Network: History
Format Reality television
Starring
Rick Harrison
Richard"Old Man"Harrison
Corey Harrison
Austin "Chumlee" Russell
Country of origin United States
Language(s) English
No. of seasons 4
No. of episodes 104 (List of episodes)
Pawn Stars is an American reality television series on the History Channel, produced in Manhattan by Leftfield Pictures. The series is filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicles the daily activities at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a 24-hour family business operated by patriarch Richard Harrison, his son Rick Harrison (who opened the shop with his father in 198
, Rick's son Corey (who has worked there since childhood), and Corey's childhood friend, Austin "Chumlee" Russell. The show, which rose to become the network's highest rated show,[2][3] debuted on July 26, 2009, and it usually airs on Mondays at 10pm Eastern Time. Two new episodes usually premiere in an hour block on Mondays.[4][5] Reruns can be seen on History as well as its sister network Lifetime, which added the show in December 2010.[6]
The series depicts the staff's interactions with customers, who bring in a variety of artifacts to sell or pawn and who are shown haggling over the price and discussing its historical background, with narration provided by Rick, Corey, Richard (who is known as "The Old Man"), and occasionally Chumlee. The series also follows the interpersonal conflicts between Richard, Rick, Corey, and Chumlee. One reviewer referencing these conflicts described the show as a version of Antiques Roadshow "hijacked by American Chopper's" Teutul family.[7] TV Guide has offered a similar description, calling the show "one part Antiques Roadshow, a pinch of LA Ink and a dash of COPS".[8]
Numerous local experts in a variety of areas also regularly appear to appraise the items being sold or pawned, one of whom, Rick Dale of Rick's Restorations, is the star of the series' first spin-off, American Restoration, which premiered in October 2010.[9][10][11] Cameo appearances have been made by Bob Dylan, Jeremy McKinnon, Meredith Vieira, the Oak Ridge Boys and George Stephanopoulos.[12]
History
Pawn Stars began with Brent Montgomery and Colby Gaines of Leftfield Pictures, who were struck by the array of eclectic and somewhat seedy pawn shops in Las Vegas during a 2008 weekend visit to the city. Thinking such shops might contain unique characters, they searched for a family-run shop on which to center a TV series, until they found the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop less than two miles from the Las Vegas Strip,[97] whose manager, Rick Harrison, had been trying unsuccessfully to pitch a show based on his shop for years,[98] and who had been featured in the Las Vegas episode of Insomniac with Dave Attell in 2003.[99] The series, initially called Pawning History, was originally to be broadcast on pay cable, though the network interested in it desired a Taxicab Confessions-style series. The format eventually evolved into the now-familiar family-oriented motif used on the series.[20] History president Nancy Dubac, who had been charged with creating programming with a more populist appeal to balance out the network's in-depth military programming, picked up the series, though she adjusted its storyline in order to bring it in line with the network's brand, which included the on-camera experts appraising the items brought into the Gold & Silver, though she did not discourage the interpersonal conflicts among the show's stars.[97] The network renamed the show Pawn Stars, believing that name to be more pleasing and easily remembered.[20]
Although jewelry is the most commonly pawned item at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop,[100] most of the customers seen in episodes bring in a variety of vintage or antique items. Each episode consists of segments devoted to approximately five or six of these items, in which either Rick, his son, Corey, or Harrison's father Richard (known as the "Old Man"), explain the historical facts behind the object. Whoever is evaluating the object goes over potential value with the customer, interspersed with an interview in which he explains the basis of his decision to the viewer. A price tag graphic at the bottom corner of the screen provides the ever-changing dollar amount as the two haggle over the item's price. When the Harrisons are unable to evaluate an object, they consult with a knowledgeable expert who can evaluate it to determine its authenticity and potential value and, in the case of items needing repair, the cost of restoration. Following that, they are shown haggling over price with the customer (except in the case of objects needing restoration, which Rick usually purchases in advance, taking a risk on the cost of restoration).[101] Interpersonal narratives focusing on the relationship and conflicts among Rick, Corey, the Old Man, and Corey's childhood friend, Austin "Chumlee" Russell, who also works at the shop, are also shown. These usually pertain to arguments over the running of the shop, Rick and the Old Man questioning Corey's judgment,[35][37] and aspersions cast on Chumlee's intelligence and competence.[45] Before the second commercial break, a multiple choice trivia question pertaining to the shop or the cast members is shown, with the answer provided after the break.
In an October 2010 Bloomberg Businessweek interview, Rick Harrison indicated that talks were in progress for a fourth season.[97] In July 2011, Harrison signed a record-breaking 80-episode renewal contract for four more seasons of the series.[2]
Source:
Pawn Stars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pawn Stars :History Channel Series
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