DVD review: “Duck Dynasty — Season 2: Volume 1”
A version of this review appears in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
“Duck Dynasty — Season 2: Volume 1”
Reality television gets hilariously wild and woolly but refreshingly functional with “Duck Dynasty.”
With the third season of A&E’s breakout series premiering at 9 p.m. Wednesday, “Duck Dynasty — Season 2: Volume 1” will be released on DVD March 5.
“Duck Dynasty” is as rare as a two-headed waterfowl: a reality show based on a family that is actually family-friendly.
The uproarious series centers on Louisiana’s Robertson clan, a camouflage-clad and impressively bearded embodiment of the American dream. Decades ago, determinedly down-home patriarch Phil Robertson founded a line of hand-crafted high-quality duck calls and decoys dubbed Duck Commander. Under the leadership of the third of his four grown sons, the business-savvy Willie, it has grown into a multi-million-dollar sporting goods empire.
The go-getting CEO and his equally clever wife Korie are dedicated to growing the Duck Commander brand and business. But their ambitions often come in conflict with the laidback attitudes of the rest of their family, particularly Willie’s free-spirited brothers Jase and Jep and his kooky Uncle Si, who actually make the duck calls but would rather be hunting whatever game is in season on their vast bayou property.
From bullfrogs and crawfish to wild turkeys and muscadine berries, matriarch Ms. Kay efficiently cooks up whatever they hunt down, and every episode, no matter how zany or quarrelsome, ends with the Robertsons and longtime employees Godwin and Martin gathered around her dinner table for a prayer and feast.
With their quirky catchphrases, outdoor antics and penchant for explosions, the Robertsons fit some Southern stereotypes but upend others. While they proudly label themselves rednecks, they don’t get drunk, cuss, start fights or enter their juiced-up daughters into beauty pageants, and they practice their Christian principles. Willie’s struggles to teach his teenage daughter to drive or navigate the furniture store with his indecisive mother are relatable no matter where you live in America.
The two-DVD set features 13 episodes, including the holiday-theme Season 2 finale that drew a whopping 6.5 million viewers, setting ratings records for A&E. It also boasts a few behind-the-scenes snippets but unfortunately no interviews with the colorful Robertson clan.
— BAM
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