Deadliest Catch: Phil Harris’ Final Show (Memorial VIDEO)

We all knew from the start of the season that Phil Harris was going to suffer a stroke that would claim his life. Somehow, it didn’t quite seem so tangible to us as a tv audience. This two hour farewell to Captain Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie will be a day of reckoning. Bring your box of tissues and pour out a few shots of Duck Farts. It’s going to be a sad night. The death of Phil Harris is upon us.

‘REDEMPTION DAY‘

Last week’s episode ended with Jake and Josh Harris fighting as Josh tries to get through to his addict brother. They both are cracking under the stress of their dying father, Jake’s drug problem and the Cornelia Marie. A small blessing, Johnathan Hillstrand is their saving grace as he stands by the boys and Phil. He had planned on taking a vacation and just hours after he got off the Time Bandit he heard the news and went straight to be with Phil and the boys. (Click HERE for last week’s Deadliest Catch recap.)

*Just an FYI, I have gotten a lot questions as to where Jake and Josh Harris’ mother is. She hailed from Okinawa and that is about as much as I could find on her. I also got a few questions as to the boat itself. The boat is co-owned and Josh is trying to raise the $2 million needed to buy the boat outright.*

Now, a hope spreads through the fleet as Phil appears to be on the mend. Smiles and even laughter appear on Keith and Sig’s faces as Andy joyfully shares that Harris is a week ahead of where he was expected to be after suffering a stroke. Things are very different at the hospital as Josh and Johnathan deal with Jake’s drug issue.

On the Time Bandit Scotty, Johnathan’s son, is suddenly after the Captain’s chair. Mike Fourtner had been dubbed the heir before Johnathan left. A pissing match ensues. Another storm looms that does not bode well for the fleet. It’s tagged as the “storm of the season.”

On the Northwestern Sig talks about the season being the worst season, mentally, for the entire crew. Edgar continues to cater to his renewed hate of fishing. Jake Anderson clearly wants to be at home hunting for his missing father. Other crewmen miss their kids and one said he hasn’t talked to his children in 10 days.

Back at Phil’s bedside….Harris is already asking when he can go back to fishing. The doctor is ready to move him to a rehab facility and it’s so heart-wrenching to see them all ride the wave of hope and celebrate his “miraculous recovery.”

On the Time Bandit, Andy feels it is the worst season. After pulling 4 consecutive empty pots, the crew starts to pick at their Captain. In retaliation for their comments, the co-captain shoots bottle rockets at the mutinous crew.

After a lesson in humility served up by the Time Bandit, we return to see Jake sitting in his hotel room. After brooding for a few moments he finally picks up the phone and dials a rehab center. He admits that he has been abusing drugs and “wants to close that chapter in his life.” He makes the call and visits Phil who is up watching tv. He asks Jake for a cigarette and tries to smile. They want him to enter treatment immediately. Phil tells Jake he is proud of him, understands that he needs to leave and he is happy he is following through and getting treatment. Jake leaves and hesitates as he takes a last look at his father. Josh drives him to the airport and Jake Harris is off to rehab.

Edgar starts training Jake and puts him on the rail (aka hydros). Anderson is clearly excited, but dripping with nerves. He does well, but shakes lose a pot. Despite being kicked off hyrdos after dropping a pot, Edgar takes a permanent marker and draws stripes on Anderson’s jacket. Edgar informs him that upon receiving 5 stripes, he will be the new deck boss.

Josh is back with Phil and they are laughing. Phil squeezed his hand so hard that it left hand prints on Josh who is laughing with appreciation. Phil then whispers to his smiling son, “I’m sorry. When you were growing up, I should have been a better father.” Break my heart and bust out the tissues. Josh assures him that he has been the best dad and grateful for teaching him to be a great man. Phil and Josh exchange ‘I love yous’ and even kisses. They begin to cry and so do I. Josh takes a time out after wiping away a few tears from Phil’s eyes.

The next day Phil asks Josh to rub his hand. He agrees with gusto and rubs as he promises to bring Phil’s requested gold lucky necklace later that night. Josh leaves so Phil can sleep and we return to a storm entangled fleet. The Time Bandit and Northwestern are still fishing despite the conditions. Pots are sliding across the deck like shuffle board pucks.

We are flipped back to Josh who is on the road. He gets a phone call that Phil has suffered another episode. He assures them they are doing everything they can. Josh returns with Phil’s necklace and waits. Flashes of the fleet battling the seas and continuing to fish show as Josh worries. The sound of Johnny Cash strums in the background. The doctor comes in and informs Josh that he has been working on Phil for over an hour and asks how much he wants continue putting him through the rigor. Josh makes the call and informs Jake that Phil has died. “We lost dad…”

Phil Harris December 19, 1956 – February 9, 2010

AFTER THE CATCH

This episode is focused on Phil Harris. Mike asks for their favorite Phil story. Johnathan indulges in a tale about sneaking a light through security. Both Jake and Josh are at the table and they both look loads better. *Both boys were smoking artificial cigarettes designed to help smokers quit the habit.* They both smile as each captain takes a turn sharing stories about Phil’s charisma. John gives us his favorite quote from the Cornelia Marie, “You could be an astronaut if you wanted to, but you’re not. You have got to earn it!”

The group also discusses his penchant for fishing “The Rock Pile.” It was his personal honey-hole. Jake also divulges that Harris loved Meerkat Manor on animal planet. They also discuss their plans for Phil’s official burial. The crew will scatter his ashes at sea during King Crab season.

As far as jobs go, the boat is still at dry dock. As I mentioned, Josh is trying to buy the Cornelia Marie. Johnathan is protective of the fishing family and asserts that if things don’t work out for the Cornelia Marie, he will take Josh onto the Time Bandit and Sig will take Jake onto the Northwestern. Sig agrees and affirms that he will do whatever it takes to keep the boys crab fishing.

The topic shifts to Phil’s loves. He loved New Orleans, motorcycles, loud music, corvettes and apparently Meerkat Manor. Mike Rowe shares a story about running into Phil just after he bought a new Harley. He told Mike to go ride it and then he would talk to him. Of course, he did. Josh then states that they are selling his beloved bike to benefit a children’s cancer charity. We are then treated to hog wrangling clips. They chase pigs around and catch them…then release them. Sure. Why not.

The cameraman who has been filming Phil since his first episode, shares his time with the captain. The biggest story that he shared was Phil wanted his end filmed and even scrawled “there has got to be and ending” on a piece of paper, demanding to be filmed. Johnathan affirms this fact and the cameraman and John hug and thank each other for being there.

Then we are treated to Phil’s hobby…building bird feeders. These weren’t just bird feeders…they were bird mansions. Every detail was carved out from little chairs to carved grills. Sig also shares a tale of Phil’s happiness with the simple things in life. He preferred to live in a trailer and enjoy a maid coming to clean his happy home versus living in high dollar homes.

The After Catch episode ends with Phil’s jazz funeral parade. A round of duck farts are shared and they head out to join the parade marching down the street in memory of the late, great Captain Phil Harris.

You can click HERE to see photos and a video of Phil Harris’ New Orleans Jazz Funeral.

[Josh Harris and Jonathan Hillstrand on Jay Leno - Video]

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