Deadliest Catch, the genre-defining series following crab fishermen who risk their lives on the treacherous and unpredictable Bering Sea for the ultimate payday, is returning for its landmark 20th season. Discovery Channel has set the two-hour premiere for Tuesday, June 11, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Discovery states, “Since its debut, the 59-time Emmy-nominated series has revolutionized unscripted television, utilizing best-in-class cinematography and storytelling to capture every death-defying moment at sea and captivating generations of viewers with authentic, tenacious characters.”
“Deadliest Catch is the gold standard for unscripted series, paving the way for an entire genre of television that highlights everyday working heroes,” said Howard Lee, President of Discovery Networks.
“Audiences have grown with our captains and their families, respecting their unwavering determination and experiencing the struggles and successes with them. This season is a celebration of their epic stories and the first page of their next chapter.”
To kick off this milestone season, the lucrative Red King Crab fishery has finally reopened in Alaska, igniting the first derby-style race in decades. Forced to obtain their crab hauls in a highly competitive timeframe, veteran and rookie captains are thrust into cutthroat rivalries that will push each crabber to their limit.
Meanwhile, the crab grounds become more perilous than ever as a rare super El Niño weather pattern intensifies winter storms, serving as a grim reminder of why Alaska crab fishing is known as the Deadliest Catch.
The captains will face the biggest challenges of their storied careers in Season 20 of Deadliest Catch:
Captain Jake Anderson loses the F/V Saga, the boat he captained for a decade and held an ownership stake in. Now, he must swallow his pride and return to his mentor, Captain Sig Hansen, on the F/V Northwestern, the vessel Jake began his career on as a greenhorn 18 years ago, until he can earn a captain’s seat on a new boat.
After leading his crew to fight a fire on the F/V Wizard that nearly costs the life of a deckhand, Captain Keith Colburn faces a life-threatening emergency at sea 750 miles from the nearest hospital.
After receiving a medical bombshell at the end of last season, Captain Wild Bill Wichrowski is forced to fight for both his life and legacy on the F/V Summer Bay.
Lured out of retirement by the reopening of Red King Crab, Captain Johnathan Hillstrand returns to the F/V Time Bandit to capture his million-dollar quota.
Captains Steve Harley Davidson and Jack Bunnell risk their reputations and financial future to upgrade to the 126-foot F/V Pacific Mariner in hopes of catching more quota and more crab.
Sophia “Bob” Nielsen, the youngest captain in the fleet, takes the helm of the massive 113-foot F/V Seabrooke, honoring her late father, Gary, and testing her mettle against the most violent seas on earth.
Hungry to secure his future as a skipper, Jacob Hutchins makes a play for the relief captain spot on Captain Rick Shelford’s F/V Aleutian Lady.
Deadliest Catch is produced by Original Productions, a Fremantle company for Discovery.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.