Time Flies

So its been a year. A year since I've started watching Deadliest Catch in February, a year since I got Aidin hooked in April, a year since we started the blog and the Facebook page in May.

This blog is almost an after thought, as Aidin and I spend most of our time on Facebook interacting with all of the Deadliest Catch friends we've made in the last year (813 to be exact!), but every once in a while, we will have a light bulb go off in our brains and we will post something other than Hump Days and Hotties of the Month.

Today I had one such light bulb. Deadliest Catch is so much more than a TV show.

This isn't news to those of us who count ourselves as fans. But to the uninitiated, we might seem to be a little on the crazy side. They might be right, but that's beside the point. Where else can you find a group of people who all connect on some level because of a TV show? Name one, I dare you.

Jersey Shore? Please.

American Idol? Not even close.

Survivor? Uh no.

What is the difference between these shows (used as examples) and Deadliest Catch? I'd like to say "oh simple, let me explain" but its not simple. Most reality shows on TV now exploit people. They aren't REAL in the correct sense of the word.

Real, by definition is as follows: 1. Not imaginary or pretended; actual 2. Authentic or genuine 3.Essential; basic 4. Serious

Deadliest Catch is not imaginary, or pretend, contrary to recent reports. Can't fake waves or injuries. The captains and crews are authentic, extremely genuine. They make no apologies for who they are. Their way of life is essential to them, its a basic fact. And they are damn serious about their jobs.

Can any other reality show on TV say that?

So back to my musings on this past year. We've seen two great, brave men perish, ironically, off the crab grounds, we've seen the Harris boys rise up and follow through with their many responsibilities, we've watched on pins and needles, waiting for some word on Jake Anderson's father, crossed our fingers that Captains Sig, John, and Andy would return for the seventh season, and fumed over nasty "he said, no he said" arguments.

But the friends Aidin and I have made over the last 12 months keep us in awe everyday. We rally around one another, send prayer and hopes when needed, and laugh everyday. It spills over into our personal lives, and we welcome it. Deadliest Catch Buddies become friends, where we share our lives, our fears, and our tears, and no one gets put down because of it.

All in all, yes, Deadliest Catch is more than a TV show, its a common bond between millions of people around the world. We have friends in Australia, Finland, Denmark, Indonesia, Canada, Africa,  Cuba, South America, and Russian. Literally EVERYWHERE. Deadliest Catch crosses over boundaries, political ideas, and beliefs and joins us in a way no other "reality" TV show can.

So this next year is going to be one big thank you. I could write all day long and never really express my gratitude the way I want to. It feels inadequate, but its the best I have.

Thank you to Discovery, to the production and camera crews. Thank you to every single one of the Captains and the crews, old and new, for allowing us to enter a small piece of your lives, and not begrudging us a little adventure. To the wives and children at home, we thank you for sharing your husbands and fathers with us. To the Coast Guard, thank you for risking your lives everyday to save those who need your help, no matter if its the Bering Sea or the Atlantic.

And mostly, thank you, from Aidin and I, to our Facebook friends, who's continual support brighten every single moment for us. We love you.