(There are no spoilers in this post)

Deadliest Catch on The Discovery Channel is one of my favorite shows. There’s just something about watching crab being caught. It’s strange as I normally hate reality TV like split-pea soup.

What?! Have you ever had split-pea soup??!!

Deadliest Catch is by far, the best reality style show out (outside of the food and travel shows like Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations) and one of the few must watch shows in that category.

The show chronicles the working exploits of men on the Bering Sea fishing for the king and snow crabs that so many of us find so delicious. Captain Phil Harris was a captain of the Cornelia Marie, a fishing vessel in the fleet that Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch films from.

Captain Phil passed away from a massive stroke back and passed away on February 9, 2010.

Captain Phil was one of my favorite personalities on the show and you could see his work ethic and family spirit shine through on every episode. There’s no fakes on this show, just real people working really hard.

It’s hard even calling it a “show”. That actually takes away from the real-life drama that you witness every time you watch an episode. From the stunning camera work, to the blunt-in-your-face people, it’s just magic.

When I first heard the news of Captain Phil’s passing, I had this fear that Discovery Channel and the shows producers might do the “Hollywood” treatment of it rather than respect Captain Phil’s passing.

The last few weeks of Deadliest Catch have been anything but. I found myself so happy and almost proud that the show has handled Captain Phil’s passing in an extremely respectful manner while showing the events for what it was: a tragic passing of a wonderful, hard-working, hard-partying human being.

For that, as a fan of the show, I can’t be more grateful to everyone involved in the show’s production.

It’s been at once a celebration of Captain Phil’s life along with the jarring reality that he’ll only be a part of his many friends’ and family’s lives in spirit. We’re reminded that the end of the story, as Captain Phil called it, in life is really a new beginning. There is no better example than this season of Deadliest Catch.

Rest In Peace, Captain Phil.

(Editor’s Note: If you haven’t seen the show, you really need to take in a few episodes on The Discovery Channel. The production crew does and outstanding job of bringing all the real-drama onto your TV set. The love and respect that these hard-working folks have for each other is so genuine, it’s hard not to get caught up in it. Most of all, the cast of characters on the show along with the production crew remind you every time you watch: This is their family. You’re only along for the ride.)

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