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'Deadliest Catch': Thom Beers talks Jake, Josh and Phil Harris family drama
Last week on Discovery Channel's crab-fishing saga "Deadliest Catch," fans saw a family in crisis, as Capt. Phil Harris of the F/V Cornelia Marie caught his twentysomething deckhand son, Jake (far left), stealing his pain medications. The confrontation ended with Jake's admission that he is an addict.Fans also know that Phil Harris suffered a stroke while off-loading crab in port in St. Paul, Alaska, on Jan. 29, and that it ultimately claimed his life in an Anchorage hospital on Feb. 9, at the age of 53.
A lot happened between Harris and his son in the meantime.
Says executive producer Thom Beers, "When Phil does have his stroke and is in the hospital, there's a real kind of redemption. They get together, like, 'Kid, get your life together.' So that arc ... it's an amazing kind of story."
As the episode opens this Tuesday (June 22), Beers says, "They're back to fishing, and they're back to not talking with each other. There's other drama that goes around the other boats, and this simmers for a little bit. It simmers."
But at the end of the episode, Jake and his older brother, Josh, also a deckhand on the Cornelia Marie, face the shock of their father's stroke.
"There's a lot of dynamic to that," says Beers. "My God, it's intense. Jake is right there, and Josh goes into this weird tailspin. He's staying on the boat, saying, 'I'll take care of the boat while you do this.' Then one of the guys in the boat starts talking to him, 'I lost my old man. You gotta be there.' The drama is amazing.
"We're watching this thing play out in front of us, and it's just raw. Look, it's fascinating, but we didn't cross a line. The whole point is, these guys are heroes, so I'm not going to make them anything less. I don't want to diminish that."
Beers did have to make a lot of tough decisions regarding what to show of Harris' hospital stay, which included brain surgery.
"It ain't pretty," says Beers. "We want to remember Phil as who he was. We want to remember all the dynamic. But at the same time, the guy was insistent, when we were doing this, saying, 'Dude, you've got to. We've got to have an end to the story. You want to film this, film this.'
"The point is, we're just trying to support his wishes, but at the same time, we're losing a good friend. We lost a good friend."
After all, the cameramen and producers on the six seasons of the show have lived with the captains and crews on their boats for months and years at a time, sharing the danger and harsh conditions on the Bering Sea.
"There's a scene," says Beers, "it's not going to be in the show, but I wish it was, where everybody's crossing the line. Literally, the Harris brothers are having a fight, and in the middle of the argument, my cameraman, the producer, drops his camera and says, 'I don't want you guys doing this. Don't do this.'"What happened in the show is, we've all been so close, and it's family. Geez, it was family."
The announced airing schedule features Harris' passing in the episode airing Tuesday, July 13. It airs at 9 p.m. Eastern, and immediately following at 10 p.m., the companion roundtable show, "After the Catch," features a tribute to Harris in its season finale.
"After" filmed this season in New Orleans (a decision made before Harris' illness and the Gulf oil spill), and the episode includes footage of a jazz funeral held in honor of Harris and an appearance by his two sons.
Then on Tuesday, July 20, following a "Deadliest" episode in which the news of Harris' passing makes its way through the fishing fleet, a special airs, called "Deadliest Catch: Captain Phil Harris Remembered." It features new footage, tributes from the other captains, and remembrances from the second annual CatchCon convention and a public memorial service, both held in Seattle, Wash.
The season finale of "Deadliest Catch" airs the following week.
"Please remember," says Beers, "this is an ensemble show. I'm focusing on four, five other boats. Everybody's facing the end [of opilio crab season]. There's a lot of other drama going on. There's a lot of other drama going on."
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Photo credits: Discovery Channel
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Jake and Josh our hearts go out to you. Your father will be missed by many..We are so sorry this happened to you..The show won't be the same without the 3 of you as a family...We pray you will be strong, you have big shoes to fill...your in our prayers...
To Jake and Josh and to everyone that was on the Cornelia Marie. May God be with you and help you threw these hard times. Phil was and will always be a favorite in my family. You can now rest in peace Phil. And to Jake and Josh please for your father try and get along look how young your dad was when he passed. Stress is the number one cause for a heart attack as well.
With Love The Gonzalez Family
To the Harris family, I just found out, today being june 23. I am so terribly sorry for your loss, I even cried. Phil was my favorite and now, he's your guardian angel. Jake, you didnt cause his death so stop beating yourself up about it. Josh, this was the first real time I've seen you step up to the plate and it's amazing but, your Dad would want you both to be happy and hold onto each other, all else in the world is noise but peace is within the family, treasure that, no matter what. God bless you all, your in my prayers. ---Robin Knight
To the Harris family, I just found out, today being june 23. I am so terribly sorry for your loss, I even cried. Phil was my favorite and now, he's your guardian angel. Jake, you didnt cause his death so stop beating yourself up about it. Josh, this was the first real time I've seen you step up to the plate and it's amazing but, your Dad would want you both to be happy and hold onto each other, all else in the world is noise but peace is within the family, treasure that, no matter what. God bless you all, your in my prayers. ---Robin Knight
to the Harris family im so very sorry for your loss. Phil is and always will be one of my favorite captains. to jake and josh. i hope you can get past your diffrences because all you have is family once they're gone all u have is memorys i wish you the best of luck on your trips to sea jake i hope you can get past the addiction its not easy by any means but just do your best and get back on the boat. josh good luck man just know that your dad is watching and is proud i wish you all the luck in the world with your jobs you need it keep your heads up and take it day by day good luck cornelia marie
Josh and Jake, and the Cornelia Marie Crew, hold tight to each other, you will get through the days ahead, the hole in your hearts will be filled with only good memories, Phil Harris was a man who lived his life on his terms, and his lifestyle was his choice, the human vices of drink and smoke is a choice, I don't think Captain Phil would have been happy with apples and carrots diet, honor your Dad with moving forward and making a good life for yourselves
The fans will miss a good guy we would have loved to know personally
To Josh and Jake sons of the most beloved Captain, Phil our heartfelt condolences go out to you.As Australian fans we have just recently found out about this most tragic loss! To everyone connected to Deadliest Catch we offer our conndolences also as viewers we see how tight everyone is on the show and know you will all look out for Phils beloved boys.RIP Phil forever remembered xxxx
Jake,Josh and family of Phill Harris we are very sorry to hear of his passing.WE loved Captain Phill and he will be dearly missed. we love you guys also. stay strong and believe your father wants everything good in life for you.God bless you all.You're in our prayers.
Josh, Jake and family of Phil Harris. We have been a fan of the show for as long as it has been on and if we can't see an episode we record. Last week was sad, in the coming weeks it will be worse. Our thoughts are with you at this time and we will miss Captain Phil. Take care of one another as that is what Captain Phil would want. God bless the crew and family.
To Jake and Josh and to the crew of the Cornelia Marie. May God be with you and help you through this difficult and challengine time. Jake and Josh your father was truely inspiring in his love for you, his crew, his boat, and the love of crabbing. He will always be a favorite in my family. You are both strong Men like your father. Take that strengh and use it to make your father proud in whatever you do.