Storage Wars | |
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Promotional image of the show. |
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Genre | Reality |
Starring |
Dan Dotson and Laura Dotson - auctioneers, Dave Hester, Jarrod Schultz, Brandi Passante, Darrell Sheets, Brandon Sheets, Barry Weiss |
Theme music composer | Andy Kubiszewski |
Opening theme | Money Owns This Town |
Country of origin | United States |
Language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 49 |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Robert Sharenow and Elaine Frontain Bryant, Thom Beers and Philip D. Segal |
Producer(s) | Dolph Scott |
Running time | 21–22 minutes |
Production company(s) | Original Productions |
Broadcast | |
Original channel | A&E |
Original run | December 1, 2010 | – present
External links | |
Website |
Storage Wars is a reality television series on the A&E Network that premiered in 2010. The show features auctioneers Dan Dotson and Laura Dotson, as well as auction hunters Dave Hester, Darrell Sheets, Barry Weiss, and the team of Jarrod Schulz and Brandi Passante.
When rent is not paid on a storage locker for three months in California, the contents are sold by an auctioneer as a single lot of items. The show follows professional buyers who purchase the contents based only on a five-minute inspection and what they can see only from the door when it is opened. The goal is to turn a profit on the merchandise.
Season One of Storage Wars consisted of 19 episodes, 17 of which were filmed at various self storage facilities throughout Southern California. Two special episodes were filmed on location at a pair of Storage One facilities in Las Vegas, Nevada. These Las Vegas episodes were two of the most popular of Season One. Critical response was mixed, with Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times calling it "a strangely uplifting show—hope being one of the many things one can apparently find in an abandoned storage unit"[1] while Brian Lowry of variety said that "'Wars' should have been left in storage, indefinitely."[2] The premiere episode drew 2.1 million viewers[3] and the show was A&E's top-rated non-fiction show for 2010, with an average 2.4 million viewers.[4]
Storage Wars has been renewed for a second season and is currently filming a twenty episode season.[5][6] Bob DeBitetto, President and General Manager of A&E and BIO Channel, stated, "Storage Wars has garnered critical acclaim and has risen above the competition. Premium storytelling and amazing characters have set our show apart." The season two premiere consisted of back-to-back new episodes of the show; the second show drew 5.1 million total viewers and was the highest rating for an episode of a series in A&E history.[7] The combined season premiere outperformed competing original episodes of NBC Love in the Wild and ABC's Primetime Nightline.[8]
While it has been commented that some of the units have been stocked by producers to improve things,[4] an A&E publicist said, "There is no staging involved. The items uncovered in the storage units are the actual items featured on the show." [9]
There is also a Texas version of Storage Wars called Storage Wars: Texas, featuring new bidders and an auctioneer. Several episodes have already been filmed around East Texas. It made its debut on A&E on December 6, 2011.[10] A second spinoff set in New York is in the works.[11]
Storage Wars can be seen internationally as well, as AETN International has sold the series to several channels in Canada, Sweden, Finland and Norway.[12]
Contents |
The main buyers on the show are:
Also appearing are auctioneers Dan Dotson and Laura Dotson who run American Auctioneers. Dan and Laura are married.[4]
# | Title | Air Date | Dave Hester | Jarrod Schulz/Brandi Passante | Darrell Sheets | Barry Weiss | ||||
Spent | Net Profit/Loss | Spent | Net Profit/Loss | Spent | Net Profit/Loss | Spent | Net Profit/Loss | |||
1 | High Noon in the High Desert | December 1, 2010 | $800.00 | $1,987.00 | $700.00 | $2,400.00 | $450.00 | $650.00 | $340.00 | $9,000.00 |
2 | Melee in the Maze | December 8, 2010 | $1,800.00 | $9,203.00 | $800.00 | $2,300.00 | $400.00 | $5,832.00 | N/A | N/A |
3 | Railroad Roulette | December 1, 2010 | $2,600.00 | $19,000.00 | $350.00 | $50.00 | N/A | N/A | $850.00 | $3,100.00 |
4 | War on the Shore | December 8, 2010 | $3,900.00 | $1,992.00 | N/A | N/A | $850.00 | $2,650.00 | $275.00 | $11,625.00 |
5 | All Guns To Port | December 15, 2010 | $1,600.00 | $4,850.00 | $300.00 | $0.00 | N/A | N/A | $250.00 | $2,250.00 |
6 | Senior Center Showdown | December 22, 2010 | $750.00 | $89,250.00 | $875.00 | $2,100.00 | $1,450.00 | $2,000.00 | N/A | $30.00 |
7 | The Old Spanish Standoff | December 15, 2010 | $1,950.00 | -$400.00 | N/A | N/A | $250.00 | $1,750.00 | $600.00 | $400.00 |
8 | Midnight in the Gardena Good and Evil | January 12, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $1,700.00 | $12,800 | $3.00 | $27.00 | $550.00 | $450.00 |
9 | Collector's Last Stand | January 19, 2011 | $1,450.00 | $3,500.00 | N/A | N/A | $450.00 | $1,300.00 | $375.00 | -$375.00 |
10 | School House Lock | January 26, 2011 | $1,000.00 | $967.00 | $650.00 | $3,239.00 | $400.00 | -$400.00 | $500 | -$175.00 |
11 | Gambler's Last Resort | February 2, 2011 | $275.00 | $4,725.00 | $175.00 | $1,025.00 | $1,100.00 | $16,675.00 | N/A | N/A |
12 | Auction Royale | February 9, 2011 | $1,650.00 | $1,850.00 | $200.00 | $512.00 | $175.00 | $3,025.00 | $350.00 | -$350.00 |
13 | Young with the Gun | April 13, 2011 | $0 | $648.00 | N/A | N/A | $1000.00 | -$788.00 | $575.00 | -$475.00 |
14 | Trouble the Oil | March 23, 2011 | $375.00 | -$125.00 | $300.00 | $300.00 | N/A | N/A | $650.00 | $350.00 |
15 | Makings of a Mogul | March 16, 2011 | $60.00 | -$60.00 | N/A | N/A | $4,275.00 | $3,275.00 | $800.00 | -$796.00 |
16 | High End Heist | April 6, 2011 | $500.00 | $1,975.00 | $650.00 | $1,195.00 | N/A | N/A | $825.00 | -$650.00 |
17 | Chairman of the Hoard | March 30, 2011 | $300.00 | $12,100.00 | $1,050.00 | $2,087.00 | N/A | N/A | $850.00 | -$840.00 |
18 | Skullduggery | April 17, 2011 | $1,350.00 | $525.00 | $475.00 | $1,860.00 | $850.00 | $300.00 | N/A | N/A |
19 | Live and Let Bid | April 19, 2011 | $5,550.00 | $1,889.00 | N/A | N/A | $250.00 | $547.00 | $375.00 | -$275.00 |
Totals: | $25,910.00 | $153,876.00 | $8,225.00 | $29,868.00 | $11,903.00 | $36,843.00 | $8,165.00 | $23,269.00 | ||
Profit earned per dollar spent: | $5.94 | $3.63 | $3.10 | $2.85 |
# | Title | Air Date | Dave Hester | Jarrod Schulz/Brandi Passante | Darrell Sheets | Barry Weiss | ||||
Spent | Net Profit/Loss | Spent | Net Profit/Loss | Spent | Net Profit/Loss | Spent | Net Profit/Loss | |||
20 | Hang 'Em High Desert | July 20, 2011 | $2,750.00 | $1,140.00 | N/A | $100.00 | $1,150.00 | $90.00 | $1,100.00 | $4,600.00 |
21 | Buyers on the Storm | July 20, 2011 | $1,350.00 | $27,650.00 | $1,800.00 | $2,130.00 | N/A | N/A | $450.00 | $2,100.00 |
22 | Pay the Lady | July 27, 2011 | $1,500.00 | $3,045.00 | $200.00 | $400.00 | $145.00 | $1,830.00 | $225.00 | $50.00 |
23 | Santa Ana Street Fight | July 27, 2011 | $345.00 | $505.00 | $2,350.00 | $3,550.00 | $275.00 | $3,000.00 | N/A | N/A |
24 | Unclaimed Baggage[21] | August 3, 2011 | $1,700.00 | $1,640.00 | N/A | N/A | $650.00 | -$250.00 | $1,525.00 | -$1,525.00 |
25 | Enemy of the Enemy[22] | August 3, 2011 | $9,000.00 | $21,000.00 | $2,800.00 | -$700.00 | N/A | N/A | $1,500.00 | $5,500.00 |
26 | Fire in the Hole[23] | August 10, 2011 | $1,400.00 | $3,035.00 | $1,300.00 | -$660.00 | N/A | N/A | $900.00 | $3,600.00 |
27 | San Burrito[24] | August 10, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $300.00 | $6,700.00 | N/A | N/A | $160.00 | -$110.00 |
28 | Tanks for the Memories | August 17, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $2,700.00 | $2,510.00 | $575.00 | $2,155.00 | $425.00 | -$45.00 |
29 | Land of the Loss | August 17, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $1,600.00 | -$50.00 | $1,550.00 | -$970.00 | $375.00 | -$375.00 |
30 | Almost the Greatest Show on Earth | August 31, 2011 | $8,000.00 | -$2,225.00 | $1,700.00 | -$760.00 | N/A | N/A | $350.00 | $3,100.00 |
31 | Bowling for Dollars | September 7, 2011 | $4,000.00 | $5,360.00 | $750.00 | $850.00 | N/A | N/A | $700.00 | -$689.00 |
32 | Get Him To The Mayan | September 7, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $800.00 | $2,845.00 | $2,300.00 | $5,060.00 | $600.00 | -$25.00 |
33 | Fu Dog Day Afternoon | September 14, 2011 | $35.00 | $1,964.00 | N/A | N/A | $2,100.00 | $600.00 | $500.00 | -$500.00 |
34 | I'm The New Mogul[25] | October 19, 2011 | $1,825.00 | $7,175.00 | $800.00 | $2,110.00 | $1,450.00 | $6,050.00 | $700.00 | $800.00 |
35 | Winner Winner Chicken Dinner [26] | November 15, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $2,775.00 | $3,675.00 | $675.00 | $925.00 | $350.00 | $275.00 |
36 | Auction Sesame[27] | November 22, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $200.00 | $450.00 | $50.00 | $545.00 | $1,100.00 | -$1,000.00 |
37 | Stairway To Hemet[28] | November 22, 2011 | $3,800.00 | $5,300.00 | $1,900.00 | $485.00 | $2,900.00 | $675.00 | $1,250.00 | -$1,250.00 |
38 | Driving Miss Barry [29] | November 15, 2011 | $1,600.00 | $1,200.00 | $6,750.00 | $5,350.00 | N/A | N/A | $700.00 | -$500.00 |
39 | Make It Rain, Girl [30] | December 6, 2011 | $750.00 | $580.00 | $2,200.00 | $4,600.00 | $2,500.00 | $2,600.00 | N/A | N/A |
40 | Scoot-A-Toot, Toot [31] | November 29, 2011 | $2,500.00 | $150.00 | N/A | N/A | $850.00 | $250.00 | $1,000.00 | $6,000.00 |
41 | The Empire Strikes Out [32] | November 29, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $3,000.00 | $160.00 | $825.00 | $850.00 | $1,550.00 | $2,450.00 |
42 | Smoke 'Em If You Find 'Em [33] | December 13, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $3,300.00 | $5,400.00 | N/A | N/A | $1,600.00 | -$550.00 |
43 | The Drone Wars [34] | December 20, 2011 | N/A | N/A | $3,400.00 | $570.00 | $7,000.00 | $18,000.00 | $1,650.00 | $2,025.00 |
44 | Brandi's First Time [35] | January 3, 2012 | $2,300.00 | -$750.00 | $2,600.00 | -$2,300.00 | $3,350.00 | $2,140.00 | N/A | N/A |
45 | Hooray For Holly-Weird [36] | January 3, 2012 | $900.00 | $14,100.00 | $1,250.00 | -$975.00 | N/A | N/A | $2,000.00 | -$1,550.00 |
46 | Don't Bid So Close To Me [37] | January 10, 2012 | ||||||||
47 | Not Your Average Bear [38] | January 10, 2012 | ||||||||
48 | TBA [39] | January 17, 2012 | ||||||||
49 | TBA [40] | January 17, 2012 | ||||||||
Totals: | $43,755.00 | $90,869.00 | $44,475.00 | $36,440.00 | $28,345.00 | $43,550.00 | $20,710.00 | $22,381.00 | ||
Profit earned per dollar spent: | $2.08 | $0.82 | $1.54 | $1.08 |
These were special one-hour episodes of Storage Wars that went with the subtitle Unlocked. These episodes were mainly highlight episodes with the cast gathering at the shuttered (but relatively untouched) Sahara Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Although these episodes aired during Season 2, they are not considered part of the Season 2 episode count.
# | Title | Air Date |
SP1 | Buy Low | August 31, 2011 |
SP2 | Sell High | September 14, 2011 |
An online game was launched in Fall 2011 on Facebook called Storage Wars: The Game. The game gives players 4 items to look for in the units before the game begins, then allows players to look through 3 different units for the items. They can either bid or skip the units, and they are playing against 2 other players in the game. At the end of the game, players are given a number of points that is made from the amount of money they make off of the items that they sold from their unit, and their points are put onto a scoreboard with their Facebook "friends".[41]