Deadliest Catch Season 21 sees series mainstay Captain Sig Hansen join the crew of the Time Bandit, a move that has shocked fans, and one Hansen calls "a blessing that I thought was going to be a curse." The reality show staple is just entering its 20th year on the air with the newly released Season 21, airing now on the Discovery Channel and Discovery+. The latest chapter in the beloved Alaskan crabbing epic sees longtime rivals Sig Hansen join forces with Captain Johnathan Hillstrand for their next adventure into the Northern Pacific.
This was a massive change for the series, as former enemies become friends in the unpredictable world of deep-sea crabbing. Thus far this season, fans have watched on a potential sea-faring dream die (as the Titan Explorer faced a terrifying sink scare), as well as the forging of this unlikely alliance between Hansen and Hillstrand.
Deadliest Catch Season 21 is now airing on Discovery. New episodes of the drama-filled reality series debut every Friday, with a simultaneous streaming release on Discovery+.
So, Why Is Sig Hansen on the Time Bandit on Deadliest Catch Season 21?
After years of feuding with its crew on the open seas, Sig Hansen is now aboard the FV Time Bandit and seems to think his latest Deadliest Catch partnership might ultimately be for the best.
In Season 21 of the hit series, captains Sig Hansen and Johnathan Hillstrand set their differences aside and worked together on the Time Bandit rather than against one another.
This was done in an effort to work smart and not harder on the open Alaskan ocean, getting to explore a wider berth on the water between the two, as opposed to having to crab within smaller areas individually. This has meant they will have a better chance at outdoing the other captains/ships on the water, ultimately winning this latest crab season.
In a recent interview with TV Insider, Hansen addressed the massive change, saying that while he was initially reluctant to the idea, he has come around to it.
"It was a blessing that I thought was going to be a curse," Hansen admitted, adding that "we found a lot of crab," so "it worked out:"
"For me, it was a blessing that I thought was going to be a curse being with the Hillstrand guys aboard the Time Bandit in the beginning. We went on this prospect mission. For the 'Catch' fans I think that will be a big one because I didn’t see it coming either, but it worked out. Not to give too much away, but it worked out. We found a lot of crab. It was a lot of fun. Almost going back in time."
And even though Hansen is now in unfamiliar territory, it is not as though his boat, the Northwestern, has been completely landlocked this season. Hansen's daughter, Mandy, helped to crew that ship while he was elsewhere with the Time Bandit team:
"We were quite a ways in the West, legally as far as we could go in our box. When you get to Adak, it’s pretty historical. For me, it was a trip back in time. That was a lot of fun. The fact my daughter got to participate and she was on the Northwestern for the first time on her own was a real treat for me. Part of me really enjoys all this, and part of me is like, “Jesus Christ, I’m setting myself up for death.” It scares me. It really does. She did great. Mandy being on her own [while I was away]."
With plenty more Deadliest Catch Season 21 to come, it will be interesting to see whether Hansen's tenure on the Time Bandit continues to be smooth sailing, or if the longtime crabbing rivals will come into some choppy waters.
