Deadliest Catch: The Viking Returns Poses A Whole New Challenge For Sig Hansen
"Deadliest Catch: The Viking Returns" is the latest spinoff born from Discovery's highly successful documentary series "Deadliest Catch" — which captures the extremely dangerous work of commercial fishermen within the Bering Sea. In a similar vein to "Deadliest Catch: Bloodlines" (a spinoff focused specifically on the family of Captain Josh Harris, who was recently fired from "Deadliest Catch" due to some alarming allegations) this brand-new spinoff will focus heavily on the family history of one of the series' most iconic cast members.
According to Discovery's official description for the series, "Deadliest Catch: The Viking Returns" will follow Captain Sig Hansen as he and his family return to their "Norwegian homeland," in an attempt to establish their own king crab fishing empire. Hansen's abrupt return to the Norwegian coast was precipitated by the closing of the Alaskan Red King Crab fishery, a major storyline throughout Season 18 of "Deadliest Catch," which left many longtime fishermen (including Hansen) reeling.
As such, Hansen's return to Norway provides him with a golden opportunity to get his business back on track — though admittedly, there are still plenty of brand-new challenges he'll have to face if he wants to establish himself in these foreign waters.
Sig Hansen says the unfamiliar waters presented a major challenge for him
Sig Hansen has braved dangerous weather and risky conditions many times before, but during a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, he revealed that one particularly challenging part of his move to Norway was his own lack of experience with Norwegian waters. "For me, the biggest challenge fishing in Norway was the uncharted waters," Hansen explained. "When I'm in the Bering Sea I know the area and geography pretty much like the back of my hand. Fishing in Norway was like a new map to learn."
Although it certainly makes sense that Sig Hansen would have a bit of navigation trouble after leaving the Bering Sea — which he has explored thoroughly throughout his tenure on "Deadliest Catch" — it's still somewhat ironic to hear the captain of the F/V Northwestern referring to Norway as "uncharted waters" when Discovery is pushing the series as a return to his homeland. Indeed, although the series makes much and more about the Hansen family's connection to Norway, Sig Hansen actually hadn't been able to return to the country in several years due to the pandemic, and he admitted that this return was as exciting as it was daunting.
Despite the fact that Sig Hansen may not be as familiar with Norwegian waters as he is with the Bering Sea, his obvious passion for his family's ancestral home makes it clear that he will do everything he can to find success in this brand-new environment — regardless of any obstacles in his way.