If you've listened to our show recently you know I was excited about the new show on the Discovery Channel about line fisherman, Swords. Similar to Discovery's Hit Show, the Deadliest Catch, producers and videographers follow around several Northeastern fishing boats on their quest to make a living during fishing season, excepts Swords features Sword-fisherman on the East Coast vs. Catch's Alaskan king crab boats. To make it more exciting, Swords features a boat crew from Barnegat Light, NJ as part of the mix. I love to spend as much time as possible on Long Beach Island down the Jersey Shore during the summer which is where Barnegat Light is. So it feels close to home. And you feel for those routing for the boys from their hometown.
You can't help but draw the comparison between the two shows especially because it's from the same producers. So here's my evaluation of Swords Vs. Deadliest Catch. I guess it's simple, Swords is good but it's no Deadliest Catch for 3 simple reasons
THEME SONG - Catch has "Wanted Dead or Alive" as a theme song. Swords has nothing. And to think the Alaskan show gets a Jersey band's song. There's just something cool about Catch's opening intro blaring a quintessential road-cowboy song. And the only somewhat self-respecting Bon Jovi song. Advantage - Catch
VOICEOVER - Catch has Mike Rowe. You don't get cooler than Rowe. He was doing the VO for Catch even before "Dirty Jobs" came out. And then he tops it off with "After the Catch" featuring Rowe interviewing the boys from the boat on the boat. Advantage - Catch.
SENSITIVITY - Swords just can't win the PR battle on this one. Crabs look like spiders of the sea, Swordfish can be mistaken for Flipper. Swords will never be as big as The Deadliest Catch for that reason. I can't see my wife sitting thought shots of fisherman propping up a mass-lined and caught fish onto the deck then gutting it right there in front of the camera. Catch just grabs a bunch of little sea spiders into a cage and chases them into a hull. How cute. Advantage- Catch.
So what does Swords have on Catch? Not much. But it's got a Jersey boat with a pretty wimpy greenhorn who's a surfer so I'll keep watching.
