We Can't Just Ignore The Tragedy Of The Deadiest Catch Much Longer

Unfortunately for the stars of Deadliest Catch, the drama has not been confined to the high seas. Tragedy has followed the show's captains and crew members on-shore, landing several of them in court and even in jail cells. And some who have escaped sinking or burning ships have done so only to die in hotel rooms or in their own front yards. Others, blessed with great hauls and good health, have had to spend their hard-earned money on funeral suits. It's like that old saying: "Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning." Fifteen seasons into the show, it seems that many involved with Deadliest Catch are cursed to see more than their fair share of red skies.

Since it first made its debut on the Discovery Channel in 2005, "Deadliest Catch" has been one of the network's most popular reality TV shows. The series covers the incredibly tough and dangerous life onboard crab fishing vessels, showing how some of the most popular seafood in the world is taken from the ocean to the dinner table. The action takes place primarily in the Bering Sea in the northern Pacific Ocean, where the waters are fierce and the weather can quickly turn deadly. Some aspects of the popular series are manipulated by the production team, but the danger is usually real. it's not uncommon for a "Deadliest Catch" crew to find themselves in the midst of gale force winds or typhoons, yet they manage to stick it out in order to secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in precious crab.

First things first: Everyone who appears as a cast member on "Deadliest Catch" is legit, because the commercial fishing industry is one of the most dangerous jobs out there. Not only are there a surprising number of ways fishermen can get injured or die, but they're pretty horrible ways to go, too. Making sure that doesn't happen — to anyone on the crew — takes some serious strength, stamina, situational awareness, and the ability to go long hours without sleep or food, all while staying on top of what's going on ... and what can potentially happen in a split second.

A pioneering and often frighteningly real entry in the genre of reality television, "Deadliest Catch" has been airing on Discovery Channel since 2005. Hundreds of episodes have captured what it's like to live and work on crab-fishing boats around Alaska, while exploring the bonds between the hale and hearty guys who throw out crab cages and haul them back in. These fishermen didn't necessarily set out to become TV stars, but they certainly became them, bringing unflinching drama to the masses.

Alaskan crab fishing is grueling, and occasionally deadly work, and the show gives bite-sized, hour-long glimpses into what it takes to put crab on tables and buffets thousands of miles from where they're plucked from the ocean's unforgiving tempest. But how accurate is it?