S18.E13: To The End of The Earth

[thewhiteowl]

In the Winter premiere, nautical weather slams the fleet as Josh and Casey race north in hopes of beating the coming ice pack. Sig and Keith attempt to find common ground, and on the Time Bandit, Johnathan finds his co-captain a bit wobbly. 300th episode.

[merylinkid]

Am I going crazy or was Keith the one who was nuts (possibility it is both).   This is the way I saw it:

Keith and Sig team up.   Sig is hitting the crab.   He calls Keith and TELLS HIM he is hitting the crab on the  upper part of the grid they agreed on.  Keith says "No not with this ice, I don't want to go up that far."   Sig looks bewildered.    He tells Keith that working together they can get done faster.   So Keith KNOWS Sig is looking to team up with someone and just fish the hell out of the area where the crab are so they can get out of their before ice closes the cannery.  

Sig then calls the CM to team up with the dimwits.   He even goes so far as to pull up alongside them to pass the coordinates.   Okay he says it will piss Keith off.   But Keith ALREADY TURNED DOWN HIS OFFER TO COME WHERE THE CRAB ARE.   then the CM dimwits act like Sig went to all this trouble just to lie to them.   Until they hit the crab.

Keith is drawing blanks so he calls Sig to ask for his help (AGAIN).   Then gets all mad when Sig says well I went with the CM.    Keith is claiming that Sig lied to him and withheld information.   That SIG blew off the partnership.   KEITH SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO THAT FAR NORTH.

So how is Sig the bad guy here?   

[Welshman in Ca]

The last thing Keith said was "I'm out" and then he called Sig back for information before accusing him of lying and withholding info. I would have taken the "I'm out" to mean he was out of the partnership but Sig is a sneaky one at the best of times.

[NJRadioGuy]

I don't think Keith's personal crab tank is completely full if you take my meaning. Something not right or else he's playing a role for the Disco cameras.

Also, Sig and the CM clowns just admitted they broke federal regulations on national TV. Sig gave them the "secret" radio frequency of 144.62 MHz in the "Two meter band." Yes, indeed, that is very much in the two meter band, which is reserved exclusively for amateur radio in the United States and virtually every other country in the world. Only licensed hams can transmit there, and they cannot discuss business matters (like commercial fishing). Not that anybody's going to do anything about it, of course, but it's still very much a violation of CFR47 Part 97 regulations and if pursued by the FCC could result in significant fines. With that said, they'd be best to get a private business-band channel and use encrypted portable radios and stay the f@#k off the ham bands. They've tipped their hands now to the rest of the fleet who just need to search the ham frequency bands with a scanner to find "secret" channels for other F/Vs.

[gingerella]

Thus whole show has become nothing more than producer driven drama with these guys selling out to create drama that they just re hash over and over and over again. Example, people keep hooking up to work with the doors team of Do Nothing Josh and his captain, they keep screwing people over, and nobody stops working with them. When those two screwed over Keith recently then had the balls to ask for help? I realized it's all just fake drama now bc if it was real nobody would work with those two lying chucklefucks. 

And don't get me stated on Jake's Co stant whining about how he's going to lose his boat to Shaun if he doesn't catch enough quota. Of course he's not losing g his boat so STFU already with the hand wringing and opening. Gah! This show is just so annoying now. 🙄 

[Stevie Nicks]

On 7/15/2022 at 8:15 PM, NJRadioGuy said:

I don't think Keith's personal crab tank is completely full if you take my meaning. Something not right or else he's playing a role for the Disco cameras.

I've thought that for a long time. He comes unhinged and it scary how he looks and acts. 

[NJRadioGuy]

5 hours ago, Stevie Nicks said:

I've thought that for a long time. He comes unhinged and it scary how he looks and acts. 

He's always been an asshole boss, but generally a competent captain with sense and an understanding of the big picture. So either now he's finally lost the plot entirely or else he's playing to Disco's plot.

I gave the CM guys the benefit of the doubt for a while, but it's turned into the Phil Harris Memorial TV show this season. It's like the producers aren't even trying anymore, and for whatever reason, thinks the audience feels a connection to Dipshit Harris. At least Casey is a competent mariner, but even with that said he's become a class A dickhead lately.

Edited July 17, 2022 by NJRadioGuy

[kassa]

Keith lost a lot through his drinking and his kids are teens now, so... I imagine that sober or not, he's feeling some repercussions of life decisions. 

Casey's rage scene a couple of seasons ago (when he destroyed somebody else's galley) ruined him for me. He's pleasant and jovial enough on the show, but he's a dangerous guy. No thanks.

All these flashback scenes to young Jake Anderson show how much time has passed. He's damn lucky for Uncle Nick getting him on the Northwestern, because it was the making of him. I know that Keith or Jonathan could have brought him along, too, but not in a way that gave him a view towards a stable life with family etc. Whatever occasional drama Sig might have, as passionate as he is about the family business, he views it as a business. His paperwork is in order. His boat is ship shape.  He's not playing pirate, he's not trying to be 25 years old forever.  Clearly he had his sports car totaling crazy days... but he grew up, married a serious partner, not a fling he met in a bar, built a home life. That gave him an insight into showing Jake that he could, too. 

I remember in an early season somebody implying that Sig had to fish to pay the bills and he said flat out that he had more than enough money to retire very comfortably and it wasn't about money. I think Jake craves and has a good shot at that kind of stability.  Sean Dwyer seems to have been born and raised into a very stable life and should continue it also. Bodes well for the younger guys.

I don't really count Harris because as soon as the cameras go he'll probably cash out, turn the CM into a party vessel in some warm waters, and party until it all evaporates. 

[NJRadioGuy]

22 hours ago, kassa said:

Whatever occasional drama Sig might have, as passionate as he is about the family business, he views it as a business. His paperwork is in order. His boat is ship shape.  He's not playing pirate, he's not trying to be 25 years old forever.  Clearly he had his sports car totaling crazy days... but he grew up, married a serious partner, not a fling he met in a bar, built a home life. That gave him an insight into showing Jake that he could, too.  <snip>  I think Jake craves and has a good shot at that kind of stability.

Jake could be a great fisherman if he knew where to find crab without radio fishing. Every damned season he's portrayed as striking out until he gets a lucky break. Meanwhile Sig and Keith just know where to go, and if plan A doesn't work out, they've already got plans B and C in the backs of their minds. I'd venture to say Sean Dwyer is the same, but he's so rarely on camera these days it's hard to tell.

Jonathan I have to wonder about. Is he in it just for the money or is it something he loves and dearly missed when he "retired" a few years ago. Like Jake, though, Jonathan seems to be snakebit at times and has problems finding where to fish. He's also been a doormat to Casey/Josh at times, but maybe that's just who he is. Besides, shenanigans or not, he saved a man out of the Bering Sea--I can forgive a lot of horseplay for snatching one back from Davey Jones.

"Harley" can just get off my screen. The only boat I don't care about. Once an asshole always an asshole in my book, although it does look like the Disco cameras are trying to portray him in a better light this season (and part of last), but I still have no use for him.

[Stevie Nicks]

1 hour ago, NJRadioGuy said:

Jake could be a great fisherman if he knew where to find crab without radio fishing. Every damned season he's portrayed as striking out until he gets a lucky break. 

"Harley" can just get off my screen. The only boat I don't care about. Once an asshole always an asshole in my book, although it does look like the Disco cameras are trying to portray him in a better light this season (and part of last), but I still have no use for him.

Jake has been on the Bering Sea for enough years now, that he should know at least where to start prospecting. 

Every time we see Harley, we yell "SHITBAG!". Can't stand him. 

[merylinkid]

16 hours ago, NJRadioGuy said:

Jake could be a great fisherman if he knew where to find crab without radio fishing. Every damned season he's portrayed as striking out until he gets a lucky break. Meanwhile Sig and Keith just know where to go, and if plan A doesn't work out, they've already got plans B and C in the backs of their minds. I'd venture to say Sean Dwyer is the same, but he's so rarely on camera these days it's hard to tell.

Jonathan I have to wonder about. Is he in it just for the money or is it something he loves and dearly missed when he "retired" a few years ago. Like Jake, though, Jonathan seems to be snakebit at times and has problems finding where to fish. He's also been a doormat to Casey/Josh at times, but maybe that's just who he is. Besides, shenanigans or not, he saved a man out of the Bering Sea--I can forgive a lot of horseplay for snatching one back from Davey Jones.

gotta wonder how much is producer shenanigans.    Jake may know where the crab are, but they want to portray him still as this new captain trying to learn.   Or you know, sometimes you just strike out.    Captain Phil of Blessed Memory said he came up empty lots of time.   But of course that doesn't match the current narrative of the show.   So his son -- who is carrying on the Old Man's Legacy in case you didn't know -- always knows where to fish.   he's so great at fishing because of the knowledge Phil passed along (which somehow we never actually saw him doing) that other more experienced captains like Jonathan come to him for advice.

The show has to have some people who always magically hit on crab and some who somehow, someway never can find it without help.   But everyone somehow makes quota.   

We don't see Sean Dwyer because there's very little drama with him.   they had to manufacture some with Jake betting his boat to pay for Sean giving him some of his quota.   Instead of the real drama -- somehow Sean has a fleet of boats.   He still has the breanna A and now the Leanore.   Plus a couple of tenders.    How did he manage that?   THAT's the story I want to see.

[LilyD]

11 hours ago, merylinkid said:

gotta wonder how much is producer shenanigans.    Jake may know where the crab are, but they want to portray him still as this new captain trying to learn. 

I have recently started to wonder if Jake is nothing more than a Josh Harris: A Disco-puppet acting a role in front of the camera but playing no significant part in the actual crab fishing off camera. 

He started off as a young guy, eager to learn and desperate for some respect. He was at the bottom of the pecking order on the NW for a long, long time and it took as many years before they were starting to take him serious as a fisherman. He wanted to be captain, he wanted the respect and prestige of being a captain, yet he is always shown as the dim-witted captain who could not control his crew, had serious anger issues and cannot fish without help of other captains. Why does he allow this to happen? It seems to go against everything he once stood for. Is it the fame and money he is paid? I don't know...

[gingerella]

I'm so glad it's not just my husband and I that see this bullshit. Remember when this show had its original intro and it was so kick ass? Then they all started to ham it up in front of the cameras, and now it feels like they're just humping a dead whale most of the time. If I hear about 'The Old Man' one more time I swear... Josh is a fucking embarrassment to his father's skill and memory IMO. He's absolutely useless and he could never be on the water without the real captain, Casey. That said, Casey has turned into a Grade A, First Class assclown since hooking up with Josh. They two of them always giving these shitty looks when they go radio trawling for help and people don't want to answer their calls. Yeah, because you two fuckwits always screw over the other person, but hey, get indignant about people not wanting to partner up because they all know you're assholes. Then there's idiot Jake, who always looks about one step away from becoming a junkie, he's always whining about something, but at least he actually appears to captain his own boat, at least from what they show us. Jonathan I cannot figure out at all, he seems like he ran out of money and had to come back to the show. His brother must have invested more wisely than he did! Keith is a fool most of the time though I believe he basically knows how to fish. But that goddamn fist pump and grunting he always does when he's on the crab makes me want to hurl every time he does that. Dude, just, NO. STOP. Honestly? Sig is the only one of the bunch who seems legit, smart, and doesn't turn into a drama queen every time the cameras are on. Though if I heard one more 'we gotta get home before Mandy gives birth!' I can see her husband needing to be there, but dude, you do NOT need to see the birth of your grandchild. Aint nobody need to be watching that except the baby daddy!

As for  Harley, he's a fucking asshole extraordinare. We also loathe that guy, he's just a dick, period end of story. And the new guy, the Patricia A captain, he's a walking disaster and should have his license revoked permanently with all the accidents that are happening on his watch. He seems like he's high all the time, like, "Oh mannnn, hmmm, well I can't leave the wheel house so..." Your fucking deckhand is seriously bleeding asshole, figure shit out STAT. And then there's that other asshole, Wild Bill, whom I only can stomach in Norway because that took him down several notches and he was bearable at least.

Speaking of Norway, I would much prefer an entire season of watching Sig in Norway, anyone else with me? I liked how he related to folks there, and I also liked how the deck crew was zero bullshit. That's what I want to see, not these namsy pamsy bullshit whiners complaining all the time. But also, I get why crab is so expensive now...

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I wanna fly like an eagle...Sig, not so much.  ;)  At least this week Disco quickly acknowledged he had a compass with which to navigate.

The reaction to the dude's thumb cut seemed way more tolerant that what I earlier recall.  I'm glad they were able to sit him, but this seems like new thinking.  I loved seeing him work himself into a state when it came time to treat it.  He is a tough, tough, dude.  Here, he fell completely apart over the healing process.   Aren't we funny creatures?

The Patty Lee has been the most intriguing F/V his season.  How the heck did they amass so much quota?  How much did that cost the crew based on profit/pound?  The announced increase would not have amounted to very much at all to them.  Their muted reaction to the Cap was telling.

So, now we are complaining about the floes coming faster and growing larger?  I guess global warming was better for the fleet, but they have never, and will never, acknowledge that.  They'd rather have greater hazards over a larger sea area?  Well, they got it.

[kassa]

On 7/21/2022 at 7:10 PM, LilyD said:

I have recently started to wonder if Jake is nothing more than a Josh Harris: A Disco-puppet acting a role in front of the camera but playing no significant part in the actual crab fishing off camera. 

I think he's legit - even Keith Coburn praised him, and you know he wasn't shy about saying Josh was a fraud. Some say that people freeze developmentally at the age they started drugs. I'm not sure what age that was for Jake, but certainly teen years. I think over the years we have witnessed him actually working his way beyond that developmental age, dealing with two tragic deaths in his immediate family, numerous drug deaths in his professional circle of friends, going through his serious anger issues and need to establish himself as an authority figure to crew, start his own nuclear family, etc. Unless they're completely making up numbers, he seems to have and deliver a LOT of quota. He seems to have crew who respect him as a boss. He will probably try to build a core crew as Sig did - pay them well, take care of them and keep them loyal, and avoid the hiring drama and risks involved in unknown people on the boat.  He seems to be active in remaining sober and helping others... if he can learn to deal with stress better I think he'll be okay. 

He's aged 20 years in the last 10 (though to be fair, he looked like a teen in his late 20s so it was bound to catch up to him.) In comparison, Josh doesn't appear to be bearing anything near the load.  

On 7/22/2022 at 1:58 PM, gingerella said:

If I hear about 'The Old Man' one more time I swear... Josh is a fucking embarrassment to his father's skill and memory IMO. He's absolutely useless and he could never be on the water without the real captain, Casey. That said, Casey has turned into a Grade A, First Class assclown since hooking up with Josh. They two of them always giving these shitty looks when they go radio trawling for help and people don't want to answer their calls. Yeah, because you two fuckwits always screw over the other person, but hey, get indignant about people not wanting to partner up because they all know you're assholes. 

SNIP

Speaking of Norway, I would much prefer an entire season of watching Sig in Norway, anyone else with me? I liked how he related to folks there, and I also liked how the deck crew was zero bullshit. That's what I want to see, not these namsy pamsy bullshit whiners complaining all the time. But also, I get why crab is so expensive now...

Josh and Casey are making a tv show. Which is what Disco wants, apparently, as it gave them a second one.  I still cannot understand them paying them for their own show then glomming it onto DC because it clearly cannot stand alone. What's the point? Definitely would go for a Hansens fish in Norway show (damn you, Edgar). 

[Daff]

On 7/21/2022 at 7:44 AM, merylinkid said:

 He still has the breanna A and now the Leanore.   Plus a couple of tenders.    How did he manage that?   THAT's the story I want to see.

We sort of did see the grounding for that shortly after his first appearance on the (AK crab fishing) scene. Son of a sane, sober east coast fisherman (who passed away), he’s experienced, sane and sober himself. His mother isn’t any slouch, either. This is now a mother-son business neither one will let fail. Besides, they have to be angry as hell, as the government has been crushing the east coast fisheries far longer and harder than they’ve been focused on Alaska.