The small, ivory Sundial on tonights episode was very cool. It was 350 years old but the amount of things it did was amazing. It told the time using the sun 3 ways, would tell you the time in the moonlight to 15 minutes, was a compass and also had an attachment that told you the wind direction. What I did not like on one of the new episodes tonight was a Subway commercial that they stuck in the middle of the episode. I don't need a fake conversation taking place in a Subway where they mention $5 subs.
I think that was an example of intrusive product placement, Subway did something similar on Chuck last year, but when it's actual actors doing it, and you know it's slightly tongue and cheek, it's much less obvious. I was really surprised how little that tiny gun was worth, once they said it was so rare I thought it would have been much more valuable.
I also disliked it. More and more it seems the show is forcing the action for entertainment. The Subway commercial, and some of the Chumlee/Big Hoss antics are too planned. The whole Fortune Teller thing was a waste and a setup. I know that it's not every day that someone brings in a 350 year old sundial or treasure chest but I really hope they don't ruin this show with these staged encounters and forced comic relief. Hoss and Chum just aren't good enough actors to pull it off.
I would rather that they do one new episode a week, instead of two, if it means I don't have to watched forced crap. I mean, am I honestly supposed to believe that Chumlee (who has been working in pawn shop for a few years) needs to be explained how an auction works. I knew that at age 7 and there is Ebay today.
That guy with the copy of the statue was hilarious. Flipping out when told it was a cast, and probably not worth a tenth of the price he paid for it.
Amazing show, as others have noted. However, I could do without some of the made-up antics and silly games they do with some of the items that come into the shop. The show is more than good enough to stand on its own merits.