There have been complaints about the rise of redneck TV; shows that play on stereotypes of Southern folk. So you understandably might get a little defensive when you hear the premise of "Bayou Billionaires" (9 tonight, CMT), a show about a family that hits it big when natural gas is found on their land. Yep, it's the modern equivalent of "The Beverly Hillbillies" if the hillbillies hadn't loaded up the truck.
Don't fret. While "Bayou Billionaires" does have some moments that play into those tired tropes, it can also surprise you (thus playing on your own stereotypical thoughts), and charm you.
That's because the Dowden family are just plain likable. Gerald and Kitten, the mom and dad, are good country folk reveling in their 'mailbox money,' the six-figure checks they regularly receive. They aren't ridiculously lavish but they do believe the money is for spending. Hence the 50 hound dogs, 9 horses, cars, big pool and new teeth for their daughter.
Their sense of fun and common sense makes them delightful, but their family also has some characters. The daughter with the new teeth has a boyfriend who everyone agrees has fried his brain, but they love him anyway. A son and daughter-in-law are big into taekwondo and they spend a lot of time rough housing. They consider it foreplay. And then there's Kitten's dad, a senior playa who's got all the gray hair ladies swooning. Not that he doesn't aim for the young women too.
Much like the folks in "Lizard Lick Towing" (but with much less drama), they are just naturally funny folk. And they like each other. That makes them easy to spend time with.
Assistant Features Editor Adrienne Johnson Martin would like to have her life turned into an animated cartoon.