Of all the captains currently sailing on the iconic crab-fishing reality series “Deadliest Catch,” there is perhaps no single cast member more important to the series than Sig Hansen, captain of the FV Northwestern. Since his first appearance back in the series’ very first episode, Hansen has appeared in more episodes of “Deadliest Catch” than any other cast member in series history — and is considered by many fans to be the best captain in the entire show, due to both his incredible success at sea and his excellent handling of his crew.

Indeed, the long-running reality series recently emphasized its commitment to Sig Hansen by granting the iconic captain his own dedicated spinoff series, titled “Deadliest Catch: The Viking Returns.” The network’s continual investment in Hansen, as well as his extreme popularity with fans of “Deadliest Catch,” makes it clear that he is without a doubt the most important cast member of the entire series.

Although his prominence within the show has certainly granted him plenty of fame and success throughout the years, Hansen himself claims that there have been some unintended consequences from his appearance in “Deadliest Catch” — one of which he wishes he could change.

Sig Hansen would like to change the way he is portrayed within the show

In a 2014 interview with Channel Guide Magazine, Sig Hansen admitted that he would love to change the way that he is portrayed on “Deadliest Catch” — claiming that the show makes him out to be much crueler than he actually is. Specifically, he recalled an instance where a fan of the show asked his wife, “How can you be married to such a mean guy,” which really irked him.

“Maybe the lady saw an episode where I had to get tough with the crew, and I don’t care if it’s one month or four — I will not get out of that mental state until I’m back on the plane home,” Hansen explained. “You are in the job every minute, every second of every day, because you have to be… so maybe the lady saw me yell at my crew, but she’s never seen me at home being a nice guy with the girls or walking our dogs or going dirt biking with my kid.”

Hansen went on to explain that the show also omits his continual investment in charities like Make-a-Wish and the Ronald McDonald House, and that he regrets the fact that fans only ever see him while he is on the job. Although some fans may have taken Hansen’s tough portrayal within the series to heart, it’s clear that the longtime “Deadliest Catch” star has still managed to endear himself to a large percentage of the fanbase — regardless of how cruel he can seem while out at sea.

Phil Harris was one of the most popular sea captains ever featured on Discovery’s hit reality show “Deadliest Catch.” Filmed in the Alaskan Islands, the show features seasoned crab fishermen trying their best to keep their businesses profitable while combatting the deadly challenges from the unrelenting sea. Sadly, Harris didn’t live to see the end of the series. In 2010, he suffered a serious stroke while filming, footage of which actually ended up in Season 6, Episode 11, “Blown Off Course.” Phil later died from complications of his stroke in February of that same year.

To honor him, Discovery hosted a public memorial in Seattle later that spring (via King5.com). At least 2,000 people were in attendance, including his sons, family friends, and many additional well-wishers on the water near the pier. It’s been a hard road for Harris’ sons since the loss of their father, but both Jake and Josh are doing their best to keep the fishing business going (and, by extension, the popular Discovery reality series). In particular, Josh had a lot to say about the difficulties surrounding fishing and his father’s passing in a recent interview — including the most important lesson his father ever taught him.

Josh Harris claims his dad taught him to never quit

Early on in the Fox News interview, when asked about the most important things he ever learned from his dad, Josh Harris gave a short but impassioned speech about perseverance. He explained, “You go until the wheels fall off. That’s how it goes. He’s just got a lot of heart and a lot of drive and there is no quit. A lot of fighting the dog, and we’ll fight until the death. That’s just the way it works.” So far, adhering to that philosophy has kept him going — but that quote and the interview both come at a time when his dedication to never quitting was seriously tested during the show’s 18th season.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Harris mentioned how his crew would temporarily fish for gold king crab instead of red king crab for a while despite the fact it’s more dangerous, labor-intensive, and expensive. But it wasn’t all focused on his job for the interview. He also took some time to reflect on his father’s legacy: “He was such a rad dude. The crew loved him so much. They worked for him, the same guys, for 15 years. It’s hard to keep a crew for 15 years. I just want to live with a good heart, be a good captain like he was … and just have fun, even when it’s crappy out there.”

It’ll be interesting to see whether Harris’ decision to adhere to his father’s never-quit philosophy will save or prove disastrous for the family fishing business.