61 replies to this topic

[Lastkidpicked]

We discovered American Restoration and we really like it.

Interesting characters, cool projects, and just enough drama to make you chuckle.

There are several times we see an old gas pump, old Coca-Cola cooler, or whatnot and say,

"That looks like a project for American Restoration!"

Anybody else been watching?

[walnutqueen]

I've been watching, too Lastkidpicked. Although the show has too many scripted scenes (like Pawn Stars), I really like the work Rick and his team does, and it is interesting to see old trash turned into treasures.

[Kel Varnsen]

Although the show has too many scripted scenes (like Pawn Stars), I really like the work Rick and his team does, and it is interesting to see old trash turned into treasures.

I wish they would cut out the scripted crap and either show them fixing up a 3rd item, or go into more detail about how they do the restorations. I mean I saw one a few weeks ago that had a side plot about getting rid of a swarm of bees somewhere on the property. I mean really show, with all the interesting stuff that these guys do, you spend camera time dealing with them getting rid of a bee hive?

[Lastkidpicked]

Kel Varnsen, I love your screen name (and hope everything is well at Vandaleigh Industries), but we disagree on the bee hive episode.

I enjoyed that episode because it gave us a behind the scenes look at how the employees interact with each other. The fact that removing a bee hive would fall to Brettley, with Cowboy being a grouch and offering unwanted advice, was fun for me because this is EXACTLY what would happen even when there are no cameras around.

[Hezadelsol]

I wish they would cut out the scripted crap and either show them fixing up a 3rd item, or go into more detail about how they do the restorations. I mean I saw one a few weeks ago that had a side plot about getting rid of a swarm of bees somewhere on the property. I mean really show, with all the interesting stuff that these guys do, you spend camera time dealing with them getting rid of a bee hive?

Oh God yes. This is my biggest problem with the show because it would be perfect without it. Why does everyone need to be a character? How many times do we need to see Bretley being painted as the stupid slacker and Rick's brother Rob being shown as the lazy guy? It's stupid and pointless. We see so little of the actual restoration on some of these items that the time wasted showing scripted antics could really be put to better use.

[Lastkidpicked]

You make good point, Hezadelsol.

But I have to say that I really enjoyed the episode where Rob bought that big dinasour thing at the auction.

He was so unabashadly excited about it. He was like a big kid.

[txhorns79]

We see so little of the actual restoration on some of these items that the time wasted showing scripted antics could really be put to better use.

I would disagree only because I think they are pretty good showing the restoration. I'm liking this show better than Pawn Stars, if only because these guys seem more real and they actually seem to be doing something productive, rather than just standing behind a counter, occasionally calling in an expert and haggling over prices.

[Captains Log]

I just found this show recently and enjoy it immensely. Cowboy cracks me the hell up. I think he should get his own show. Whatever he does is hilarious!

Love seeing the old stuff get restored too. I think the apple peeler/corker thing has been my favorite so far.

[only1kcm]

Caught the marathon yesterday, and have fallen in love with this show! So many awesome items; my favorites are the refrigerator and the safe.

Anyone else have a favorite?

[Collinwood]

My favorite items are the Standard Oil wagon and the railroad air brake machine. My least favorite is the Kotex machine. Grown men running away from that tiny little machine, that was both sad and downright dumb.

[queasy]

Yeah, that was silly. I thought the Kotex machine was their least successful project, but seeing as they didn't intend it to look restored, I suppose I'm being too harsh. It only made $200-some at the auction, too, whereas I think they would have charged a real customer $700-800 for it.

Did we really need to see Kowboy perform dental surgery on himself? (Well, I FF'd but I suppose somebody saw it.)

The Irish Mail whatever turned out nice, but I think 10 years old is past the age where the son would even fit in the thing.

[Willowsmom]

Queasy, there was no blood on that tooth..it wasn't real.

[Lastkidpicked]

Caught the marathon yesterday, and have fallen in love with this show! So many awesome items; my favorites are the refrigerator and the safe.

Anyone else have a favorite?

My favorite by far are the two episodes with the big guy (Mike?) who brought in the space helmet and then the lawn tractor. He said he wanted the lawn tractor restored so he could let his daughters ride with him like he rode with his father.

He seemed very sincere when he predicted that seeing the tractor again would make him cry.

Two things I noticed:

1) When he walked up to Tyler, he hugged him, and he put his arm around Rick several times, making me think they have been friends for a long time.

2) Rick had no problem expaining that he reinforced the seat so that he could ride it-- again making it feel like there was a true friendship between them.

I just really enjoyed the whole project.

[Collinwood]

The milk vending machine was totally cool. I wish the entire show had been about that machine. I've never seen one of those before and I loved the decals on the front and side. It's seeing these really rare items brought back to life that keeps me tuning in to this show.

[Fugitive67]

ha, i love this show ... a good spin-off ... im not that big into antiques, but these guys do an amazing job of bringing stuff back to life

[misterbfd]

I like this show, but HATE the scripted garbage. They need to do away with it and show us more of the restoration process for each item.

Any my favorite was the fridge.

[LeDucDiableBleu]

My favorite was the potbelly wood-burning stove from the set of Bonanza. It looked so amazing when they finished it, and also because I've always wanted one of those stoves.

[Lastkidpicked]

I liked the wood burning stove from Bonanza as well, because it makes you realize that lots and lots of props are out there somewhere. In a storage locker, or somebody's basement, or covered in dust on a back lot.
I wonder if we are going to see more of this type of thing on the show. I hope so.

[only1kcm]

Catching up on some of the newer episodes, and loved the apple peeler/corer. Even better: I was so happy they showed the teacher taking it to school, and demoing it for the kids - too cute! I was hoping we would get to see that!

[bataviaduo]

Last night started new episodes. Rick is now engaged to Kelly so she and her son Brettly are now part of the family and featured more prominently. New thing added is "Rick's Tips" right around commercial breaks. The guy with the hat who shows up on Pawn Stars as the museum expert was in last nights episode as the director of a railroad museum that they restored a hand car for them. I get a chuckle with the crossovers between these shows. I recently saw a first year episode of Pawn Stars in which a guy comes in to sell a old Coke machine, they buy it and take it to Rick to be restored. The seller was Rick's brother Ron only they don't reveal that! I don't think Rick's brother came into the picture that season yet.

[GerryC]

Although they look a lot alike, it is not the same guy. Mark Hall-Patton is the curator of the Clark County Museums (Pawn Stars) and Mark Bassett is Executive Director of the Nevada Northern Railway Museum (American Restoration).

[misterbfd]

I recently saw a first year episode of Pawn Stars in which a guy comes in to sell a old Coke machine, they buy it and take it to Rick to be restored. The seller was Rick's brother Ron only they don't reveal that! I don't think Rick's brother came into the picture that season yet.

Not only that, but the "restored" Coke machine is not the same machine that Ron brought in.

[Hezadelsol]

The last 2 episodes were under a new format including a new opening and a "Rick's Tips" segment that literally every History Channel show has these days.

It seemed like there was very little restoration going on. Especially with that Kidillac car. He dropped it off, then like 2 minutes later we see him picking it up all done. I don't remember seeing ANY work done on that car! It was all about whatever plot that episode had going on, I think Ron and the junky junk yard (which was stupid). The show is becoming less and less about restoration as a process and more about "look at this neat old junk....now look at it brand new". It's a little boring.

Not to mention that the entire crew are terrible actors so you can tell just how scripted everything is.

Edited by Hezadelsol, Jun 8, 2012 @ 8:31 AM.

[bellaoriley]

It seemed like there was very little restoration going on. Especially with that Kidillac car. He dropped it off, then like 2 minutes later we see him picking it up all done. I don't remember seeing ANY work done on that car! It was all about whatever plot that episode had going on, I think Ron and the junky junk yard (which was stupid). The show is becoming less and less about restoration as a process and more about "look at this neat old junk....now look at it brand new". It's a little boring.

Not to mention that the entire crew are terrible actors so you can tell just how scripted everything is.

They are ruining this show like they ruined Pawn Stars. I couldn't believe they didn't show any work on the Kidillac.

[DoctorK]

They are ruining this show like they ruined Pawn Stars

You are exactly right. I am interested in restoration, not the stupid scripted personality arcs. This is another promising show that is going to the discard bin pretty quickly. Are the producers so stupid about what interests an audience?

[misterbfd]

Are the producers so stupid about what interests an audience?

Yes.

[burbankbaby]

Anyone else have a favorite?

The rocketship slide! I so wish I had one of those in my backyard.

[pacejunkie]

I came here to post the same thing -- I've been watching this revamped AR and I can't believe how they effed up my show. It's now become some kind of American Pickers/Pawn Stars hybrid. Boring. I hate the picking, I hate the fabricated "plots" and I hate the appraisals (even though I love them on Pawn Stars, but I don't want every show to be Pawn Stars). They even had an expert come on to tell the guy he shouldn't restore his antique rifle. But it's a restoration show! If he wasn't going to restore it why put it on at all?

I watch this show for the restoration work, I'm fascinated by how they take the items apart and restore them. Now the show is 50% picking, 30% scripted bullshit, 10% appraisals/history on the item and only 10% actual restoration work. I'm so mad I could scream. They may as well have cancelled it.

Edited by pacejunkie, Jun 18, 2012 @ 11:21 AM.

[Hezadelsol]

It's now become some kind of American Pickers/Pawn Stars hybrid. Boring. I hate the picking, I hate the fabricated "plots" and I hate the appraisals (even though I love them on Pawn Stars, but I don't want every show to be Pawn Stars). They even had an expert come on to tell the guy he shouldn't restore his antique rifle. But it's a restoration show! If he wasn't going to restore it why put it on at all?

I agree, they NEVER turned down an item before and all of a sudden we get several items with an expert brought in who says "no don't restore it". Are the producers that blind that they think we don't see right through their attempt to shoe horn in Pawn Stars elements? The appraisal aspect doesn't even work here. It's a show about restoration, I want to see the item being RESTORED.

[pacejunkie]

It seems a lot of people are upset. The show's Facebook page is loaded with unhappy comments that the reps are posting comments back letting them know they are passing this feedback on to the producers. Hopefully someone will listen before the show gets cancelled for low ratings.