Billy the Exterminator

Billy The Exterminator
Also known as	The Exterminators (2009)
Format	Reality
Starring	Billy Bretherton Ricky Bretherton
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	51 (plus 2 specials)
Production
Running time	30 minutes (including commercials)
Production company(s)	September Films
Broadcast
Original channel	A&E
Original run	February 4, 2009 – present
External links
Website
Production website

Billy the Exterminator (formerly The Exterminators) is an American reality television series which airs on the A&E network.^[1]

The show follows the professional life of Billy Bretherton, an expert in the field of pest control and the proprietor of Vexcon Animal and Pest Control in Benton, Louisiana, which serves the Shreveport-Bossier metropolitan area. Bretherton, a former Senior Airman in the United States Air Force,^[2] had previously been featured on the Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs series on the season 1 episode "Vexcon", and the season 2 episode "Termite Controller".^[3] Both previously and in his current show, Bretherton is known for his unusual fashion style, consisting mostly of black garments (many of them leather) with large silver jewelry and steel studs and spikes in various configurations.

Many members of Bretherton's family, such as his parents, "Big" Bill and Donnie, and his brother, Ricky, as well as other employees, make frequent appearances. Donnie Bretherton normally acts as Vexcon's dispatcher and rarely goes out on jobs. Ricky's ex-wife, Pam, resigned during the production of the first season.

As noted in many episodes, Billy Bretherton prefers, if at all possible, to relocate captured animals and is a proponent of natural methods of control. He frequently gives a description of the pests, their preferred environment, and any diseases (usually using their Latin names) associated with them. Ricky Bretherton acquired an allergy to bee and wasp stings due to being stung so many times.

Billy Bretherton entered the United States Air Force at age nineteen intent on a career in law enforcement. However, his military entrance examination indicated that he had an aptitude for biology, and he was sent to study both that subject and entomology. His extermination career began in earnest while stationed at Nellis Air Force Base in North Las Vegas, Nevada.^[4]

Bretherton is also a public speaker.^[5]

Contents 1 Show history 2 Vexcon Team 3 Recurring Assistants 4 Episodes 4.1 Season 1 4.2 Season 2 4.3 Season 3 4.4 Season 4 4.5 Special Episodes 5 See also 6 External links 7 References

Show history

“Back in 2004 Pilgrim Films contacted us and wanted to shoot a pilot for Discovery Channel (that was a) reality pest control show”, said Bretherton. “They had interviewed about 200 different companies and found us and liked us. They sent scouts out that rode around with us for a day, made the determination that we would be good for filming, and we ended up on Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe". The Spike network was also approached about picking up the series.^[6]

Originally called The Exterminators during its first season in 2009, the show was renamed Billy the Exterminator before the second season.^[7] The title change is reflected in repeats of season one episodes.

Season 4, the most recent season, began on August 2, 2011. Beginning this season, Billy and Ricky go to various places throughout the United States to assist with local exterminators and wildlife rescue services in the removal of local vermin and wildlife, in addition to tending to a few jobs back in Louisiana. The program's opening credits have also been redone to better reflect Billy's attitude; the new credits omit Billy's wife, Mary, who resigned during the show's first season.

Vexcon Team

• Billy: (born 1968)^[8] Vexcon's head exterminator
• Ricky: Billy's brother
• Pam: Ricky's ex-wife (resigned from Vexcon in season one)
• Big Bill Sr.: Billy's dad
• Donnie: Billy's mom
• Mary: Billy's wife (resigned from Vexcon in season one, but sporadically appears during the later seasons; removed from credits in season 4)
• Bryce: Billy's first son
• Timmy: Billy's dog

Recurring Assistants

• "Gator" Dave Wilson - Licensed Gator Hunter
• "Danger" Dave Milliken - Animal Control Officer
• "Killy" Kim Link

Episodes