Duck Dynasty viewership fell to 8.5 million viewers on Wednesday night, breaking the reality series streak of ratings records.
According to Deadline, Duck Dynasty’s ratings were down 33 percent among adults 18-49 compared to last year’s season premiere. It averaged 4.2 million viewers, which are high numbers for a cable series but was down from last season’s opener that drew almost 12 million viewers. It went on to become the number 1-rated nonfiction series in cable history. It did however squeak by last season’s finale total viewers of 8.4 million viewers. December’s Duck Dynasty Christmas special had 9 million viewers.
The season premiered with two back-to-back episodes and it was the first appearance of the Robertson family on A&E after the controversial comments made by Phil Robertson. The controversy regarding his comments on homosexuality and blacks in GQ magazine forced A&E to suspend Phil indefinitely. When the family banded together and said they would not do the show without Phil. He gained support from religious organizations and conservatives; A&E lifted Phil’s suspension.
In the season premiere, Uncle Si came to the conclusion the film Air Bud is better than the Bourne franchise, Si gets the “bird flu”, the Robertson women put together a party and Willie hired a personal assistant – his wife’s cousin. This season may not mention the GQ article because the season was shot before the article was released.