The early 2000s were overflowing with reality television programs, from super nannies and tricked-out cars to extravagant home makeovers and pregnant sixteen-year-olds. According to The Washington Post, over 300 reality series were on air between 2001 and 2015. However, one distinctive series always stood out from the rest for its unbelievable realistic depictions of workplace hazards. The fearless crew on Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch” consistently inspired viewers with their unwavering dedication and tremendous success in Alaskan crab fishing.

For five awe-inspiring seasons of “Deadliest Catch,” Captain Phil Harris fearlessly sailed the Bering Sea fishing for wild Alaskan crab. The Discovery Channel reality series hit captivated millions of audience members due to Harris’ high energy, contagious laugh, and extreme perseverance. His ability to maintain such high spirits in the harsh and deadly conditions of the Northern Pacific Ocean solidified both a loyal crew and fanbase. Both were ultimately devastated when the beloved Captain tragically died in 2010.

The young skipper’s start at sea

The captain of the Cornelia Marie was seemingly destined for a life at sea. Captain Phillip “Phil” Harris started the hard and intense work on fishing boats at the young age of seven, per an archive of the Cornelia Marie’s official site. Ten years later, the fearless teen began his treacherous work crabbing aboard the F/V American Eagle. By 21, Phil was one of the youngest captains in the Bering Sea while running the F/V Golden Viking out of Seattle. In 1990, he purchased the iconic Cornelia Marie with his wife (who the ship was named after) that was heavily featured on the reality series.

Phil was a hardworking family man whose father initially taught the crab business. He continued the family business with his sons, Josh and Jake, on the “Deadliest Catch,” where he passed on the life-saving skills his father taught him.

Many remember Phil as a man who loved his sons more than life itself and someone who had a deep love for connecting with people. Phil was the kind of person to take “Deadliest Catch” shirts to sick children in hospitals to brighten their days. Captain Phil would even selflessly save stranded fishers at sea. One year, he picked up a total of 22 stranded men (via the Cornelia Marie site). With such an extraordinary display of character, it’s no surprise this bold and lovable fisherman captivated millions of viewers each week.

Remodel of the Cornelia Marie

After years of working freelance, Captain Phil bought into the prosperous 106-foot ship: the Cornelia Marie. The legendary captain made a calculated decision that propelled his business and paved the way for the “Deadliest Catch” to air. The astonishing success of Captain Phil and his crew is credit to Phil’s drastic remodel of the Cornelia Marie. According to a clip from Discovery, Phil’s first official action was to bring the ship up to his business standards. In the video, his son Josh states, “in the crab industry, the guy with the bigger and badder toys is always the coolest” and, in Phil’s case, also the most successful.

Phil had the foresight to notice that fishers were spending more time delivering product than actually fishing for crab. In the video, his son Josh notes that “a bigger boat just seemed like the right idea to do at that point in time.” This seemingly obvious decision instantly set Captain Phil on the path to success and distinguished him from other fishers. Phil cut the boat into four pieces and added 22 feet to make room for 100 thousand more pounds of crab (bringing the grand capacity to over 300 thousand pounds). This staggering difference is one of the main reasons viewers were so intrigued by “Deadliest Catch.” The sight of these enormous silver cages filled to the brim with bright red crabs against the crashing waves was always a magnificent scene to behold.

An early ratings hit

The “Deadliest Catch” was Discovery’s highest-rated series for 2006, with over 2.5 million viewers, according to The Futon Critic. The early success of the Emmy nominated series would continue to rise in viewers as a loyal fanbase grew around Captain Phil, his family and crew, and their dangerous expeditions.

These numbers are even more impressive when you factor in the consistency and growth they occurred. According to Ratings Ryan, viewership was only around 1.4 million at the beginning of the second season. The finale of that very same season showed a drastic growth by reigning in a whopping 2.8 million viewers. These high numbers in viewership are a grand testament to the series’ ability to relate to a wide variety of people. The dangerous and intriguing nature of the job draws viewers in, but the relatable familial aspect of the series makes them stay season after season.

Phil is thrown from his bunk during a storm

In season 4 of the “Deadliest Catch,” a devastating storm rocked the crew and gravely injured our beloved Captain Phil. In the 12th episode of the season (titled “Mortal Men”), two crew members are injured, and a rough wave launches the sleeping Captain Phil out of his bed. The captain wakes up shrieking in pain.

“Well, when we hit that wave, this bench came flyin’ outta here,” he said. “I came flyin’ on outta bed and landed up against that (he gestures to a hard wooden dresser). And I broke or cracked my ribs. And I must’ve done a few of ’em ’cause I’m havin’ a hard time trying to breathe.” Phil shakily gets out that last part while lighting a cigarette, which further ailed his health problems down the line. We see Phil coughing up blood in subsequent episodes and learn that this isn’t from broken ribs.

Phil reveals a blood clot came loose in his leg and had made its way through his heart and into his lung. He heads to the doctor for a check-up as he confides in his audience during an intimate moment “the bad part about it is: I don’t know if my fishing career is over, ya know? And that’s gonna be a devastating deal for me if it is.” Friends, family, and fans continued to watch, hoping it would not be the end of Captain Phil or his extraordinary fishing career.