Although jewelry is the most commonly pawned item at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop,[111] most of the customers featured in episodes bring in a variety of vintage or antique items to the store, which has 12,000 items in its inventory as of July 2011[112] (5,000 of which are typically held on pawn).[113] Each episode consists of segments devoted to approximately five or six of these items, in which either Rick, his son, Corey, or Harrison's father Richard (known as the "Old Man"), explain the historical facts behind the object. Whoever is evaluating the object goes over potential value with the customer, interspersed with an interview in which he explains the basis of his decision to the viewer. A price tag graphic at the bottom corner of the screen provides the ever-changing dollar amount as the two haggle over the item's price. When the Harrisons are unable to evaluate an object, they consult with a knowledgeable expert who can evaluate it to determine its authenticity and potential value and, in the case of items needing repair, the cost of restoration. Following that, they are shown haggling over price with the customer (except in the case of objects needing restoration, which Rick usually purchases in advance, taking a risk on the cost of restoration).[114] Interpersonal narratives focusing on the relationship and conflicts among Rick, Corey, the Old Man, and Corey's childhood friend, Austin "Chumlee" Russell, who also works at the shop, are also shown. These usually pertain to arguments over the running of the shop, Rick and the Old Man questioning Corey's judgment,[33][35] and aspersions cast on Chumlee's intelligence and competence.[44] Before the second commercial break, a multiple choice trivia question pertaining to the shop or the cast members is shown, with the answer provided after the break.
In an October 2010 Bloomberg Businessweek interview, Rick Harrison indicated that talks were in progress for a fourth season.[108]
In July 2011, Harrison signed a record-breaking 80-episode renewal contract for four more seasons of the series.[2]
Reception
Pawn Stars is History's highest-rated series.[2] An original episode broadcast on January 24, 2011 was watched by seven million viewers, the most-watched telecast ever on History, according to the network and Nielsen Media Research.[115] In 2011 it was the second highest-rated reality series on TV behind Jersey Shore, attracting 7.6 million viewers.[116]Christopher Long, reviewing the first season DVD for DVD Town, praised the series for its cast and the educational value of the items examined, calling it "addictive" and "a big-time winner", and opined that it is the best show on History and perhaps cable.[1] In one issue of TV Guide, writer Rob Moynihan included the show in a list of "guilty pleasures."[7] April McIntyre of Monsters and Critics, whose negative view of pawn shops influenced her view of the series' setting, reviewed one episode of the series, which she labeled a "cool Antiques Roadshow". Though she found aspects of it interesting, she criticized what she perceived as an emphasis on cheap laughs at the expense of family patriarch Richard Harrison over the show's historical material, as well as Corey Harrison's weight. She ultimately saw potential for the series if aspects of it that she found to be in poor taste were curbed.[117] USA Today's Gary Strauss opined that the bickering among the Harrisons, as well as the customers seen in the shop, is "alternately amusing and grating". People magazine wrote of the show, "Think Antiques Roadshow, but with neon and far more tattoos."[118] Some of History's viewers were reportedly displeased with how reality series like Pawn Stars and Swamp People have replaced some of the network's previous history-oriented programming.[116]
The series has also attracted some criticism from other pawnbrokers, who while conceding its entertainment value, claim that the series' focus on the extravagant vintage items brought into the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop are not typical of the average pawn shop, whose business is predicated on individuals on fixed income who bring in conventional objects in order to pay their bills, such as electronics, tools and jewelry. Corey Grigson and Charles Brown, who own a shop called Pawn Stars, estimate that their average loan to a customer is between $50 and $100. They also point out appraisals are handled by the staff, who rely on experience, reference works and research, and not the outside experts who are frequently seen on the show aiding the Harrisons.[119][dead link]
In 2010 Rick Harrison and the staff of the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop were awarded the Pawnbroker of the Year Award by the National Pawnbroker's Association for bringing the industry greater recognition and a better image with the TV show.[16][120]
In addition to spawning imitators, such as the truTV series Hardcore Pawn, the success of Pawn Stars has been a boon to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, which has become a Las Vegas tourist site, and has expanded its business accordingly. The shop, which averaged between 70 and 100 customers per day, grew to more than 1,000 by October 2010. As a result, the shop hired nearly 30 new employees,[121] and underwent a $400,000 expansion of their showroom by two thirds, to 15,000 square feet,[18][108] the shop's tenth expansion since it opened.[122] Rick Harrison also mentioned in the fourth season episode "Over the Top" that he was building a gym above the Pawn Shop for the staff's use.[29] The shop also now sells its own brand merchandise, whose designs originate from fans entering design competitions on Facebook, which saves the Harrisons the cost of hiring professional designers. The staff's presence on Facebook and Twitter also ensures audiences during local nightclub appearances, for which Corey Harrison and Chumlee Russell are paid $1,000 a night.[2]
The success of the series has also lent itself to parody. At the June 2011 NHL Awards, the Hanson Brothers from the movie Slap Shot appeared in a spoof sketch in which they try to sell the Stanley Cup at a pawn shop.[123]
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