Deadliest Catch - Not in HD!

[okcomputer]

So, the new Deadliest Catch season starts tomorrow night on Discovery.

And NOT on Discovery HD.

It seems Discovery is only airing this season on their SD network. No word as to why, or when the episodes will be re-aired on HD.

Anyone else notice this or know what the scoop is?

I'm not happy... I pay extra each month for HD Extra and the only channel I watch in the package is Discovery. And now the show I watch the most won't even be on that channel....

[Raven119]

I just got HD service last month and one of the packages I wanted was Discovery HD and History HD. The first thing I noticed was that Discovery HD doesn't carry a lot (if any) of first run shows like Deadliest Catch and Mythbusters. That's the main reason why I dropped Discovery HD - it certainly wasn't worth the $4 per month. Sure they look great in HD, but please make it more current.

[smootherator]

I agree..Discovery HD was mostly rerun content. Heck if you have that channel for 1 month and you watch 2 hours a day...you will have seen everything pretty much.

[Blackloz]

+ don't forget that Discovery HD is not to be confused with Discovery Channel HD, they are both two different channels. With Discovery Channel HD not being available to us at all.

[TKG26]

It sucks royally, but Blackloz you pointed out something i did not even know.... Funny how its easy for all of us to think we are getting what we thought we where paying for. I thought Discovery Channel SD and Discovery HD where the same channel.

Yet another annoyance of the pure lack of HD programming..

I want 100% HD and they can keep the SD for people rocking the tube teli's

[Blackloz]

Discovery HD needs to be rebranded as HD Theater, and then the real Discovery Channel HD can launch. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_Theater

[okcomputer]

Yeah, I totally assumed Discovery HD was Discovery Channel HD. It's a bit ridiculous.

And conveniently, the Contact Us page on their website hasn't worked for the past couple of days... grr!

[TKG26]

Well the first show was good.. I wonder when they cover capt Phil's death.. That will be a sad show

[okcomputer]

I wonder when they cover capt Phil's death..

I think the fishing season runs from October to January-ish. Phil had a stroke at the end of January and died on February 9th. So I'm guessing it'll be near the end of the season that they cover his death - maybe even the final episodes.

[reidw]

okcomputer, what makes you think that Discovery HD Canada won't be airing the Deadliest Catch's latest season? The pattern has been to show DC on Discovery Channel SD first and then repeat it later in the year on Discovery HD. Last year that meant that DC was on in SD in the spring and repeated in HD in the fall. I expect this same policy still applies.

As to why it does this. Discovery/or EXN has never claimed that Discovery HD is a clone of Discovery SD. It offers some programmes from Discovery SD but augments them with HD programs from other sources that never appear on the SD channel. I've caught shows originally produced by France, Italy, Germany, Australia, China and Japan on Discovery HD. The only other channels that offer this kind of variety are the four high fidelity channels. I prefer stations that offer different HD programming to HD schedules that are simply copies of their SD service. There are simply too many SD/HD station pairs. That's something the CRTC should address (but that's a topic for another thread).

[chillonhill]

I dont mind it too much, but would kinda like Daily Planet in HD.
I would actually watch it more than I do if it was.

I liked the 1st episode, Poor Keith has the Bandits against him now, what drama lol.

at 1st when the episode was starting I was confused as seeing the sinking skip, its bluish color looked kinda like Cornelia Marie from the stern, and I had thought at first, oh god, Phils kids sank his ship, he would be turning over i n his grave. But well that wasnt the case.
but the four they rescued sure lokked like a wierd bunch

[TKG26]

reidw i think most of us know they re-run the show later in HD. But what fun is that? I have to ignor the new season and hope i dont miss watching it in re-run on the HD channel.. I want my HD content fresh not in reruns

i wont rewatch the season in hd

[reidw]

I guess I look at it from a different angle than others. I often pass on watching a show on Discovery SD if I think there's a chance that it will be on Discovery HD later. These shows are not time critical so I can wait a few months. It's still a new show for me when it's shown in HD. So far my guesses have been pretty good as to which shows Discovery HD will pick up (Deadliest Catch, Iditarod, Alaska Experiment come quickly to mind). I did make a mistake on Heli-Loggers. I watched it in SD because I didn't think it would get an HD showing (not interesting enough I thought). I see it is now on Discovery HD. Can't be right everytime.

[okcomputer]

reidw, I am aware that they will most likely show the season later in the year.

I just didn't realize until recently that the HD station does not show all of the newer shows when they air.

I made an assumption, and it was wrong. I don't think I'm alone in making that assumption, and I know I'm not alone in wishing the HD station mirrored the SD station, especially when it comes to new episodes of shows.

Deadliest Catch has become one of my favourite shows, and I'd rather not wait several months for it to finally air in HD in Canada when I pay $7 a month for Discovery in HD. Might rethink having that package now... haha.

[JohnnyCanuck]

I actually refuse to watch shows like this on Canadian TV when they are either delayed from the original air date in the US or are shown only in SD when there is an HD version. In this case it's both.

I will use alternative means of obtaining the programming, such as using my US iTunes account or waiting for the DVD. I will not give the arrogant behaviour of certain Canadian providers the benefit of my patronage.

So, I have watched the first episode of the season and found it pretty good. I thought it was cool to see that not all these guys are friends. It is odd to watch knowing that Phil Harris has passed away. One thing I preferred about earlier seasons was a bigger rotation of boats. I know Sig Hansen is an Executive Producer and probably owns a chunk of the show so Northwestern will always be there and the Time Bandit is pretty entertaining ... but I'm tired of the Wizard and wouldn't have minded a second season for the Incentive or even revisiting the Rollo or the North American.