The Sig And Jake Moment On Deadliest Catch Fans Think Was Totally Scripted
"Deadliest Catch" has built up a reputation over the years for being one of the most dangerous reality TV shows to film. Indeed, the stakes for the crab fishermen featured in the show are very real, as the harsh conditions of the job have resulted in numerous injuries among the crews and even the tragic death of cast member Todd Kochutin. Unfortunately, there are other elements of the show that some fans feel are less genuine.
The series has repeatedly invited criticism for introducing plotlines that feel forced or manufactured for the sake of drama. Some longtime fans of "Deadliest Catch" even stopped watching the show because of its perceived emphasis on forced drama. While a few cast members have adamantly rejected the notion that the show is scripted to some extent, former series star Elliot Neese has stated in no uncertain terms his belief that some parts of "Deadliest Catch" are staged.
Regardless, there have been many scenes on the series that fans have called out for seeming scripted or faked. One particularly egregious example stems from an episode in a recent season that showcased a bizarre interaction between Sig Hansen and Jake Anderson.
Sig gets controlling over Jake
The competing interests of the various fishing vessels means that interactions between captains on "Deadliest Catch" can get a little tense, but one sequence involving Sig and Jake took things a step further. The 18th episode of Season 16 has a scene in which Sig talks about using Jake as a puppet to do his bidding. The scene feels out-of-character for Sig, especially considering the mentor-mentee relationship he has with Jake across the show. One confused fan posted a thread on the r/deadliestcatch subreddit questioning why Sig would talk about Jake in this way. They were met with a clear answer.
"Because it was in the script..." u/beachdude420 responded.
Other commenters echoed this idea, with most believing that the scene was scripted out to create more drama between the characters. "Out of all the captains, Sig is most often the one in the middle of the drama constructed by the writers," u/pcnauta commented. "I sometimes wonder if Sig has aspirations to be an actor."
Even if the scene was staged, it's unlikely that fans would get any confirmation from the show's current cast, as several of them have persisted in describing the show as genuine. "Of course, there are thousands of hours of footage that are edited down to the episodes that eventually air, so viewers obviously don't see everything," F/V Summer Bay and "Deadliest Catch" star Bill Wichrowski said in a 2013 interview with Hollywood Soapbox. "But what you do see is real."