Does Deadliest Catch Fake It For The Cameras?
Don't let the "reality" part fool you. For the most part, reality TV shows are every bit as scripted as your average sitcom or drama. Of course, that doesn't stop viewers from tuning in and suspending their disbelief as the illusion of reality is oftentimes presented very convincingly. Of course, some series of this ilk are pretty authentic, but viewers should always take them with a pinch of salt until the facts come to light. But which one of these categories does "Deadliest Catch" fall into?
"Deadliest Catch" boasts a simple premise that shouldn't really require any scripting. The Discovery Channel's hit series dives into the lives of boat captains and their crew members as they navigate the wild waters of Alaska during crab fishing season. It isn't a glamorous lifestyle and the series has chronicled many sad moments, including the deaths of popular stars. Those elements of "Deadliest Catch" are completely real, but the series has also been known to fabricate some scenes for the sake of creating heightened drama.
Something smells fishy about Deadliest Catch
"Deadliest Catch" has been praised for its realistic depiction of life at sea. The aforementioned deaths, along with the frequent poor weather conditions that the crews must cope with, clearly aren't the product of a writer's pen. The cast and crew do encounter significant hurdles and risks while creating each episode, and they deserve credit for their dedication to the craft.
That said, the Discovery series has been known to manipulate footage on some occasions. For example, one time the show's creators spliced together footage from a flood and a raging storm to make it seem like the storm caused a boat to fill with water and put the crew's lives at risk. In reality, the storm never caused the flood and the boat was never in any danger of sinking.
Elsewhere, some of the interpersonal drama between the stars has been scripted. This statement was backed up by series veteran Elliot Neese, who claimed that "Deadliest Catch" is like every other reality show when it comes to providing entertainment over facts. "I tell it straight. I don't appease the camera, and maybe that doesn't always come off right," he said (per Newswire). "But remember, reality TV isn't real. It's entertainment, that's it."