Product Details

• Actors: Corey Harrison, Richard Harrison, Rick Harrison
• Directors: History
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: A&E HOME VIDEO
• DVD Release Date: January 26, 2010
• Run Time: 160 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (140 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002M3JJE6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,972 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #37 in Movies & TV > DVD > Reality TV
• Learn more about "Pawn Stars: The Complete Season One" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Pawn Stars, a kind of blue-collar Antiques Roadshow, is a keeper. This top-rated History Channel series is reality TV done right; a fascinating subject, lightning-in-a-bottle casting, and you don't feel like you have to give yourself a Karen Silkwood-like scrubbing after you've watched it. The setting is the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas, where "everything has a story and a price." The bustling establishment is run by Rick Harrison along with Old Man, his crusty 68-year-old father with "30 blankety-blank years in the business," and Rick's son, Corey, a.k.a. Big Hoss. They look like they could be extras from Sons of Anarchy, but Rick, especially, is a personable proprietor with a seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of everything from military memorabilia to vintage portable typewriters (although a potent drinking game could be devised for whenever he says, "I'm calling in an expert" to authenticate an item). In these inaugural episodes, the focus is more on items brought in for sale rather than to be pawned. "You never know what's going to come through that door," Rick states. "If I can make money off of it, I'll buy anything." Among the most intriguing treasures for consideration are an 1890 Hotchkiss cannon, a West Point cadet jacket, a World War II uniform, an original Kiss pinball machine, a Civil War cavalry sword, and even a box of Playboy magazines. Onscreen graphics relate history and trivia pertaining to each item, and the drama unfolds in the negotiations. "It's rare and that's cool," Rick says of the cannon, "and it's rare and that's expensive." Some deals are done easier than others. "I've got $1,000 in my pocket instead of an old sword in the closet," says one satisfied customer. As for the pinball machine owner who vowed he would not take less than $3,000, he tilts at $2,000. Where Pawn Stars seems less than authentic are the behind-the-counter subplots. In one episode, Corey bets Old Man that he can sell a Rolex for more than $4,800. If he loses, he must wear a suit and tie to work for three weeks. In the opener, Old Man must go to an eye doctor after underpricing a valuable coin. Most of the laughs are at the expense of another employee, Chumlee, Big Hoss's childhood friend who seems more a mascot. "He's a village idiot," Big Hoss states, "but he's my village idiot." Adding to this set's value are entertaining and instructive bonus features, including "Real or Fake," which offers pointers on how to determine if silver, gold, and a Rolex watch are authentic. There's no question about Pawn Stars, though. As a look at American counter culture, it's the real deal. --Donald Liebenson

Product Description

It s one of the oldest forms of banking, and until the 1950s, it was the leading form of consumer credit in the U.S. See the fascinating past and present of the pawning business in Pawn Stars, an inside look at the only family-run pawn shop in Las Vegas, where three generations of men grandfather, father and son use their sharp-eyed skills to carefully assess the value of items ranging from the obscure to the historic. From a 15th-century samurai sword to a Picasso painting, there isn t much the Harrison family hasn t seen or heard, inevitably making Richard, Rick and Corey experts in rare collectables and negotiating. Each episode of Pawn Stars features an array of quirky characters attempting to sell, purchase or pawn items that the Harrisons must carefully appraise, determine if they re real or fake and then reveal the often surprising answer to What s it worth? Everything and everyone has a story and it s the Harrisons job to decipher fact from fiction, because in this business the customer isn t always right.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best show on Television February 19, 2010

By jdubs55

Format:DVD

This is the only show I watch regularly because I learn about collectible items, about the pawn business, and negotiating. It is set in Las Vegas and is truly watchable and unique. The show is corny and unintentionally funny but the episodes are well constructed and edited which keeps your interest and the characters are genuine.

Rick Harrison is the main character of the show. He is a competent and likable guy who laughs at his own jokes. He has the most screen time each show. Often people have items that he does not know the value of, and they have to call an expert in to appraise it. Rick has a bunch of experts who probably wish they never met him because he constantly calls them, but that is what makes the show interesting. The funniest thing is that the expert then appraises the item right in front of the seller. Rick's negotiation style is to listen to what the customer wants and then counter with 40% of whatever they want. So if they want $100 he offers $40 and then talks about how the item is deficient, how he has to make a profit, blah blah blah. Then whether he buys the item or not they have a cut away interview with him and he'll say, "This time the price wasn't right so we couldn't make a deal."

Old Man is the patriarch of the family and by far the best negotiator. It does not matter what price the seller wants for an item, Old Man acts like he is offended, surprised, and automatically says "no way." He is such a tough bargainer that I don't think I have ever seen him actually buy anything. If it wasn't for Corey and Rick they would have an empty store. Also, he keeps a big calendar by his desk so we know exactly the month of the show, so the Christmas show was going on and his calendar said "October".

Corey is the youngest and likable enough because he has so much disdain for the people who come in his pawn shop. He is perpetually buying things that need massive restoration. A guy will come in with a big block of aluminum with fiber glass sticking out of it and say it was an expensive plane that caught on fire and that if restored will be worth major money and he wants $4000.00 for it. Then Corey will buy it for $5,000 and then we get the drama with his dad, Rick. Then Rick will be in a cut away interview and act upset and be like "Corey needs to learn that he can't buy crap like this." And then Corey will say, "But it will be worth a million dollars once we get it restored." Lulz. I like the restorers though especially if it's a boat because then we see Bill the boat restorer who talks funny. He will say: "Dish boat ish a clashick, back in da day dish was cutting edgish."

Chumlee is reality TV comic relief driftwood. People will bring in an item that is old like a record player or something and he will make the same Old Man is Old joke. "Hey Old Man, this guy has..um... your ... um.. childhood ipod here...huh huh." Anyway, best show on TV, check it out.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Our Family Loves Pawn Stars August 30, 2010

By swiss miss

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great show because it is one of very few shows that our WHOLE family loves to watch and we always watch together. My kids are 11 and 13.
Pawn Shop is funny to watch because the family who run the shop are so amusing. Best though is (for us as parents) one learns a lot while watching. All kinds of things come into the pawn shop everyday. These guys know a lot about history and so we, the viewers, learn about antique coins, WW1 uniforms, ancient weapons....just to name a fraction of all the stuff that comes into the pawn shop. If no one knows about an item a prospective seller brings in, the pawn shop guys will call in experts and we all learn something together in a really fun way. LOVE THIS SHOW.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Funny and very educational AAAAAAAAAAAA++++++++++++ March 15, 2010

By David D. Lawson

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I just love this series about a Pawn Shop in Las Vegas! It is the American version of those stuffy BBC Antique road shows but is a whole lot funnier and just as educational. The "Old Man" is just outroariously funny as one Crusty Old Dude, his son is a font of information and Hoss is a barrel of frustration dealing with those two handfuls. I won't even go on about Chumlee as comic relief. As they would say The History Channel hit one out of the ball park with this one! I just hope that this series continues for a good long time! (I gotta get out to Las Vegas soon to see these guys asap)