[Warning: The below contains spoilers for Duck Dynasty: The Revival premiere.]
After eight years, A&E has brought back one of its most popular staples with Duck Dynasty: The Revival. The show premiered on June 1 with an episode that gave viewers the chance to catch up with the Robertson family. This first episode came just days after it was announced that Phil Robertson had died at age 79. The patriarch, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2024, was not part of filming but his presence was very much in evidence. And a poignant Phil moment certainly tugged at the heartstrings.
As Duck Dynasty: The Revival‘s premiere episode opened, it’s fall time in the swamps of West Monroe, Louisiana. CEO Willie Robertson has been out and about, away from Duck Commander headquarters. He also revealed it was about 18 months since he last went hunting with the guys.
A lot has happened since the flagship left the airwaves in 2017. The kids are older, and Willie is a grandpa now. The warehouse now houses several businesses all going at the same time including a museum, gift shop, podcasts, books and more. Willie’s wife Korie has been holding down the fort in different aspects of the business.
In scenes shot of Willie going to their empire headquarters, we saw daughter Bella in charge of the gift shop and helping at the museum. John Luke was involved in running the coffee business. He had come a long way since his scenes blowing stuff up, getting married and that memorable time where he got dental work on TV.
While making a stop in his office, Willie was shocked to find out it had been renovated into a counseling space for daughter Sadie’s Live Original ministry. She was recording an episode of her podcast “Whoa That’s Good” when Willie made an unexpected appearance. Willie came in at the point the hosts were discussing anxiety and mental health. Fans were given updates on the Robertson brood, which has expanded significantly by three spouses and seven grand babies.
Bryan Tarnowski
If you’re keeping score, there is Jacob, Bella’s husband. There is Christian, Sadie’s husband, with their two daughters. John Luke and his wife Mary Kate have three children. Rebecca and husband have two kids with a third on the way. And, oh by the way, they all live on the same property. Youngest Rowdy was away at college. Will and his wife Abby live in Texas, but come home pretty frequently.
Willie found comfort relaxing in his replica office in the museum. The company was hosting a meeting, which included Martin informing the office of some housekeeping updates. He unveiled a schematic of the office for designated “places (bathrooms) you are permitted to poop.” Willie was up next where he announced he was fully semi-retired. He got thinking about who was next in line to wear the proverbial bandana.
We got a Miss Kay appearance at Rebecca’s baby shower. Willie’s mother led a prayer to mark the family gathering. Meanwhile in the Duck Call Room, Willie explained to Martin, Jay, Uncle Si and John David his full semi-retired announcement. He comes up with a plan to find out who would be the one to take over.
Willie sent a text for a mandatory meeting early at 4 a.m. for family duck hunting. The family arrived but clearly not at the designated time. They split into groups. Will already failed out of the gate by wearing a white shirt, which is a no-no when duck hunting. Willie actually arranged for skeet shooting, but he was only allowing the one shell to use. The kids fail to hit the target, but Willie showed them how it’s done.
We’re then taken to October 30, 2024 where Rebecca gave birth to Xander, Willie’s newest grandson. Willie and Korie are making food for the family when Rebecca and John Reed get back from the hospital with their newborn. Korie was concerned about how Willie was acting as they are now in a place in their lives with aging parents while taking care of kids and grandkids. She thought it might also have to do with Willie’s now late father Phil and his recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Maybe it got him thinking about his own legacy. It was a poignant moment for fans. Just when Korie thought Willie was opening up, he teared up saying, “Those are the strongest onions burning the crap out of my eyes.”
“Faith, family and ducks in that order,” Korie explained. “That’s the way we’ve always been and live our lives.” The other family also thought Willie was acting weird. He concluded that maybe he didn’t need to find a new him, and that he was doing fine. There was the realization he would be fine if the kids don’t grow up like him. He felt now that he was fully semi-retired, this left a lot of time on his hands. There were things he thought about doing, and we’re about to find out what they are in future episodes. Something tells me the proverbial feathers are about to fly. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Duck Dynasty: The Revival, Sundays, 9/8c, A&E
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
