July 20, 2000

5:25 AM

Screw Survivor. I prefer a competition that involves insane challenges, heavy machinery, a junkyard, and a short time limit
posted by plinth (11 comments total)

Quite simply one of the best programmes on TV over here (UK). I *loved* the first series, to me it showed the truly eccentric and inventive side of the British character. My partner's father is the kind of bloke you'd expect to see on Scrapheap, I could spend the rest of my life in his workshop helping him invent things.
posted by Markb at 6:42 AM on July 20, 2000

We Tivo it whenever it's on now. It's a fantastic idea for a show...so fantastic that I truly wish I'd thought of it first. That's not something I often say about a TV show.
posted by astrogirl at 7:48 AM on July 20, 2000

It's a terrific show. It's my childhood fantasy of what a junkyard ought to be like, brought to life. The challenges they come up with are astonishing - and that the teams manage to complete them more so.

-Mars

posted by Mars Saxman at 8:53 AM on July 20, 2000

Inexplicably retitiled Junkyard Wars for its American airing (I don't see anything about "Scrapheap" that us Yankees wouldn't understand or appreciate), and shrewdly scheduled on Wednesday Nights right after "Survivor" ends on another network, it is the most fun you can have on TV without Josh Whedon writing the script...
Last night, two teams of self-proclaimed bikers fought for the cahmpionship (junk) cup by building v-e-r-y s-l-o-w walking machines. (A bit of British irony?) "Reality TV" may not have scripts, but thank AMPEX it's got editors. And the floating crane in the semi-final round: "They're building an oil derrick!" LMAO! Go Megalomaniacs!
posted by wendell at 8:59 AM on July 20, 2000

The junkyard they're using must be immense, considering all the things they've been able to find in it. I can't believe that the bikers were lucky enough to actually find a jeep with a working engine, clutch and transmission -- what a treasure! From there, their device was easy (and worked great!).

The best of the competitions was the cannon. I was rooting for the guys using black powder over the guys using smokeless. Generally what I've seen in the series is that simpler solutions win (such as the hang glider).

Truly awesome, and a damned shame that last night's episode (the walking machines) was the last in this series. Please, someone in the UK, tell me they've done more of them!
posted by Steven Den Beste at 9:41 AM on July 20, 2000

Will there be more? If there's applications online, you can bet your sweet ass there will be (it's also a pretty good bet that I'll apply).
posted by plinth at 1:08 PM on July 20, 2000

They've run promos on TLC (which you might've seen if your TiVo didn't cut out all the commercials) promising another season in the U.S. in 2001. If they're promoting it so far in advance, we must not the only ones who love it...
posted by wendell at 5:58 PM on July 20, 2000

New Zealand gets this great brit tripe too. It's a wonderful show - reminds me of Mad Max. The walking things were bloody hilarious. I think the team that won wasn't really in the spirit of it though. Their drive mechanism was still rotation (kind of like claiming the joining bars between train wheels were legs). Still, it's the best thing on telly at the moment.

(Unfortunately, I suspect it's not all scavenging. The rocket show had obvious thruster plants)

[PrimeTV, 8pm, mondays - or atleast it was]
posted by holloway at 7:09 PM on July 20, 2000

Re: obvious non-junk seeding

Like Iron Chef or any other "real" show, if you study it long enough you realize some things are planned. It's not a normal scrapyard, it wasn't intended to be impossible. They have to add alternate pieces for some of the absolutely crazy challenges. Like working engines? Be a rare day to find those lying around a real yard.

The American series will be hosted by yet-to-be announced Americans, which is kind of disappointing. For once, I like the British humour involved in a TV show.
posted by dgfitch at 9:07 PM on July 20, 2000

I haven't heard any news of another series, but the series which ended with the walking machines was the second series. It's quite popular over here and if it's been sold to the US and NZ theres a good chance Channel 4 will make another series, heres hoping....
posted by Markb at 1:56 AM on July 21, 2000

Follow the link in the primary article of this thread, and it says that they're going to start a new series on September 17, 2000.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 7:39 AM on July 21, 2000