Hick chic continues on cable: Discovery has just ordered two new more-rural-than-thou series that shine a light on Americans who live in remote areas.
The network has greenlighted a pair of projects with the working titles Moonshiners and Mountain Men of Alaska. (You knew at least one show had to be set in Alaska, right?)
Moonshiners, produced by Magilla Entertainment, is about a group of people living in Appalachia who carry on a 200 year-old tradition passed down from their forefathers: making moonshine (and sometimes not legally).
Mountain Men of Alaska, produced by Discovery Studios, stars Atz Kilcher* and his clan, who live off the land and spend their summers gardening, hunting, and fishing for food to get them through the harsh Alaskan winters. The show also features homesteaders who live near the Kilchers, including “Brother Roadkill,” who is “not above eating animals lying dead on the side of the road.”
Discovery launched the blue collar reality trend several years ago with Deadliest Catch and Dirty Jobs, but in the last year or so, a whole new ultra-rural and frontier subset has become very popular on cable with shows ranging from Discovery’s hit Gold Rush: Alaska and Flying Wild Alaska to History’s upcoming Swamp People.
Both Moonshiners and Mountain Men will premiere this summer on Discovery. Previous:
– Deadliest Catch debut date, uncensored trailer and seventh season details
– Deadliest Catch producer talks upcoming season and new show Coal
– Discovery orders special on Japanese earthquake, tsunami
* Singer Jewel’s father … really! Congrats Jewel!
Yee Haw!
Just curious how people can home brew beer and make
wine but moonshine is illegal still?
I think it involves the alcohol content and its danger to those who drink it…
@John, beer and wine don’t require distillation which increases the alcohol concentration in the mash (creating a highly flammable liquid). basically it’s dangerous and you have a pretty good chance of setting your neighborhood on fire
I’ll stick with meth, thank you very much.
I am a middle aged, well educated man. I make a good living and currently live in an urban environment. I also happen to be from the South, born and raised. It sounds like “Moonshiners” is yet another show that makes Southerners look like stupid, shoeless, banjo-playing rednecks with the IQ of a turnip. I am tired of this crap. Trust me, I live in a major northeastern city, and some of the dumbest people I have ever met were born and raised here. We are not all toothless NASCAR worshippers. We do not all think WWE is real and good tv. Stop the stupid stereotyping of people from Appalachia. It ticks me off.
Second
Do you realize that Appalachia extends into Ohio, West Virgina, Pennsylvania, & New York…right? They all aren’t Southerners.
And by the way, we DON’T say “Yee-haw.” Idiots.
So refreshing to see people living outside the “system” and getting away with it. Not sure if I would be able to eat roadkill though! Anyway, awesome sounding show.
How do these directors come up with these shows. I must admit I have just watched Swamp People and enjoyed it, so maybe this could be ok.
Thanks for interesting blog post. You guys are always provide information that it makes it impossible not to want to buy your next product ;I can¡¯t wait to see what you guys come up with based on all your research and data that you gather.
Just curious, making moonshine is illegal, this I know. So how can they film the show without the people getting in trouble.
that is exactly what i was wondering!!!
Yes, let’s make a reality show about people creating an illegal substance. What’s next, Discovery? ” ‘Meth Labs’, an all new series starting Friday.”
Love how television shows get away with this stuff.
If the acohol and tobacco agent wants to know where the stills are why not just turn to his right and ask a camera man or producer
I love the show Moonshiners. They are just trying to make a living. Leave em alone.