Decker Watson

Decker Watson (born Richard Decker Watson Jr.) is a multi-Emmy-winning showrunner, executive producer, writer and director who has built a career chronicling the world’s deadliest professions.

Watson is best known for the feature film Finestkind (Paramount) and television series Deadliest Catch (Discovery), Ice Road Truckers, IRT: Deadliest Roads (both History), Swords: Life On The Line (Discovery), and Pirate Gold of Adak Island (Netflix).

Directing second unit on Finestkind, Watson helmed the action sequences which were authentically filmed at sea. Finestkind debuted on Paramount+ as the #1 film world wide and is nominated for a Critic's Choice Award. On the Netflix series Pirate Gold of Adak Island, Watson served as the writer, co-creator and executive producer. The series charted on Netflix as their #4 series, remaining in the top 10 for several weeks with a viewership of over 15 million. As the executive producer and show-runner on Deadliest Catch, Watson presided over nearly 300 hours of highly rated television; often the most watched of the night broadcast. In its ninth season, Watson steered the series towards a ratings increase of 12% for the premier (over season 8's inaugural episode) with 3.47 million viewers. Season 10 debuted to the show's best ratings in three seasons and continued as the #1 cable show in key demos for all 16 weeks. Between the Telly Awards, Reality Wanted Awards, Real Screen and the EMMYs Deadliest Catch took home eleven trophies for season 10; its most awarded season to date. Season 11 premiered at #1 and remained the top cable show in all key demos for its entire 18-week run ending up over 7%. With 49 million viewers in over 150 countries worldwide, Deadliest Catch is the most popular adventure reality show in history.

Watson is currently developing the feature films Jones Locker and Tic Tac, scripted series Timber and North Slope, and an untitled feature documentary. Since 2004, Watson has worked for 101 Studios, Paramount, Netflix, Original Productions, Discovery, New Line Cinema, HBO, History Channel, VH1, MTV, BET, Bravo and A&E.

Early career
Watson began in advertising. With a decade of experience on Madison Avenue as a copywriter then creative director, he worked at agencies including Ogilvy & Mather and McCann-Erickson (both New York) then his own boutique shop MadScience Creative (also New York).

His clients included Budweiser, Sam Adams, Dos Equis, Rolling Rock, Burger King, Microsoft Xbox, Sony P2P, Dennis Publishing (Stuff, Maxim and Blender), Coke, Stella Artois, Caffeine Apparel and Viacom (WNEW FM) with annual budgets from $2M to $400M. Watson also put his advertising skills to use directing a viral campaign for Deadliest Catch season 10. One of those spots, Crabzilla, (where a giant CG crab attacks the Time Bandit) garnered Watson a Silver Telly Award.