The producers of “Duck Dynasty” are dishing out another family show, this time for Discovery Channel.
“Porter Ridge” looks at a tight-knit community whose code is
simple: “respect the Lord, love your family and watch each other's backs.”
But will the new cable series attract as much attention—and
as loyal a fan base—as “Duck Dynasty?”
Scott Gurney, who is the executive producer for both “Duck
Dynasty” and “Porter Ridge,” said he expects new show will appeal to a similar
demographic.
“This is great show for families to watch,” Gurney told
Fox News. “It’s a great show for all ages and for males and females. That’s one
of the things that’s great about ‘Duck Dynasty,’ it has such a broad audience,
and I think this show will do the same thing.”
Fans of the A&E series about a family who work together
to produce duck calls have often praised the show for its good, clean message
and family-friendly plot lines. “Duck Dynasty” ends each episode with a prayer.
“I think that one of the big things that people love about
‘Duck Dynasty’ is that it’s a positive takeaway, and I think the same thing is
going to exist with this series. “
But the similarities likely end there, he declared.
“This is a different show. It’s not ‘Duck Dynasty’… It’s not
so much family based and more friendship based.”
The series follows a group of friends—and rivals—living in
Southern Indiana, in an area with no rules, no leaders and no streetlights. And
yet, somehow everyone manages to get along.
“Cameras follow this interesting culture that if you didn’t
see it on TV, you’d honestly think it doesn’t exist,” Gurney said.
But it does. Gurney insisted that the series is
unscripted—even though it seems implausible that one of the show’s stars shares
his home with eight grizzly bears.
Jeff Watson, 48, appears on “Porter Ridge” and spends his
days with his neighbors and with his domesticated bears.
“They’ve been in my house, but they don’t stay in here all
the time,” Watson said of the bears.
It is elements like his pets that make the series so
dissimilar to anything else that’s on TV, Watson said.
“I’m sure there are people out there who would like to see a
show that’s less cussing, more family values, camaraderie, rapport, relationship
between the characters, not a lot of fighting between everybody… I think people
are getting a little tired of too much drama and they want to see people
getting along, and we get along around here.”
Read full article
