DEATH ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL CATCHES RATINGS

Last Tuesday’s episode of Discovery Channel’s reality series Deadliest Catch, which dealt with the death of Captain Phil Harris, drew 8.5 million viewers, making it the biggest draw for the cable network in 10 years and the third-highest in the channel’s history. Today’s (Thursday) New York Times observed that reality television had never previously had to grapple with the death of a lead cast member. It particularly noted a scene in the episode in which Harris tells his son Josh, “I should have been a better father,” and Josh replies, “Dad, you’ve been the best father you could ever have been. You’ve taught me great skills. So don’t ever say that. Don’t ever apologize for that. You’ve taught me everything I need to know to be a man.” Taking note of the same scene, Entertainment Weekly‘s Mandi Bierly wrote, “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a moment as real and as achingly beautiful. … That conversation is something that will stick forever with anyone who saw it.”