[Warning: The below contains spoilers for Duck Dynasty: The Revival]
“The Robertson family and bad ideas go together like biscuits and jam.” When the July 11 episode of Duck Dynasty started with this Willie Robertson quote, you know something was about to go down. It almost felt like a backdoor pilot for a Survivor-style spinoff show as four Robinson girls were sent out into the wilderness in a head-to-bed battle of wits, stamina and common sense. They had nobody to rely on but themselves. Willie was inspired to challenge them in the great outdoors by Alone on History Channel to challenge his children. Raising his kids “to be allergic to dirt,” any chance he could push them to their limits he is about.
And so the competition was set where Bella, Sadie, Rebecca and Mary Kate prepared to survive in the woods. Who would last longer? “To critters in the woods, they are like all you can eat buffet,” Willie’s brother Jase said prior. He didn’t have much faith in their survival abilities. Each would have a backpack that included a fire starter, fishing equipment, medical supplies, knives, filming equipment and roman candle for emergency or when one decided to quit. Since Sadie was pregnant, Willie was nice enough to let her be first to pick one luxury item. She chose snacks. Bella went with a fishing pole while Mary Kate secured the machete and Rebecca decided on some shelter help. Willie dropped each in a particular section in the Louisiana backwoods. He took their cellphones and was also out there to monitor things from the comfort of his Storyteller Overland adventure truck.
Bella Roberston/A&E
Willie set the objectives on his Survival List for the four in they had to build shelter, make a fire, find food and survive the night. Sadie enjoyed her cookies, but needed some help for shelter. Dad paid a visit, gave her a worm and helped make a rod to go fishing. She caught the fish. Willie descaled, cut the head off and guts out, which grossed Sadie out. Being an expectant mom, she wasn’t about to eat that fish. Later on, Sadie smelled burgers her dad was grilling nearby and gave in to the temptation to investigate. She lasted 10 hours. “I guess in pregnant person time that could be a week,” Willie concluded.
Mary Kate used a machete to cut branches and created some shelter. Willie lent a hand to decide where to build fire. Rebecca found a big pile of ants, which she was allergic to. Luckily, she had an EpiPen just in case. Willie came to help build a tent. Her search for food leads her to find Mary Kate. They also smell the burgers and tap out. Bella was freaked out and screamed in terror after finding….a [gasp] caterpillar! She did catch a fish. “I don’t know what to do with it now, but I’m so proud.” Willie wasn’t impressed with her work-in-progress shelter. Her strategy was to just sit out until everyone quit. That actually worked out as at 9:26 p.m., Bella realized she outlasted the other girls when the flares went off. Mom Korie, who was bored at home and decided to join Willie, was proud of their efforts.
While all this was going on, the husbands had a survival mission of their own. The guys had to take care of the kids without additional assistance. Christian Huff worked out in pink princess attire complete with tiara. It looked like he had everything under control until his daughters made a run for it. Elsewhere, John Luke presented his plan with the kids. He brought in chickens and instructed his children in building their shelter using pillows and couch cushions. There were reptiles and insects, which may or may not have gone missing in the living room. John Reed Loflin was working on his truck with the kids busy on an art project. They used his truck for a canvas. The dads, including Jacob Mayo, came to the conclusion there was strength in numbers with the kids and enjoyed dinner preparation. When the girls come back from their trip to find the respective masses at their houses, the husbands may not survive the night.
Duck Dynasty, Sundays, 9/8c, A&E