'Deadliest Catch' executive producer talks about the show's soaring sixth season

The sixth season of "Deadliest Catch" premiered on April 13 to its largest audience ever, and the show continues to perform strongly, as 12 million viewers have tuned in over two episodes to see, among other things, how Capt. Phil and Capt. Sig's  experiment trading junior deckhands turns out.

To be sure, the Discovery Channel hit has always been popular. But this season the series' life-or-death backdrop has taken an extraordinarily poignant turn with the death of one of the series' most popular fishermen. Capt. Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie died unexpectedly on Feb. 9 while the final three episodes of the season were filming.  There will be a public memorial for Harris in Seattle on Friday.

In an interview in February, executive producer Thom Beers said the show plans to include Harris' collapse and hospitalization because Harris scribbled on a piece of paper to members of the production crew that "We gotta have a great ending to this story" before he died. Producers will work with the Harris family to determine which footage is appropriate. The producers are also planning a tribute.

Last week, Beers was in Beverly Hills for a Hollywood Radio and Television Society panel session. In the video above, he talked to The Times about the new season, Capt. Phil Harris, and the challenges his production company faces filming this high-seas and high-stakes adventure series. The video below is a preview of Tuesday night's episode.

-- Maria Elena Fernandez (Follow me on Twitter @writerchica)

Video credit: (top) Maria Elena Fernandez; (bottom) Discovery Networks

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Comments

[Jeri Rossi]

I'm grieving for the man I did not know - but, for this granddaughter, daughter and cousin of fishermen, the men of DC are our uncles, fathers, brothers, husbands. The loss of Phil Harris has impacted me more than I could have ever imagined. I've watched the captains for five seasons now. I relate to their sense of humor, the way they gut it out to do their job. We are voyeurs in their world. We all prayed for Phil's recovery last year. To see him come back to his wheelhouse and essentially die aboard his boat is so heartwrenching. I can't watch this season - I'm not ready yet. I cry when I see those incredible blue eyes shining. He is gone too soon. I can't reach out and hug his boys, or his mates on Cornelia Marie. He was the best friend that we never met. Our family. Now he's gone and only time will allow us to tolerate the empty space - only time will allow us to smile when we think of him.

[Alan Dean Foster]

Men who go down to the sea in ships....

[Crusher]

Hello All

I have watched the Deadliest Catch since the 2004 King Crab season 1 and i enjoy all the seasons 1-5 plus i have a website that is called THE DEADLIEST CATCH CRABBERS CORNER.It is 100% Deadliest Catch,i also have played Capt Sig Hansens Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm and i have to say it is the closest thing to the real deal.I am a Super Fan-Fanatic of Capt Phil Harris & the Cornelia Marie.Capt Phil's passing is too soon and to beat the Pulmonary Embolism and come back in 2009 and have just a awesome season and be able to share that with his boys Josh & jake & the rest of his crew was PRICELESS!! I have began a Memoir of Capt Phil Harris and so those who read this and want to be a part of the Memoir please go to my website and leave me a message and what you would like to help me with and i will get back to each and every message.I have over 17 pages of info that i want to put iunto the Memoir it is just getting it all in one part i also would welcome any pics that you may want to share.But as i see Capt Phil here in King Crab and how he is enjoying it and then just vget ripped away from Friends,Family & his Fans JUST PLAIN SUCKS!! I as millions all over the world will miss him very much.
CRUSHER