Since I only have a handful of channels now, I've been watching a lot of Discovery Channel while I "work". I think I've seen every Mythbusters episode, watch as much Survivorman as I can, and peek in on the other shows like Cash Cab and How It's Made. But the show that unexpectedly hooked me was Deadliest Catch, their so-called "reality" tv show.

I didn't always hate reality TV shows. I really enjoyed Real World seasons 1 and to an extent, 2. After that, instead of finding interesting people and seeing how they mingled, it seems like they started casting insane people to start trouble. Then they started giving them fake jobs so they'd have footage of them actually doing stuff. Then they started making them wear swimsuits and have physical competitions. Then Survivor and Big Brother came out and a whole generation of competition "reality" tv was born. Long gone was the authentic human interaction that appealed to me. I don't watch any of them now. I'm sick of watching generic fratboys and wannabe models compete for camera time. It's like watching really bad actors spout really dumb dialogue.

So the whole "unscripted" thing has really turned me off. And that's why I initially blew off Deadliest Catch. But it's really more old-school documentary than newfangled "reality". Yes people are aware of the camera, but no one mugs for it. The happiness they cheer when they get a pot full of crabs is real. The pain they scream when they get an arm or leg crushed is real. The absolute panic they experience when someone falls overboard (where they are dead in 20 minutes) is real. Crab aren't planted somewhere for them to find. Crewmembers with attitudes aren't cast to cause trouble. There's no million dollar prize if they come in first. There isn't even a guarantee that these guys will get home alive. They're just simple fishermen trying to feed their families, and we as viewers get to experience that. That, I will watch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadliest_Catch

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