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The Worst Episodes of Whale Wars

Every episode of Whale Wars ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Whale Wars!

Binge this in 2h 0m•Peaking at 8.6/10

Whale Wars is a weekly American documentary-style reality television series that premiered on November 7, 2008 on the Animal Planet cable channel. The program follows Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, as

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Whale Wars Season 3 Episode 0 - Vendetta
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - Vendetta

    S3:E0

    The former captain of the Ady Gil goes for a boarding attempt and one of the Sea Shepherd vessels goes dead in the water.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Whale Wars Season 3 Episode 14 - From Pirate to Prisoner
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #2 - From Pirate to Prisoner

    S3:E14

    Pete Bethune recounts his experience aboard the Japanese security vessel.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Whale Wars Season 5 Episode 8 - Target Acquired
    4.9/10(11 votes)

    #3 - Target Acquired

    S5:E8

    After months of frustration, Sea Shepherd finally find their target - the Nisshin Maru. Now, they must run an eight-mile gauntlet blocked by two harpoon ships aggressively defending their mother ship. The success of the campaign rides on this moment.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Whale Wars Season 5 Episode 6 - Never Say Die
    5.5/10(10 votes)

    #4 - Never Say Die

    S5:E6

    With three activists aboard the Japanese security vessel, Capt Paul Watson hopes the media frenzy will force the Shonan Maru 2 to back off. Meanwhile, the crew of the Steve Irwin are plunged into their most violent battle yet.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Whale Wars Season 5 Episode 7 - Counterstrike
    6.1/10(10 votes)

    #5 - Counterstrike

    S5:E7

    When a massive target is detected on their radar, Sea Shepherd sends out their new helicopter pilot to ID the mystery vessel. But as the helicopter reaches the limits of its fuel range, it abruptly disappears, crashing into radio silence.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Whale Wars Season 5 Episode 5 - Crossing the Line
    6.3/10(11 votes)

    #6 - Crossing the Line

    S5:E5

    The exhausted crew of the Brigitte Bardot scramble to evacuate the ailing vessel. And Captain Paul Watson goes on the offensive, sending a team to board the heavily armed security vessel: the Shonan Maru.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Whale Wars Season 3 Episode 4 - Stealth Attack
    6.6/10(13 votes)

    #7 - Stealth Attack

    S3:E4

    The Sea Shepherd's stealth boat, the Ady Gil, launches a sneak attack on the Japanese whaling reconnaissance vessel in an effort to break free of the tail and find the rest of the whaling fleet.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Whale Wars Season 4 Episode 2 - No Escape
    6.6/10(14 votes)

    #8 - No Escape

    S4:E2

    After engaging the harpoon ships using the small boat teams, Captain Paul Watson makes the call to abandon the harpoon ships and go in search of the factory vessel. After a few hours of sailing, the tables have turned — two harpoon ships begin tailing Sea Shepherd!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Whale Wars Season 3 Episode 3 - From Hell's Heart
    6.7/10(12 votes)

    #9 - From Hell's Heart

    S3:E3

    The Sea Shepherds have been relentlessly followed by the whaling reconnaissance vessel for two weeks. They find themselves in a full-on engagement on the high seas as Captain Paul Watson orders a massive butyric acid bottle attack on his nemesis.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Whale Wars Season 4 Episode 5 - Tracking the Enemy
    6.7/10(12 votes)

    #10 - Tracking the Enemy

    S4:E5

    The Bob Barker desperately searches for their two small boat crews who were lost at sea in the aftermath of a daring mission. Meanwhile, the Gojira locates the whalers' refueling vessel and Locky plays a dangerous game of "chicken" with the massive ship.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Whale Wars Season 3 Episode 9 - A Bloody Trail
    6.8/10(11 votes)

    #11 - A Bloody Trail

    S3:E9

    As the Sea Shepherds approach the Nisshin Maru, they are suddenly surrounded by four whaling vessels. Suddenly, one of the Japanese vessels moves in dangerously close, and as the deck crew quickly braces themselves, the ships violently collide.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Whale Wars Season 4 Episode 7 - Enemy In Their Grasps
    6.8/10(12 votes)

    #12 - Enemy In Their Grasps

    S4:E7

    As the first leg of their campaign comes to a close, the Sea Shepherds battle physical and mental exhaustion, especially pilot Chris Aultman. Thanks to an anonymous tip, the Steve Irwin finally locates the whalers' factory ship, the Nisshin Maru.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Whale Wars Season 3 Episode 10 - Zero Hour
    6.9/10(10 votes)

    #13 - Zero Hour

    S3:E10

    The Sea Shepherds refuse to be bullied by the Japanese fleet even though they're out numbered. The deckhands repel over the side of the ship to assess the damage from the collision and realize that there is a gash in the steel hull and water is pouring in.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Whale Wars Season 4 Episode 8 - Battle Stations
    6.9/10(10 votes)

    #14 - Battle Stations

    S4:E8

    The Bob Barker and Gojira launch an ambitious assault on the harpoon ship that has been following them and manage to completely disable the whaling vessel. Now free of its tail, the Barker continues searching for their ultimate target, the Nisshin Maru.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Whale Wars Season 3 Episode 5 - The Thrill of the Chase
    7.0/10(13 votes)

    #15 - The Thrill of the Chase

    S3:E5

    After nearly a month of searching, the Sea Shepherds have finally found their ultimate target: the world's only whale factory ship, the Nisshin Maru.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Whale Wars Season 5 Episode 3 - Dead in the Water
    7.0/10(13 votes)

    #16 - Dead in the Water

    S5:E3

    The Sea Shepherds' scout vessel, the Brigitte Bardot is damaged by a 30-foot wave, and help is more than 20 hours away.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Whale Wars Season 7 Episode 3 - The Darkest hour
    7.0/10(13 votes)

    #17 - The Darkest hour

    S7:E3

    The Yushin Maru No.3 has just collided with the Bob Barker (for the second time in almost exactly four years, the first time being during Operation Waltzing Matilda on February 6th, 2010). Crew rush below check the damage, which they find is just badly bent steel ribs, but no water entering the hull. As the Steve Irwin and Bob Barker race towards the Nisshin Maru's last known coordinates, the Sea Shepherds send video of the collision to the media. From his undisclosed location, Captain Paul Watson watches what happened on his laptop. He admits that the whalers more becoming more aggressive because they see that their days are numbered and also worried about the case brought against them in the International Court of Justice. Back in the Antarctic, the Nisshin Maru run into a storm to hide from the Sea Shepherds. Captain Peter calls Captain Sid to send the helicopter out, which does find the factory ship turning due east. The Bob Barker turns to intercept and soon finds the Nisshin within three hours. The harpoon ships are also there, but they don't turn to defend their mothership. Instead, the whalers wait until nightfall to engage the Barker. Both small boats (Gemini and Hunter) are lowered into the water and engage two of the harpoon ships (Yushin Maru and Yushin Maru No.3). They first try to cut the steel cables the Yushins are towing to prop foul the Barker, but don't succeed. So they drop prop foulers of their own to buy time. Soon the Nisshin slips away off the Barker's radar and Peter calls for the boats to return to the ship. As Operation Relentless comes to a close, the Sea Shepherds head back to port. On March 31st, 2014, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Japan's Antarctic whale research program (JARPA II) was not for scientific research and that their operations are illegal. After ten years of fighting, the Sea Shepherds celebrate their greatest victory to date. The whalers this season only killed 271 whales, falling 784 short of their total quota of 1,035. Captain Paul Watson was happy with the ICJ's decision and learned that Japan said it would abide by the ruling. But Paul is convinced that the Japanese whalers want their revenge and will do everything they can to keep going down to Antarctica to kill whales. He made clear if the whalers ever return, Sea Shepherd will be there to stop them. The following year (2014-2015), Japan sent two of its whaling ships on a non-lethal survey in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Sea Shepherd admitted the whalers were planning ahead to return to killing whales. The whalers released a new program called NEWREP-A, which calls for the killing of 333 minke whales (no more fin whales or humpback whales will be killed) every year for the next 12 years (until 2027-2028). In 2015-2016, as Sea Shepherd conducted other campaigns around the world, the whalers did return and killed 333 minke whales (103 male and 230 female, 90% of the females were pregnant). Sea Shepherd announced the construction of a brand-new interceptor vessel they named Ocean Warrior due to be completed by September 2016. Most likely it will be sent to the Antarctic to confront the Japanese whaling fleet for the 2016-2017 whaling season. No announcements have been made if the Steve Irwin, Bob Barker, Brigitte Bardot, or Sam Simon will return to battle the whalers.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Whale Wars Season 4 Episode 3 - Ghosts in the Machine
    7.1/10(13 votes)

    #18 - Ghosts in the Machine

    S4:E3

    Tailed by a harpoon ship, the Steve Irwin enlists the help of the Sea Shepherds' new, fast interceptor ship in an attempt to break free. Meanwhile, the Bob Barker crew spots a large blip on their radar and believe it could be their ultimate target: the Nisshin Maru.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Whale Wars Season 4 Episode 9 - The Giant Enemy
    7.1/10(12 votes)

    #19 - The Giant Enemy

    S4:E9

    The Sea Shepherds finally locate the factory vessel after months of searching, but it promptly tries to evade the Gojira.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Whale Wars Season 1 Episode 4 - We Are Hooligans
    7.2/10(14 votes)

    #20 - We Are Hooligans

    S1:E4

    Giles Lane and Ben Potts safely return to the MV Steve Irwin. The crew then discovers that an unknown ship, allegedly spying for the Japanese whaling fleet, has been following them, decides to recon it from behind a tabletop iceberg for any military personnel aboard, and temporarily drives it away after seeing no sign of illegal military activity. The crew later plans to ambush the mystery ship, soon identified as the Fukuyoshi № 68, to prevent information about the Steve Irwin's whereabouts from being given to the rest of the whaling fleet. They plan to do this by boarding the vessel and sabotaging its communication equipment, shutting off any communication with anyone. Before the mission, a hydraulic crane used to launch the motor rafts somehow got damaged, jeopardizing the Sea Shepherd's mission.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Whale Wars Season 2 Episode 10 - The Stuff of Nightmares
    7.2/10(14 votes)

    #21 - The Stuff of Nightmares

    S2:E10

    The Sea Shepherds shock turns to fury when the Japanese fleet pulls a dead whale onto Nisshin Maru for slaughter. Paul Watson instructs the crew to prepare for battle.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Whale Wars Season 5 Episode 4 - Into the Belly of the Beast
    7.2/10(12 votes)

    #22 - Into the Belly of the Beast

    S5:E4

    With the Japanese fleet's security vessel looming on the horizon, the captain of the badly damaged Brigitte Bardot orders his crew to evacuate the boat. Meanwhile, in Antarctica, the Bob Barker deploys the small boats team to disable a harpoon ship.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Whale Wars Season 1 Episode 3 - International Incidents R Us
    7.3/10(17 votes)

    #23 - International Incidents R Us

    S1:E3

    Without negotiation and confrontation with the MV Steve Irwin, the Yushin Maru № 2 agreed to transfer Pottsy and Giles to a government ship that would then meet with the Steve Irwin at a rendezvous point to return the two members. 1st Mate Peter Brown decides to launch an attack on the Yushin Maru № 2 at dusk. Four crewmembers are sent on the Zodiac inflatable boat Delta to carry out the risky mission. After losing radio contact with them, recon pilot Chris Aultman, who was sent too late to survey the situation, reports that they are heading in the wrong direction and must return as night falls. The lone Delta was feared to be forever lost out in the middle of the dark, frigid, vast Antarctic Ocean. Fortunately, contact was finally made with the Delta, which eventually returns to the MV Steve Irwin over two hours later and behind schedule to retrieve Pottsy and Giles.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Whale Wars Season 2 Episode 3 - As Bad As Our Bark
    7.3/10(17 votes)

    #24 - As Bad As Our Bark

    S2:E3

    The Sea Shepherd gather intel on the fleet's location, they realize that they are low on fuel. As they weigh whether or not to head back to port, they come across the entire Japanese fleet searching for one of their crewmembers that has fallen overboard.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Whale Wars Season 2 Episode 4 - Yum Yum, Eat Crow
    7.3/10(14 votes)

    #25 - Yum Yum, Eat Crow

    S2:E4

    The Sea Shepherds have come across the entire Japanese fleet searching for one of their crewmembers that fell overboard. Paul orders his crew to stand down, and they agonize over being so close to their target, yet unable to attack.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Vendetta" is the worst rated episode of "Whale Wars". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 8/27/2010. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "From Pirate to Prisoner".