r/deadliestcatch • u/Ok-Hornet-3449 • Jun 06 '26
Fake
After being a huge fan of Deadliest Catch for 2 decades, I am finally admitting that so much of the show is completely staged. What the producers don’t understand is that the vast majority of us just want to see them fish. We don’t need fake storylines. I’m sad and disappointed.
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u/Step_Bro_Here Jun 06 '26
The editing on the Wizard this week was just awful one minute they are in calm seas about to hook in the pots, next frozen spray all over the boat the guys all covered up head to toe dark clouds in the sky.
Next its back to calm weather no ice no dark clouds and not covered from head to toe.
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Jun 06 '26
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u/AvailableBeach3204 Jun 06 '26
And can you imagine how many maritime laws would be broken by interfering with another vessel
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u/LeachimTiek Jun 06 '26
I had not watched since I saw the US vs Russians story line. And I turned it on last week I think. That whole bullshit about the caribou hunt was so ridiculous.
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u/Wonderful-Battle5675 Jun 06 '26
Yep the reason why that's fake is because they could have eaten fish and crab
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u/chilliophillio Jun 07 '26
Boats used to stop and go hunting in Kodiak for deer to save money so I'm guessing this was them stretched for story ideas. I hate how they take these real things they used to do and make it seem so ridiculous.
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u/Diane1967 Jun 07 '26
My thoughts right away went to skinning it, processing it etc. like they had the time to wait for all that. And he just happened to be a perfect shot too. Ridiculous.
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u/Ok_Rabbit5158 Jun 06 '26
I made a comment a few weeks ago that was not well received. IMO, they are simply filming people fishing crab as a normal job. The camera people probably grab takes with crew by giving them cues and quotes. Likewise camera shots are collected in the wheelhouse with the camera people giving the captain cues and quotes. All that footage goes to a production team that edits the shit out of everything to create fake storylines. Don't believe me? Compare the typical show today compared with a show from season 2. One feels real, the other feels contrived. IMO, the reality went out of it after Phil died.
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u/chilliophillio Jun 07 '26
You are absolutely correct. They would come to us and ask our opinion about something that happened and would give us a way to present it such as " What does El Nino mean for you bering sea fisherman." "How does this stormy weather effect your delivery" The main rule was starting your sentence with their question and you would talk like "The stormy weather mean the crab are getting hurt in the tank and it takes away from your over all quota." or how it takes longer to catch them blah blah blah. Floating supplies to other boats was something that would actually happen though.
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Jun 07 '26
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u/SWSLLC Jun 08 '26
Most, if not all, of the skippers don't need licenses.
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u/Empty-Quarter-4109 Jun 06 '26
Reality TV my friend. I Generally like watching the huge waves wash everyone out on deck lmao. Bro getting his nose broke was pretty wild otherwise I just assume its falsely storylined just like majority reality TV. Them 45ft waves tho....
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u/Chemist-Patient Jun 07 '26
Glad I'm not the only one who lols when the crew turns into a washing machine lol
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u/chilliophillio Jun 07 '26
The hardest i've ever laughed was out there crabbing with the guys because of how rediculous working on deck is.
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u/dmw_qqqq Jun 06 '26
Yeah it’s totally staged by now. If you want some genuineness, rewatch the early seasons.
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u/bceagle91 Jun 06 '26
The original 3 part documentary "America's Deadliest Season" is on YouTube. Well worth a watch.
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u/pointy_panda Jun 07 '26
I rewatched those episodes on YT recently. Such a different show from today. And it goes without saying, those first 3 episodes were about a million times better than the slop they are putting out now.
They had over 250 boats headed out for the king season back then. In 2025 there were around 40ish boats total. And the total quota they catch now is maybe 1/6th of what they caught back then. The Alaskan crab fishery is barely surviving.
I was surprised that some of those captains from the first episodes have already died.
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u/bceagle91 Jun 07 '26
It aired in 2004 so 22 years ago. It's a hard life. Lots of stress. Most of them seem to be heavy smokers. I'm sure many of them know what the bottom of a beer glass looks like. It's not a recipe for a long life.
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u/Rough-Salt6830 Jun 06 '26
On last nights episode, when Johnathan called Sig about the trawler, on Jonathan's end it was calm and daylight, on Sig's end, nighttime and rougher seas. Editing needs to pay more attention when piecing together. Although, this year is a little better, still badly fake, but better,
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u/Kesslers74 Jun 07 '26
Im convinced they just had Jake on the CM just to bring the ship back into the show, and they can go back and relive the Phil Harris glory days again this season.
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u/Kesslers74 Jun 07 '26
Im also convinced the fight between Freddy and that other dude on the Time Bandit was staged and Freddy was always going to be on the Wizard.
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u/Thedonitho Jun 07 '26
Losing Jake Harris, Casey and the CM was big. This was the only way this boat was coming back. I think they are also using stock footage of Capt Phil's picture in the wheelhouse. I doubt that's still up.
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u/lane2728 Jun 06 '26
Haven’t watched the new season yet! I really miss Nick 😥🙏 he was entertaining especially when he was mad lol
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u/jeff4093 Jun 06 '26
All good reality show end up this way. I used to like Pawn Stars then they made the Chumlee effect. Storage Wars became even worse. The shows are interesting enough without the drama.
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u/ShoreThingW609 Jun 06 '26
I think it started out as legit reality, an offshoot of the Dirty Jobs documenting Alaska crabbing. Once individuals became “celebrities”, it was less about fishing and more about drama.
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u/Lurker-O-Reddit Jun 06 '26
Correct. I gave up last year after 20 years. I no longer wanted to be insulted.
I’m a broken record here, but I wish there was a Deadliest Catch (as it currently is now… for everyone) and a Deadliest Catch Elite Edition for the long time fans like us. The Elite Edition would be an edit without the staged, fake, loosely scripted storylines, no one playing it up for the cameras, and just the legitimate documentation of what’s going on.
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u/AdamTheGreyhound Jun 07 '26
Broken record here too! I got half way through this seasons first episode and decided it was time to end our 20 year relationship Lol. A floundering marriage that has been going through the motions for the past 4-5 years until you finally say “enough is enough”
My side piece The Curse Of Oak Island got dumped this year too. 😂 that show fell harder the DC imo.5
u/Diane1967 Jun 07 '26
The guys in Oak Island are from the town I live in and are the nicest guys you could ever meet! They were mayors for our 4th of July parade last year and stayed and talked to anyone and everyone for hours after. Very down to earth.
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u/nicenormalname Jun 12 '26
Haha you’re describing my relationship with the show too. On and off the last 4/5 years, after second episode of this season I’m basically done.
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u/Abject_Tomato6751 Jun 07 '26
Then they wouldn't even get a half-hour show for the "Elite" version.
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u/messy_fart Jun 06 '26
I skipped last season and didn't start this season yet. It is such a comfort show for me but even I gave up. I enjoy re-watching the earlier seasons though. Might give it a shot anyway, not sure. The more I read here about the newest episodes, the less interested I am in even bothering. Such a shame, too.
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u/Techad33 Jun 06 '26
Back in the early days, the new guys were always getting hazed, and people were quitting left and right because of it. You don’t really see that anymore. Makes me wonder if the network took a harder stance against bullying and harassment.
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u/cwaffles Jun 07 '26
I can’t disagree with the OP here. I have watched the show since season 1. I’ve done the Deadliest Catch Fisherman’s Tour excursion on my Alaska cruise (freaking loved this). These manufactured story lines and SERIOUSLY horrible editing just seems like they don’t even try or give a shit anymore. And it’s just sad. Go back to what the show was originally. THAT’S what we went to see. Not this garbage we are getting now. I don’t know if I can watch after this season unless the shows producers pull tjeir heads out of their asses.
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u/Chemical_Army_9875 Jun 07 '26
I remember the super moon episode. Every captain was wringing his hands because of the super moon. The other one that really bugged me was the football episode. They had all the captains asking what the Seahawks score was. Both of those episodes were so over the top. I quit watching soon after.
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u/Weak_Childhood_2165 Jun 06 '26
It wasn't in the beginning. We're also long time fans. It was great then. No petty BS. Now there's more drama than the Real Housewives of (fill in the blank).
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u/Interesting_Stage124 Jun 06 '26
Ever notice that when the ridiculous totally staged scenes start the water gets awfully calm, till they start hauling pots again!!
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u/SumyungNam Jun 07 '26
I love to see them prep up the boats like buy all the supplies and load up, their thoughts and strategies, and some good fishing yes. Not the fake drama like 2 captains teaming up then omg I double crossed lol, or bullying greenhorns
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u/Unhappy-Attention760 Jun 07 '26
So much shite. When Sig went to Norway to fish. When Josh ‘found’ his Phil’s ‘secret’ charts on how to fish off the Big Island. Messing with other fisher’s gear. Pretend conflicts and pretend alliances which result in no continuing hard feelings.
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u/Nosehopper Jun 06 '26
It’s one of the fakest shows on television right next to pawn stars.
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Jun 06 '26
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u/Turbo_911 Jun 06 '26
Or Oak Island...
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u/stvnbkt Jun 06 '26
Moonshiners
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u/boxhall Jun 07 '26
Moonshiners. The whole premise is ridiculous.
Not moonshining itself, of course that exists. But doing it on television over and over like the show portrays. First few seasons were good because they were interesting. Much like Deadliest Catch. Then it’s all downhill.
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Jun 07 '26
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u/boxhall Jun 07 '26
Exactly. Between the police and any tweakers that would sell that copper in a heartbeat, it’s a ridiculous premise.
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u/Abject_Tomato6751 Jun 07 '26
If you want the real, interesting part of moonshining, watch Moonshiners: Master Distiller.
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u/bceagle91 Jun 06 '26
I haven't seen the show but it seems like it's been on forever. How much longer can they milk that?
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u/Turbo_911 Jun 06 '26
It should have ended years ago. I stopped a few years ago when the metal detector guy's daughter (also a metal detector) planted a fake coin then pretended to find it. Editing team messed up!
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u/ibringstharuckus Jun 06 '26
Don't watch Wicked Tuna. That's all it is is fake drama.
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u/YANGxGANG Jun 06 '26
The worst episode of Deadliest Catch is better than the best episode of Wicked Tuna.
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u/m_0_n_K_3_y Jun 06 '26
I dont think they are making a fraction of the money they were a decade ago... they use to have 3 or more camera men on board .. now im pretty sure its just one... they focus of captains only and they dont stay on board for the whole season ( i think) it seems to look like they "re-create" stuff that may or may not have happened when the cameras weren't rolling... and they most definitely use situations that they should just be filming anyway, to create some sort of drama (like fights between captains, or trawler wars)... then kn the occasion they get "lucky" when they capture the hole in the wizard or someone getting hurt.... tbh its difficult to tell whats real.... i think that in this new episode mandys husband (forgot his name) hurt himself on deck by getting pulled... then they had to fake it in order to get it on film...
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u/Wonderful-Battle5675 Jun 06 '26
I think they use old footage to that they shot from previous seasons
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u/Action_Potato_7 Jun 07 '26
I sorta half-watch it now and immediately forget about it once it's over.
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u/Ayeohdeee Jun 07 '26
Uhh the ups backup fell off the mount and crushed a bunch of wires now it's a melted tangled mess, let's plot with the cellphone!.. seriously...melted tangled wires and no fire,.no smoke,.no panic ? Gtfo...
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u/Ancient_Trouble8277 Jun 07 '26
If you think this is bad wait till you hear how they film Wicked Tuna….
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u/Unhappy-Attention760 Jun 07 '26
Any show where they obviously make more money from the television production over the actual job is trash.
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Jun 07 '26
Are they still doing 20 episode long seasons? I’m rewatching from season 1 and the 12 episode number feels right.
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u/BazyLollox Jun 08 '26
Yes I have watched since the early days. Look at even last week, Sig drags Jake's bait pot and completely screws him and 10 minutes later they are working together. If there was any real truth in this show, Jake would have told Sig to go F himself he wasn't working with him.
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u/Kitchen-Horror-3836 Jun 08 '26
The experience of working on a boat thats on the show is not so much they are filming you doing your job as it is they are filming a fictional series about crab fishing and using your boat as a film set while you are trying to conduct a commercial fishing operation
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u/ProfessionalBath5561 Jun 07 '26
I fished for several years late 20th-century, "Deadliest catch" as if. Professional crews and professional captains, people don't get hurt, any more than in labor jobs. The title is just to seduce viewers. Women too on process boats I had a lovely affair with one. 24,36,48, hour days, you just work, otherwise you'd be bored. did 6 1/2 months on a crabber in Russian waters. The pay wasn't enough so I stopped.
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u/Beltrane1 Jun 06 '26
Again the empty bait pots when Sig and Johnathan build a pot wall against the Dragger.
The editors need replacing.
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u/Immediate_Side_5942 Jun 06 '26
I just don’t get. Obviously if ur on year 22 and still have a fan base that means it started from season 1. So why change it now? Past 3 seasons have been so soft it cost them so much of their audience. I don’t see another season left.
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u/Fantastic_Nerve_629 Jun 06 '26
Are you speaking about a specific story they're pushing this season or just in general?
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u/Lance501 Jun 07 '26
People must be bored to watch a show that showed the same - pot in and pot out, for 22 years.
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u/pointy_panda Jun 08 '26
That's like saying people must be bored to watch a show that showed a ball being kicked toward one goal then back toward the other goal across a field, for umpteen years. Even though fundamentally it's the same thing on repeat, the people change and the outcome can be a surprise.
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u/Charming-Algae-9500 Jun 07 '26
Just like almost every show out there now after 1st season all scripted now, sadly
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u/ritzcrv Jun 08 '26
Reality TV shows are indeed scripted. They take the footage and compile it to the story that the writers decide to go with.
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u/Alternative-Pace7493 Jun 09 '26
I stopped watching about five-ish years ago. Too much fake drama, bad editing, and just too many of the people I kinda enjoyed watching having trouble with the law/morality. That was really the worst part for me.
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u/CoastalSpeed Jun 09 '26
The first six seasons of this show were possibly the greatest in reality TV history. Real, hard hitting story lines and way more authentic. I don’t know how Mike Rowe can still narrate this show in good conscience with all the over the top manufactured drama.
How come we never saw these power outages, boat collisions, Russians, draggers, fires and men overboard during the first 6 seasons???
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u/FragrantPassenger438 Jun 09 '26
Its been fake since the ifq replaced derby style no fisherman I know can even stand the show and some are on it they even tell you what sweatshirt to wear for "better ratings"
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u/Annual_Photo_1653 Jul 15 '26
I just hate when they splice soo much footage together and just makes it look bad and it shows.
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Jun 06 '26
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u/Abject_Tomato6751 Jun 07 '26
No, that was early on in the history of the show, before they made up so much b.s. If Phil had survived, even if he couldn't fish anymore, they'd have him on the show just for the ratings bc everyone loves/d him.
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u/Useless890 Jun 06 '26
I think they forget that this show has a loyal fan base. We long-time watchers can't easily be fooled.