S12.E16: Life Or Death Decision

[thewhiteowl]

Quote

A rogue wave forces Zach to make a life or death decision; Josh bets on a Bering Sea myth against his co-capt and crew.

[walnutqueen]

Josh lucked out, but if I am not mistaken, Casey was the one who suggested setting in a tight circle over the bio-mass.

[BusyOctober]

I haven't watched yet, but if this is another "Josh rules the waves" episode, then I guess I can delete it?  I already FF through any CM scenes now that Casey has stopped being the voice of reason & joined the frat mentality. 

Loved Jake & Keith's "shouting match" on the Bait. And my crush on Mike Fourtner only grows every time he shows up. The Bait is more fun and entertaining than Deadliest Catch sometimes.

[kassa]

It definitely had a lot of subtle (as well as one whopper of an overt) Phil references.

In parallel, Sean referenced his Dad, too.  I can't help but think we're supposed to compare/contrast.  Sean's references to his father are about hard work and dotting your Is and crossing your Ts and taking care of a business that he started from scratch.

Josh's references to his father are all magical thinking, duck farts, etc.  

I was glad that the captains pointed out to Jake the difference between yelling because he's righteously angry, and yelling because he's frantic and out of control.  

Watching the repeat from last week (with additional material) I kind of laughed at Sean -- we see him as so mature compared to even a few of the older captains, but there was a dorky look of glee on his face when his greenhorn had to eat the fish intestine that suddenly reminded me that this is a really young guy.  It wasn't just a happy momentary diversion in an otherwise boring day -- he thought it was hysterical.

Edited July 20, 2016 by kassa

[merylinkid]

"I want a damn flaming hook."  

Mandy is a Hansen.   

"These guys are pyromaniacs."   Really Sig.   I have a good idea who started that tradition.   

[rainsmom]

I haven't watched the show yet, but The Bait was frickin' hysterical. 

I noticed on The Bait that Jake is more relaxed and comfortable in his captain role now. He seems more mature than he did just a few months ago. He also accepted criticism well, and was willing to admit his shortcomings. I like that.

[SRTouch]

10 hours ago, kassa said:

I was glad that the captains pointed out to Jake the difference between yelling because he's righteously angry, and yelling because he's frantic and out of control.  

One reason I like the Jake segments is that he's usually ready to admit being wrong. I think this was the first time I heard about "packing" the boat - and I liked that we heard Jake accept responsibility for putting his men and boat in danger when that monster wave hit. I liked how he admitted his screaming is often a result of being out of control. Then again, all to often his segments are just whining and screaming.

[millennium]

I don't watch The Bait.   I'm not sure I like these guys very much off the boats.

This season has been a let-down.    I don't know what I was expecting but I find myself bored by every episode now.

That is, when I'm not pissed off by the "Josh rules the waves" episodes (good one, BusyOctober).   I openly admit that I want Josh to fail, and fail miserably.    It is infuriating to me that this charlatan has been equipped with a babysitter to keep him from stepping in his own shit, and coddled by a show hell-bent on portraying him as a young prince worthy of his dead father's crown.   The sound of his giggling over his good fortune this episode was insufferable.  

Maybe if the episode or the season were better it wouldn't irk me so much.   But there's nothing to offset it.   It's so dull that even Mike Rowe has become irritating.

[kassa]

I was pondering the various captains and it occurred to me that Sig and Edgar and possibly Johnathan are the only ones who have truly benefited from the show in meaningful ways.  We've seen the show destroy people (not solely responsible, but likely a very strong component in marriages breaking down faster than they otherwise would have, lost sobriety, etc).   

I think Sig and Edgar connected with parts of themselves that actually were stronger than the parts they were cultivating before the show.  They're funny and conscientious and good public speakers, and seeing those truths reflected back at them through the fanbase seems to have helped shift their personalities in less destructive directions.  Sig was always a good teacher, which is part of why he was so prominent in the early years -- in a group of often inarticulate men, he was capable of explaining concepts easily and accessibly.  But he had major anger issues, and probably a lot of self esteem stuff going on (proud of his fishing heritage, but always stressing that he didn't know how to/couldn't do anything else).  But he and the others on the NW seem to have discovered a kind of humility about the whole experience - a wonder that people admired their work ethic and their humor and cared about their well being, and it seems to have really rounded out their personalities in meaningful ways. They've appreciated the opportunities they've gotten and used them productively. Watching Sig on the shopping network effortlessly interacting with the professional hostess is something to behold. Norm doesn't say anything on the show, but he shares his photography freely online.

I've always said the worst part about this show was that all the guys with addiction issues (or prone to them) were suddenly thrust into the spotlight where they were the most popular guy at the party, and suddenly every airport lounge and nightclub was full of people buying them drinks and who knows what else.  And women. It took down Jake H, it took down Andy, it took down Matt... how many others? Even Keith seems to be teetering at the brink this season.

Edgar could have gone either way -- if he was ever on the wagon at the beginning, he certainly went off it (drunk posting, etc), but pulled back, at least publicly, and seems to have matured a lot in recent years.  Jake A also could have gone off the deep end, but the Hansen discipline (and his own) seem to have served him well.  

Johnathan's health issues have probably mellowed him more than anything else.  You can see the kind guy that others described but which was invisible to me in the past behind his violence.  Hopefully that's all behind him.  I like the nice Johnathan.  

[breezy424]

I also like the nice Jonathan... the momma possum.  I've been pretty meh on him in the past.

I still don't care for Sig.  Maybe it's because of Edgar.  Yes, Edgar has had his addiction issues but he is my favorite and always has been.  Sig has been the golden one who was given it all because he was the oldest and Edgar was always just the guy on deck and the screw up.  And I know folks can give me tons of reasons why Sig has treated Edgar the way he has but there's always been this part of me that wonders what would have been if things been different.  I'm not downplaying what was Sig expected to do at age 22 and expecting him to captain a fishing vessel  but it was 'given' to him.  And from what we've heard, he wasn't all that perfect in the beginning.

Speaking of Sig....his appearance on Celebrity Apprentice was just so pathetic to me.  Sorry but to me it hurt Deadliest Catch.  I don't even watch Celebrity Apprentice (I won't go there) but I did watch because of Sig but it was a kind of an ultimate 'sell out'.   He also sucked on the show.

Keith's divorce was completely a surprise to me.  It seemed that he and his wife had a solid relationship.  Maybe if it happened six seasons ago I could understand it better....instant fame and the like.  Very disappointing. 

Edited July 22, 2016 by breezy424

[kassa]

I guess we'd have to play with the idea of what exactly was "given" to him.  The three guys I believe own equal shares of the business/boat.  Sig runs the business, and he runs the boat.  Was that "given" to him?  Sure.  Was he working on the boat from age 14 or whatever and then full time year round once he was out of school?  Yes.  Norm wasn't interested in fishing and went off for 10 years to work on cars, and Edgar was... growing up.  And Sig seems to have had the drive and the stamina to make a successful career at it.

He gets a bigger cut as captain, but I don't know how they divvy up the rest of the spoils.  

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Whether it was Casey or Josh who decided to do the circle string, it is farce that either one accepts outsize praise.  That was a no-brainer decision and it would have been malfeasance to not have taken it.  Also, the risk was what, 6, 7, 8 total pots out of 80+?

We're never gonna hear and see the last of Phil, are we?  How about we get more about other legends, supported with whatever media is available?  josh's remark that he was the "King of the crabbers." was insulting.  He was wily and pretty good.  If he were the best, why was the CM in constant danger of failure to be a going concern?

I feel for Wild Bill trying so desperately to make Zack the fisherman happen.  Everything he said on this ep was correct.  If Zack had a small fraction of Jake Anderson's passion?  Yowza.  If there is a next season, this could be the best arc as Zack breaks his dad's heart.

Every so often, we get legit moments.  That rogue wave was horribly real.  Zack's quick reaction was tremendous.  That was DC at its best.

Edited July 25, 2016 by Lonesome Rhodes