[Warning: The below contains spoilers for Deadliest Catch Season 21]
The captains of Deadliest Catch are used to rolling the dice in the “Bering Seas Casino” where there is no big reward without some risks taken. With 50 knot winds and rough conditions there was a lot of that aboard The Wizard during the episode that aired September 19, 2025. Captain Keith Colburn got heated with the crew not listening to him as they worked to dock at the Dutch Harbor. “Stress factory,” was how Keith’s brother Co-captain Monte described the atmosphere. Adding to the situation, they had a relatively unproven crew. Among them was Calvin, who showed red flags on a number of occasions.
One in particular rubbed Keith the wrong way when during a discussion in the wheelhouse, Calvin said he needed a money draw and more authority. Keith wasn’t ready to give him added responsibility after he hadn’t even hauled on pot. Calvin asked for $7,500, which Keith refused. Later, Calvin sent another text saying he needed $10,000 for bills in the next hour. Digging a little deeper, Keith found out his prior employer doesn’t really remember him. Monte thought getting rid of Calvin was the obvious answer. Keith felt he was underqualified for the job and axed him. This came after he fired another crew member Connor during the September 12 episode. Keith told Calvin he’d give him $2,000 and a plane ticket out.
Keith Colburn and Calvin (Discovery Channel)
Just when the Colburn siblings thought they’d gotten him out of their hair, Monte received a call from Captain Sig Hansen. The Northwestern captain said he’d been asking about a job. He wasn’t the only one Calvin had approached about work. Keith was fuming because he wasn’t going to eat a $850 plane ticket and have him going around town after his firing. Keith eventually found Calvin at a bar and confronted him. Calvin flipped him off with Keith threatening to cancel his plane ticket out. Eventually, Keith told him he had 60 seconds to check into his flight. “See you later you [expletive] maggot,” was Calvin’s parting words. For Keith, it was now about the boat leaving safely and getting back to work.
Elsewhere, Jake Anderson felt the pressure of a $3 million quota aboard the Titan Explorer. He readied 150 pots, looking to make the most of his four-day head start on the bairdi grounds. Engineer Felipe Miramontes investigated and found water in a tank, which was coming from the outside. The worst-case scenario would be it ruined the engine, and they lose everything. So, a big deal that Felipe can’t find the source of the problem. Jake had no choice but to head back to town, which meant losing any advantage he had. Breaking down, he checked in with his wife Jenna. “I’m done. I hate this job.” Jake said said. Going as far as to say, “I want to quit.” Jenna tried to calm him down and told him all his sacrifices were not going unnoticed.
Felipe needed to find any crack, leak or hole that was causing the issues while they were docked. Jake was headed to the clinic to make sure his mind and body were fit for duty. Jake revealed his doctor wanted him to quit the intense job. They talked about his panic attacks and past trauma catching up with him. Jake checked back in wife as his emotional state was off. Jake traced trauma back to when he lost his dad as he went missing in the woods 15 years ago. His skeletal remains were found more than two years later. Jake attempted to get his head back. He received encouraging developments with pots full of 80 to 86 crabs. A light at the end of the tunnel in this dark period for him.
Lastly, we visited with Johnathan Hillstrand, whose wife Heather was dealing with a 102 fever. The Time Bandit was hit hard thanks to a contagious norovirus. Johnathan seemed to be one of the few unaffected. “I drink so much milk, which is why I don’t get as sick as they do,” Johnathan explained. With the crew vomiting all over the place, they still had a deadline in the next four days. “You can’t let the flu win,” Johnathan said. They all banded together and made it through.
Deadliest Catch, Fridays, 8/7c, Discovery Channel
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