to fend for himself on numerous occasions, and luckily, the trio were able to handle things on their own. When Iain failed to plan a set of games for the guests on a beach day, Joe and Gael had to scramble to arrange a fun excursion for the charter trip. They pulled it together, but Iain should have been a proactive leader and prepared his team for the event. It’s not entirely Joe’s fault that the Bosun named him to be lead deckhand, but once he was given that title, he hadresponsibilities.He needed to step into the role and act as a reliable figure for Nathan and Gael,which he wasn’t all the time.
2Joe Brought Entertainment But Needs To Improve On Deck
His Musical Talents Were Fun To Watch
Joe had many musical talents that aided the interior team in season 9. There were plenty of times whenhe broke out his skills on the piano and entertained the guests. Joe, too, had a talent for singing and dancing, which boosted his morale among the crew. He was an entertaining yachtie, too, because he brought the drama. However, if Joe were to return for a future season ofBelow Deck Med, he would need to improve his skills on deck. It would have been nice if Nathan had been named lead deckhand. Joe and Gael could both have learned a lot from his leadership, but that’s unfortunately not how the season played out. With more experience, he could be a great addition to a future spin-off, but likely not in season 10.
1Below Deck Med Season 10 Will Be Fine Without Him In The Crew
He’s Not A Part Of The Rumored Season 10 Cast
TheBelow Deck Medseason 10 crew would be better off without Joe.He created a massive conflict among the stews and didn’t mind breaking hearts. Instead of bringing Joe back to flirt with a new batch of yachties, it’d be best if he wasn’t invited back for next season. He’s notably not a part of the rumoredBelow Deck Medseason 10 cast, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be brought in as a late arrival. It appears that production and Captain Sandy agreed that Nathan was the right season 9 crew member to bring back for season 10. He’s reportedly returned for another go on the show.
After his run in season 9, Joe probably won’t return forBelow Deck Medseason 10. He was the crew’s lead deckhand, though Nathan likely would’ve been a better choice for the job. Joe’s tendency to create drama, too, hints that he’s not returning to the show anytime soon.
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.
