Deadliest Catch returned for its 21st season on Friday (August 1) with plenty of chaos, clashing personalities, and dangerous situations, but some have blasted the show for “faking” its drama.

“F this fake drama,” wrote a user on the Deadliest Catch Reddit forum. “What an awful first episode. The fake arguments, the fake meetings, the oddly performative prayer moment… just an awful thing.”

They continued, “Producers have been shifting more towards the fake drama for a while but this season is just too much. I’m pretty much done with the show. Sucks. A good show ruined.”

The Season 21 premiere primarily focused on Johnathan Hillstrand and Sig Hansen as they sailed their vessels to Adak Island in a hunt for Alaskan Red King Crab. However, the mission faced an obstacle when there was an ammonia leak onboard Jake Anderson’s boat, which required the crew to flee the ship and wait for help from the other vessels.

One fan on Reddit speculated the ammonia leak was manufactured for the show, writing, “They forgot to cough despite the supposedly extreme ammonia leak.”

Another added, “These guys are celebrities now. They haven’t been fishermen for at least 10 years. The show used to be about men making a living doing a deadly job out of necessity. None of these guys need to be on that boat now. None of them are there for the job that probably includes most of the deckhands. They’re there because they’re contracted by Discovery and fame.”

While others agreed, including a commenter who said, “Many of us long-time fans feel the show has ‘jumped the shark,’” plenty of others defended the long-running Discovery Channel reality series.

“Compared to what is on TV these days it is a better show than most. If it’s so played out why don’t the complainers go and join a crew,” said one Reddit user.

“So don’t watch it and let the rest of us who have been watching for years, enjoy it,” another told the complainers.

“I still love the show.. gonna stay til the end,” added another.

Another wrote, “Give it a chance. I would miss it if it left – it’s been a part of my life for 20 years.”

Others defended the premiere, with one user saying, “I thought the prayer montage was pretty neat.”

“There have been several scenes with prayer over the years. It’s not a new thing,” added another. “These guys have a respect for their God and count on him for safety, or at least peace of mind. Let them have it.”

What did you think of the Deadliest Catch Season 21 premiere? Has the show jumped the shark? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Deadliest Catch, Fridays, 8/7c, Discovery Channel