Thought I’d start the thread a little early.
Tonight is the last episode for Phil Harris. He had stabilized from the stroke and they thought he might make it. But it wasn’t meant to be.
Tonight
Deadliest Catch and After the Catch has Phil’s tribute from his fellow captains and family & friends.
It should be a good show. I’ve been impressed with the shows handling of such a tragedy. Phil was such a big part of the shows appeal.
more after the show!
It feels a bit ghoulish watching the past few episodes and tonight’s show, but I have to figure that the Harris boys and Johnathan Hillstrand, and even post-stroke Phil, would have had zero problem telling the cameras to get the hell out if they didn’t want them there.
My FIL is a fan of the show and suffered a stroke last year, from which he’s thankfully made a near-full recovery. He’s said he’s having a really tough time watching these episodes.
I don’t have a cite, but I remember reading something from one of the cameramen shortly after Phil died - he said that Phil specifically ASKED him to keep filming. Apparently over the years they’d had lots of conversations about the TV business, and about the notion of the stories the show was trying to capture. Phil really got that, and didn’t want the story of his stroke and possible death to be cut off in the middle. He wanted the storyline to be complete, even if the story was sad.
I thought that was neat, and it makes it feel less voyeuristic to watch these episodes.
That said - I know I’ll be going through a lot of kleenex tonight.
From all the time I’ve seen him on tv, the guy never slept, smoked constantly, and had a high stress job. That’s gotta be a stroke recipe.
I saw a clip on the intarwebs today that showed Josh and John Hillstrand on Leno last night. Josh said Phil smoked 9.5 packs of cigarettes a day, but he’d cut back to a pack a day.
That talk Manny gave Josh a couple of episodes ago was probably the most powerful moment I’ve seen on a reality show.
“Every year always is catch, every year make money. But can’t catch a dad every year.”
He (the cameraman) expands a bit on this in tonight’s After the Catch.
Our cable went out tonight so neither the hubby nor myself got to see this, and I’m kinda bummed. Of course I’d probably still be bawling like a baby even though I knew how Phil’s story ended.
I did okay last week till they showed this week’s promo and played “Tuesday’s Gone” which put me on my ass. I can’t ever explain why that song makes me cry, it just does. Even Metallica’s version makes me cry.
Much respect and all to the cameraman who was close to Phil, and blessings on him and his family for letting us see his final days. From what I’ve read of the above comments, it was handled with respect and dignity.
I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer a few years ago, which was caused by a stroke-caused fall that broke his hip. He’d had a stroke several years earlier and had been told he’d never walk unaided again, much less drive a car. Except for a few wobbly steps when he didn’t have his cane, he not only took the Senior Citizen’s driver’s ed refresher course offered by the State Police [not the rehab center], he passed his driving test with a perfect 100%. He took the test results into the guy who’d been his therapist, tossed them on his desk and said “So. Any questions?”
I’ve seen what the power of the human spirit can do, and I’m glad we were able to share Phil’s life all the way to the end.
I thought they gave a nice send off on After the Catch.
Phil certainly got a lot out of life. He was an adrenaline junkie. Fast motorcycles, cars, and the Bering sea. He lived life on the edge. In the end his greatest wish was to help his sons. It tore me up when he asked Josh to forgive him for not being around when he was a kid. Lying in a hospital bed with half his skull off and that’s what he wants to say. Phil was a class act.
I’ll miss seeing him next season.
I think the show has pretty much run its course. Jonathan and Andy were seriously talking about retiring, Edgar from the NORTHWESTERN is about ready to crack if he doesn’t get off the boat, and I really can’t see Keith and his crew being interesting enough to keep the show going. Now if Discovery finds some more crews that’re willing to be filmed and are interesting, I’ll keep watching.
Captain Phil died doing what he loved. How many of us can hope for that?
I absolutely LOST it during that talk. Just bawled like a baby.
Tonight was great - Phil as irascible as ever, right up to the end (asking for a cigarette, demanding ice chips over the nurse’s orders), and at the same time, so careful to tell his boys that he loved them and was proud of them. Phil never stopped to think about anything, just did and did and did and picked up the pieces later if necessary.
That was pretty emotional, but his name is Freddie (Maughtai).
Mike mentioned The Blue Nile on Frenchman being in the French Quarter. (I’ve walked past it many times, but never got round to going in.) I’m pretty sure it’s in the Marigny; not the Quarter. Have I been wrong all these years?
Saw his son Josh on Leno. He said his dad lived enough for 3 lives in his short life. He said his dad bought everything he wanted such as cars, boats, etc. and had lots of fun. That job is very stressful but it pays very well.
Josh also mentioned they now have to find $1 mil to buy half of the boat. I think he meant the half that Phil did not own - it was owned by Cornelia which is where the name came from.
Interesting. I wonder if that means Cornelia plans to sell her half because she doesn’t want to be in partnership with Josh & Jake?
Maybe she was thinking of selling her half and Phil’s death made her decide to sell now.
I don’t think either son has a license to run the boat on their own so they would have to hire a captain with a license when they are fishing.
Phil’s death was like a lifestyle suicide. A high pressure ,dangerous occupation with lots of smoking and drinking. He was overweight and as far as I know was not into exercise. His getting sick was not a surprise to most watchers. Now a bunch of other captains want out. I can see why.