S10.E12: Women Drivers

[formerlyfreedom]

As the wintery Opilio season roars on, Sig puts Mandy at the helm in boat-crushing seas. Josh Harris struggles quash a rebellion. Elliott’s new girlfriend arrives (much to his crew’s chagrin). Zack Larson feels Wild Bill’s wrath.

 

[clod]

well, that blurb certainly suggests a lot of drama!

[OSM Mom]

Elliott is quite possibly the most disgusting man I've ever seen. Standing there in the airport licking his lips and rolling his tongue around when his gf was getting off the plane. I hope his kidney infection hurt like hell. Fucking jackass. Loved Sigs daughter falling for the mail bouy prank.

[fifty8th]

Elliot could not be more of a jackass if he tried, I'd hate to be one of his crew, this is not the first time they sit around waiting to go back out because of him. 

 

So he did not replace the guy he fired, he just brought his girlfriend along? I missed part of it was she going to do the cooking to at least help out a little or was she just there to sleep with the captain.

[estellasmum]

So today in the news there is an item about a guy who fell asleep and was lightly made fun of on ESPN suing them and other entities for $10M in damages due to mental anguish . What does this have to do with Deadliest Catch? I contend that we can get together to file a class-action suit against Discovery for mental anguish for subjecting us to all things Elliott in this episode for about $10 billiion. I never want to see his tongue (We can never un-see that, people) or hear about his pee again. It literally made me scream at the TV and turn the channel, twice. I'm not sure if I will watch DC again without the benefit of seeing the comments on this board.

 

Oh, and another thing? Kidney infection my ass.

[ShellSeeker]

Elliott is quite possibly the most disgusting man I've ever seen. Standing there in the airport licking his lips and rolling his tongue around when his gf was getting off the plane. 

 

I was literally recoiling at that. It was so gross, creepy, and disgusting. And then driving back to the dock and hopping onto the boat so they could start going at it. So vile. What is the purpose of her being on board? Is she going to cook, or is Elliott going to make her stay naked in his bed so he can fulfill his depraved, libidinous desires at any given moment? And who is the girl stupid enough to hook up with him? And how is this helping his child support/custody battle? Ugh. He is truly repugnant.

[NJ RadioGuy]

Has Elliott registered with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for the crabs he's catching in port? He's probably over his quota on those, too. Or did he lease those too? Also, Doc? Forget the antibiotics. Do everyone a favour and just amputate it (for the good of mankind in general). I'm sure there must be a rusty pair of snips somewhere in Engineering that could do the job.

Edited July 10, 2014 by NJ RadioGuy

[millennium]

Elliott is quite possibly the most disgusting man I've ever seen. Standing there in the airport licking his lips and rolling his tongue around when his gf was getting off the plane. I hope his kidney infection hurt like hell. Fucking jackass. Loved Sigs daughter falling for the mail bouy prank.

Where the hell are the editors for that show?    They bleep out profanity, but not that?  Am I wrong in believing that there are probably kids watching Deadliest Catch?  

 

What is the purpose of her being on board? Is she going to cook, or is Elliott going to make her stay naked in his bed so he can fulfill his depraved, libidinous desires at any given moment? And who is the girl stupid enough to hook up with him? And how is this helping his child support/custody battle? Ugh. He is truly repugnant.

 

Maybe she's an opportunist.

Has Elliott registered with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for the crabs he's catching in port? He's probably over his quota on those, too.

 

Haha, you beat me to it.

re: Josh Harris' Mohawk magic.   In all the years I've been watching this show, I can't recall a single instance where a skipper came up with blanks the whole trip.   It seems like the law of averages.   If you don't hit the crab in one place, keep going because sooner or later it WILL happen.   It's just a question of when.    I understand that the longer you're out there, the greater your expenses, but all the angst about not catching anything, together with the onboard rituals, whether it be Mohawks or crab dances or whatever, it seems like it's all for the cameras.    I would have bet money that Cornelia Marie would hit the crab sooner or later.    There was never any doubt.

Edited July 9, 2014 by millennium

[brgjoe]

Heh.  I knew this latest episode with Elliott and his antics would be a hit here.  ;) 

 

I'm still like going WTF is this all about?  Are they that desperate for ratings that they turn this thing into the "Love Shack" or something?  What's next, is there going to be a sign on the wheelhouse door saying, "If this place is a rockin', don't bother a knockin'!"  Sheesh.  And yes, I could also live the rest of my life not hearing another word about Elliott's peeing.

 

I like Mandy's spriit.  She is trying out there and not complaining all that much.  But Sig isn't doing her any favors by, well, showing favoritism.  Again, let her learn her deck duties first.  Then later on have her learn how to pilot the boat.  But it's obvious she has a lot to learn with her greenhorn duties first.

 

Edgar was right that if this were a nephew or even his son, the treatment would have been a lot different.

[Neurochick]

From what I've seen the ratings for DC are pretty good; maybe people like Elliot.  I don't.  I think he's the nastiest man I've seen in a long time.  All I kept thinking was, "why is this woman with him?"  Then I realized that Elliot's on TV and there are A LOT of people who want to be on TV and think that you're nobody if you're not on TV. 

 

I also can't stand Elliot's teeth, ugh, so gross.  Everything about Elliot is gross to me, he looks like he stinks.

[BusyOctober]

I still do like this show and most of the boats, captains and crew.  However there are some things I just cannot take any more.

 

* Stop showing the Ghost of Phil anytime the CM is shown.  Most of the long time viewers liked & respected Phil.  Let him rest in peace.  Josh will never replace Phil no matter how many times they super impose Phil over Josh's shoulder.

* Stop showing Josh with the "Boat Owner" title.  We get it... he was born to be a crabber,he's risked everything, scraped and saved for 4 years blah-dy blah blah. I still don't know how he secured a mortgage to "buy" the CM

* Stop showing Elliott. Period.

  -  I will not watch him twitching on a boat

     I will not watch him rutting like a goat.

     I will not watch him in a port.

     I do so hope Val wins in court.

     I do not want to know about his pee.

     He's just so gross, can't you see?

    He is worse than moldy Spam. 

    I DO NOT LIKE HIM, Sam I Am!!

[tljgator]

 

I missed part of it was she going to do the cooking to at least help out a little or was she just there to sleep with the captain.

 

For whatever it's worth, the caption under her talking head scenes labeled her "Cook and Girlfriend" ... and, yes, my eye-roll at reading that was epic.

[OSM Mom]

* Stop showing Elliott. Period.

- I will not watch him twitching on a boat

I will not watch him rutting like a goat.

I will not watch him in a port.

I do so hope Val wins in court.

I do not want to know about his pee.

He's just so gross, can't you see?

He is worse than moldy Spam.

I DO NOT LIKE HIM, Sam I Am!!

OMG! This is absolutely golden!! I wish there was some kind of award I could give you for that gem!

[rainsmom]

Please tweet your Suess rhyme and hashtag (or @) Disco, Deadliest Catch, and Elliot. Your rhyme is epic.

 

I am not upset about the favortism Mandy is getting. Sig isn't thinking about favortism. He's absolutely terrified about his daughter being out there, and he's coming up with reasons to get her off the deck. Unfortunately, he is so blind with concern that he's not thinking about how it's being perceived (and, frankly, may not care). If Mandy twigs to it, she may say something to it, but since she hasn't been out there, she may not realize just how much others resent the opportunities she's getting.

Edited July 9, 2014 by rainsmom

[merylinkid]

I have been trying to watch this epsiode all the way through.   But I kid you not, everytime the Elliott scene at the airport comes on, I am doing something else and miss it.   I don't even realize it until the episode is over so I am not doing it on purpose.   Clearly my subconscious is protecting me.

[millennium]

One funny thing about Elliott in this episode: now I know why he wears that stupid hat all the time.

[dustyd]

 

He's absolutely terrified about his daughter being out there, and he's coming up with reasons to get her off the deck.

 

THIS exactly.

 

I love Sig and the Northwestern, they are unashamedly my favourite boat and I'm incredibly biased towards them, but last night even I was thinking, "Jeez Sig, come on."  Edgar knows what's up, the rest of the crew knows what's up - I think they would understand if he said, "You know what, I don't want her out there in this weather so I'm pulling her off deck."  Big seas were not the time and place for her to be learning how to drive the boat - he knew it, she knew it and as soon as Edgar called them out on it she got out of the seat.

 

I feel bad for Mandy, because I think she's actually out there genuinely wanting to learn - aside from the sleep in at the start of the episode, she's trying to hold her own and keep up with them - and Sig's just not letting her.  Even when he came out on deck I was like oh god, Sig.  Seriously, just back off and let her do it on her own.  He works himself up into this state of anxiety about it and his decisions become irrational.  It's an incredibly dangerous job, that's for sure, but she doesn't need her father hovering over her like a hawk either.  She's got her two uncles on deck with her, the rest of the crew has known her since she was little - they're going to keep her safe.  Sig does not need to be out on deck with them.  I really hope Edgar or someone sits down and tells him that, because he needs an intervention.  And I mean, he even asked Edgar if he burned her.  AS IF Edgar would burn her!  I'm just sitting there facepalming the whole time.  It's kind of sweet, in a way, because it's such a different side to Sig that we've seen, but holy crap it would be annoying if you were actually there and had to deal with it.

 

And Edgar was SO RIGHT when he said that if it was a nephew or one of their sons things would be different.  Can you imagine what Sig would be like?  None of this fretting father business, he'd be as tough as he was on Jake when he first started.  I just wish Edgar would call him out to his face sometimes instead of to the camera.

 

I was so REPULSED by Elliott Neese.  What an absolute pig and disgusting human being.  What kind of self respecting woman would want to have anything to do with THAT?  Honestly. 

 

And I call bullshit on the kidney infection.  Ten bucks says he's off the wagon again - the way he was carrying on when she let the doctor in, I was like mmmmhmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Yeah I'm sure you're sick.  I'm really sure you are.  What a piece of shit.

 

And seriously, wtf is Wild Bill's problem?  Zack doesn't want to push pots so suddenly he's public enemy number one again?  I wouldn't want to push pots either when you've got a perfectly good crane system that you could use.  The bilge problem just seemed to exascerbate things further and maybe Zack shouldn't have been so cavalier about it, but I just don't understand Bill's thinking sometimes.  It's not really a deckhand competition - you shouldn't really be pitting them off against each other to see who's best.

[millennium]

And seriously, wtf is Wild Bill's problem?  Zack doesn't want to push pots so suddenly he's public enemy number one again?  I wouldn't want to push pots either when you've got a perfectly good crane system that you could use.  The bilge problem just seemed to exascerbate things further and maybe Zack shouldn't have been so cavalier about it, but I just don't understand Bill's thinking sometimes.  It's not really a deckhand competition - you shouldn't really be pitting them off against each other to see who's best.

In the aftermath of Elliott's tongue dance I forgot all about Wild Bill.   Yes, that was a despicable scene in the galley.   I hate the way Bill allies with Nick when he's going off on Zack.    There's something uncomfortable about the relationship between Bill and Nick.  Billl *always* sides with Nick, regardless of the situation, even when Nick is being an abusive asshole -- and now he's taking up with him even against his own son.    It's messed up.

[NJ RadioGuy]

I have to wonder whether Bill would even be on a crab boat if it wasn't for Disco's cameras and big fat wallet. He sure as hell can't catch crab as well as the other captains (at least amongst the featured regulars) and the added drama is frankly just sickening. Zack needs to get the hell away from that abusive relationship. He's still young enough and hopefully smart enough to get into any other field as far away from Bill as he can.

[Linderhill]

Bill's over-the-top reaction and abuse of Zack clearly illustrates why Bill isn't married to Zack's mother and why there hadn't been much interaction between the two until now.  Despite his lovely hair, Bill is obnoxious loud mouth.  

 

Elliot, yeesh, luckily I was looking away when the tongue dance happened ( I tend to look away most of the time Elliot is on camera, wonder why?) and I'm so glad I missed it.  What an obnoxious human being.  Kidney infection, sure.  And I know what can cause those if it actually is an infection.  I don't understand how that woman can go near him.  I'm pretty sure that she's going to regret going any where near him.  

[breezy424]

Bill is a hipocrite.  I think it was the first season that Bill was on DC and it was Zach's first season as crabber.  Zach and the rest of the crew were saying things about Bill because the pots were coming up empty.  I think it was Zach who said that Bill should become an appliance salesman.  Bill heard all this and he pulled Zach up to the wheelhouse and told him how devestated and hurt he was by his 'son' saying these things.  Now we have Bill humiliating his son in front of the crew and saying that it's captain versus crew, not father/son.  The family relationship is always there no matter what Bill.  If he had a problem with Zach, he should have discussed it with him privately.  What makes it worse is that Nick is an immature jerk but yet Bill doesn't say anything to him.

[Neurochick]

I think the family dynamics on this show are interesting.  Bill and Zach; Phil and Jake and Josh; Sig and Mandy.  Some may think Bill going off on Zach is abusive; then again being a hovering parent like Sig might be seen as abuse as well because what you're not so silently telling your child is, "you can't do this."  I got the feeling that even though Phil might not have always been there for Josh and Jake, he loved those boys and they loved him.

[kassa]

I want to catch the repeat so I can watch Sig's face when Edgar tells him about lighting Mandy on fire.  Because I swear he was on the verge of laughing, and probably pulled himself together because he knew his wife would see it.  I think he was just roiling with all the different reactions that would be reasonable -- anger at Edgar?  concern for Mandy?  laughter based on imagining her reaction?  In my mind that's why he settled on a weak... um, did you burn her?

 

I missed Elliott's mouth thing too -- guess I tend to look away when he's on.  I don't feel the need to experience it for myself. 

 

I don't care for Bill but I cut him some slack in this case.  It aggravates him enough when Zach lets his criticism roll off his back instead of taking it to heart about work ethic and other things.  But this was pretty elementary safety.  I presume he is getting additional compensation for being the engineer.  I think as the captain Bill was completely within his rights to come down hard when he didn't get (at the least) a heartfelt apology from Zach and promise to never let it happen again.  

 

Talk about nepotism -- if the other deckhands see the engineer get off scott free because he's the captain's son, that's bad.  If the boat sinks because the captain's son blows it, that's the worst case scenario.  Nobody likes to be yelled at by their boss, but errors that can kill people aren't something that demand gentle human resources  behind-closed-doors chats.  

[OSM Mom]

I couldn't believe that Bill threatened to punch his son in the mouth. Seriously? Who talks to their son like that?

[gaPeach]

Mr. gaPeach leaves the room every time Elliot is on the screen.  I should have gone with him during this last episode.  Elliot is beyond gross.  And I can't even comment on the tongue thing he did at the airport.  As hard as I scrub my brain I just get that image out of my head.......

 

Sig I love you but last night was too much.  Nice way to piss off your entire crew while you babysit Mandy.  Who I agree that Mandy really wanted to pull her own weight or at least try to keep up.  She did not ask for any special treatment.  That being said she did not turn down the chance to get out of the cold and sit in the captain's chair either.   

[Bishop]

I want to catch the repeat so I can watch Sig's face when Edgar tells him about lighting Mandy on fire.  Because I swear he was on the verge of laughing, and probably pulled himself together because he knew his wife would see it.  I think he was just roiling with all the different reactions that would be reasonable -- anger at Edgar?  concern for Mandy?  laughter based on imagining her reaction?  In my mind that's why he settled on a weak... um, did you burn her?

That was a great moment.  I actually laughed out loud because you could see Sig scowl as if he was thinking "Did I hear Edgar right?"  So then he pauses, pauses some more, starts to smile, then rethinks it, then asked the question whether he lit his daughter on fire.  That was a great Sig moment.  The Northwestern is my favorite crew.  I love Sig, Edgar, Jake, everyone.  My other favorite is the Time Bandit with the Hilstrand brothers.

 

I agree on Sig babying Mandy.  She's being resented by the crew, and she's not the problem.  She's not asking for special treatment or complaining about the jobs she's being asked to do, but everytime something gets a little dangerous, Sig yanks her off the deck.  She may get hurt, but that's part of the job.  She's either going to succeed or she's going to fail, but she has to try or she's never going to know, and she's going to resent her father for never giving her the chance.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Bishop

[justjen]

I haven't seen this mentioned, but how did the doctor have the exact correct antibiotics (that would obviously require a prescription or else the Dr would have called them something else) for Elliott's kidney infection.

Also as a sufferer of chronic kidney stones, in "real life" if it was a kidney issue the last thing on one's mind would be "sexual healing."

[gryphon]

Yeah, I'm thinking that it was a combination of dehydration and hangover for Elliot, maybe a slight infection of some kind.  The doctor probably just gave him some penicillan.  I'm thinking he caught chlamidya from his girl.  And now, I have officially thought too much about this.  I'm off to find the brain bleach. 

Edited July 11, 2014 by gryphon

[breezy424]

I think we should all agree to never, ever, never again write about, or refer to, Elliot's moment at the airport.  Let's just all put that in a special strong box in our brain and throw away the key. 

[brgjoe]

I do get where Capt. Bill would consider that a safety issue.  So I understand him letting Zack know how important it was to check that.  But at the same time, it's obvious from that scene and other times he has berated Zack that Wild Bill's people skills really suck sometimes.   I don't think it was the right time to dress him down with his rant about it in front of the crew like that. 

 

If it was just a one time thing, I'd cut him some slack for it.  But in the past he seems to go really out of his way to go off on Zack.  I don't know how much of this is for the "reality" part of the reality show and how much of this is genuine.  I just cringe sometimes the way Bill talks to and about his son in front of the cameras.

[gaPeach]

I agree about Wild Bill and his rants at his kid but one of my all time favorite segments is WB yelling at the greenhorn who tried everything he could to get off the boat.  I don't think I have heard anyone use the word "motherfucking" so many times in one sentence.

[Neurochick]

I agree about Wild Bill and his rants at his kid but one of my all time favorite segments is WB yelling at the greenhorn who tried everything he could to get off the boat.  I don't think I have heard anyone use the word "motherfucking" so many times in one sentence.

I laughed at that because it sounded like he'd seen "Snakes on a Plane."   (Samuel L. Jackson says something like, "Get those motherfucking snakes of this motherfucking plane.")

 

I wonder if Elliot's girlfriend is real or if she's just some chick he met online who just used him to get on TV.  I never underestimate the power of people who just HAVE to get on TV no matter what.

[Lorimar263]

I can't think of anything more gross than sleeping with Elliott. Maybe the girl is doing it just to be on tv but if that's all she thinks of herself she is made for Elliott.

[OSM Mom]

I was wondering what kind of crappy life this girl has where Elliott is a viable option for a boyfriend. Ick. I've never been that lonely.

[kassa]

She could still ship out on a different kind of commercial fishing vessel, though.  And she seems like the type who would.  You know he's weighing "at least that would be safer" with "nothing's safer for her than this boat, with these guys." 

[dustyd]

Mandy could still be successful at it, if she puts the effort in.  There are other women deckhands on crab boats - it's not common, but it does happen.  I think there's even a female captain out there, or there was at one point.  Yes, she's smaller than the guys and not as strong, but women are tough.  I'm not writing her off just because she's female.  You can be the toughest guy out there and still not make it as a crab fisherman - how many big, strong guys have we seen fail as greenhorns?  A lot.

 

The whole "she can't do it because she's a girl" argument really irks me.  Women can do just about every stereotypically male job - there's no reason why she can't succeed at fishing.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Mandy could absolutely bulk up and be on a par, or better, than male crabbers.  If she makes such a commitment, more power to her.

 

Last season?  She was not ready.  She couldn't even handle the first incidence of sleep deprivation.  It's a total Disco stunt - and a dangerous one.  No bueno. 

[terrymct]

Wild Bill takes out his anger and frustration over bad crab numbers on his kid.  As soon as those pots start coming in empty or light, the cross hairs are fixed on his son.  

Sig is really not doing his daughter any favors and she knows it.  Let her succeed or fail on the deck.  Her uncles and the other deck hands aren't going to let her get hurt anymore than they'd let each other get hurt.   I really think she'll end up running the family business.  Even if she doesn't end up working the crab seasons long term, it's good for her to understand how each job works in their company.   Get the practical experience, get a business degree, run an empire.

 

Elliot sucks.   I know I should feel sorry for his kidney infection, but he still sucks.

Edited July 15, 2014 by terrymct

[Fosca]

If I were Sig, I would have brought her aboard as an extra hand, so she didn't replace someone essential (and as a volunteer, or give her a share of his own cut).  Have her just do the bait and perhaps also cook the way some injured hands have done.  She still gets to be sleep deprived and work hours on end on the deck, but don't have her handle the pots or go too near the water if she doesn't have the skill or strength (yet) to do so, and it should keep her out of the worst of the danger.  Let her work her way up to those both physically and mentally, if she continues to want to fish.  And for the love of god stop the "Take your daughter to work" nonsense with letting her set pots and drive the boat and suchlike; that's not going to teach her anything useful, and it's something you let a child do.  She's not a child.

[Bishop]

I think Mandy needs to pack it in. I just don't think a female is strong enough to be a deckhand on a crab boat. She could threaten Sig all she wants, but I don't think another crab boat would hire her. 

That may very well be true, but Sig isn't giving her the chance to try and fail on her own.  She needs to try and fail (or succeed) on her own without her father pulling strings or taking her off the deck because HE can't deal with it.  Mandy isn't the problem.  She's not asking for special treatment or refusing the work.  Sig is worried about his daughter, which is understandable, but he either has to let her try to do the job or not allow her on the boat at all.  He can't do things halfway - let her on the boat but not let her actually work the deck.

Edited July 16, 2014 by Bishop