If you like Pawn Stars, great, go watch it and quit complaining about Hardcore Pawn! I watch Pawn Stars too but it's a whole different show with completely different reasons for being popular. What I love about Hardcore Pawn is the wacky people that come in and try to force them to do things - like give them a certain amount of money for something, etc. and get thrown out. In fact, my favorite character on the show is the bouncer - that dude is funny! ALL pawn shops buy way low and sell way high - that's how they survive, so saying that people get ripped off is stupid. Nobody is forcing them to pawn or sell their stuff - they can turn around and walk out and list it on Craigslist or Ebay (in fact I think most people who go to Pawn Stars in Vegas would do way better selling it an alternate way!). So get over the annoying owners kids - that's a selling point of the show! Trust me, I can't stand them either!

I made an account with IMDb to write this quick review specifically. I cannot believe i read a review referring to the Gold family as "classy." I used to be a fan of this show, I figured like most reality TV that it is exaggerated, however I don't mind that aspect too much. The crazy customers are entertaining- although quite sad once you analyze this aspect further. Considering these moments are mostly the exaggerated parts of the show, its sad they are required to garner any kind of sympathy or moral high ground for the Gold family. Obviously, when you have someone acting like a lunatic demanding money for junk, it casts the person on the receiving end of the tirade in a more positive light...Now let's pretend there aren't as many scenes of people acting nuts (and while I am sure it happens, I highly doubt it is as frequent or as black and white as the show depicts) and realize what the owners look like then. I'm sure most people already have a negative opinion on the Gold family, but can you imagine how much worse they would look if they didn't have these crazy encounters where obviously the customer is in the wrong? Keep in mind that most people here have claimed that they have been eye witnesses to this part of the show being staged...but i digress. Most of the blowouts between the customers and staff are humorous- even if seeing an arrogant punk act tough because he has 300lbs of muscle right next to him to protect him from any harm gets a little old.The sibling rivalry in the show, the family drama in general is all quite aggravating and not entertaining at all in my opinion. Despite this, I did watch this show quite often (albeit with my brain turned off.) Now to my main criticism of the show...There is no way i can stomach the shameless attitudes of Les, Seth, and Ashley. Ashley always was annoying, but its a television show so you have to have someone to cause conflict in the family. Les and Seth on the other hand are scum if they are in any way as the show depicts them to be. Les acts as if he has a huge heart and loves helping people out, yet his style of negotiating is to NEVER enter a negotiation without making the customer give an asking price- only to belittle them and make them feel like idiots (on television) for asking for such a crazy amount of money, no matter if the asking price is reasonable or not. I understand that for his business he is not going to pay what the item is worth. Obviously pawn shops need to make profit. They also have the added benefit of knowing the people coming in tend to be desperate, therefore almost certainly will come down in price. But it seems like its NEVER a small amount- Les tends to offer maybe 25% of what the person wants AT BEST. Once the customer makes a deal, which is normally a terrible one, we then get to see Les shake their hand and act as if he did this person a great favor...followed by talking to the camera about how great of a deal he has gotten.Seth is even worse. The sheer arrogance he possesses is infuriating. The only proof I need to know the show is scripted is that Seth hasn't been attacked for the way he treats people. He clearly thinks he is better than everyone, and his only motivation is to rip the customer off and make the MOST money he possibly can. He gloats whenever he achieves this goal.Its just business right? Nobody made these people say yes to bad deals, and the Gold family is there to make money. All true. Watch an episode though, see how they go about it. See how they treat people looking for a FAIR deal. See how they manipulate the customers into making bad deals, and have the gall to act as if they performed an act of kindness. If you enjoy this show, I don't begrudge you. In my opinion though, there should be an element of ACTUAL human decency. Of course the pawn shop should make only deals that will yield them a profit, but don't show me a negotiation where a customer's starting price is basically laughed at, negotiated down to 10% of what was asked, then show the Golds patting themselves on the back afterward for how much money they are going to make off something they supposedly didn't want.The Gold family apparently believes their business is to get anyone they make a deal with to the lowest possible price that will be taken. I guess you can call that good negotiating and good business. To me, all I see is a terrible group of human beings that have no souls ((probably caused by a deal that would impress Crowley ("Supernatural" reference)). In the real world business may be cut throat, but I can no longer watch these characters prey on the desperate. If you watch this show and are genuinely happy for Seth or Les when they rip someone off followed by either gloating or acting like they did a good deed, then I don't know what to say- I can't cheer on this greedy family and I hope one day karma comes knocking- at the very least by this show being ended. You can still make money, lots of money, without employing the tactics the Gold family uses throughout Hardcore Pawn.Rant over. QUICK THOUGHTS ON ACTUAL SHOW- If you never have seen it, I suggest you check it out so you know exactly the kind of pawnshop/business owners to stay away from. If you want lowbrow entertainment, this show is also worth a look at. Interested in the items that are pawned? Watch Pawn Stars.

Hardcore pawn more like hardcore boring.It's borderline racist. The 3 main star's LOL if you can call them that are so self centered and money hunger that they would take candy from a baby.When the show first aired it was worth watching but has gone downhill they have fired so many people off the show that made it worth watching now its just a show of 3 self centered creeps wait a 2nd the new girl had a little hope at first but even now she is acting like all the other Gold's.If you must watch a pawn show go with Pawn Stars.

Dumb show, because (a) So much is obviously scripted.(b) They try very hard to create/find drama that just isn't there. If your idea of high drama is a a disorderly customer, then party on.A lot of people here talk about the Golds "ripping people off". Well...maybe. That $500 engagement ring was never really worth $500. It's worth some small margin over the melt value. If the gold is only worth $70 and the Golds offer $35, people here cry "ripoff! paying $35 for a $500 ring!" But it really isn't - they'll pay $35, sell for $70. Keep in mind a lot of that stuff sits for a long time, overhead is high, and many things that people bring in are in gross oversupply. $10 for a microwave doesn't surprise me. Also remember some percentage of your inventory will just vanish because it'll turn out to be stolen.However, the "I'm glad we could help" is just BS. Les Gold & family have never "helped" anyone. They are in business and are not a charity. That smugness wears thin very fast. I wouldn't trust Les Gold any further than I could throw him.Anyway, it's a show full of poverty-level people trying to get a few bucks for junk. There could actually be a good show - take two or three of those people per show, interview them, show how they got where they are, followup, all with the pawnshop as a backdrop. That could be interesting...but as it is, we only know customers for 3 minutes at a time and they quickly become a sea of sameness."You never know what to expect!" Actually, we do - every episode has a few people who get mad you won't give them much, a few people who've lost their receipts or messed up their transactions, and A LOT OF SETH AND ASHLEY ACTING LIKE THEY'RE IN 8TH GRADE.Who cares about Seth and Ashley? Seriously.Pawn Stars is the Antiques Road Show compared to Hardcore Pawn. Pawn Stars is also pretty fake but at least you get to learn about cool old stuff...Hardcore Pawn is just bottom-fishing for fake drama.