History Channel’s Swamp People isn’t for everyone. Unlike other reality-based series on the network like Pawn Stars and American Restoration that are fairly family-friendly, Swamp People is a gritty, graphic, and oftentimes gory look at one the nation’s oldest professions: gator huntin’.
If you’re not a big fan of watching animals – even if they are vicious alligators – get trapped, shot, and sold for cash, then you probably want to steer clear of this series. For the rest of us the series not only has plenty of hunting action, but also serves as an interesting sociological study of the men and women who populate the swamplands of Louisiana.
Hunting for gators is what these people do for a living. Most of the time it’s been generations of one family who have hunted the waters and brought in the money to support their families. What may seem like an odd way to make a buck is something these men and women consider a part of everyday life. You’ve got to respect them for that.
This season follows sixteen people who scour the swamplands of Louisiana using everything from homemade bait and gravy to hooks, fishing line, and plenty of inutive know-how. If you think working at a desk or working with customers is hard, you ain’t seen nothin’ until you’ve wrestled with a half-ton gator!
And you’ve got to hand it to an area of Louisiana that has a Fish and Game Head named Stumpy! Yep, that’s his name, and he works with Terral Evans, a man who catches gators alive…with his bare hands. He’s the exception to the rule of the other folks on the show; while the others hunt for profit, Terral works with the Department of Fish and Game to catch and tag these animals to track their movements and growth.
It’s amazing the size of some of these creatures, too! Imagine coming up against a gator that’s eleven feet or more in length and all you have is a rifle, an aluminum boat, and a rope. While many of us would never even think about putting ourselves in that situation, these folks do; and they’re very good at making it out alive (even with a few bone fragments lodged here and there).
My one issue with the series is the narrator who over-narrates to the point that he’s telling you exactly what you’re seeing on the screen. If Terral has a gator in his bare hands, I don’t need to be told, “Terral has the gator in his bare hands.” Thanks, I got it. While it doesn’t take away from the overall experience of the series, it does become a nuisance at times.
Who will catch the most gators? Who will lose the most money? And who will lose a limb? It’s anyone’s guess when it comes to the world of Swamp People.
The Bonus Footage on each disc includes deleted scenes from the episodes featured on that particular DVD. Much like the series, some of it is not suitable for all viewers.
For some gator huntin’ fun, check out Swamp People: Season Two on DVD, available NOW!
What’s your favorite History Channel series? Leave a comment and let us know!