Storage Wars, (A&E, 9-10 Central Time, Tuesday Evenings)

Every now and then in our gracious Midwestern village, somebody puts an old Victorian mansion on the market. As a single person, I can't imagine rattling around in such a grand place but I have got to admit that I would love to have a crack at that stuff stored up in the attic. It may sound nosy but I am fascinated with other people's second-hand treasures and must confess to sometimes poking trough "cast-offs" occasionally discarded on "Junk-Away" days. Apparently, other people share this odd passion, which would explain the success of a fascinating reality television show called Storage Wars, (A&E, 9-10 Central Time, Tuesday evenings).

The General Idea

Storage Wars is based on a simple concept -- that every day people walk away from storage lockers crammed with things that they either no longer want or cannot take with them. Stuff abandoned for more than 60 days can be auctioned off to bidders who are given a brief peek at the contents (without being able to walk in or open anything up) before they enter into bidding wars for whatever might be there. (To add to the fascinating educational aspect of all this, sometimes a potential bidder will explain to us exactly why he or she has chosen to bid on a certain locker.) Then comes the real action with the auctioneer rattling off his rapid, almost indecipherable biddy-biddy-biddy chatter, egging serious contenders on to higher and higher bids which they either loftily ignore or accept with hand gestures, facial expressions, or an occasional enthusiastic "YEP!"

The Regulars

Anybody can attend a storage locker auction but Storage Wars tends to concentrate on a small posse of "Regulars" who follow the siren song of loading up on other people's stuff to earn a living, stock second-hand and antique stores, and just for the fun of it. This a competition, after all, and so the Regulars may not always take the noble, higher ground -- sometimes they act like real skunks -- but for better or worse, you begin to get interested in them, which adds to the enjoyment of the show. After the auction is over, the winners finally have a chance to root through the stuff and see what they have won. Sometimes viewers are given a chance to witness the bidders seeking appraisals or even selling newfound possessions.

The WOW Factor!

The suspense and fascination is enhanced by bona fide treasures that sometimes turn up (i.e. priceless antiques, precious jewelry or collectors' coins, comic books, trading cards, and celebrity or sports memorabilia). One bidder was sorting out a load of what appeared to be ordinary stuff when on a hunch, he checked out the back of a cheap, junky "painting" only to find thousands of dollars worth of paper bills rolled up and stored there. Exciting discoveries like that help constitute the highly coveted "WOW Factor."

A Sure Bet

Some of the most exciting Storage Wars episodes are filmed in Las Vegas and other Nevada locations and this is as it should be because this show is really about gambling, taking a chance on a long shot. Old episodes of "Storage Wars" are frequently aired in "marathons" at various times on A&E. Soon another season will begin on November 15, (A&E, 9-10 p.m. Central Time, Tuesdays). Will I be watching eagerly? YEPPPPP! You can bet on that!