American Chopper: Senior Vs. Junior

Even while mocking his son Paul Jr's attempt at starting his own chopper building business, you can hear the sadness in Paul Sr's voice and see it in his eyes.

As you watch Paul Jr. walk in and out of his new shop, phone in hand, trying to drum up business, you can see the weight of starting a business pulling his shoulders down.

You watch Mikey, the peacemaker of the family, treading lightly on eggshells. Trying to stay friendly with both his father and brother, without appearing to favor one over the other.

This is TLC's American Chopper: Senior vs Junior, and it is painful to watch.

The reality is, American Chopper isn't a successful show because of the the bikes, it's a successful show because of the Teutul family. It's the family dynamic that makes the show work. Creating, fighting, playing, building. The family never does anything half-way, and that makes it fun to watch. Hell, I don't think I've smashed through a door once, and they do it constantly.

As I watched the commercials leading up to this season, I was excited and couldn't wait for the premier. Then, as I watched the first two episodes, I found myself just feeling sad.

Their voices. Their eyes. The way they walk. The way they talk. Pain. The entire family is hurting, and the cameras are there to record it.

Sure, they all put on their usual tough-guy bravado pants as they go about their business, but the reality is, they are a close family, they do love each other, and you could always tell how happy Paul Sr. was to have two of his sons working with him.

This season of American Chopper really isn't about the break-up of a business, it's about the break-up of a family, and that is sad to see.