Reality/Gameshow

It’s that time of the year again to dust off the old hunting rifle and shake out the camouflage suits, because Duck Commander is back in action.  Duck Dynasty comes to Blu-ray on its fifth season, and though I was a little underwhelmed with the previous season, this new release brings the show back to the backwoods charm that gained my appreciation from the start.  Yes, I still have a hard time calling this a reality series, since just about every episode and sequence seems more scripted than most hour-long dramas, but the characters are so likeable and goofy that a lot can be forgiven.

The show gets off to a slow start with “Boomerang Becca” and “Willies Number Two”.  The first is about Willie and Korie’s adopted daughter Rebecca, who has come home after completing a fashion internship in Los Angeles.  Willie is just nervous her visit is going to evolve into her simply moving back home, and he doesn’t seem too OK with that.  As for the second episode, Willie decides he needs an assistant, and Korie asks Willie to give her cousin John David a chance.  Willie seems to warm up to having a guy very similar to himself working beneath him, but the Duck Commander crew doesn’t seem to appreciate the new guy giving them orders. These episodes just simply felt as though they were trying to introduce new characters into the show, but neither character worked, and I can’t say they were missed when they never returned for the rest of the season.