I may be a latecomer, but I have jumped on the bandwagon. My wife and I can’t get enough of Duck Commander

It all started a couple of weeks ago when Kathy’s daughter, son-in-law and the grandsons came to visit. We were looking for something on television and A&E was running a marathon of the show. Two shows later, we were hooked. Of course, having a crew to fill us in on the minor details of the show and cast helped.

Over the past year, I had heard a lot about the show. I even stopped briefly on it while channel surfing. I knew the basic premise — a family from rural Louisiana who turned a small operation making hand-made duck calls into a multimillion dollar operation. I even have a 13-year-old cousin who made her mother drive her 60 miles to a Robertson family book signing. Her mother was late and they stood in line for a while, only to be turned away when the books ran out.

But it wasn’t until we sat down and watched the show that we realized how good the show is. It is a reality show, but unlike most reality shows. It’s a real family – one not that dissimilar from my relatives in the Mississippi Delta. It’s a real family with real characters, real family drama/squabbles and real fun.

Where many so-called reality shows are forced to bleep out foul language or blur the screen to avoid inappropriate visuals, that is not the case with Duck Dynasty. The characters may have long hair, long beards and look more like the homeless than millionaires. They may be rednecks, but they are also fine Christians. And it is one of the few shows out there that promotes Christian values.

Thanks to TiVo and reruns, Kathy and I have been watching a ton of episodes. Some of the things we’ve noticed – no cursing, common sense morals and each show ends with the family gathering together for a meal with the patriarch saying grace.

Viewers are introduced to Phil and Kay Robertson, their children and grandchildren. Phil came up with the design for an improved duck call years ago and got a U.S. Patent. It started as a kitchen table business until son Willie graduated from college and expanded the business. You also get to meet sons Jase and Jep, and the wives of all three. Like Phil, all three have long hair and long beards. A fourth son does not appear on the show. He is an ordained minister and opted to stay out of the limelight.

Then there is Silas, Phil’s brother and the boys Uncle Si. He’s the kind of person who never lets the facts get in the way of a good story.

In addition to the extended Robertson family and workers, there is a neighbor who has a recurring role. Mountain Man has his own local radio show, repairs heating/air condition units and has a distinct way of talking. When it comes to speaking his mind, Mountain Man doesn’t get in a hurry.

The way he drawled, “I sure would like me one of them grape slushies,” reminded me of one of the funniest scenes ever in classic television.

In the second season of “Taxi,” the gang tried to help Rev. Jim Ignatowski (Christopher Lloyd) get his cabbie license. As he took the written test, he asked the gang, “What does a yellow light mean?” Bobby Wheeler, trying not to alert to test proctor, said, “Slow down.”

Rev. Jim replied, “W h a t   d o e s    a   y e l l o w   l i g h t   m e a n ?”

Bobby answered, “Slow down!”

“W  h  a  t     d  o  e  s     a     y  e  l  l  o  w     l  i  g  h  t     m  e  a  n ?”

“Slow down!”

The gang continues to say “slow down” and Rev. Jim continues to drag out the simple question.

In the end, Rev. Jim gets his hack license and starts to work with the gang, offering a near-constant comic foil to the show.

William Moore is the Senior Editor at Gulf Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at wmoore@gulfcoastnewspapers