‘Duck Dynasty’ calls up new ratings record for A

“Duck Dynasty� is ascending the TV ratings throne.

The 10:30 p.m. Wednesday episode of the A&E; series about a once-poor Louisiana family whose fortunes were transformed by their duck-call business hit a record 4.9 million total viewers, according to Nielsen.

That’s the type of number very few reality series see on basic cable. By comparison, TLC’s notorious “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo� -- about a rural Georgia family and their precocious pageant participant daughter -- hit a high of 3 million viewers earlier this year.

“Duck Dynasty� can’t match “Honey Boo Boo� for did-you-see-that content, but the former is showing much more impressive growth. The second season of “Duck Dynasty� premiered in October to 3.8 million viewers, and it’s kept moving up since.

Wonder what that means for next week’s “Duck Dynasty� holiday special: “I’m Dreaming of a Redneck Christmas.� And no, we didn’t make up that title.

What do you think of “Duck Dynasty�?

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Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT