Duck Dynasty: Seasons 1 – 3 Collector’s Set

Details: By Loron Hays; 06 December 2013

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Duck Dynasty - Blu-ray Review

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Having never even seen one episode of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, I went into this Blu-ray set knowing only two things about it: rich rednecks and camouflage. I am now 46-episodes educated into what makes The Robertson clan so attractive to television viewers. And, yes, this reality television show has sucker punched me. It’s not idiotic. It’s not patronizing. It’s smartly produced, edited, and – while it takes place in West Monroe, Louisiana – isn’t your stereotypical view of the south and its citizens.

I guess I expected more of a The Beverly Hillbillies-like vibe from the format more than anything else. After all, a show about a redneck family who made their fortune (and what a fortune it is) from making duck calls and organizing a multi-million dollar business out of it screams for ripe comparison. Duck Dynasty, if I am being fair, is more about being a family as three generations learn to respect, live, and challenge each other. It’s hilarious, honest, and – more often than not – fairly touching to see the Robertson’s interact with each other.

While the LA editors are trying to edit together a familiar product, the family – specifically Phil and Jase Robertson – bucks the stereotype they are trying to sell with wise words and humorous anecdotes. In front of the camera, the family – drinking tea from a mason jar – is more than normal and certainly relatable. Some episodes involve dating, some involve fishing, some are about the business, and some include taking a helicopter to a morning meeting. Through it all, the family remains tight and “happy, happy, happy.”

Off screen, though, it is Phil who takes issue with the editors of the program. While nothing really seems staged, there is a bit of manipulation going on and Phil - with ongoing verbal spats with the network over fake bleeps and editing out the name of “Jesus Christ” when the family is praying at the dinner table (which is how the episodes end) – is the first to declare war. Cultural phenomenans make me a tad weary but, considering Duck Dynasty's viewership numbers climb each year, this is one that I can applaud – even if I don’t consider myself a person of Faith.

With plenty of laughs, a few good messages, and even a couple explosions, there’s something here for most everybody in Lionsgate’s release of the first three seasons of Duck Dynasty. While it can get a bit cloying in large doses, a little temperance in stretching it out a bit should keep this one fresh and pleasant for some time to come.[/tab]

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Duck Dynasty - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray Details:

Available on Blu-ray - December 3, 2013
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: 50GB Blu-ray Disc; Six-disc set (6 BDs)
Region Encoding: A

Duck Dynasty is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films and A&E with an AVC encoded 1080i transfer in 1.78:1. Nice colors, strong contrast, and deep blacks kiss each episode. The bulk of this presentation is sharp and well detailed, and the first person confessionals, which almost always feature the characters in close-up, offer great fine detail. As stated earlier, colors are natural looking and well saturated. A perfectly fine lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix is attached to each disc and handles the narration and dialogue well enough.

Supplements:

Commentary:

None

Special Features:

Special features in here are positively astonishing for a reality show. Of course, a three-season collection really should be stuffed full of features, and this is no exception. There’s a set of cast interviews, a featurette on the whole Duck Dynasty phenomenon, a set of webisodes and mash-ups, and a set of Amanda Ryan song recaps. There’s even a nice camouflage bandanna for you to wear while watching, while hunting, or anything else, for that matter.