Deadliest Catch On Discovery Channel

[chefcraig]

Absolutely, and if you'll recall the same sort of thing took place when American Chopper took off. Next thing you know, Mickey is thrust into the spotlight (even though he did absolutely nothing otherwise) as comic relief, doing all sorts of "for the camera" nonsense. The fights between Paul and Senior took on a fake element, and you wondered how a company could even stay in business with all of the yelling taking place over what was essentially a bunch of pointless debates accentuated by an apparent case of roid-rage on Senior's part. And just look what happened to that show. After a successful run, it was unceremoniously dumped to the lower tier TLC, where it pretty much died. Then it was reborn as the insufferable "Senior vs Junior", a morose and depressing show that only seems to be on tv in order to further exploit the family's misery.

Notice how the phrase "exploit the family's misery" applies to both Deadliest Catch and Senior Vs Junior.

[CROWBAR]

Yeah, totally agree. The Senior vs. Junior show is so contrived. I can't get into it at all. I find it hard to believe that they both agreed to do it, but maybe they have their reasons. Namely, they had just built a huge new bike shop and probably had to keep those big bucks rolling in, so it was either keep doing it to survive or go bankrupt. I think Discovery pretty much has the Tuttel's by the balls as contract players now.

I somehow see something similar happening to the Harris brothers on Deadliest Catch. You know they're gonna have some unexpected strains in the next few years. Stuff they weren't even expecting.

[chefcraig]

I somehow see something similar happening to the Harris brothers on Deadliest Catch. You know they're gonna have some unexpected strains in the next few years. Stuff they weren't even expecting.

Think about this angle: Jake was tested for substances in the first episode, right? How long do you think it will take until he fails one, and it becomes the centerpiece of more drama? I know that sounds cynical as hell, but I really would not put it past Discovery to manipulate things. Remember, this is the same production company that tried to sue the Hillstrand brothers a few months ago, so there is no limit to how low things could go. And a member of the Time Bandit's crew died in February (Justin Tennison), so expect to see that exploited in a future episode as well.

[CROWBAR]

They've already started with this angle is you ask me, after what we saw on last night's episode. They piss tested the kid, then he had the audacity to tell the new Cappy him and the mechanic that they had a half hour errand to run and didn't come back for two hours. Gee, I wonder what they were up to? Can you say "drug run"?

I'm always reminded of Jim Carrey in "The Truman Show" when I see these Discovery shows. Like you know the producers are always scheming and plotting the shows characters against each other.

[hambon4lif]

They were just on GMA this morning telling everyone they lose JT toward the end of this season. Fuckin' dopes!
They killed their own ratings by killing the suspense.

[chefcraig]

Spoiler Alert: If you'd rather NOT know about an upcoming merger of two Discovery Channel shows, then DO NOT click on the following links:

Merger

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[Nitro Express]

Yeah, totally agree. The Senior vs. Junior show is so contrived. I can't get into it at all. I find it hard to believe that they both agreed to do it, but maybe they have their reasons. Namely, they had just built a huge new bike shop and probably had to keep those big bucks rolling in, so it was either keep doing it to survive or go bankrupt. I think Discovery pretty much has the Tuttel's by the balls as contract players now.

I somehow see something similar happening to the Harris brothers on Deadliest Catch. You know they're gonna have some unexpected strains in the next few years. Stuff they weren't even expecting.

Welcome to show business. They have been screwing actors over for years with contracts and advances. Keep em broke so they have to work and keep em on contract. The only reason we have so called reality TV is it's cheaper than hiring actors and running a real scripted show. You hang a carrot in front of Bubba's face, he takes the bait, he signs and you have him. Oh they might get angry but when they learn you can take their crab boat from them they tend to settle down and play ball again. All the drama tends to raise the ratings numbers anyways.

[CROWBAR]

I keep waiting for a huge throw down between Senior and Junior, but it never gets past the yelling at each other stage. I'd hate to be that Rick guy whose stuck with them since the beginning. Vinny bailed on all their BS awhile back.

Yeah, the Harris Bros are gonna be in for a surprise somewhere down the road me thinks. They are Discovery Channel property and don't even know it yet. I'm sure the show's producers are whispering in their ears to keep going "for your old man".

[Nitro Express]

When a cable network has cameras running while dad is dying and then they milk the whole thing for ratings I would say the family signed the devils contract. I'm sorry but that shit don't fly with me. I find it very wrong and stopped watching the show and the Discovery Channel for that matter. I really don't watch that much TV anymore.

[Nitro Express]

I keep waiting for a huge throw down between Senior and Junior, but it never gets past the yelling at each other stage. I'd hate to be that Rick guy whose stuck with them since the beginning. Vinny bailed on all their BS awhile back.

Yeah, the Harris Bros are gonna be in for a surprise somewhere down the road me thinks. They are Discovery Channel property and don't even know it yet. I'm sure the show's producers are whispering in their ears to keep going "for your old man".

Rick collects his check. It's a job. He's probably happy as shit that he is not in the Tuttle family.

[chefcraig]

They've already started with this angle is you ask me, after what we saw on last night's episode. They piss tested the kid, then he had the audacity to tell the new Cappy him and the mechanic that they had a half hour errand to run and didn't come back for two hours. Gee, I wonder what they were up to? Can you say "drug run"?

Jesus, did we call this one, or what? You should see the commercial for next week's episode. The new captain of the Cornelia Marie, the same guy that couldn't find a crab if it was sticking out of his ass, can find the police. That's right, he rips the boat apart looking for drugs, then calls the cops in order to have one (or both) of the Harris boys arrested when the ship gets back into port. And all of that is included in the commercial!

[Guitar Shark]

Jesus, did we call this one, or what? You should see the commercial for next week's episode. The new captain of the Cornelia Marie, the same guy that couldn't find a crab if it was sticking out of his ass, can find the police. That's right, he rips the boat apart looking for drugs, then calls the cops in order to have one (or both) of the Harris boys arrested when the ship gets back into port. And all of that is included in the commercial!

Finally saw this episode last night. I can't decide who I found more annoying - the captain who turned him in, or the Harris brothers and crew for being such babies. What did you think Craig?

[chefcraig]

Finally saw this episode last night. I can't decide who I found more annoying - the captain who turned him in, or the Harris brothers and crew for being such babies. What did you think Craig?

I'm a bit confused, to tell you the truth. This Derrick guy said in a recent interview that he was told before the boat left the dock that they were only going out to get some footage, and would return having done little if any fishing whatsoever. Now who would sign on for something like that, if it was all going to be manufactured drama? Yet there he is, grousing to the cameras about how lame the crew is, going on a turd hunt for drugs and surprise! He finds evidence. Then he calls the cops, bringing attention to not only the crew, but to just about everyone on the planet including the Coast Guard, because he fears losing his license? Huh? So it appears the guy was all about himself from the beginning. This was evidenced by his picking a fight with a crewman, then saying "I'm not doing this for the cameras", a line that conveyed just the opposite. So now what? Oh, just to add to things, Derrick has agreed to fly to Hawaii to film an episode or two of After The Catch, those maudlin and occasionally entertaining shows used to pad out the season with Mike Rowe as the master of ceremonies. So it would seem that we have not seen the last of him.

This has been the most morose season of the show yet, and I believe it has jumped the shark and should have folded up shop last year. A few specials in prime time would have been fine, just to catch up. But this shit each week? It's as if Discovery has decided to corner the market on depressing reality tv. Next up: Senior VS Junior in a build-off. I can hardly wait.

[Guitar Shark]

Bizarre. While I don't doubt that the Discovery Channel creates controversy and drama where it can, I have a hard time believing that the whole storyline was manufactured. Jake walks out and buys a plane ticket when he sees the cop to try to skip town? The other crew members were pretty obviously distressed about the whole thing, which seemed genuine to me. These guys aren't actors, they're crab fishermen. I just don't see them being able to pull off an elaborate ruse.

I do agree that the show has really dropped off, though. I find myself not even caring much about what happens with the mainstay boats, and I couldn't care less about what happens on the Ramblin' Rose and that other new boat. Lame.

[chefcraig]

For a good idea of what odd motivations this Derrick Ray character might have had, here is one of the interviews he gave recently. You'll notice he changes his story in this one about being warned of how things were to be, only now it's three days after the ship left the harbor. Personally, I think the guy is as nutty as a bowl of granola cereal.

'Deadliest Catch': Captain Derrick Ray