American Pickers Season 2

If you want reality entertainment that actually understands its own format, American Pickers Season 2 is available on and right now. The 1-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. 112 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Mike Wolfe is a big part of why it works, but the format itself is the real star. Available now — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, American Pickers Season 2 is worth clearing space for. What separates American Pickers Season 2 from the rest of its genre is a genuine understanding of what its audience actually wants to watch. The second season begins in North Carolina, where Mike and Frank comb through a collector's abandoned outbuildings and find a 1950 Studebaker. As their junkyard journeys continue, the pickers rummage through ramshackle school buses, a burned storage building, forgotten barns, salvage yards, and rust heaps in search of what they call "good junk." They come across an item they've never seen before, place bets on what it actually is, and get a surprising assessment from the appraiser. They encounter a mother and daughter who catch the picking bug and give the guys a run for their money. Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 2010. The format has been replicated endlessly since American Pickers Season 2 first appeared, which is its own form of tribute. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Reality sceptics are warned — American Pickers Season 2 has converted more than a few doubters. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch if your schedule allows. Mike Wolfe is a big part of why it works, but the format itself is the real star. The kind of thing that generates strong opinions in every room it is watched in.