Today is the series finale of Duck Dynasty. I pen this note as a thank you to the Robertson clan. For the last five years, Duck Dynasty redefined a successful reality show. Duck Dynasty episodes are set-up scenes, but the responses & actions are not scripted. Although the Robertsons are not perfect, & they will be the first to tell you, they have a three-word mantra to describe themselves: faith family ducks. They are a tight-knit Christian family who will not financially suffer or lose sleep without cameras in their faces. I began watching the show when I was in college, & A&E aired it seemingly every night. Thank you Duck Dynasty for being my college year’s binge-watch TV show.
Thank you Duck Dynasty for laughter. Almost every episode causes me to laugh, & & sometimes I rewind episodes just for the laughter. Whether it was Si, the brothers together, the husbands & wives moments, or the general situation, laughter ensued. I recall so many scenes with fondness. To name a few, the guys teaching Sadie to drive, Jase & his wedding ring, Sadie & the search for the perfect dress, Phil & Miss Kay looking for a new turtle, & Phil, Jase, Martin, & Godwin trying to dismantle the beaver dam. The episodes I greatly enjoy I need more than two hands to count. Outside of my three favorite episodes, three other episodes that immediately come to mind are cooling off at the redneck water park, the search for a vehicle for John Luke, & Jase running Duck Commander for the day. Thank you Duck Dynasty for a much-needed laugh.
Thank you Duck Dynasty for love. Love not only of family & friends, but also of life in general. There is a reason I am wearing a Happy Happy Happy t-shirt. Love of life came when the family celebrated July 4 with a massive fireworks display & Si choked up when honored for his military service. When Miss Kay & Phil renewed their vows, everybody worked together to celebrate. Love was evident, not just between Miss Kay & Phil, but also Alan returned to officiate the wedding, Mountain Man built the arbor, & Si distracted Miss Kay & Phil for the day. When Jase & Reed planned romantic gestures for their significant others, they not only displayed love for their women, but also each other. Jase loved Reed’s commitment to a perfect proposal, & upon reflecting on his own proposal, Jase realized he could have been more romantic. Rather than simply congratulate his son, Jase planned a welcome home party & then proposed to Missy, thanking her for all her love in their marriage thus far. When Reed returned home from Nashville for his album release party, his van needed many repairs. Proud of their sons’ accomplishments & wanting to see him continue in his journey, Missy & Jase paid for the repairs, demonstrating the love they have for their son. Lastly, in most episodes, someone laughs at themselves. For example, Willie & Jase laugh after their burger cook-off results in two terribly cooked burgers. You have to love yourself in order to laugh at yourself. Thank you Duck Dynasty for the love, of self, family, friends, & God.
Love of God is derived from faith. At the end of each episode, the family gathers around a table to eat together, but first someone leads them in prayer. For most people, this occurs in homes daily. Sit down for dinner, pray, & eat. In my family, we say a traditional prayer. Each episode ends with a slightly different prayer, usually thanking God for blessing them in some way relevant to the episode. Aside from watching Duck Dynasty in college, I was a member of Chi Rho. My senior year I became vice-president & sometimes led the group in prayer. Duck Dynasty taught me how to pray freestyle. In addition to Chi Rho prayer, my freestyle praying, learned from Duck Dynasty, became a part of my daily life. Two episodes featured weddings of Robertson children. For both John Luke & Reed, their respective fathers officiated. Each planned what they would say as a marital challenge for their sons. Willie described marriage as a house; Jase described it as a journey. Both metaphors convey the same message. Grow together with God. Thank you Duck Dynasty for prayer and teaching me how to freestyle pray.
The last thank you I want to make is for my three favorite episodes. The first one is duck season eve. The episode clearly hit all three parts of the Robertson mantra. The men’s excitement about duck hunting season revealed the TV show did not change them; they were going hunting! Jase’s eloquence in speaking about duck hunting reminded viewers the Robertsons are rednecks. I laugh when Si attempted to shoot the snake, I love how Miss Kay persuaded Phil to shower, & it is hilarious watching the men decide to head inside the RV with Willie rather than roughing it with Jase. To cap off the episode, the fellas awake to a Phil Robertson style alarm clock, gunshots.
The second episode is the family reunion before Mia undergoes surgery. Everybody helped, complete with Phil & Jep taking city slicker Gordon duck hunting, but not before soaking him with mud & dressing him in a disgusting camouflage jacket. Everyone, especially referee Si, enjoyed the wrestling scene. Mia’s prayer made the mood serious, but everyone prayed for her. The last scene brings a tear to anyone’s eyes. Mia going into surgery, the faces of Jase & Missy, & everybody waiting is something relevant for many people. The song, “Angel Child,” sung by Missy, is one of my all-time favorites. If you have listened to the song, you certainly agree. If you have not, I sincerely encourage you to do so. The album cover again brings joy to peoples’ hearts as it is such a beautiful picture of father & daughter.
The last episode I dearly love is when the Robertsons go to Hawaii. Before they leave for Hawaii, I crack up at Jase convincing Willie to take a vacation. Couple that with Si wiping barbecue sauce off his beard & then Willie & Korie revealing the vacation to everyone & the audience has already enjoyed the episode. The episode shows the family’s reaction to being out of Louisiana. Phil enjoys himself by watching the Bourne movies, only for Miss Kay to coax him into getting a massage, which he thoroughly enjoys. Watching Willie, Jase, Si, & Sadie surfing is hilarious; I would follow Si’s lead & enjoy lying on the surfboard rather than falling time after time. When the brothers & Si go on the segways & two of them fall, it is very relatable. Lastly, when they jump off a structure into the ocean, it was great to see Willie be playful & take the leap of faith into the ocean. In most episodes, there would be some conflict; here everyone simply enjoyed vacation. Thank you Duck Dynasty for many great moments, especially my three favorite episodes.
Thank you Duck Dynasty for being a show I looked forward to watching Wednesday nights. Yes, I own two Duck Dynasty t-shirts, a Duck Dynasty long sleeve t-shirt, a Duck Dynasty hat, the Robertson Christmas album, Missy’s song “Angel Child,” & Reed’s CD. I am a Duck Dynasty fan & will cherish watching the episodes. To their credit, after five years, the Robertsons made a successful TV show without changing themselves. While I will not cry after the finale, I will certainly miss the show. The best way to say goodbye is I’m happy happy happy to say thank you Duck Dynasty.
