Joe Bradley's Potential Return To Below Deck Mediterranean Season 10 Proves The Producers Don't Care About The Cast Members

As rumors swirl surrounding Below Deck Mediterranean season 10, there are rumblings about the return of several season 9 stars. The crew was spotted filming in Barcelona in the summer of 2024, with several familiar faces identified. Deckhand Joe Bradley is likely to return alongside his good friend Nathan Gallagher. While fans are excited to see Nathan continue his Below Deck journey, opinions are more mixed about Joe. Joe was a very divisive character in season 9, and his contribution to the drama aboard the Mustique made viewers question his trustworthiness.

Joe was joined in Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 by veteran Captain Sandy Yawn and Chief Stew Aesha Scott, who left Below Deck Down Under to return to her roots on Below Deck Med. The rest of the crew consisted of franchise newcomers. Deckhand Gael Cameron worked alongside Joe and Nathan, while Stews Ellie Dubaich, Bri Muller, and late addition Carrie O’Neill engaged in a power struggle as well as a romantic rivalry. The season was plagued by poor performances and disastrous romances, both of which Joe played a part in.

Joe Was A Nuisance On Deck

Sandy Questioned His Qualifications As Lead Deckhand

Joe was appointed Lead Deckhand early in Below Deck Mediterranean season 9, but his sloppy mistakes made Captain Sandy question whether he was worthy of the role. Bosun Iain Maclean designated Joe the lead deckhand role without informing Sandy, which immediately angered her. Sandy and viewers thought Nathan would've been better suited. As Joe made repeated mistakes that laid bare his lack of skill, he risked dragging down the entire exterior team.

Joe had experience, but his common sense left much to be desired. This resulted in making poor choices during critical moments, such as while deploying the anchor. Joe’s failure to perform often forced Nathan and Gael to cover for him. Although Iain’s inadequate leadership received most of the criticism, as second in command, Joe is also to blame for failing to step up amid Iain’s shortcomings. This, combined with his personal drama, made his contributions to the team less than stellar.

Joe dug his hole even deeper by causing friction with Gael, who was a much more competent deckhand despite her lack of confidence. While Gael was willing to cover for Joe when necessary, his disparaging remarks turned her against him. He referred to her as a “princess,” diminishing her hard work even though she was doing a much better job than him.

Gael also became frustrated by Joe’s bromance with Nathan, which interfered with her and Nathan’s relationship. Joe interrupted the couple’s plans to travel after the charter season by planning his own trip with Nathan, leaving Nathan caught in the middle. Despite his interference dragging them down personally and professionally, Joe seemed oblivious to his crewmate's frustration, as his focus remained on his romantic endeavors.

Joe Tried To Hook Up With Almost Every Woman On Board

His Womanizing Turned The Stews Against Each Other

Joe’s time aboard the Mustique was dominated by his messy boatmances with Ellie and Bri. Ellie and Bri were instantly enchanted with Joe’s charisma and good looks at the start of the season. He led them both on, flirting mercilessly and making them each think they had a chance with him, unaware he was double-timing them.

As expected, Ellie and Bri both grew possessive of Joe, which resulted in a nasty war between them. Their working relationship crumbled, and their personal drama ultimately affected their performance enough to nearly cost them their jobs. Meanwhile, Joe took no responsibility for his role in the mess. While Ellie and Bri fought to rescue their careers, Joe emerged unscathed.

Ellie and Bri eventually realized Joe played them both and attempted to put the drama behind them. Their relationship would never be the same, and neither gave up on their pursuit of Joe, who by that point had moved on with Carrie. His continued playboy behavior shows he had little remorse for wreaking havoc aboard the ship.

While a little bit of romantic rivalry can keep things interesting, the love triangle between Joe, Ellie, and Bri overshadowed all other Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 plot points. It lasted nearly the entire season, by which point viewers had grown tired of Joe’s womanizing and manipulation. His complete lack of accountability made him the season’s main villain. Without having learned anything from his mistakes, there’s no reason for him to change his behavior in season 10.

Joe Will Annoy Captain Sandy...Again

Sandy Was Unimpressed By Joe In Below Deck Med Season 9

Surprisingly, Captain Sandy would allow producers to bring Joe back, considering his unimpressive performance. Sandy has little tolerance for inefficiency. While she tends to have sympathy for yachties who have decent potential, Joe’s mistakes were all the result of carelessness and distraction. He seemed more intent on having a good time than building skills and listening to the guidance of his superiors. This is behavior Sandy didn’t tolerate in Joe’s first season, and she won’t tolerate it when he returns either.

Joe wasn’t a remarkable deckhand or particularly passionate about his work. Sandy wasn’t the driving force behind his casting, which raises suspicion that Joe’s job performance takes secondary importance to his ability to create chaos. It seems like his return has no motive other than to continue stirring up drama. Producers know Joe is likely to engage in the same antics in season 10, proving they’re willing to sacrifice the well-being of the cast for the sake of entertainment.

Joe’s season 10 behavior will most likely continue to irritate Sandy. She runs a tight ship and grows impatient when her crew doesn’t perform to its full potential. Joe’s return proves the show doesn’t care about Sandy, nor does it care about the rest of the crew.

Unless season 10 involves a comeback story where Joe radically improves his performance and atones for his past mistakes, he’s destined to resume his old ways upon his Below Deck Mediterranean return. Joe is likely to continue pitting women against each other while his crewmates pick up his slack, which will leave the crew overworked and divided. His return may make for good television, but it will come at a cost to his coworkers.