My wife and I have been watching, no...avidly watching, no...rabidly, fervently, knickers-totally-in-a-bunch watching _every_ episode thus far of the "Junkyard Wars" series. I have to say, the airing of the first two 'US' episodes were a rather VAST disappointment. To wit:

- the UK had Robert, who is just plain funny.The US has George, who yells a lot, but appears totally lacking in wit, cleverness, or much of any other quality that might cause someone to stay tuned in. And he has a comic background? Hides it well, he does...

- the UK teams all seemed to approach the challenge as something of a lark. They worked hard, but always seemed ready to laugh at someone's folly, even their own. On last nights US episodes, all 4 (2x2 episodes) teams seemed tense, angry, and generally exhibited such poor sportsmanship that it was rather an embarrasment to watch.

- the challenges presented were, to say the least, rather derivative. My God, we just _HAD_ dragsters *LAST* week. Surely there were other ideas that might have been used? Lighter-than-air craft? Human-powered land speed racers? Tactical nuclear weaponry for novices?

The show's concept is wonderful. It can truly inspire one to witness what a bit of brain-power, combined with various implements of destruction and (optionally) a whopping-great moustache or two, can achieve. Please keep it going, but either a)retool it a bit, or b)send production back to the UK where they seemed to deport themselves in a manner that was entertaining, not embarrasing, to watch.

Best Regards,

Peter Lindquist Mill Valley, CA

-- Peter Lindquist (plindquist@newmarkets.com), January 04, 2001

Answers

It's the same production company (RDF Media), it's the same set, and it's the same crew. It can hardly go "back" to the UK when it has yet to leave.

-- YCDK (ycdk@hotmail.com), January 04, 2001.

Ah, grasshopper... Whilst production of the 'current' season is a fait accompli, true, they are ramping up for the NEXT seasons episodes even as we type. And they're scouting U.S. locations, specifically, California? From British aplomb to "Dude. Where's my welding rig?" in a few months? (sigh)

One can only hope that mercy shall prevail and they'll continue to send the UK episodes over to us poor colonials

Cheers,

-- Peter Lindquist (plindquist@newmarkets.com), January 04, 2001.

They have to scout new locations anyway, since the original junkyard has been bought by a new company which is Scrapheap-unfriendly.

-- YCDK (ycdk@hotmail.com), January 04, 2001.

Peter is right. Let's get them to air the UK episodes, not the lame US ones. I'm as big a fan as the next guy, but I just can't stand George's lame humorless drivel.

I wrote a nice note to the production company voicing my concerns, and they immediately sent back a curt reply to the effect, "we get the message". Anyone wanting to give some input should send an e-mail to the production company and complain. This is their fault, not TLC/Discovery Channel's fault.

-- Matt Rice (rice@geog.ucsb.edu), January 04, 2001.

At the risk of unloading on poor George again, I have to agree with the 98% of the respondents. He is a poor substitute. The real clangers though, are the American teams. They display all the whiney poor sportsmanship they are famous for. Why ruin what was a great show? The British version is/was miles better Geoff in Arlington VA

-- Geoff Thomas (claudia@erols.com), January 04, 2001.

Look at all the brits whining again!! It is soooo funny!!

The americans just kicked your butts in the world series event, so I guess they took the competition more seriously than the brits did right?

Just because the Americans don't spend all of their time taking tea breaks does not mean that they do not have fun and joke around.

The American show is better so deal with it. If you don't like it, grab your tea bags and go away!!!

-- Danny (daniel.burke@lexisnexis.com), July 09, 2001.

I have to agree and disagree. While the Americans do take things a bit too seriously, the Brits tend to be slightly corny. (A Canadian perpective!)I have a brilliant idea for the producers. (I produced television also.) Why don't you stop 'faking' things. Tools aside, there shouldn't be any 'seeding' of the yard per the build type. How about taking the show on the road to various 'Mega-junkyards' all over the world? I mean REAL, famous scrapheaps, Such as the Vegas neon-sign cemetary, Russian military boneyards or recycling yards. Make the build relevant to the junk at hand. Then nobody would complain about fairness or favouring. If the producers want to give me a buzz, I'll produce the best episode ever. It's not rocket science, I could edit the show in my living room.

-- Phil Thomson (info@mediacircus.ca), January 16, 2004.