'Alaskan Bush People' Season 12 Premiere Date Revealed

Discovery Channel is gearing up to take viewers back into the "Alaskan bush," or rather the Brown family's new compound in Washington, with the Season 12 premiere of its popular series Alaskan Bush People. Although the fate of the upcoming season had largely been left in limbo due to the coronavirus pandemic, TV Insider reports that the series is set to return in August.

According to the outlet, the new season will kick off on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 9 p.m. ET with a lost footage/recap special, giving fans the opportunity to catch up on everything they have missed and be refreshed on what went down in Season 11. The new season will then launch just a day later on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 8 p.m. ET. Although there has been no official confirmation, rumors have it that Season 12 will consist of eight episodes, with the network reportedly anticipating bringing the series back for a Season 13.

Season 12 will look a bit different than past seasons, in large part due to the coronavirus pandemic. Just as the pandemic did with many other series, production on Alaskan Bush People was impacted, though not entirely shut down. Rather than having a camera crew following the Brown family around, the family reportedly filmed themselves using the cameras on their smartphones, and the self-shot content is set to be integrated into footage already created and edited by the production team. As the pandemic hit the nation, Discovery made strategic moves to keep series in production as The Wall Street Journal reports that the network "quickly shifted to producing television shows from its cast members' homes." The network also "sent cameras, iPhones, tripods and other equipment to presenters and other on-air staff through the mail." Gunnar Wiedenfels, the company's chief financial officer, said that filming in this manner led to a "more real and authentic" feel to the network's content.

At this time, an official synopsis for Alaskan Bush People's 12th season has not been released, though it will likely cover the drama that has shrouded the family since Season 11. TV Insider reports that the season will deal with the aftermath of patriarch Billy Brown convincing Noah and Gabe that they should move further down the mountain to build a compound. It will also reportedly showcase Bear and Raiven's engagement and the drama that followed, including the drama surrounding the birth of their first child, River.

Alaskan Bush People Season 12 debuts on Discovery on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 8 p.m. ET. Don't forget to get a catch up with the recap special set to air on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 9 p.m. ET. Stay tuned to PopCulture.com for the latest information.