‘Duck Dynasty’ Season 3 Premieres To Record-Breaking 8.6M Viewers

The season 3 premiere of Duck Dynasty, A&E’s reality TV show about the Robertson family and their duck call business, returned to a record-setting 8.6 million viewers Wednesday night.

The season 3 premiere was the most-watched telecast of all time for A&E in total viewers and all key demographics. According to Deadline, Wednesday’s 10 pm episode drew 5 million adults 18-49 and 5 million adults 25-54, averaging 8.6 million viewers for the hour.

“Duck Season Eve” broke a record previously set by the season 2 finale, “I’m Dreaming of a Redneck Christmas.” The season 3 premiere saw a 132 percent increase in total viewers from season 2’s finale, which brought in 6.5 million viewers. “Duck Season Eve” also saw a 127 percent increase in viewers 18-49 and a 117 rise in viewers 25-54.

The Duck Dynasty cast was set to appear with singer Morrissey on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this week, but Morrissey canceled his appearance after learning the Duck Commander crew would be there. Morrissey has been a long-time animal rights activist and vegetarian, and felt he could not morally be on the show with the cast. He said he would have appeared if the cast were removed, and then went on to call the Robertson family “animal serial killers.”

Morrissey vegetarianism even stretches to his concerts. All the vendors outside his March 1 concert in Los Angeles will be 100 percent vegetarian.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, star Phil Robertson almost didn’t make it onto the show. He was offered the chance to play in the NFL in the 1960s, but turned the offers down because he didn’t want to miss duck season. It also didn’t help that college buddy Terry Bradshaw told him about all the injuries he received playing football during a recent encounter. Ultimately, Robertson felt it wasn’t enough money for the stress and to have “large, violent men” chasing him.

Did you watch the season premiere of Duck Dynasty?