Elliott Neese’s departure from “Deadliest Catch” was a necessary one, as he had to enter rehab in Season 11. His substance misuse issues continued to the point that in 2021, he pled guilty to dealing heroin on the Kenai Peninsula area (via KTOO), and received a 30-month prison sentence in 2022.
Neese’s troubles haven’t gone unnoticed by Reddit. “He was all f***** up on drugs while at sea. Do you think Discovery knew? Just wanted good drama?” u/Stern68 wondered. Meanwhile, u/Mekiya noted that while they didn’t much care for Neese, they had some sympathy for the captain and the issues he was dealing with. “Elliot is a sad story and while I found the guy rather gross and to be a jackass I’d always hoped he could pull himself out of it,” the Redditor wrote.
On the other hand, Reddit is considerably less sympathetic about Neese’s treatment of Valerie Gunderson, with whom he has two children. They have a rather strained relationship that has led to situations like a temporary restraining order in 2012 (via Entertainment Weekly), and multiple “Deadliest Catch” fans on Reddit have seen enough of Neese’s attitude toward women in general and Val in particular to make up their minds about him. “I hate him,” u/FatimahGianna2 wrote. “All he cares about is sex and drugs. I hate how he goes through women and hated the way he treated Val.”
“I have really disliked a lot of these guys (Keith, Freddie), but no one comes close to Elliott. Absolute lowlife scumbag,” u/FaFaFloheim expressed their opinion. All in all, it would appear that Neese isn’t going to win any “Deadliest Catch”-themed popularity contests in a hurry.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).