A few years ago, The History Channel dropped their message boards, and IMDB became the place for all discussions Pawn Stars.
This is still, as far as I can tell, the most active discussion board for PS on the internet. But the last couple of years has seen a steady decline in activity.
People losing interest?
I lost interest in the show with the first promo for Ep-1/ S-1, but I think even the most faithful fans are finally getting tired of the constant daily marathons... even the extrapolated 50,000 Nielsen TV Viewers are growing tired of it... last nights "new" show slipped way down the Cable Top 100 List, with reruns of FAMILY GUY, BIG BANG and Adult Swim predominating.
Besides, how many times can "they ain't holding a gun to the sellers head" be discussed ?
If you deflect the topic of the thread from the show to me, our discussion is over
People losing interest?
Considering these programs are one step above an infomercial and a vehicle for Dick #2, Mike Wolfe, et al to stroke their egos is it any wonder the shows became repetitive and hokey after abandoning all sense of realism or reason. Their credibility is shot and that is reflected in decreases in viewership and participation on discussion boards.
The cast and participants have become self-aware and that is the downfall of any reality TV show.
This quote sums it up well:
A participant in an American Pickers episode was asked how being on the show changed how they watch the show on TV:
Mike [Maricle] says participating in the show was like making sausage. “Once you see how it’s made, you’re not that interested in it anymore.” ~ Susan Maricle
What is interesting to me, is there seems to be an overall disinterest on the behalf of viewers that previously were somewhat more enthusiastic for this non-reality reality.
By now, viewers know in which direction every show is going. It doesn't vary, too much.
Neither does the lack of quality in the production end of things...
Rick seems aware that the end is in sight. Hope that his idiot son and sidekick have something else lined up.
Nahhh. Probably not...That's Show Biz !!
It was inevitable that this would die a slow death! Look what happened to the Ghost Hunters board...hehe
shareI thought that things would pick up with the new season. It really hasn't.
shareI think Pawn Stars and shows like it have kind of run their course. American Restoration I think is done, Counting Cars, American Pickers, Gold Rush, Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers, and some others I think are all just about done. It's similar to the shows on Food TV, there is only so much you can do, and after a while it's like trying to come up with new ways to prepare leftovers.
1 Baker 11 in pursuit of 1973 yellow Mustang license number 614 Henry Sam Ocean
Just when you think Ice Road Trucker is gone they are back with new episodes. The shows may of have run their course for you, but they will still be on TV.
shareI can only speak for myself, of course, but I found this show to be interesting albeit fake at the beginning. The items brought in to the shop were pretty cool. Then it became a failed sitcom. How many stupid things will Chumlee do today? Let's follow Rick to the rifle range. Oh, Corey's mad about something and wants to be a partner. This was followed by fewer items being brought in while we watched those crazy Harrisons pursuing their shenanigans. On top of this, it looked like they were briefly trying to make that bookworm chick, Rebecca, into some kind of television "babe". Suddenly, she's all dolled up and wearing very expensive clothes (and she works in a bookstore?).
If you watch one of the first episodes and then a recent one back-to-back, you'll see they are very different, and in a bad way. My guess is that the History Channel invested a huge wad of cash on this thing and is committed to playing it out until the end of the contract.