Common Sense Media Review
By Elka Karl
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Very little treasure found in brash auction reality series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Storage Wars
What's the Story?
From the producers of Deadliest Catch, reality show STORAGE WARS explores the world of treasure hunters bidding on repossessed storage units. The show focuses on four buyers who are branded with the following identities: Dave (The Mogul), Barry (The Collector), Darrel (The Gambler), and Jarrod (The Rookie). These four men travel throughout California assessing the value of storage units and bidding on them, hoping to make a quick profit on other people's repossessed goods.
Is It Any Good?
While the producers of STORAGE WARS try their best to inject excitement in the show through the use of excessive visual and sound effects, there is little real excitement in this series. The buyers refer to bidding on the storage units as "chasing that high" and "my addiction," which makes their actions seem less a career path and more a reason to join a 12-step group.
The four main characters are all men who brag, swear, trash talk, and generally act as if they're thugs who may break into fisticuffs at any moment. Barry, identified as "The Collector," is the most levelheaded of the bunch, yet he too indulges in iffy behavior, including bringing a little person to an auction, who's then given stilts and night vision goggles to use to peer into the storage units. Jarrod's wife Brandi seems to be the sole voice of reason among these modern-day hunters whose misplaced aggression seems to guarantee poor decision making at every turn. While the idea of storage locker secrets is a compelling one, the focus on unappealing characters instead of mystery, discovery, and background makes this show hollow and empty.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the characters on the show. How much of their behavior seems realistic? Do you think their personalities are exaggerated for television? Why would these people choose to be on a reality show?
Talk about the focus of the show. Why do you think the show ignores the reasons the storage units have been repossessed and focuses instead on the competitive bidders? Would some background on the storage unit's owners detracted from the show? Would it add anything?
How does this show compare to others on similar subjects? Does it stand out? Why or why not?
TV Details
- Premiere date : December 1, 2010
- Cast : Barry Weiss , Dave Hester , Jarrod Schulz
- Network : A&E
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 18, 2022
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