Pawn Stars is one of those TV shows that doesn’t offer that much in terms of plot, nor does it really offer something new in every episode, but it’s still one of the most watched shows in the world (I myself watch it every now and then). Each episode is pretty much the same: people go to the store to offer what they believe is a valuable item, most of them for their historical value, and our stars Rick Harrison, his father Richard Harrison, aka the Old Man, his son Corey or “Big Hoss”, and the latter’s friend “Chumlee,” determine the price of the item and either sell it or not; that’s pretty much it. Well, today we woke up to the news that the Old Man passed away at the age of 77, and though it’s sad to hear, the question is should the show continue without one of its stars?
One of the things that made the show work since its premiere in 2009 was the relationship between the stars, and that we could actually relate to them in one way or another (perhaps except the fact that they allow themselves to pay thousands of dollars for a collectible baseball card or even an old can dispenser machine). Those clashes between father and son, grandfather and grandchild, or even all of them with the family friend’s constant fails, are what spiced up and gave some comic relief to a -let’s be honest- bland and monotonous show. So, without one of stars, would it still be that successful?
For starters, let’s admit that the show lost rhythm and content over the last couple of years. The premise of the show was so new that it made it one of the most popular ones on television, to the point that if you visited the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop you’d have to wait in a huge line just to see the store. Moreover, it managed to make people from all over the world tune in to watch random, everyday transactions. But beyond the historical value and the amazing pieces showed on camera, there’s no doubt, as I mentioned before, that the real appeal was that often troubled relationship.
Now, some people might say that the Old Man wasn’t a decisive character in the equation because, at the end of the day, Rick is the one that leads the business as the know-it-all boss. And then you have his son, who is kind of following in his footsteps in his own way. And besides them, you had the Old Man and Chumlee as the classic comic relief. However, even if he didn’t play a very crucial role in the show or the business, something would be missing, and we’d just have a boring and monotonous show without that element that made the show interesting and even kind of addictive.
The Old Man will be terribly missed by those of us who binge-watch the show. Even though he wasn’t my favorite character, I’d rather not have the show than see the void he will definitely leave. After almost 10 years and a wide parade of amazing items, I think a great way of honoring Richard Harrison’s memory is to not ruin his legacy and let Pawn Stars go.
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