Deadliest Catch addressed Todd Meadows’ death in the reality show’s season 22 finale.

The Discovery Channel series covered the before and after of the late deckhand’s death at age 25 during its Friday, Sept. 25 episode, months after Meadows fell overboard while working aboard the Aleutian Lady on Feb. 25.

The episode approaches the tragedy through the experience of Capt. Rick Shelford and the rest of the boat’s crew but does not show Meadows’ fall.

The episode begins with a warning that “material may be disturbing to some viewers.” Next, the camera floats in the water, as waves splash to make one feel like they were wading in the ocean.

Then, Meadows appears in a confessional-style interview while preparing food on Feb. 25. “It’s been a rough season, from what I’ve heard it’s been one of the rougher seasons for the boat,” he tells the camera. When asked by a producer if “he has the opportunity to go home” would he return to the boat later? Meadows answered he would. “Absolutely,” he said, “It’s been one of my dreams and goals to make it up here. That’s why I’m up here to make it and to try to support my family.”

After telling the producer his kids are ages “1, 2, and 4” and explaining it’s a ”heart-wrencher” that his younger two don’t know why he’s gone for long stretches, he’s next seen FaceTiming his family. He tells his son they can go salmon fishing when he returns. “I hope you’re being safe,” his daughter tells him. “If you’re not being safe you better be safe.” He replies, “Oh I’m being safe.”

In the next scene, Captain Rick is manning the boat when he hears screams from the deck crew. When he asks “Everybody OK?” they reply, “No” and tell him there’s a man overboard. He begins turning the boat around and instructing them to get the “ring” and crane ready. “I got my eye on him,” he tells the crew.”

As the crew try to pull him up, Rick looks out his window and says, “he is out.” He instructs the others to get him out of the water to start CPR. They get Meadows back on the boat and start CPR. The camera stays in his control center and doesn’t show what’s happening on the deck. “Come on, man, come on, someone go get the AUD right now,” Rick could be heard saying off camera.

The camera pans to the water as text appears: “On February 25th, 2026, deckhand Todd Meadows went overboard. After six minutes and twenty-six seconds in the water, he was recovered unresponsive.”

It cuts back to Rick’s control room as he returns and instructs the crew to “keep pumping.” He calls the Coast Guard and as he awaits instructions, he breaks down crying and a producer tells him, “He’s gone, Rick.” A doctor joins the call and Rick tells him they did CPR over 20 minutes. After answering specific questions, the doctor says there’s nothing else they can do to bring him back.

Eight hours later at 1:00 a.m. local time, Rick says reality is sinking in and that troopers are on their way to Meadows’ mother’s house.

Deckhand Glen “Steven” Porter was emotional in an on-camera interview. He said he would like to “put out there” that Meadows would “get in trouble” to make sure he got a FaceTime call in with his kids. “You know where his priorities were and that f—- kills my heart.”

Deck boss Nicolas “Nico” Huerta tells producers that right before Meadows fell, he was getting the crab out, like he was supposed to, when the pot went over. “Don’t know how,” he said. Captain Rick tells the cameras the State Troopers and Coast Guard will meet the boat when they get to the dock and start an investigation. “They’re gonna take care of Todd’s remains and get him home to his family,” he said, fighting back tears.

They get back to land and open the boat up to authorities. Cameras pick back up 10 weeks later as the show’s captains gather a memorial for fallen fisherman and Rick says a moving prayer.

In the final moments of the episode, it cuts back to Meadows being interviewed preparing food in the kitchen from earlier in the show. “There’s a lot of risk being up here but I came up here to make money to try to support my family.”

“What do you wanna say to your kids?” the producer asks him. “Work towards your dreams and goals, don’t let anything slow you down. If you put your mind to it, you can do anything. Just want my kids to know I want them to work hard and be successful in life.”

The emotional episode comes one week after viewers saw Meadows return to the Aleutian Lady following a medical leave.

During the Sept. 18 episode, Meadows was medically cleared to rejoin the crew after suffering a concussion when he took a blow to the head while working aboard the vessel. The injury occurred toward the end of January, about one month before his death.

Meadows was sent home for a couple of weeks to recover before ultimately returning to the boat. Shelford addressed the deckhand’s absence during the episode as his crew grappled with a series of setbacks.

On Feb. 25, Meadows fell overboard from the Aleutian Lady approximately 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District previously said Meadows was recovered unresponsive by his crewmates about 10 minutes after falling overboard. First aid and attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

Meadows’ death certificate later listed his cause of death as drowning with probable hypothermia. His death was ruled an accident.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows,” a Discovery Channel spokesperson said in a statement after his death. “This is a devastating loss, and our hearts are with his loved ones, his crewmates, and the entire fishing community during this incredibly difficult time.”

Days later, Shelford paid tribute to Meadows in a Facebook post, writing that Feb. 25 was “the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea.”

“We lost our brother, Todd Meadows,” he wrote. “Todd was the newest member of our crew, he quickly became family. His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away.”

Shelford remembered Meadows’ “contagious” smile and laughter and reflected on his devotion to his family.

“Todd’s love for his children, his family, and his life was evident in everything he did,” he wrote. “He worked hard, loved deeply, and brought joy to those around him.”

Shelford concluded his tribute by promising Meadows would remain part of the Aleutian Lady family. “Todd will forever be part of this boat, this crew, and this brotherhood,” he wrote. “Though we lost him far too soon, his legacy will live on through his children and in every memory we carry of him. Rest easy brother, till we meet again.”

The decision not to show Meadows’ death follows a public plea from his mother, Angela Meadows, who asked Discovery not to broadcast footage of her son’s fatal accident.

In March, Angela told TMZ the family did not want the network to show footage of Todd’s death or profit from the tragedy, adding that she hoped the series would instead focus on the positive moments from his time aboard the Aleutian Lady. “No parent would want the world to watch their child die,” she also said in a statement obtained by Alaska’s News Source.

Todd’s father, Lucas Meadows, remembered his son as a lifelong fisherman who “always had a smile.” He told Alaska’s News Source that Todd began fishing with him when he was just 3 years old and that the pastime remained a passion throughout his life.

“He had a smile on his face the whole time,” Lucas said. “Good day, bad day, didn’t matter. … He loved to fish and loved to watch other people fish.”

Deadliest Catch is streaming on HBO Max and discovery+.