PRIVATE BATTLE! American Pickers Defies Backlash with a Surprise Surge in Viewership

In spite of the fact that audience members have been pleading with the History Channel to end the long-running series, the ratings for American Pickers have unexpectedly increased. On October 9, the 26th season of American Pickers premiered, featuring Mike and Robbie Wolfe, John “Jersey” John SLE, Danielle Kby, and other cast members.

Despite the fact that the series has been drawing its lowest numbers in years, the show is still facing a ratings crisis. The United States Sun reports exclusively that the third episode of season 26, titled “The Great Ruli,” was watched by 566,000 viewers. Flying solo, Mike visits the California Castle home of Ruli, a sculptor, entrepreneur, and horror icon. His one-of-a-kind collection includes monsters, gargoyles, and a custom rocket ship on the front lawn. This episode is described as the best of the season, despite the ratings being on the low end. The pilot episode, which featured Mike, 59, searching through evil artifacts, had 565,000 viewers. The second episode, which aired on October 16, only attracted 463,000 viewers—a drop of more than 100,000 viewers in just one week.

The ratings for season 26 are not as high as those for the previous season. The first episode of season 25, which aired in December 2023, garnered 723,000 viewers, with the second episode attracting 676,000. A total of 880,000 viewers tuned in for the third episode of that season. Throughout the rest of the month, the viewership remained relatively steady, peaking at 948,000 viewers by January 24. However, by February, the numbers declined, with the lowest point occurring on February 14 (774,000 viewers) and the highest point on February 28 (966,000 viewers). The season finale on March 27 garnered 83,000 viewers.

Before Frank Fritz, a fan favorite, was removed from the series in 2020, American Pickers was attracting over 1 million viewers per episode. Fans have recently taken to social media to demand the show be canceled. One fan wrote, “This show needs to go, cancel this show. It’s a husk of what it was.” Another stated, “It was never good. The buying and selling market was completely destroyed by this show.” Others have wondered whether American Pickers will continue at all.

In addition, fans have raised concerns about the possibility of staged sequences on the show. A recent clip from American Pickers uploaded to the show’s Facebook page shows Mike and Jersey John inspecting a mystical Shelby car hidden in a barn. Mike calls an expert, who points out that the car is missing several components. Mike asks about the cost of restoring the vehicle, and the expert estimates it would be over $100,000. The seller ultimately refuses to sell the car for $75,000, claiming it’s a tough decision to turn down the offer for a rare car that’s been sitting for 35 to 40 years. Some fans argue that the scene was staged. One viewer commented, “Not at all staged,” while another noted that such programs are often staged for entertainment purposes. A third fan remarked, “It’s a good program, so who cares about it? Everything is staged.” A fourth fan agreed, suggesting that much of the content is planted ahead of time.

A representative from American Pickers did not respond to a request for comment made by the United States Sun.

Jerry Gindro, a friend of Frank Fritz, told the United States Sun that the show hasn’t been the same since Frank’s departure. “The ratings for the show, in my opinion, are reflective of this. Anyone who’s been paying attention knows it’s not what it was. Frank was essential to the show,” Jerry said. He also shared that Frank would have returned if not for the stroke he suffered in July 2021.

“If I were to compare Mike and Frank to Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin, I would say they are similar,” Jerry explained. “Frank was far more vital to the show than he was first thought to be. Being the ‘Jerry Lewis’ all the time is a really difficult task to accomplish. If Frank hadn’t been dealing with his health problems, I believe he would have returned.”

Jerry also explained how Frank’s spontaneity contributed to his popularity among viewers. “He was truly the comedian who popped out with some of the weirdest and dumbest things that you just go, ‘Wow,'” Jerry said. “He left his imprint on the annals of history.”

The last episode featuring Frank aired in March 2020. After suffering a stroke, Frank passed away on September 30, 2024, two years later.

A recent report from the United States Sun reveals that the stars of the show have contracts for three additional seasons. However, despite this, it was previously reported that Mike and Robbie are nearing the end of the series. An anonymous insider told the United States Sun, “I don’t know how long the show will last. I have no idea how much longer Mike and Robbie will choose to continue doing this. I believe they would like to retire at some point in the future. It’s a strain on your life, and they’ve been doing this for a long time.”

Mike’s friend also commented, “It’s like, ‘Ah, we’re on the road again.’ Whenever they’re around, I don’t have time to do either of these things. It’s like any other job—a love-hate relationship. Some days you don’t wish you had that job and could do whatever you wanted, but some days you’re excited about your job.”

In conclusion, Mike’s attention has shifted away from American Pickers and toward other ventures. In addition to his bike shop, Columbia Motor Alley, he also operates a vacation rental business, Two Lanes Guest House, located in Columbia, Tennessee, and La Claire, Iowa. Mike also owns several properties in both cities.