American Pickers (or also known as The Pickers for international) is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010, on the History Channel, produced by A&E Networks in collaboration with Cineflix Media. In the series, the hosts travel across America in search of rare Americana artifacts and national treasures that they can buy from the collectors to add to their personal collections or sell in their antique shops.
| American Pickers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also known as | Pickers |
| Genre | Reality |
| Created by | Mike Wolfe |
| Developed by |
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| Directed by | Anthony Mastanduno |
| Starring |
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| Theme music composer | Jingle Punks Music |
| Composer | The Dark Studio |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 26 |
| No. of episodes | 389 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Production locations | |
| Cinematography | John Chiappardi |
| Editors |
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| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | History |
| Release | January 18, 2010 – present |
Overview
edit
The show follows antique and collectible picker Mike Wolfe and a co-host (originally Frank Fritz until 2022), who travel around the United States to buy (or "pick") various items for resale, for clients, or for their personal collections. Danielle Colby runs the office of Wolfe's business, Antique Archaeology,[1] from their home base in LeClaire, Iowa, and more recently at a second location in Nashville. They originally traveled in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van and now in a Ford Transit. Fritz sells his acquisitions at his own shop and on his website,[2] Frank Fritz Finds, upriver in Savanna, Illinois.[3] The men go on the road, not only following up leads that Colby has generated but also "freestyling"–stopping at places that look like they might hold items worth buying. They also pick some places more than once.
The series introduction is narrated by Wolfe and Fritz. The first three seasons used a lengthy introduction, but beginning with Season 4, a shortened version began to be used:
[W]e're pickers. We travel the back roads of America looking to buy rusty gold.
We're looking for amazing things buried in people's garages and barns. What most people see as junk, we see as dollar signs. We'll buy anything we think we can make a buck on. Each item we pick has a history all its own. And the people we meet? Well, they're a breed all their own.
We make a living telling the history of America... one piece at a time.
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Wolfe and Fritz explore people's homes, barns, sheds, outbuildings, and other places where they have stored antiques and collectibles. They call upon amateur and serious collectors, hoarders, and also people who have inherited overwhelming collections of items that they don't know what to do with. Wolfe, who has been picking since age four,[4] has a particular interest in antique motorcycles, air-cooled Volkswagens, old bicycles, and penny-farthings while Fritz has a fondness for antique toys, oil cans, and old Hondas with a special love for peanut-related items.[5] They have purchased old advertisements and commercial signage, film posters, a rare 15-gallon visible gasoline pump, and a Piaggio Ape (pronounced "ah-pay") which a friend told them is probably the only one of its kind in North America.[6][7]
In December 2011, American Pickers revealed that Antique Archaeology had leased part of a former 1914 car factory in Nashville which originally made the Marathon automobile for a second business location to decrease the distance required to haul their finds from the southern states.[8]
On July 21, 2021, The History Channel announced that Frank Fritz would be departing from the cast of American Pickers.[9] On July 21, 2022, various news outlets reported that Fritz was hospitalized with a stroke after Wolfe posted about it on social media.[10] In a late May 2023 visit between Fritz and Wolfe, Fritz deferred rejoining the series at that time due to his health.[11] Danielle Colby, Mike Wolfe's younger brother Robbie, and friend and antiques expert "Jersey Jon" Szalay have since taken turns accompanying Wolfe on his road trips. At times, they also strike out on their own trips at the same time that Wolfe is on the road. Fritz was born on October 11, 1963,[12] and died on September 30, 2024, at the age of 60.[13][14]
Reception
editThe series debuted on January 18, 2010. The premiere episode of American Pickers had 3.1 million viewers, making it the highest rated History channel debut since Ice Road Truckers in 2007.[15] The September 8, 2010, episode "Laurel & Hardy" garnered Nielsen ratings as high as 5.3 million viewers in the 25–54 age group. As of that episode, the show retained the title of #1 new non-fiction series of 2010 among all viewers and adults 25–54.[16]
Australia
editAmerican Pickers was also shown in Australia on 7mate. In 2013, an Australian version of the show, called Aussie Pickers, premiered on 7mate. The series ran until 2014, lasting two seasons. In 2019, Road to Riches was launched on A&E Australia.
Episodes
edit| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 12 | January 18, 2010 | April 5, 2010 | |
| 2 | 13 | June 1, 2010 | October 11, 2010 | |
| 3 | 13 | December 6, 2010 | April 11, 2011 | |
| 4 | 12 | June 1, 2011 | September 26, 2011 | |
| 5 | 13 | November 28, 2011 | March 5, 2012 | |
| 6 | 10 | April 9, 2012 | July 9, 2012 | |
| 7 | 12 | August 13, 2012 | December 17, 2012 | |
| 8 | 9 | January 14, 2013 | March 11, 2013 | |
| 9 | 12 | May 27, 2013 | August 19, 2013 | |
| 10 | 13 | October 9, 2013 | December 24, 2013 | |
| 11 | 15 | January 8, 2014 | June 11, 2014 | |
| 12 | 14 | July 30, 2014 | December 17, 2014 | |
| 13 | 24 | January 14, 2015 | September 9, 2015 | |
| 14 | 19 | October 14, 2015 | March 2, 2016 | |
| 15 | 12 | May 4, 2016 | August 2, 2016 | |
| 16 | 17 | October 3, 2016 | April 5, 2017 | |
| 17 | 11 | April 10, 2017 | July 24, 2017 | |
| 18 | 13 | October 17, 2017 | March 12, 2018 | |
| 19 | 23 | April 9, 2018 | November 26, 2018 | |
| 20 | 24 | January 21, 2019 | September 9, 2019 | |
| 21 | 21 | October 21, 2019 | August 3, 2020 | |
| 22 | 23 | January 25, 2021 | September 6, 2021 | |
| 23 | 20 | January 1, 2022 | September 17, 2022 | |
| 24 | 18 | January 4, 2023 | August 23, 2023 | |
| 25 | 15 | December 27, 2023 | March 27, 2024 | |
| 26 | 5 | October 9, 2024 | TBA | |
Home media
edit| DVD name | Format | Ep # | Discs | Region 1 (USA) | Region 4 (Australia) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Pickers (Collection 01) | DVD | Season 01, Episode 01-12 | 03 | 1 June 2010 | 6 April 2011 |
| American Pickers (Collection 02) | DVD | Season 02, Episodes 01-08 | 02 | 1 February 2012 | |
| American Pickers (Collection 03) | DVD | Season 02, Episodes 09-13
Season 03, Episodes 01-03 |
02 | 5 September 2012 | |
| American Pickers (Collection 04) | DVD | Season 03, Episodes 04-11 | 02 | 9 January 2013 | |
| American Pickers (Collection 05) | DVD | Season 03, Episodes 12-13
Season 04, Episodes 01-12 |
04 | 3 July 2013 | |
| American Pickers (Collection 06) | DVD | Season 05, Episodes 01-13
Season 06, Episodes 01 |
03 | 4 December 2013 | |
| American Pickers (Collection 07) | DVD | Season 06, Episode 02-10
Season 07, Episodes 01-04 |
03 | 5 March 2014 | |
| American Pickers (Collection 08) | DVD | Season 07, Episodes 06-12
Season 08, Episodes 01-04 |
03 | 4 June 2014 | |
| American Pickers (Collection 09) | DVD | Season 08, Episodes 05-09
Season 09, Episodes 01-07 |
03 | 1 October 2014 | |
| American Pickers: Picking It Forward (Collection 10) | DVD | Season 09, Episode 08-12
Season 10, Episodes 01-04 Season 10, Episodes 06-08 & 11 |
03 | 2 March 2015 | |
| American Pickers: Pick or Treat (Collection 11) | DVD | Season 10, Episode 05
Season 10, Episodes 09-10 Season 10, Episode 12-13 Season 11, Episodes 01-08 |
03 | 6 July 2015 | |
| American Pickers: Big Boy Toys (Collection 12) | DVD | Season 11, Episodes 09-15
Season 12, Episodes 01-07 |
03 | 9 September 2015 | |
| American Pickers: Museum Men (Collection 13) | DVD | Season 12, Episodes 08-11
Season 12, Episodes 13-14 Season 13, Episodes 01-09 |
04 | 2 March 2016 | |
| American Pickers: On The Hunt (Collection 14) | DVD | 04 | 1 July 2016 | ||
| American Pickers: Oddities & Commodities (Collection 15) | DVD | Season 14, Episode 01-05
Season 14, Episodes 10-19 |
03 | 1 September 2016 | |
| American Pickers: Planes, Frames and Automobiles (Collection 16) | DVD | Season 15, Episode 01-10 | 03 | 5 July 2017 | |
| American Pickers: Divide & Conquer (Collection 17) | DVD | Season 15, Episode 12
Season 16, Episodes 01-17 Season 17, Episode 06 |
04 | 4 October 2017 | |
| American Pickers: Tunnels & Treasures (Collection 18) | DVD | Season 17, Episodes 01-05
Season 17, Episodes 07-11 |
03 | 28 March 2018 | |
| American Pickers: The Mother Load (Collection 19) | DVD | Season 18, Episodes 01-06
Season 18, Episode 08 Season 18, Episodes 10,13 |
03 | 4 July 2018 | |
| American Pickers: Junkyard Wizard (Collection 20) | DVD | Season 18, Episodes 07,09-10
Season 19, Episodes 01-08 |
03 | 6 February 2019 | |
| American Pickers: Pickers Like It Hot (Collection 21) | DVD | Season 19, Episodes 09-23 | 04 | 5 June 2019 | |
| American Pickers: Raiders Of The Lost Pick (Collection 22) | DVD | Season 20, Episodes 01-12 | 03 | 5 February 2020 | |
| American Pickers: California Picking (Collection 23) | DVD | Season 20, Episodes 13-24 | 03 | 4 March 2020 | |
| American Pickers: Midwest Mayhem (Collection 24) | DVD | Season 20, Episode 01-11 | 03 | N/A | 7 April 2021 |
| American Pickers: Back Road Buys (Collection 25) | DVD | Season 20, Episode 12-?? | 03 | N/A | 2 June 2021 |
| American Pickers: Mega Collection | DVD | Box set containing:
Planes, Frames & Automobiles Divide & Conquer Tunnels & Treasures The Mother Load Junkyard Wizard Pickers Like It Hot |
6 November 2019 |
In other media
edit- In the NCIS episode, "One Man's Trash", Gibbs and Ducky watch American Pickers and see an antique war stick from a 16-year-old cold case. Mike Wolfe guest stars as himself in the episode.
See also
edit- Canadian Pickers / Cash Cowboys (2011–13), a similar TV series featuring two pickers in Canada; produced by Cineflix Media for the History channel in Canada.
- Picker Sisters, a 2011 TV series about two female pickers/designers.
- Picked Off, History's 2012 reality competition series, also produced by Cineflix Media.
References
edit- ^ Steven Kurutz (August 24, 2011). "At Home with Mike Wolfe: The Jack Kerouac of Junk". The New York Times.
- ^ Rob Owen (September 2, 2012). "'Pickers' don't compete on sales". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ^ The Store frankfritzfinds.com [dead link]
- ^ "'Mike Wolfe & Frank Fritz'".
- ^ "Mike's Breakdown" (season 2, episode 12)
- ^ "American Pickers": The Inside Story of the History Channel’s Surprise Hit Archived September 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine River Cities' Reader Quote: "The episode "Super Scooter" shows how the pair works together. Wolfe is nearly drooling over a Vespa Ape scooter."
- ^ "Big Bear" (season 1, episode 1)
- ^ Antique Archaeology web page about Nashville location Archived December 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Frank Fritz will not be returning to American Pickers". July 21, 2021.
- ^ Haring, Bruce (July 22, 2022). "'American Pickers' Former Costar Frank Fritz Hospitalized With Stroke". Deadline. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ Ickes, Barb (May 31, 2023). "'American Pickers' Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe reunite". Quad-City Times. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ Kealey, Kate (October 2, 2024). "How old was Frank Fritz? 'American Pickers' star and Iowa native died Monday". Des Moines Register.
- ^ Darwish, Meaghan (October 1, 2024). "Frank Fritz Dies: 'American Pickers' Star Was 60". TV Insider. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ Hollingsworth, Heather (October 1, 2024). "Frank Fritz of the reality TV Show 'American Pickers' dies at 60". AP News.
- ^ "'Series Debut of American Pickers Scores 3.1 million'". Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2010.
- ^ "'HISTORY Posts Blockbuster Ratings on Monday Night with Premiere Episodes of Hit Series 'American Pickers & 'Pawn Stars'". Archived from the original on September 14, 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2010.