Recently, it occurred to me that next month will mark the 40th anniversary of my entry into the full-time labor force. You might think that after that long, I?d be sick of the very image of work. Far from it, though. I truly enjoy seeing people working ? as long as I?m not looking in a mirror.
That?s why I?m a sucker for television ?reality? shows about different people?s occupations. From first seeing emergency workers in action on ?Cops? and ?Rescue 911? starting in 1989, I?ve enjoyed watching people battle the high seas on ?Deadliest Catch?; drivers challenge the fury of winter on ?Ice Road Truckers? and the apparent lack of traffic regulations in most foreign countries on ?IRT: Deadliest Roads??; cooking maestros fight it out on ?Iron Chef? (the original Japanese version, of course); Rick Harrison ? along with the Old Man, Big Hoss and Chumley ? practice the art of the deal on ?Pawn Stars?; Iowans Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz prove that one man?s trash indeed is another man?s treasure on ?American Pickers?; ?Gordon Ramsay kick posterior and take names while saving restaurants in the process on ?Kitchen Nightmares?; Jon Taffer lead tavern owners back from the brink of oblivion on ?Bar Rescue,? and dealership doctor Tom Stuker get auto traders back on the right road on ?Car Lot Rescue.?
One show I?ve missed, though, is ?Counting Cars,? a spinoff of ?Pawn Stars.?
Although the second season of ?Counting Cars? premiered this week on the History cable channel, the complete first season will be available on DVD on Tuesday. If you?re at all into classic American cars and/or customized motorcycles, this is the show for you.
Like ?Pawn Stars,? ?Counting Cars? is set in Las Vegas, specifically at Count?s Kustom, an automotive restoration and customization firm owned by Danny ?The Count? Koker.
Basically, Danny is a gearhead run amok; an adult who?s still 16 when it comes to Detroit Rolling Iron. His shop is the sort of place that, while the occasional Lamborghini or Maserati might be tolerated, if a vehicle wasn?t made by Chrysler, Ford or GM ? or any defunct American car company ? it isn?t welcome.
And the bikes all are at least powered by Harley-Davidson.
The ?Counting Cars? version of Vegas isn?t one of glitz and neon, though. It?s the grittier side of Sin City, a town of harsh sunlight, high temperatures and unending streams of freeway traffic. Access is frequently hampered off by torn chain-link fences. Desert tortoises wander barren backyards.
It?s the back alleys and seedier neighborhoods of this urban wilderness that Danny, frequently accompanied by his longtime friend and employee Kevin, prowls in the eternal search for some vehicle that he can get for a reasonable price, fix up and ?flip? for a hefty profit. Sometimes, Danny will try to stop a person on the street if his or her ride catches his eye. Other times has him knocking at a door, trying to get a resident to come out and talk about his or her car.
Always, there?s an offer of cash ? in $100 bills ? on the spot for the car or bike. More often than you might think, the owner is willing to part with the object of Danny?s desire, and it?s off to Count?s Kustom for work on the metal beast.
Since the shop apparently is well-known in the Las Vegas area, people also bring their vehicles there for restoration and/or customization. One show features a man who delivers his hot rod 1935 Chevrolet for custom painting ? and then decides he wants his boat done to match it. Another presents a woman whose prized 1986 IROC Camaro has been stolen and trashed bringing it in for restoration ? to the tune of $40,000 (at least they threw in a hidden kill switch to deter future thieves). A third show has the shop restoring a couple?s beloved Plum Crazy purple 1970 Dodge Challenger SE that had been wrecked in traffic.
Much like on ?Pawn Stars,? there is a lot of interplay ? and horseplay ? between Danny, Kevin and the rest of the shop employees. But out of this casual work environment comes works of automotive art.
Extras: The two-disc set has 19 bonus footage scenes and nothing else. But at least you don?t have to put up with what passes for commercials these days.
The bottom line: If you?ve ever looked at a modern tuner car and wondered why anyone would bother adding the weight of a triple-winged spoiler to the rear end of a front-wheel-drive car, ?Counting Cars? is right up your alley.
Counting Cars: Season 1
Lionsgate, not rated, 324 minutes, 12 episodes, 2 discs, $24.98
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