Trawlermen - Series 1 [DVD]

An unexpected hit for BBC 1 when it was screened in the Seven P.M slot for five consecutive nights from 31st July to the 4th of August 2006 Trawlermen is the sort of reality TV we could do with more of. Following , ostensibly ,the working lives of the crews on two boats sailing from Peterhead on the east coast of Scotland -The Amity and The Ocean Venture -Trawlermen packed more tension , drama and humour into five half hour episodes than the combined forces of The Bill, Eastenders and anything starring Tamzin Outhwaite could in several years of flogging their respective dead horses.

The series actually caused some controversy when first aired because it put sub-titles on some of the crews dialogue . Now this may have seemed patronising and insulting but as someone not that tuned in to the accent it is hard to understand , especially when they shouting in a force ten gale. (It's noticeable for the second series which has just started its run again on BBC1 that they have largely ditched this policy which means I for one struggle to understand half of what the crew are saying ,though some are more understandable than others)

The crew are the undoubted stars of this show as they cope with truly horrendous working conditions , long hours- sixteen hour shifts are the norm - being way from home , and the constant dangers inherent with the job. Plus they work like Trojans crossed with dogs with no guarantee that there will be any money in it for them at the end of their run. Poor catches, beaurocracy ,damaged nets, high fuel costs , and numerous other potential glitches hover over the horizon like a gigantic beady eyed gull eager for a beak full of misfortune. The crew though on both boats cope with all this with good cheer , stoic fatalism and grim determination.

It's extraordinary how easily the viewer becomes sucked into their battle to find the best fishing grounds and ends up willing them on to land the big catch that means their trip out will have been worthwhile. Amity hunts for prawns while Ocean Venture is after fish , though it really wants the prized cod, haddock and monkfish and not the relatively worthless Coley they usually end up with. The series puts us through the wringer as various disasters befall the crews and there is some comedy relief as an apprentice on a brand new state of the art trawler finds just how hard their job is , especially if you suffer from sea sickness -a career choice akin to someone with vertigo becoming a scaffolder. We also get to see the process through to it's conclusion as the skippers found out how much their respective catches will fetch at the fish markets,

I won't give away the results of all that hard work and storm tossed struggle in case you haven't seen the series . But it ends with the skipper of Amity , Jimmy Buchan ,sampling some of his prize prawns at a swish London restararunt and lets just say that John Buchan( no relation) is not down in the mouth about the price his fish go for at market.

This is one series that no matter how grim you feel your job is will make you aware that there are far more adverse ways to earn a living , at least until you start your next working day. Most of us get to go home at night and are guaranteed a pay packet at the end of the month/week but not these guys. Plus we aren't in imminent danger of getting swept overboard. Well they chose that life I hear you cry .Well maybe so, but it,s just as well somebody does and I don't mean "Captain Birdseye". Personally I think these are the sort of people who should be winning honours , and not footballers , rock stars and writers and certainly not politicians. Make this DVD your next catch of the day.

This is a truly engrossing series which is superbly shot and is both fascinating and amazing. I don't want to repeat everything the other reviewers said but suffice to say, it makes you think every single time you see fish in a restaurant menu or on the supermarket shelves. There are some great characters in the show and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

wow!! i always thought that my job was hard, but after watching trawlermen, i realised that my job was a walk in the park! These guys work their hides off in freezing dangerous conditions facing death everyday just to provide us with seafood. Eating fish and chips will never be the same again!!!
I recommend the trawlermen dvd to anybody that thinks their job is challenging,brilliant.