The Innovation Diaries

Let the record state that I hate reality TV. The reason why, is that they have as much in common with creativity and freshness, as Paris Hilton does with educated classy sexiness.

Now enter Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel - The most innovative reality show on TV.

“Huh,” you say?
“Heresy!” you scream?
What about Mr. Cowell?
What about Big Brother season 27?
What about “Who Wants to Dance With a Leper Bachelor?”

Bear with me.

If you’ve not seen it, Deadliest Catch, now in its 3rd season, documents men working in the most dangerous occupation in the world: Alaskan crab fishing. We see it all as it happens - the faces of the crew, the captains in the wheelhouse. We see the hard work, the weather, shipwrecks, sea rescues - and sadly – the fatalities of the industry. And yes, this is all being filmed - however it is unfolding no differently than if the cameras weren’t there.

Why it’s so innovative is that it has, in fact created a new genre of reality show. Let’s call it the “True Reality” genre. There are no roses given. No call-in votes. No tricks. No contrived co-habitations. No prize at the end. No “pack your knives and go.” It is - in a word – real. And that, ironically, is innovation in reality TV.

But why has this show been so successful? (and, yes, it has – it’s in 100 countries, sells scads of DVDs) Here are a few theories on the innovation of crabs:
• It’s for guys. Sorry ladies. Some of you may like it, but True Reality is all about the testosterone. We’re watching fisherman get bashed by 40-foot waves, falling overboard, and sorting hundreds of pounds of live king crab in stainless steel bins. And because of this targeting, Deadliest Catch is getting guys who hate reality shows to watch a reality show.
• The people are real. Not in a The Real World sense. These guys are genuine salt of the earth. Unpolished, and un-made-up. You can see how much they stink. Their grammar is bad. They’re humble, and they’re badasses. You get to love these characters that could have been written by Annie E. Proulx – and yet they actually exist.
• The drama is not contrived. Fights erupt between sleep-deprived crewmates, ships catch fire, people are plucked from the deadly grip of 4-degree water, and the crew earn $50,000 for 2 weeks of work. And you believe that it was all going on for years just the same - even before the cameras were on the masts.

So where is this innovation headed?
• There are 2 spinoff shows – including After the Catch: an hour of the captains at a bar drinking beer and telling stories
• You can buy merchandise from each of the ships featured on ‘Catch. (I’m a big Time Bandit fan, myself.)
• Discovery has launched Dirty Jobs (with Mike Rowe, the voice of Deadliest Catch) doing different disgusting jobs each week.
• Discovery’s History Channel has Ice Road Truckers, following the dangerous life of truckers who drive over frozen lakes to deliver supplies to diamond mines in Yellowknife, Canada.

So where is the show about the daring and dangerous life of an innovation consultant? I’d be all over that one.

For real.