Producers of Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch pose in the press room during the 2014 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 16, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
The massive success of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" — 38 Emmy nominations since 2005 — is telling about the genre as a whole: Reality TV began as a kooky trend at the turn of the millennium but is now a staple for audiences and the industry.
AirTalk is taking a deeper look at this year's Emmy category of Unstructured Reality, starting with the nominee that won Outstanding Reality Program last year. The series is set in the bone-chilling Bering Sea, and follows charismatic ship captains and crew as they hunt for valuable, delicious crabs and deal with personal challenges.
It portrays how dangerous the crab hunt is, but filming it can be as challenging. Shooters, producers and their gear endure unpredictable conditions: cold, wet weather and long hours.
What are some of the most dogged challenges they face in the field? What have they learned about human nature from spending so much time documenting the personal lives of the participants? Why do they persevere shooting unscripted shows instead of the more predictable, scripted shows? What do they see as the future of the genre?
Guests:
Jeff Conroy, Emmy-nominated Executive Producer at Original Productions, creators of Discovery’s hit series “Deadliest Catch”
John Gray, Emmy-nominated Executive Producer at Original Productions, creators of Discovery’s hit series “Deadliest Catch”