American Pickers

I have always enjoyed American Pickers since I first started watching it in 2012. I had never seen a show like it; the collectors, the inheritors, the bat crap crazy. It has always been interesting to see into the lives of so many people and the stuff or treasure, depending on your view, that they had. Seeing Mike's and Frank's excitement when they see a toy, bike, piece of history, something they have never seen before; it was like 2 kids in a toy store. That being said, it is a shame of bad of a falling out Mike and Frank have had in the past year over Frank's allegations after his back surgery. I don't know who is right or wrong but it is always sad when this kind of friendship ends this way. This is not like Mythbusters, where both Jamie and Adam really didn't like each other but managed to work on a show for years without any real public dust-ups; these 2 were actually friends travelling around buying stuff. Without Frank the show just isn't the same; having Danielle and Robbie on it in a far more prominent picking role never seemed right and still doesn't. They have had a wonderful decade of picking for entertainment but time for the show to end.

I always enjoyed the Frank and Mike days. They always seemed like lifetime buddies who enjoyed working together. Of course, I understood that wasn't exactly true. There were always 'scandal sheet stories' of Franks alcoholism and Mikes womanizing. But the last season, I watched about half the season and couldn't watch anymore. Frank had hurt his back and needed time off for surgery and rehabilitation and Mike used the 'alcoholism' angle that had never been a problem before to fire him. And then Mike left his wife and child for some 'adult' actress. And Danielle 'fell in line' also making public statements downing Frank because she got his 'on the road picking' job. I used to love seeing her on the show. Now I can't stand either of them. She has no loyalty.

Would have been 10/10 until they dropped Frank in the recent season. Replacements are going to cut it Mike.

This is a program I'll watch and find interesting should I stumble across it. It's the ad break, I don't know what channel I'm on. - oh! Dave. Ok. It's showing several episodes back to back. The first seemed to have a tin toy theme, then the were somewhere buying signs. Next episodes, a couple of visits, the theme seems to be signs. Is it just that most of the collectors have collected signs. Maybe I need to watch more episodes, maybe they don't have themes?

Being in the UK we've grown up with antique programs ranging from high end discoveries on Antique Road Show to accessible objects on Bargain Hunt. Far from giving me insights into what will make money, I'm usually amazed when something makes money and baffled by what makes a loss. With this program I am amazed at how much they pay for items. Considering the glut of signs there appears to be in the US I don't get the prices the pickers are paying. I would rather know how much they actually sell items for but on the whole they just give a valuation which is always higher than they paid. The one item the reported has selling at auction made a massive loss which is what I suspect happens with most of the stuff, if it ever sells. ..... enjoying it, fascinated, intrigued as the numbers don't add up.

The British often think that 100 miles is a long way. Americans usually think that 100 years is a long time ago.

Mike and Frank seem to think nothing of driving a few hundred miles and often pick items that are a hundred or more years old.

This series is very popular with many of my friends here in the UK.