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Rednecks rule reality TV, and A&E's Duck Dynasty is leading the charge
Sorry, Honey Boo Boo: Dynasty’s Robertson clan is the first family of redneck reality TV
Imagine you’ve been asleep for the past 10 years, Rip Van Winkle-style. You turn on the TV and notice things have changed since you last watched.
Sure, there are familiar shows such as CSI and American Idol, but you’ll certainly have questions, like, “When did Sam Malone start investigating homicides?” and “Who’s Nicki Minaj and why is she wearing those wigs?” Flipping through the various specialty channels, however, will inevitably lead to an even bigger question: “What’s with all the hillbillies?”
Over the past few years, redneck reality shows have taken over television, from Here Comes Honey Boo Boo to Swamp People to Bayou Billionaires to Hillbilly Handfishin’ and so many more I could easily fill the rest of this page just listing them all. Of these, one of the biggest is Duck Dynasty, which came out of nowhere to become A&E’s highest-rated series.
Duck Dynasty follows the adventures of the Robertson family of Monroe, Louisiana, who hit the big time thanks to the Duck Commander, a best-selling duck-calling device invented by family patriarch Phil Robertson.
Having money hasn’t caused the Robertsons to stray from their redneck roots, and the fun comes from watching fuzzy-faced Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson contend with the antics of his rambunctious rural family, which also includes rowdy brothers Jase and Jep, and their scruffy uncle Si.
Not only is the show a hit, but it’s a huge hit; last season’s finale attracted a staggering 6.5 million U.S. viewers, making it A&E’s most-watched broadcast of all time. Contrast these ratings with the premiere of NBC’s new drama Do No Harm, which only drew 3.1 million viewers to become the lowest-rated network TV premiere in history.
The last time there were so many rural Southerners on TV was in the 1960s, when shows such as The Beverly Hillbillies, Gomer Pyle and Petticoat Junction ruled the airwaves until the so-called “rural purge” in the early ’70s, when viewer fatigue led to mass cancellations of rural sitcoms. I expect the same thing will eventually happen with the crop of redneck reality shows — but probably not anytime soon.
The season premiere of Duck Dynasty airs Wednesday at 7 pm & 11:01 pm on A&E.
Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen Entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.
