Below Deck Is Expanding 'Down Under' And There's A Hot New Captain And Familiar Face Onboard

The Below Deck franchise is already a pretty stacked one. Beyond the flagship show, which just concluded its controversial ninth season, there’s also the frequently tense Mediterranean spinoff, as well as Below Deck: Sailing Yacht, which is promising some more jaw-dropping hookups in the upcoming third season. But there can always be room for more, right? Right. The Bravo series' universe is expanding once again – “Down Under,” to be more specific — and there are both a hot new captain and and a familiar face to round things out onboard.

Instead of the Caribbean or Croatia, the franchise is heading south to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in the new addition to the pantheon. And much like what the Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip did with its drama, Below Deck: Down Under is breaking rank with its status as a Peacock streaming original instead of being a Bravo series proper. The trailer for its freshman season is out now, and I’m seriously liking what I’m seeing. Check it out below:

All my eyes and ears are checking out the new captain of Below Deck: Down Under. His name is Jason Chambers, he’s Australian (duh, probably), and he’s certified, put-a-stamp-on-it “hot.” I mean, according to his subordinates in the trailer, of course. This marks the first time that the franchise will be moving in a significantly younger direction when it comes to the male captains.

The trailer for Below Deck: Down Under shows both the crew and guests alike lusting after Mr. Outback Jack himself. But in all seriousness, it will be interesting to see how the new captain compares to his forbearers. He apparently won’t be afraid to fire someone with the quickness, like the notorious Captain Lee. However, he seems a bit more impulsive than all of the other franchise’s captains put together, including Lee, Sandy Yawn, Glenn Shepherd and the recently deceased Mark Howard.

One thing we’ll be able to count on in the new show, though, is fan-favorite Aesha Scott returning to headline the cast with her signature bawdy humor. On Below Deck: Mediterranean, her iconic romance with co-star Jack Stirrup was one for the record books. (It was a genuine shame to learn how he had cheated on her not long after.) On Below Deck: Down Under, she’s been promoted to the new chief stewardess in charge, but evidently, drama still follows her right down to Australia, as the trailer shows her in tears, saying she felt like an “asshole.”

There’s more franchise mainstays promised in Below Deck: Down Under, to include angry chefs, physical altercations, fires and boat collisions. It would seem, too, that the notorious hot tub gets some action again from the cast (and yes, the naughty kind). But I know this should be a good season simply by the hot new captain giving the very serious “shark-feeding time” warning to the crew…

The new series will premiere its first three episodes on Peacock on Thursday, March 17, and every Thursday thereafter. So, Bravo fans might need to consider getting that Peacock subscription as a result (once again).