Episode 21: The Crab Boat Captain- Casey McManus

On deck in Alaska with Captain Casey McManus.

The first rule of Reality TV? It has very little to do with reality.

Which is probably why the Discovery Channel’s “The Deadliest Catch” ruled the cable TV ratings for so long. At its peak, over 3 million viewers a week, 40 million a year tuned in to watch “crab fishermen battle Arctic weather and brutal waves for big money” (quote from the show’s promotional material). You can fake “Survivors” on an island or “Keeping Up” with surgically-enhanced siblings, but hauling out 25 pound crustaceans from the icy depths of the Bering Sea? Now that’s some drama worth watching.

Or at least, it was. These days, much like the crab population, viewership had dropped off significantly. Overfishing and borealization (the affect of warming waters) had devastated the fishery, and the show’s storylines. Not that it has deterred Discovery’s producers. “The Deadliest Catch” is in its 21st season, despite the fact many of its “stars” have moved on, passed away, or given up.

So just how real was the drama on the show, at its peak?

For a dozen years Casey McManus and his ship the Cornelia Marie were at the epicentre of the show’s swirling success. “Captain Casey” as he’s known to his fans is as voluble, capable, and likeable in real life as he appeared on the show. He’s also shockingly honest about the the tricks of the trade, the manipulations behind the scenes of the show, and how he used a planned deception of his own to get Discovery to bankroll a successful spin-off show of his own, Deadliest Catch: Bloodline.

We met on board the Cunard Queen Elizabeth, sailing to Alaska, where we were both working as guest speakers. Amid rolling swells and a stiffening breeze, we decided to go for a walk and have a chat on deck. Click below to listen in on our conversation.