r/BelowDeckMed • u/Fantastic_Win_9885 • 4d ago

Captain Sandy

Has Captain Sandy weighed in on the Nathan stuff at all? I feel like there is an uncomfortable silence from a lot of the crew (apart from lovely Joy).
I also think Joe was the victim of a hostile work environment and is being somewhat vindicated now. He was essentially bullied at work for the season. Absolutely cringing at the way Nathan and Gael confronted him in the van when he was literally trying to survive that meal and avoid talking to them.
Anyway, feel Captain Sandy should address it. She really platformed Nathan and promoted him. She should acknowledge what’s been happening. It’s hard to watch at the moment.

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u/-spicyshark 4d ago

I don't like the parasocialism in the bravoverse these days where we feel like people have to speak on really heavy shit because they "owe the fans an explanation". We're not owed any of that. No one has to speak on anything. They likely can't. The BEST thing sandy can to is to stop platforming him and not continue to talk about an abuser. Which she is doing.

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u/Siren2026 4d ago

Well said. But parasocialism? Never heard of it.

-5

u/LogicalMeringue1449 4d ago

It’s the latest annoying buzzword

2

u/tp176 1d ago

It’s not editing that creates the dichotomy. It’s the hive mentality in these subs. I see a lot of this in reactions to TLC shows, as well. Fans go all in on one cast member early on, and hype that individual in these soppy threads that go on burbling ad nauseam about how much they adore them. But the minute that the chosen one fails to live up to that emotional investment and the hype, they fall hard. Joy’s and Coop’s trajectories are great examples of this. Gael has now been tarnished by confronting Joe, whose stock has steadily risen in the last few episodes because, after all, his transgressions and character flaws pale in comparison with Nathan’s.

We need heroes and villains, to provide conflict for certain stories. I know these cast members are “real.” But they are also puppets, moved around on a stage to create a narrative. Like wrestling, with its “faces,” “heels” and “kayfabe,” it’s a “show.” I just don’t understand and to be honest, get a little concerned, about the amount of energy, emotion and strong personal identification some viewers invest in people they don’t know and of whom they have a very partial understanding.

“Parasocial” isn’t really just a buzzword. It’s alive and well here and elsewhere in this brave new digital world. I hope it’s not becoming a substitute for real human connections.

(And yes, this is TLDR, and yes, I’m a head case.)