The Rise of Redneck TV

In 1962, CBS introduced viewers to The Beverly Hillbillies' Clampett family, a lovably dim-witted clan who struck it rich and moved to sunny California. The show was critically panned, but it drew a huge audience, inspiring many of fish-out-of-water sitcoms. Fast-forward to today, when cable TV is also brimming with high-rated reality shows about a new generation of fishin', hoggin' and duck huntin' "hillbillies." So, why are TV audiences so fascinated by the South? Let's examine the shows that have led the rise of redneck TV.