In 2008, Paul Watson persuaded the Discovery Channel to make a reality show documentary about the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's campaign against Japanese whalers off the coast of Antarctica. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society disputes the Japanese claim that the whaling performed in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is legally accepted research, and contend that it is instead banned commercially based whaling. Sea Shepherd has been both criticized and praised for tactics which include staging events, disseminating propaganda, throwing glass bottles of butyric acid at, boarding, and attempting to disable the Japanese vessels.
The program premiered on November 7, 2008, on the Animal Planet cable channel and follows events on the Steve Irwin as the group attempts to deter the hunting of Minke and Fin whales in the Southern Ocean.
Season 1
Season 1 consisted of 7 episodes and aired from November 7, 2008 to December 19, 2008. Each episode premiered on Fridays at 9 PM E/P on Animal Planet.[citation needed] Much of the action depicted in this season occurred between November 2007 and February 2008. Season One is now available on DVD. In one commercial advertisement announcing the season premiere of the series on November 7 on Animal Planet, Sea Shepherd members on the shore of a beach parody the style of the 2008 presidential candidates' campaign ads, including the line: "I'm Paul Watson, and I approve this message."[citation needed]
The first season of Whale Wars was the most watched program ever for Animal Planet, capturing more than one million viewers for its season finale.[citation needed] Among adults aged 2554, the series scored the highest viewer ratings in Animal Planet's history.
The first season also received the Television Academy Honors award. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences created the Television Academy Honors in 2008 to recognize elevision with a Conscience achievements in programming that present issues of concern to our society in a compelling, emotional and insightful way.
Controversy
Several episodes focused on the detainment of two members of the Sea Shepherd crew. Paul Watson had asked Potts and Lane to board the Yushin Maru in an attempt to create an international incident through their expected detainment. The detainment was cause for concern between the governments of Australia and Japan.
It is alleged by the ICR that Paul Watson faked being shot by either Japanese crew or coast guard personnel during the campaign in an effort to create media drama. The incident is heavily documented during the show in the final episode, and the first six episodes are covered as a buildup to what is portrayed as the major incident during the campaign. The footage in "Whale Wars" shows Watson standing on the deck of the Steve Irwin while Sea Shepherd crew throws stink bombs of butyric acid at the Nisshin Maru whaling vessel. The Japanese respond by throwing flashbang devices. Watson is then shown reaching inside his jacket and bullet-proof vest and remarking "I've been hit." Back inside the bridge of the Steve Irwin, a metal fragment is found inside the vest. The Australian Foreign Affairs Department condemned the incident.
Episode #
Episode Title
Original U.S. Airdate
101
"Needle in a Haystack"
November 7, 2008(2008-11-07)
Paul Watson is allegedly shot by the Japanese whaling crew during a confrontation between the whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru and the Sea Shepherd vessel MVSteve Irwin. The episode then flashes back to the maiden launching and departure of the vessel from homeport three months earlier.
102
"Nothing's Ideal"
November 14, 2008(2008-11-14)
After weeks of searching, the Sea Shepherds finally spot a Japanese whaling ship, the whale catcher Yushin Maru #2. Watson devises a dangerous plan for two of his crew members to board the vessel and deliver a letter telling them to stop the killing of whales. He hopes to create an international incident, but his plan sparks a safety debate that divides the crew. Two volunteers enlist for the mission Ben Potts and Giles Lane and the crew braces for the worst as the men jump over the railing of the enemy ship. They are immediately tied up by the Japanese whalers, and the Yushin speeds away with the two Shepherds still aboard.
103
"International Incidents R Us"
November 21, 2008(2008-11-21)
Without negotiation and confrontation with the MV Steve Irwin, the Yushin Maru 2 agreed to transfer Pottsy and Giles to a government ship that would then meet with the Steve Irwin at a rendezvous point to return the two members. 1st Mate Peter Brown decides to launch an attack on the Yushin Maru 2 at dusk. Four crewmembers are sent on the Zodiac inflatable boat Delta to carry out the risky mission. After losing radio contact with them, recon pilot Chris Aultman, who was sent too late to survey the situation, reports that they are heading in the wrong direction and must return as night falls. The lone Delta was feared to be forever lost out in the middle of the dark, frigid, vast Antarctic Ocean. Fortunately, contact was finally made with the Delta, which eventually returns to the MV Steve Irwin over two hours later and behind schedule to retrieve Pottsy and Giles.
104
"We Are Hooligans"
November 28, 2008(2008-11-28)
Giles Lane and Ben Potts safely return to the MV Steve Irwin. The crew then discovers that an unknown ship, allegedly spying for the Japanese whaling fleet, has been following them, decides to recon it from behind a tabletop iceberg for any military personnel aboard, and temporarily drives it away after seeing no sign of illegal military activity. The crew later plans to ambush the mystery ship, soon identified as the Fukuyoshi 68, to prevent information about the Steve Irwin's whereabouts from being given to the rest of the whaling fleet. They plan to do this by boarding the vessel and sabotaging its communication equipment, shutting off any communication with anyone. Before the mission, a hydraulic crane used to launch the motor rafts somehow got damaged, jeopardizing the Sea Shepherd's mission.
105
"Doors Slamming and Things Breaking"
December 5, 2008(2008-12-05)
The MV Steve Irwin experiences several technical difficulties, including a damaged engine, hydraulic crane, and helicopter. Running on only one engine, the ship must return to port at Melbourne, Australia to make repairs while the whaling continues. Some crewmembers decide to party and leave the operation. Upon arrival, they were welcomely greeted and cheered by the citizens, and by the police. Pottsy and Giles become instant celebrities on homecoming. After recruiting new members, the crew travels without its recon chopper and returns to the Southern Ocean only to find that the suspicious ship is still following them.
106
"Ladies First"
December 12, 2008(2008-12-12)
After noticing that the suspicious ship Fukuyoshi Maru 68 has found and followed the MVSteve Irwin again, Watson unsuccessfully attempts to send four female crewmembers to board the vessel to deliver a warrant. This leads to a man's injured thumb and a woman's injured pelvis (Incidents not related). The Steve Irwin detects the Nisshin Maru on radar. At dusk, the entire ship experiences a power outage, leaving it drifting through an iceberg field without operating engines.
107
"Boiling Point"
December 19, 2008(2008-12-19)
After power was restored to part of the ship, the MV Steve Irwin finally finds, follows, and comes face to face two times with the Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru, which Watson considers the "most evil" vessel in international waters. A pod of whales swims between the two "warring" ships, which eventually engage in a ship-to-ship "battle." The captain of the Nisshin Maru warned on a recorded message sent multiple times through a horn that "If you dare board this vessel, you will be taken into custody." Recruited Sea Shepherds are the first to strike, throwing stink bombs with butyric acid onto the decks of the Nisshin Maru, which dwarfed the Steve Irwin in size, while its crew watches and films the Steve Irwin. The Japanese whalers claim that three of their crewmembers were injured by the stink bombs. When the two ships meet the second time, the Steve Irwin crew strikes first again while the Nisshin Maru crew, in return, threatens to use tear gas grenades and throws flash bombs. Watson fishes a metallic fragment from his vest and claims to have been shot. As Watson concluded that the second leg of the mission was successful, the Sea Shepherds claimed that they have saved about 500 whales. The Steve Irwin returns to Melbourne again before running out of fuel.
Season 2
The second season of Whale Wars premiered on Animal Planet in the United States on June 5, 2009, in Canada on June 10, 2009 and in the United Kingdom on October 6, 2009. Dates are yet to be announced for the premiere in other countries. The season was recorded between December 2008 and February 2009.
Episode #
Episode Title
Original U.S. Airdate
201
"The Sound of Ice"
June 5, 2009(2009-06-05)
The series starts with a dramatic encounter with the Japanese Whaling fleet. The episode then flashes back to the maiden launching and departure of the vessel from homeport two months earlier. Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherds head back down to Antarctica for what promises to be their most intense anti-whaling campaign yet. However, no sooner does the ship leave port than the ship's Gyro breaks and they hit a massive storm the size of Australia
202
"The Flexibility of Steel"
June 12, 2009(2009-06-12)
A huge weather system moves in and the Steve Irwin is forced to take shelter behind a large iceberg. By morning, they are surrounded by ice so thick they can no longer move. The ice begins to push against the aging ship's fragile hull, denting it inwards.
203
"As Bad as Our Bark"
June 19, 2009(2009-06-19)
The Sea Shepherd gather intel on the fleet's location, they realize that they are low on fuel. As they weigh whether or not to head back to port, they come across the entire Japanese fleet searching for one of their crewmembers that has fallen overboard.
204
"Yum Yum, Eat Crow"
June 26, 2009(2009-06-26)
The Sea Shepherds have come across the entire Japanese fleet searching for one of their crewmembers that fell overboard. Paul orders his crew to stand down, and they agonize over being so close to their target, yet unable to attack.
205
"The Unintimidatables"
July 10, 2009(2009-07-10)
The Steve Irwin is quarantined in Hobart and the crew anxiously waits to find out if they have been exposed to Anthrax. Finally they get the all clear and 1st mate Peter Brown wastes no time leaving the ship after having quit the campaign.
206
"With a Hook"
July 17, 2009(2009-07-17)
Surrounded by the Japanese whaling fleet, the Sea Shepherds ready themselves for their biggest day of battle to date on the campaign. Helicopter pilot Chris flies up and confirms the crew's fears - all of the whaling vessels are equipped with LRADs. Additionally the Nisshin Maru has covered itself in netting, making the deployment of the butyric acid nearly impossible. The Gemini tries to deploy a prop-fouler, but after several attempts, the harpoon ship manages to take fouling line out of the water. The LRAD device is seen, but not turned on.
207
"The Desire to Fling Things"
July 24, 2009(2009-07-24)
Watson is in pursuit of the Nisshin Maru when all three Japanese harpoon ships suddenly appear on out of the fog. The Sea Shepherds are completely outnumbered.
208
"Bait and Switch"
July 31, 2009(2009-07-31)
As the Sea Shepherds prepare for their fourth straight day of engagement with the Japanese whaling fleet, Andy and Simon argue with Dan over the best strategy for attack.
209
"The Crazy Ivan"
August 7, 2009(2009-08-07)
Low on fuel, the small boats head toward the Steve Irwin, but in order to get them on board safely, Paul must employ a dangerous military strategy, "The Crazy Ivan," circling at a high speed to try and create calm water for the little boats to return.
210
"The Stuff of Nightmares"
August 14, 2009(2009-08-14)
The Sea Shepherds shock turns to fury when the Japanese fleet pulls a dead whale onto Nisshin Maru for slaughter. Paul Watson instructs the crew to prepare for battle, but Japanese water cannons disorient the Sea Shepherds, causing them to misthrow. Another Japanese whaling ship transfers another dead whale later. But afterwards the Yushin Maru No. 3 harpoons and kills a whale in front of the Sea Shepherd crew.
211
"Overlooking a Forlorn Shore"
August 21, 2009(2009-08-21)
Season Finale.The Sea Shepherds continue to attempt to disrupt the whaling fleet's operations. When the Yushin Maru 3 tries to transfer a dead whale to the Nisshin Maru, Captain Watson intercedes by ramming his ship into the Yushin Maru 3 at full throttle.
Season 3
In an interview on the Discovery Channel's official blog site, Captain Paul Watson confirmed that the upcoming 2009-10 Sea Shepherd campaign will include both multiple large ships, as well as new tactics of launching projectiles: "This year we'll have new and improved tactics. We'll be down there with two or three vessels and a new way of delivering what we want to throw."
At the start of the campaign, Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet, said in a news release: "The issues surrounding whaling in the southern ocean are important and complex. The majesty of these beautiful creatures and the lengths to which the Sea Shepherds will go in order to prevent whaling has made Whale Wars intense and vital television." She also said that Japan had denied requests to film on their vessels.
Featured cast
Current Cast
Name
Nationality
Role
Notes
Paul Watson
Captain
Founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Peter Hammarstedt
First Mate
Pedro Monteiro
Second Mate
Joined when Peter Hammarstedt moved up ranks.
Luke Van Horn
Communications Officer
Chris Aultman
Recon Helicopter Pilot
Former U.S. Marine Corps avionics technician.
Malcolm Holland
Quartermaster
Emily Hunter
Quartermaster
Daughter of Greenpeace co-founder Robert Hunter.
Amber Paarman
Quartermaster
Laura Dakin
Chief Cook
Former personal chef for Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Benjamin "Pottsy" Potts
Chief Cook & Helicopter Assistant
One of the two crewmembers who boarded a Japanese whaling vessel Yushin Maru 2.
Giles Lane
Helicopter assistant
One of the two crewmembers who boarded a Japanese whaling vessel Yushin Maru 2.
Simon Avery
Bosun's Mate
David Jennings
Bosun's Mate
Andrew Perry
Leading Deckhand
Arne Feuerhahn
Deckhand
Laurens de Groot
Deckhand
Former Dutch police officer.
Don Kehoe Jr.
Deckhand
Retired Long Beach California police officer.
Molly Kendall
Deckhand
Stephen Roest
Deckhand
Scott Bell
Doctor
Merryn Redenbach
Doctor
Charles Hutchins
Chief engineer
Dan Villa
Assistant engineer
Luke Westhead
Assistant engineer
Wietse van der Werf
Ship's Carpenter
Veronika Kristof
Former Cast
Name
Nationality
Role
Notes
Peter Brown
First Mate
Involved with Sea Shepherd since 1982.
Tod Emko
Communications Officer
Shannon Mann
Quartermaster
Kim McCoy
Quartermaster
Executive Director of Sea Shepherd
Wilfred Verkleij
Communications Officer
Jane Taylor
Navigation Officer
Former U.S. Navy Lieutenant
Critical reception
Whale Wars has received mostly positive reviews. Review aggregation site MetaCritic has scored Whale Wars 71 out of 100 based on 6 reviews. Neil Genzlinger of the New York Times wrote: "Whale Wars splashes across the increasingly exhausted genre of people-at-work reality series like icy seawater, jolting you awake with a frothy, briny burst of well, you get the idea. This is one spunky show."
The show has also been criticised for being biased, and the Sea Shepherd crew has been ridiculed. Nancy Dewolf Smith of The Wall Street Journal wrote: "What is shocking at first is how unprepared most of these people are for their self-appointed mission as planet savers. Although the word eadly is used often to underscore the risks the crew face, alone out in the wild Antarctic seas their own incompetence can seem the most frightening." The satirists of South Park spoofed the show in the 11th episode of season 13, as "Whale Whores." The episode was highly critical of the show's quality. When one of the South Park characters takes command of the ship, a fake news headline states: hale Wars Gets Better: Things Actually Happen! Strong criticism was focused on Paul Watson, who was called "an unorganized incompetent media whore who thought lying to everyone was okay as long as it served his cause" in the episode. David Hinckley of the New York Daily News wrote: "Because the cameras obviously operate from the conservation ship named the Sea Shepherd and, for this voyage, also called the Steve Irwin we get all the drama on this side and virtually none on the other."
See also
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary
Whaling in Japan
References
^ "Whale Wars: About the Series". Animal Planet. http://animal.discovery.com/tv/whale-wars/about/. Retrieved 4 November 2008.
^ "Australia condemns bloody killing of whale and calf by Japanese fleet". London: Times Newspapers Ltd.. 8 February 2008. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3325580.ece.
^ "Paul Watson: Sea Shepherd eco-warrior fighting to stop whaling and seal hunts". Telegraph.co.uk. 2009-04-17. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/5166346/Paul-Watson-Sea-Shepherd-eco-warrior-fighting-to-stop-whaling-and-seal-hunts.html. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
^ "Whale Wars DVD Set". Discovery Channel Store. http://shopping.discovery.com/product-74891.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
^ Reynolds, Mike (23 December 2008). "Animal Planet Show Has Whale Of A Season". Multichannel News. http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6624856.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
^ "The Television Academy Honors". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. http:/
