Shirts are always optional in Porter Ridge, and Terry Porter always seems to exercise that option.

Porter Ridge: Just where is Discovery Channel going with this show?

You have to understand:  I live in extreme North Georgia. I grew up in a town that was saluted by Hee Haw in the 1970s. I am not unfamiliar with life in an unabashedly rural setting. But, I just do not get this show.

Still, I find myself laughing hysterically at some of the scenes, even as I ask, “What the heck just happened?” So, it is not that I necessarily dislike Porter Ridge.

I just do not get it.

‘Hilljack’ Way of Living

There are a couple of people on Porter Ridge that can only be described as real characters, particularly Terry Porter. He makes no sense, literally, as he garbles and hem-haws his way through what is apparently every thought, major or minor, that comes into his head. He doesn’t seem to have any kind of censoring system going on in there, at least from what I can actually understand. And, when he CAN be understood, that is when it really gets confusing. If you were asking, “What?” before, you will be asking, “WHAT?!” when you start catching on to his speech “pattern.”

It’s somewhere between fascinating and frightening.

Thinking This Through

Last night, there was some kind of mad-dash scramble that the Porter Ridge rivals deemed a race; most people outside of their community probably just saw complete chaos. It certainly was not NASCAR, at any rate. But, it was good, clean, fairly friendly, if really dangerous, entertainment.

And, maybe that’s what I am “getting” from Porter Ridge.

These people are different; they make no bones about that. They are up front: It may not be the “right” way outside of Porter Ridge, but it is their way. And, watching a show that is not full of language bleeps every 10 seconds, well, it is refreshing. These people seem like good, honest people. They may not be politically correct, but is that a bad thing?  “Respect the Lord, love your family and watch each other’s backs.” Simple as that.

It’s the Porter Ridge way; take it or leave it.

Hmmmm. Maybe I get this show more than I thought I did.

Stay tuned.

Porter Ridge airs on Discovery Channel on Tuesday nights at 10:30/9:30c, following Tickle.

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Image:  Discovery Channel

Is Kayla Wood really a backwoods beauty, or just an actress chosen for the part?

Discovery Channel’s latest reality offering, PORTER RIDGE, is enough to inspire questions just based on its premise, most notably a simple, “Why?” But, probably the most frequently asked question across the web about this new show deals with one of the cast members who seems to just stand out from the others:  Is Kayla for real?

If an interview with the Indiana Daily Student is to be believed, the answer appears to be a mixture of “yes” and “no.”

According to the interview, conducted by reporter Matt Bloom, Kayla Wood is a student at Indiana University. She is a senior, and spent her summer filming the show with the Discovery Channel. Wood plans to graduate in December with a degree in public health, and works part-time in Bloomington.

So, no, Kayla Wood apparently has no plans to become Terry Porter’s full-time office assistant for life.

She also indicated in the interview that Discovery created her “tomboy” image for the show. She told the IDS that she is more of a “girly-girl,” and she is quoted as saying, ““I love living in Indiana and all the people here. But I’m definitely not a redneck.”

Well, considering how proud the people of Porter Ridge are of their “hilljack” status, Wood seems to be in direct contrast with them. Had she ever even visited the area before appearing in the show?

According to Wood, she is from the area, right down the road, in fact, from Terry Porter’s junkyard.

“I get messages telling me that I have to be an actress,” Wood said in the IDS interview. “But that’s not true. I’ve lived in Spencer my entire life, and I love it more than anything.”

Of course, “my entire life” does not include her current living arrangements, which are in Bloomington—not surprising if she is a college senior at Indiana University, and is working on completing an internship with a medical device manufacturer in the area, as the interview indicates.

So, is Kayla the “real deal” on Porter Ridge?

You be the judge.

Stay tuned.

Porter Ridge airs on Discovery Channel on Tuesday nights at 10:30/9:30c.

Image:  Discovery Channel

(L-R) Larry “Elvis” Dean Martin, Barry J. Moore, Danny Bob Saylor IV, Terry Porter and Jeff Watson decided to start their own MC, the Porter Ridge Outlaws, in last night’s episode.

When reality series PORTER RIDGE debuted on the Discovery Channel, it struck me as probably the most peculiar offering the network—maybe any network—had premiered to date. In fact, it still does. However, without fail, the show does what it is intended to do:  It is entertaining.

Every time Terry Porter appears on the screen, I find myself ready to laugh. And, within seconds, I AM laughing. Whether it is listening to him talk about how he cannot afford electricity and toilet paper in the junkyard’s bathroom (except, of course for the elusive “Number 3”), explaining his distinctive take on numbers, or if it is just hearing him ramble in what apparently is a language he developed for his personal use only, Terry Porter just makes me laugh hysterically. And, of course, that is the point of the show:  Entertainment.

There is a place for “serious” programming. There is a place for documentaries and biographies and all of those things and, I enjoy them immensely. In fact, I can sit and watch a great biography on most anyone, whether I’ve ever heard of them or not, and consider it time well-spent. And, okay, I’ll admit, Discovery Channel is probably not the place that one would automatically think of having a show like PORTER RIDGE—at least, it would not have been a few years ago. But, nowadays the channel seems to be striving to become the home of the outrageous reality show, and PORTER RIDGE certainly qualifies as that. So, it really should not come as a surprise, I guess, that PORTER RIDGE is now a part of its offerings.

Reality Show Snobbery

Some viewers complain that the participants of many reality shows are being taken advantage of, as if they do not have a choice as to whether or not to appear on the show, or that they are not being compensated for their time. But, you know, just because it may not be the path YOU would choose does not mean that a person who does is being “taken advantage of” in doing so. Perhaps the reason you think you wouldn’t choose to be on a reality show is because your life isn’t interesting enough to have the opportunity to make that choice. And, for some of the people doing reality shows nowadays, the chance to do the show may just be a Godsend—a financial boost or advertising windfall that they could not have hoped for in any other capacity. Who are we to make that call for them when such an opportunity comes their way?

So, really, for the reality-show snobs (you know who you are) just watch something else, stop painting reality casts as “victims,” and let the rest of us watch and enjoy the insanity while it lasts. And, I’ll guarantee:  There is plenty of insanity to be found on PORTER RIDGE.

Stay tuned.

Porter Ridge airs on Discovery Channel on Tuesday nights at 10:30/9:30c.

Read more about PORTER RIDGE on TVRuckus.

Image:  Discovery Channel

Video:  YouTube

Terry Porter is never one to hide his emotions, like on this episode where he wanted to order breakfast and was a bit upset when he was told it was a no-go.

Been missing the guys and gals of PORTER RIDGE? Well, they are on their way back!

New episodes of this Discovery Channel hit series will pick up right where they left off, in the rolling hills of Indiana, far away from the lights of the big city. The self-proclaimed “hilljacks” of PORTER RIDGE continue to live by their own rules and dare anyone from the outside world to interfere with their crazy shenanigans. To this end, junkyard owner Terry Porter is up to another one of his schemes on Tuesday.

This time, Terry has the chance to buy his dream car, a legendary ’72 Cutlass.  In an attempt to get some quick cash, he gets a car crusher to the junkyard, but only on the condition he can provide fifty cars to crush.  As fans now know, nothing with Terry goes off without a hitch. So, it will be no surprise when Terry comes up short on junk cars to crush, and has to resort to drastic measures.

Meanwhile, Terry’s neighbor Jeff defends his bear, Bob’s, fishing skills to Barry and Elvis Larry, who think he’s getting too domesticated. To prove who is right, they embark on a fishing trip to put Bob’s hunting skills to the test.

So, as the new episodes roll out, it’s just another day on The Ridge, that fabled place where a guy can have a yard full of pet grizzly bears, use dynamite recreationally, and hold family demolition derbies—and, in fact, on PORTER RIDGE, that’s exactly what they do.

New episodes of PORTER RIDGE return to Discovery Channel this Tuesday, November 5,  at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Stay tuned—and read more about PORTER RIDGE on TVRuckus!

Image:  Discovery Channel

Tim and Tickle, back again, but not the moonshining team they once were. Can Tickle make it on his own?

MOONSHINERS is back tomorrow!

After a horrible (sorry, Tickle, but it was just bad) season of TICKLE, it is even more exciting to get back to the tag-team of Tim and Tickle on Discovery Channel’s hit series, MOONSHINERS. Season Three of MOONSHINERS features a determined Tim Smith going legal, as well as an equally determined Tickle going out on his own.

This season, veteran shiner Tim has a startling announcement that will forever change the face of moonshining in the region. Tim’s new venture means Tickle is on his own and he’ll need a crash course in still building to prove it’s his time to shine. Traditionalists Jeff and Mark go modern in an attempt to dominate and expand their territory, while rookie moonshiners Josh and Bill return with knowledge gained and a serious chip on their shoulders. Veteran and larger than life moonshiner Jim Tom also returns as an influx of new shiners creates a wave of competition the likes of which has never been seen before. But, shiners are found throughout the country, and this season we’ll have our first taste of Mississippi Moonshines, made in the swamps by Mike, Shot and Darlene.

Season three of MOONSHINERS premieres on Discovery Channel tomorrow, Tuesday, November 5, at 9 p.m. ET.

Shirts are always optional in Porter Ridge, and Terry Porter always seems to exercise that option.

And, after MOONSHINERS, stay tuned for an all-new episode of PORTER RIDGE at 10 p.m. ET/PT, picking up right where the Hilljack crew left off. Read more about the season premiere of PORTER RIDGE on TVRuckus!

Images:  Discovery Channel

Tim and Tickle are back tonight, but can Tickle take the pressure of shining on his own this season?

Tonight is a new season for MOONSHINERS on Discovery Channel, and big changes are in store for everyone, especially Tim and Tickle.

Tim, of course, decided last season that going legal was in his future. But, “legal” isn’t a situation that intrigues Tickle—let’s face it, Tickle just wants to get in, get it done, and not have to do much of anything the rest of the year but drink up the profits of the moonshining season! So, tonight they will be taking separate roads and going their own moonshining ways. Tim will be fine; can Tickle handle the pressure and responsibility of carrying the whole moonshining load on his own shoulders? He couldn’t do it last season—will this season be any different?

Last season’s shiners are back—Jeff, Mark, Josh, Bill and Jim Tom—but the seasons are going to be very different for all of them. And, new shiners from throughout the country will be featured, as well.

Need a refresher? Discovery Channel is treating fans to a MOONSHINERS marathon, beginning today at 1 p.m. and continuing until 7 p.m., when the evening begins with Moonshiners: Outlaw Cuts: Road to the Shine, which will include bonus scenes, fan tweets and a look at what the shiners do in the off-season; Moonshiners Secret Summit Episodes (Season 3), an interview session with the shiners themselves, discussing the upcoming season and answering fan questions; and, finally, the new season of MOONSHINERS, beginning at 9 p.m.

Don’t want the night to end at 10 p.m.? Stay tuned for an all-new episode of the hit Discovery series, PORTER RIDGE!

Dirty Andy Minnick, Rusty, Danny Bob Saylor IV, Kayla Wood, Terry Porter and Jeff Watson (from left to right) are the hilljacks of PORTER RIDGE!

Read more about MOONSHINERS and PORTER RIDGE on TVRuckus!

Image:  Discovery Channel, Discovery via Facebook

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Dirty Andy Minnick, Rusty, Danny Bob Saylor IV, Kayla Wood, Terry Porter and Jeff Watson (from left to right) keep PORTER RIDGE rockin’!

PORTER RIDGE is back on Discovery Channel with new episodes, and tonight, well, the heat is on Terry. And, as is always true with Terry Porter, crazy circumstances lead to equally crazy—maybe straight-out insane—outcomes!

This week, Terry has a run-in with the police. According to Discovery Channel, in episode “The Heat is On”:

“When a police officer accidentally gets his unmarked car stripped at Country Auto, he leaves it behind for Terry and Danny Bob to fix. Meanwhile, Dirty Andy helps the officer investigate a stolen lawnmower, while getting on the cop’s every last nerve.”

Dirty Andy getting on someone’s nerves? Surely they jest!

Will Tickle be able to take over the customers Tim left behind, or is the job just too big for him alone?

And, all of this in addition to a night of all-new Tim and Tickle on Discovery Channel’s MOONSHINERS. Tonight, Tickle has to start to learn how to work the business on his own, but it is just not going as well—certainly not as easily—as he hoped. According to Discovery Channel, on episode “A Shiner in Kentucky”:

“Mark and Jeff clear their remote North Carolina still site, while an argument between Josh and Bill threatens to destroy their partnership. Tim has a tough time adjusting to moonshining in a legal Kentucky distillery, and Tickle takes a road trip.”

Josh and Bill may actually be having the toughest time this season—tonight will shed a little light on just why!

Stay tuned for a whole evening of backwoods fun tonight on Discovery Channel, beginning with MOONSHINERS at 9/8c, followed by PORTER RIDGE at 10/9c.

Read more about MOONSHINERS and PORTER RIDGE on TVRuckus!

Images:  Discovery Channel

Terry & Danny Bob take an unmarked police car for a “test drive.”

Some of the shenanigans on PORTER RIDGE are so outrageous, you know they have to be real.

Last night, Terry Porter spent the day riding around in an unmarked—but fully equipped—police car, eating doughnuts and harassing anyone he pleased, while the owner of the police car spent an eye-opening day being chauffeured around by Dirty Andy.

“Good cop, bad cop,” Ridge style.

When this show first aired, there was a clamor of critics, slamming Discovery for the direction it has taken, becoming the apparent home of the backwoods reality show. And, the thing is, the first few episodes of PORTER RIDGE left a lot of people—myself included—at a loss of what to say (and, you know, I’m NEVER at a loss for something to say). Terry Porter, the head hilljack, probably has more going on in his head than any 12 people I know, but one would surely find themselves in a never-ending maze trying to wander through it all. The supporting characters, including Dirty Andy, Elvis Larry, Danny Bob and, of course, everybody’s favorite bear-owning neighbor, Jeff, would probably be enough oddity for any one show all on their own; adding them all together is just pure mayhem. And, of course, there is Kayla who, in her normalness, is totally out of place—and sometimes completely at a loss for words herself—among this crowd.

But, fans love it! When one turns on the show for the first time, the immediate thought is, “What the heck?” But, somehow it is mesmerizing, and you don’t seem to want to turn the channel, no matter how many times you say, “I cannot BELIEVE what they are putting on TV these days!” And, after a show or two, a viewer learns HOW to watch PORTER RIDGE—Terry is not quite as confusing, recognizing the various people with multiple names starts to come easier, and seeing what comes next is more enjoyable, because you can understand what has already happened! “PORTER RIDGE,” you find yourself saying now, “is just a fun show,” and, believe it or not, “I like it.”

And, the weirder they get, the more I find myself liking it, kind of like the cop who had his unmarked car inadvertently stripped by the PORTER RIDGE crew, then decided he didn’t get such a bad deal in the end—although he did say he would likely decline to head their way the next time he just needed a simple part for his vehicle.

Probably not a bad decision.

PORTER RIDGE airs on Discovery Channel on Tuesday nights at 10/9c.

Read more about PORTER RIDGE on TVRuckus!

Image:  Discovery Channel via Facebook

Couldn’t decide if this was the funniest Terry look of the night, or Terry in the tube-top! What do you think?

Terry Porter may be the CEO and owner of Country Auto Parts, but he is not the Most Valuable Employee in most viewers’ minds! That honor would go to Kayla Wood. Unfortunately, last night, she revealed that money issues with school meant she was going to have to leave Country Auto Parts for a higher-paying job, and she quit the Ridge.

Fans everywhere—as well as Country Auto Parts employees and people who just seem to hang around there an awful lot—gasped when Kayla told Terry she had to quit. What, after all, would PORTER RIDGE be without Kayla?

Go online sometime and check out a chat room or two; you’ll find more interest and buzz around Kayla Wood than even show star Terry Porter! Perhaps it is because, quirky as he definitely is, Terry really isn’t much of a mystery. He puts his cards out on the table, odd as they may be, and you just know that you know what there is to know about Terry. Well, at least, you know what’s not just stuck inside his head, and most of us would agree that we do not want to delve THAT deeply into the makeup of Terry Porter! But, with Kayla, she is just this gorgeous gal stuck in the middle of a bunch of crazy hilljacks, the only “normal” appearing one of the bunch, and that in itself makes her an oddity on the show—and a curiosity for fans.

Perhaps what makes viewers so drawn to PORTER RIDGE overall was on display last night when everyone learned that Kayla had quit her job at Country Auto Parts. Realizing she was in financial straits, the guys on the Ridge pulled together a Porter Ridge Bear Fair, to raise money for their friend. They had hot dogs (after convincing Terry that, yes, hot dog BUNS are important for this endeavor); rolled people around inside inner tubes (have to admit, that looked like fun, tho’ I would probably get sick); and, of course, Jeff showed off his bears. Much to Terry’s dismay, there was no donkey on display—who knows?—but the fans were, um, treated to the sight of Terry Porter in a Speedo as he taunted people from the dunking tank. Kayla was invited to the event—she was a pig wrestler, subject to “North American Pig Wrestling Rules,” whatever those are—but she was not told WHY they were holding such an event. When she was given the $900 raised, she was astounded and speechless—and obviously touched and grateful.

And, much to the delight of the Country Auto Parts crowd and fans, she agreed to come back to her job. But, as fans may know, she is set to graduate from Indiana University in December, with a degree in public health. So, could this season be her last on PORTER RIDGE?

Time will tell. But, in the meantime, here is the shot of Terry in a tube-top, so the notoriously shirtless businessman could go into the grocery store. What was YOUR favorite PORTER RIDGE moment this week? Let us know in the comment section below!

Okay, if it weren’t Terry Porter, I wouldn’t believe it, but–yeah, I believe it!

PORTER RIDGE airs on the Discovery Channel on Tuesday nights at 10/9c.

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Image:  Discovery Channel via Facebook

Seriously, does THIS man really look like he needs a trainer to succeed in the Hilljack Games?

PORTER RIDGE is hot, hot, HOT on Discovery Channel, and fans do not have to worry:  Thanksgiving Week is not slowing down the hilljack gang a bit!

The world is anticipating the upcoming Winter Olympic games, but in Porter Ridge, they are preparing for the Hilljack Games. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Porter Ridge if Terry Porter wasn’t worried about (and fighting with) Bryan Sciscoe. So, tonight, according to the Discovery Channel, in episode, “Prank Wars”:

“In anticipation of the upcoming Hilljack Games, Bryan Sciscoe plays a prank on Terry which quickly escalates into an all out prank war between the ridges.”

But, as every PORTER RIDGE fan knows, the fun on Tuesday night doesn’t stop with the first episode of the evening! Following up the prank war—who KNOWS what kinds of pranks they come up with in hilljack country?—the Hilljack Games commence:

“Then, as the Hilljack Games approach, Terry enlists the help of a trainer, while Bryan Sciscoe struggles to keep a DKR ringer from driving everyone nuts.”

As you would expect, Terry’s ideas of traditional training moves are, well, nontraditional—and his “burpees” skill did not impress his trainer very much!

If that isn’t enough to keep viewers entertained, I don’t know what is.

PORTER RIDGE airs on Discovery Channel on Tuesday nights at 10/9c.

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Image:  Discovery Channel

Video:  YouTube

As Christmas approaches, nothing changes in PORTER RIDGE: It’s still Terry’s crew vs. the Dog Killer Ridge crew! Ho, ho, ho!

Merry Christmas from the hilljacks of PORTER RIDGE!

It’s Christmastime on Porter Ridge, but that means it is Christmastime on Dog Killer Ridge, as well—and the joy of the season isn’t dampening the competitive spirit between the two crews.

What would Christmas be without a Christmas party or two? Well, there is one going on in Porter Ridge, but there is another taking place on Dog Killer Ridge, and if viewers have learned anything about these two rival crews, it is that they can turn anything—ANYTHING—into an opportunity to make a bet between themselves. According to Discovery Channel, tonight on episode, “Very Hilljack Christmas”:

“When the Porter Ridge gang and Dog Killer Ridge crew plan for their respective Christmas parties, a competition grows as to which ridge will have the more spectacular party.”

With Terry at the helm, goodness only knows what will happen—and no one really wants to try to delve into his mind to guess! But, most PORTER RIDGE fans have a bigger question on their minds:  Does anyone catch Kayla under the mistletoe?

Stay tuned tonight to find out—and hope that if Terry is getting you a gift this Christmas, he is more generous in his shopping for you than with his personal shopping sprees:

Oh, my—that Terry!

Get your holiday spirit going tonight on PORTER RIDGE, airing on Discovery Channel on Tuesday nights at 10/9c.

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