Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch depicts the real-life risks of Alaskan crab fishing.
However, the show doesn't quite catch everything.
Let's dock the Sea Star, Time Bandit, and all other boats to get a closer look at Deadliest
Catch.
ELLIOTT NEESE'S REHAB STAY
During season 11 of Deadliest Catch, then Captain Elliott Neese abruptly handed over
the helm of the Saga to first mate Jeff Folk and left his ship—leaving viewers wondering
why he went AWOL.
After rumors swirled in tabloids about his addiction problems, Neese himself tweeted
in May 2015 that he'd entered a 60-day program at Passages Malibu for an undisclosed program.
He wrote that he'd "had issues," but after his stay at Passages, had "a new outlook on
things now."
NEESE'S RESTRAINING ORDER
It seems Elliott Neese is a magnet for trouble.
Back in 2012, he got himself slapped with a restraining order, according to documents
cited by Entertainment Weekly.
It seems he'd been harassing his baby mamma Valerie Gunderson for the better part of a
month, maybe more.
In her petition, Gunderson said she feared for her personal safety "in the event that
Elliott ‘snaps’ so to speak."
She also claimed that during one incident in 2010, Neese got so angry that he destroyed
her television—and then started burning her clothes in the fireplace.
It seems that for Gunderson, snagging Neese's heart was a pretty deadly catch in and of
itself.
FREDDY MAUGATAI: BATHROOM BRAWLER
Apparently, Feleti "Freddy" Maugatai has some mixed-martial arts ambitions.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by TMZ, Maugatai got involved in a fight against
a husband and wife team in the bathroom of the Grand Aleutian Hotel back in December
2011.
Maugatai claims he was defending himself when he put the husband in a headlock and shoved
the guy's wife.
Police arrested him, despite his story.
He was later fired from his ship for an unrelated incident, but maybe he should look into bringing
his untapped fighting prowess to the octagon.
Each of his fights could be called "Deadliest Match!"
Don't deny it: you'd watch it.
JAKE HARRIS: DRUNK DRIVER
Jake Harris, son of the late Captain Phil Harris, seems to have made a smooth transition
from crab fisherman to reality star.
Back in 2010, Jake was arrested for a hit and run, driving under the influence, and
driving with a suspended license after crashing his BMW in Seattle, according to People Magazine.
Supposedly, Jake had a tough time dealing with his father's death.
But while that may explain his actions, it certainly didn't justify them.
Plus, it's not the best way to honor his father's legacy.
Neither was his other indiscretion…
JAKE HARRIS' DRUG STRUGGLES
In November 2010, TMZ reported that Captain Derek Ray, of the Cornelia Marie, called police
to the boat because he suspected Jake Harris was abusing drugs while at sea.
Police discovered "paraphernalia," but it wasn't enough to charge Jake with any crime.
A few years later, Jake was noticeably absent from Deadliest Catch's 2013 promos.
According to his brother Josh, via Huffington Post, Jake was "lost in drugs," obviously
still reeling from his father's death.
"Jake’s gotta take care of his own stuff right now.
Deal with his demons," said Josh.
Fortunately, as of August 2015, Jake was clean and captaining his father's old boat.
JOSHUA TEL WARNER: BANK ROBBER
Despite the crimes committed by other Deadliest Catchers, Joshua Tel Warner might be the biggest
criminal of them all.
According to CBS News, Warner was wanted for a series of bank robberies that took place
in Oregon from 2007 to 2009.
So what did Warner do to lay low?
He appeared on television.
Oregon law enforcement officials recognized Warner during a 2010 episode of Deadliest
Catch and immediately issued a warrant for his arrest.
Warner plead guilty to reduce his prison sentence from 30 years to nine and a half years.
Side note for any aspiring bank robbers: the only time you should appear on TV is on Cops.
DRUG TRAFFICKING PRODUCERS
Even the people behind-the-scenes on Deadliest Catch are magnets for trouble.
Production manager Matthew Schneider was charged in April 2010 for selling and using cocaine,
according to The Associated Press.
Schneider's illicit activities were discovered after he allegedly sold about $300 worth of
the stuff to an undercover officer—and used some of it in front of the officer as well.
Oops!
He also revealed that some other show employees were involved in a drug-trafficking affair,
which resulted in the arrests of 18 people.
HILLSTRAND BROTHERS ABANDON SHIP
The best thing to happen to a breakout character on a hit show is scoring a spin-off—unless
they're the Hillstrand brothers.
In 2010, Discovery offered Jonathan and Andy their own show, to be called Hillstranded.
Discovery even started filming footage for it.
However, when the time came to record voiceovers and polish everything up, the brothers were
nowhere to be found, according to E! Online.
This didn't sit well with Discovery, who slapped them with a $3 million lawsuit.
The Hillstrands retaliated by leaving Deadliest Catch altogether, taking fan-favorite Captain
Sig Hansen with them.
They all eventually made up, but the Hillstrands' trouble didn't end there…
FIREWORKS FOLLIES
The Hillstrand brothers may need to hand over some money to crew member David "Beaver" Zielinski,
according to Seattle PI.
In 2013, the Hillstrands wanted to celebrate a Seattle Seahawks victory by shooting off
some fireworks—because, yeah, shooting off fireworks on a boat is a good idea.
Under captain's orders, Zielinski lit off a mortar like a foolishly obedient deckhand.
The firework, which was made by the Hillstrands, exploded while he held it, shattering the
bones in his hand and forearm.
Beaver filed his suit in 2015, seeking an undisclosed amount.
Looks like choppy waters ahead for the Hillstrands after all...
ALASKA DISLIKES THE SHOW
While viewers still love Deadliest Catch, Alaska had its fill of the show, according
to Alaska Dispatch News.
To summarize the complex issue, the boats featured on the show are making things difficult
for the rest of the northern crabbing fleet to earn a living.
It seems that the Discovery Channel's funding of fishing expeditions, in whole or part,
has affected the crews not participating in the show.
That's made it difficult for them to keep up.
In some cases, those crews end up earning minimum wage, and crabbing "is far too dangerous"
for such miniscule pay.
On the other hand, it does afford Discovery Channel the opportunity to create a show about
former fisherman now living on skid row.
BEHIND THE SCENES FAKERY?
Like most reality shows, Deadliest Catch is guilty of dressing up the events that happen
in real life.
In their case, producers made it appear as though one of the ships was in danger of being
sunk by huge waves during a storm, which is an honest hazard of crab fishing.
However, the episode in which this was dramatized was filmed in September 2008, while the waves
themselves were filmed a month later, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Unsurprisingly, the Discovery Channel denies any trickery.
Caught red-handed?
Or perhaps red-clawed?
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