We last left the fleet as they were all slowly hearing about the news of Phil Harris’ stroke. Each Captain made the choice to share the news with the crew. Click HERE for last week’s recap.

DEADLIEST CATCH: CAIN AND ABLE

After a 12 hour surgery Jake and Josh Harris are not alone as Johnathan Hillstrand is with them as a doctor explains that the outlook isn’t good. He explains that Phil was a time bomb and the stroke had been building for years.

On the Northwestern Edgar enjoys a breakfast of coffee and pain relievers. Jake Anderson is still brooding in pain and confusion as his father has now been missing for 5 weeks. Despite the non-stop worry, Edgar and Bradley decided to celebrate Jake’s 6 month anniversary of being clean and sober with a cupcake and a candle broken in half. They promise to give him the other half of the candle in 6 more months.

Later, Sig overhears Edgar talking to about his change in heart and desire to leave crab fishing. Angry, Sig vents that he should be finding someone to replace his broken down brother. Tension continues to roll to a boil as the crew is going on 80 hour grind. The feeling of “obligation” is the only thing that brings him back every year. That obligation is growing thin as Sig continues to crack the whip.

On the Wizard, Captain Keith is treading through ice covered seas. A bull sea bodes bad luck as it lazily watches the boat pass. He is worried his gear will be consumed by the ice. After pulling a decent haul, he spins the wheel and resets in the waters that are going to soon be covered in ice.

Back in Anchorage, Phil begins to move his right foot. The doctor addresses Jake, Josh, Jonathan and a few others and they are pleased to hear that the update is positive. He is off ventilators and Josh passes out hugs in relief. They are on the upswing of the emotional roller coaster. A shaven Phil is up and talking and demanding ice chips. The boys are thrilled to be arguing with their stubborn father. Jake breaks and gives him ice chips after they argue over whether or not he can have a small sneaky ice chip.

On the Time Bandit, Andy is distracted with the worry about his friend and fellow crabber, Phil. The gear is grinding slowly and the crew is missing their usual gusto as the temperature plummets. Attitudes plummet simultaneously. The fellow crew members start ribbing him and the happy-go-lucky Mike who was picked for to replace
**
John visits Phil at the hospital. My hearts are pulled as he cries with what appears to be a mixture of hope and fear. Josh and Jake struggle with keeping it together. Jake returns to indulging in his addiction. Josh screams into the phone at his little brother for “getting high while dad is dying in the hospital.” Jake Harris reaches out to Jake Anderson and they indulge in a phone call to find support. Josh and Jake begin to break as later Josh finds Jake once again, high. They are screaming and fighting as John stumbles upon the fighting brothers. His heart breaks as Jake runs away. Josh is left with the looming levity of taking care of his father, the boat and his ailing brother.

Next week is the 2 hour last Phil Harris episode. Bring your tissues and wear your Cornelia Marie hoodies.

AFTER THE CATCH

Josh and Freddie join the round table. Freddie reveals he is Samoan and his father was a chief. We then are treated to his odd habits of praise after a good catch. The highly respected deckhand breaks after old clips of Phil talking about how wonderful he is too much. He reveals just how much he loved Phil and dubbed him as a second dad. Noticeably absent, Jake is missing with no explanation to his whereabouts.

Wild Bill from the Kodiak joins the table as Freddie takes a break. Highlights from his season filled with crewmen with an attitude problem roll. A small bayou craw-fishing bet rolls. Andy Hillstrand and Wild Bill enjoy and lively who-can-catch-the-most fishing trip.

After we see a small reminder that the deckhands will be punished on the Time Bandit for any negative attitudes, some of the captains get to see the oil spill first hand. The subject of the BP spill and how it is taking down the ecosystem is discussed. The captains recall the spill in Alaska that affected the fishery to the point it still hasn’t recovered.

Russell Newberry joins the table and it’s awkward as he has been passed from boat to boat. The Time Bandit, the Wizard and the Kodiak all let him go in ’09. They all talk business relationships versus every day relationships. Freddie returns and they examine fellow crew’s mistakes. All are on the Kodiak due to poorly tied knots.

A rescue swimmer joins the table to talk about the heroes in the sky that answer the call in disaster situations. “Noodles” is what he asked to be addressed as. He was there doing some of the first rescues during Hurricane Katrina. A fellow by the name of Matt Renner joins the table after Noodles” exits. He is a cameraman that got into a argument with Sig last season. We get a peek behind the scenes and see the captains talk about the tv crew.