The future of the Discovery Channel’s most popular series, Deadliest Catch, is murky today following the departure of three of the show’s biggest names.

Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand, brothers and co-captains of FV Time Bandit, announced that a lawsuit filed against them by Discovery would make it impossible for them to continue with the series. Northwestern captain Sig Hansen, who has been with Deadliest Catch since the series began in 2005, is likewise quitting in solidarity with the Hillstrands.

The controversy began when Discovery sued the Hillstrands for $3 million, saying that the brothers were refusing to complete work on a planned special that would have focused on their lives off the boat. The Hillstrands’ attorney responded by accusing Discovery of trying to drive them out of business. With crab season about to get under way on the Bering Sea, there was no time to smooth things over.

Discovery has yet to comment on the announcement, though it’s hard to imagine anyone at the channel is happy. This was already going to be a season of transition on Deadliest Catch, what with the death of Capt. Phil Harris robbing the show of its most emblematic figure. With the Hillstrands and Hansen now gone, only Keith Colburn of FV Wizard is left among the show’s most familiar faces, and Colburn was already the least colorful primary cast member.

A possible new focus might be Harris’s sons Josh and Jake, who have agreed to new deals with Discovery. However, both were only crew members on their father’s boat and would seem to have a ways to go to become captains themselves.