'The Deadliest Catch' Season 16 Episode 2 Preview: Will Cornelia Marie strike it big after the initial failure?
It may seem like the start of the Season 16, but time's running out for some of the Captains in 'The Deadliest Catch'. For those who caught the special double-premiere of Discovery's critically-acclaimed series, the sea-adventure hit the ground up and running and thrust the Captains in a race against Russia and time. At the start of the season, it was revealed the Russians were illegally, excessively harvesting, and importing crab into the United States for years. That hurt these fishermen's pricing at the dock and at the store.
But with Russia looking to get things in order and setting out with a bit of a late start, there is a small window of opportunity for these Captains to catch as many crabs as they can and sell them for some insanely lucrative prices. This mission set the tone for a riveting season which brought back some old fan-favorites in Keith and Monte Colburn, Scott Campbell Jr and Johnathan Hillstrand to name a few. There were some fresh faces like Mandy Hansen, co-captain of the Northwestern, along with old warhorse Sig Hansen.
The two-hour pilot saw seven captains return to the rough waters of the Bering Sea. Captain Jake Anderson of the 'Saga' brings in his best friend and 'Time Bandit' helm Johnathan Hillstrand who has his sights set on the prize. Wild Bill Wichrowski of 'Summer Bay' comes in, the 'Cornelia Marie' led by Josh Harris and Casey McManus is the cynosure of all eyes as they go heavy on technology to upgrade their boat. Adding to this is Captain 'Harley' Davidson and his 'Southern Wind'.
By the end of the premiere, it was clear where most of these Captains and crew stood. Josh Harris and Casey McManus with their Cornelia Marie, Scott Campbell Jr, and his Seabrooke, Bill Wichrowski and his Summer Bay were the ones who missed out on getting a great start. The Cornelia Marie ran into engine trouble and for all the upgrades, it was a bummer for the captains. Campbell's returns were near zero and Wichrowski was still stuck at the harbor.
Despite being the first ones to hit paydirt, Anderson and Hillstrand were victims of Davidson's sly scheme where he practically stole the crabs from his fellow rivals. Mandy, after dumping 77 pots in the water but setting the gear far apart irked Hansen, but she eventually makes up for it as the Northwestern hits the huckleberry patch. The Colburns meet with some success after enduring a 40-foot rogue wave.
In the upcoming episode, 'Captain's Orders' there are some wild developments that promise to make the episode compelling. The official synopsis according to TV Guide reads: "A typhoon slams the Saga, forcing Jake and Johnathan to make joint decisions. Sig races the storm to make the first offload. Rapid repairs land the Cornelia Marie in the eye of the storm. Captain Phil's charts lead Josh and Casey into treacherous seas."
The main focus should be on the Cornelia Marie. They were the cynosure of all eyes in the opening episode and Josh Harris fans would have hoped for their team to get a move on. Stat. It is interesting to see what Phil's charts contain. Presumably, it would be the classic 'X' marks the spot where Harris and McNamus could find the catch of the century, but with the synopsis hinting at treacherous seas, it sure looks like it won't be an easy ride. Plus, they need to get some repair work done.
Only time will tell what's in store for the captains of Cornelia Marie.
'Deadliest Catch' Season 16 airs Tuesdays at 8 pm ET on Discovery.
