For any number of reasons I’d held off on checking this one out at first. It seems all too often with ‘reality’ style shows, whether it be about cars, motorcycles or whatever, the Silly Hillbilly angle is played to the extreme, coupled with lots of yelling and drama and there’s always some looming deadline to boot. Well, boy was that a wrong assumption here.
Duck Dynasty is one of the more amusing, good people, good values shows to come around in a long time. Even if hunting isn’t your thing there’s still a whole lot more to offer. These guys are low key, low drama and generally understated, but it works.
Family patriarch Phil gave up a career in the NFL so he could pursue his love of the outdoors, teaching and his faith and in so doing he created a wholesome environment for several family generations. His brother Si is a hoot, a little scarred from Nam but entertaining as all get out. Sons Jase, Willie and Jep are solid to the core, as are their wives and kids.
I’m not sure which episodes have been the most amusing. I was late to the show so have only seen about the last 8 or 9 but they hooked me pretty quick. Si in the tux and tails at the mall was great, fun palace pizza, blowing up the old blind so they could build a new one, the hoarder yardsale, collecting wild honey with a shop vac, all good.
It’s A&E’s most popular program ever. Now that I’ve given it a chance I can’t say I’m surprised and will be tuned in tonight for all new episodes.
I love the quips in the “talking head” segments. These guys are funny, and smart. And kinda cute.
I haven’t watched enough to know their names, but I really liked the episode where dad was helping his teenage daughter shop for a prom dress. “Don’t they come in denim?” “Where’s the rest of the dress?”
You have to see Si as one of Santa’s elves to Willie’s Santa Claus. That’s one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time- it’s as much Willie’s facial expressions and commentary to Si’s crazy-ass advice to the children as anything that made me crack up.
Si: “There are just 3 things I never go anywhere without; the Tupperware cup my mother sent me in Nam, a jug of tea and, most importantly, the bible.”
Willie: “How about a weapon?”
Si: “That’s number 4.”
This is a fabulous show. I am totally in love with Jase. Sense of humor is my biggest turn on, and that guy is hilarious. As an atheist, I even respect the religious angle of this show because these guys really walk the walk. And I hope that I am able to raise my children to be as kind and respectful as those grandkids are.
They aren’t idiots. They do like playing it up and playing around, but they seem to be on the show to have fun with the audience and each other. I guess it’s good publicity for the company that made them rich too.
There was an episode around Christmas time where they showed some photos of those guys without beards. Jase could easily have done male modeling.
It’s pretty easy to figure out that the show is scripted but you really don’t care. It’s entertaining and even through the setups you come away with the impression that these guys are genuine.
One of my favorite shows. Uncle Si could write a book of Si-ism quotes and it would be a best seller.
I used to watch Pawn Stars, perhaps the only reality non-competition show I’ve ever seen. I got sick of how contrived a lot of it seemed. Is Duck Dynasty contrived?
Contrived isn’t the word I’d use. It’s nothing like Pawn Stars, it’s more like a reality sit-com where the stars are just having fun. Jase is hilarious with his tongue firmly in his cheek, Si is… is… well he’s Si.
I loved when Jase borrowed Willie’s boat to go crawfishing and sunk it. Willie’s reaction and comments were priceless.
It doesn’t exploit the “redneck hick” thing. These guys are just simple country boys and as others pointed out - they are hilarious and are people/characters that you can genuinely like. Let’s put it this way, I don’t feel angry or irritated or dirty for watching these guys whereas 5 minutes of “The Real Housewives of…” or “Honey Boo Boo” makes me stabby and ashamed of the human race.
Yes and no. As BubbaDog mentioned, it is pretty easy to pick up on the scripted elements of the show. The scripted elements tend to be more set-up situations to give the guys a backdrop. It isn’t that over-the-top scripting where the producers are trying to force simple disagreements into over the top “DRAMA” like most reality shows.
I do think Jase is hands-down the funniest guy on the show. I also think Mountain Man is a scripted character, he just cannot be real.
Mahaloth, what others have said. I promise it’s worth a 30 minute look tonight. It’s like ZZ Top with shotguns.
I’ve got a crazy funny group that duck hunts on our place so this really resonates with us. Will order the Duck Picker call because in the FAQ it’s Phil’s favorite, and a hat. Now if I can just figure out where these guys get their sunglasses.
I gave it one episode and it seemed contrived to me. Enough that I didn’t find it funny since it seemed like the producers were telling them to what to say and do.
They were speading out flour in the warehouse so they could track a pet lizard that got loose then it shows a couple of the guys looking dumb with flour all over themselves and the floor with their own footprints in it.
Some other segment had them hanging with a local cop friend pulling over some girl they knew for barely speeding to hassle her.
I got bored with the producers meandering around town finding humorous stuff for them to do.
My kids love the show and they can watch reruns for hours. I have noticed that there are scenes that are truly setup by the producers, but there are plenty of other times when the actions are genuine. One in particular was the episode where Jase and Willie took their wives deer hunting.
Yeah, that was a set up from the get-go. During the trip however, there was time when Jase smeared mud over his wife for one reason or another and her reaction was clearly of surprise and not scripted. It’s those moments that I enjoy as they really act like the “regular” folks that they claim to be.
Phil and the dog photographer was the same thing. A set up, but his interaction with the photographer was hilarious.