Drama
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It’s been eight years since America’s favorite duck-hunting family, the Robertsons, graced America’s television screens in Duck Dynasty.
Back then, the show centered on family patriarch Phil Robertson, founder of Duck Commander, a hunting and outdoor recreation company in West Monroe, Louisiana. Along with Phil’s wife (affectionately known as Miss Kay), their four sons (Alan, Jase, Willie and Jep) and daughters-in-law played a key role in the show’s success. Not to mention a whole brood of grandchildren, who really brought the family aspect to this family reality show.
Both the family and the family businesses have continued to grow. There are books, podcasts and even a museum inside the Duck Commander warehouse these days. But the Robertsons continue to use their platform to share their faith. And the latest Duck Dynasty series shows that even a generation later, fame hasn’t turned this loving family away from their bedrock values.
Sadly, Phil was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2024, and he passed away just a few days before the first episode of Duck Dynasty: The Revival aired. But his legacy continues. And The Revival turns its focus to Willie Robertson, the current CEO of Duck Commander, as he looks to, as he puts it, “fully semi-retire.”
Joining Willie onscreen is his wife, Korie; their six grown children (Rebecca, John Luke, Sadie, Will Jr., Bella and Rowdy) and their spouses; as well as seven grandchildren. Other Duck Dynasty alumni also make a return, including Willie’s outspoken-but-lovable Uncle Si.
Fans of the original series can expect a lot of the same family-friendly content in The Revival. Yes, there are a few squabbles here and there. Uncle Si and even Willie himself can seem a bit unhinged at times. And there’s a fair bit of pranking and other shenanigans that you might not necessarily want your kids mimicking.
But the show’s focus (and the family’s, for that matter) remains what it has always been: “Faith, family and ducks—in that order.”
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at [email protected], or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
Willie Robertson announces his intention to retire by putting his adult children in a competition to determine who will become the next CEO of Duck Commander.
Due to speaking engagements, Willie hasn’t been around the Duck Commander office lately, and he’s a bit upset to learn daughter Sadie has commandeered his old office as a counseling space. Elsewhere, Willie seems disconnected from the business, unaware of what roles his wife and children play in its success. At times, it seems he’s trying to highlight his own contributions to Duck Commander. And he makes a bit of a fool out of himself as he makes grandiose speeches around the office, sometimes interrupting regular business operations.
However, it becomes clear that Willie’s actions are driven at least partially by fear. At the time of recording, his dad, Phil, had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Like his father before him, Willie just wants to ensure the family business will continue after him, too. And he doesn’t want to be forgotten in the process, either. So rather than get upset, Willie’s family embraces him, encouraging him to fully retire. And Willie learns to relax some of his standards, realizing that even though the family business looks different now, it’s getting along just fine.
The Robertsons pray as a family before meals, thanking God for their many blessings.
Willie and a few others hunt some ducks, and we hear at least one duck dying offscreen after it’s shot. Elsewhere, Willie tries to teach his children how to hunt, since he was too busy with the business (and the original TV series) to teach them when they were young.
We hear uses of “dang,” “idiot” and “shoot.” There are one or two misuses of God’s name.
Family members sometimes rib each other playfully. We hear a few jokes about body functions. One of Willie’s daughters talks about a desire to have plastic surgery. Some family members seem a bit preoccupied with social media.
Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.
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