American Chopper: The Series (2002–2020) User Reviews (24)

What happened to the bikes?

[ndpeluso · 6/10 · 9 July 2007]

This show was unlike any other. I tuned in to see what it was like building a motorcycle. It was the third episode ever and I was hooked. I taped every episode since and the pattern is obvious. TLC ruined it. The essence of the show shifted from father and son and crew building kickass bikes to father and sons visiting Russell Crowe and Danica Patrick. For some reason it became the Jason Poole, Jim Quinn, and Nub show with the Teutels skeet shooting or bungee jumping or whatever the hell else TLC has them do. It has nothing to do with the show getting too popular or the business getting too big it's just this "Turbo TLC" in your face attitude that ruined it for all of us. Not to mention all the awful commercials for that retarded "Miami Ink" show which no one who can read or write would ever watch. Terrible, terrible, terrible.

P.S. I'm not taping anymore shows. Show was a ten, now a four or five.

Highly enjoyable

[mjm154 · 7/10 · 24 March 2008]

I am one of those Discovery channel freaks that just love watching shows about science or mechanics. American Chopper takes care of the mechanics side to great effect. The show is in essence about building custom bikes and the craftsmanship and skill given to building the bikes is great.

The show revolves around the Teutul family who own a custom bike shop called Orange County Choppers. The success of the show has meant that the business has expanded over the years and more elaborate machinery has allowed the production of some stunning bikes.

The heated arguments between family members may be getting a bit tired as the show goes on and some of the theme bikes are starting to look tacky but every once in a while, if all the stars are aligned, they come through with a winner.

The best part about the programme is watching the craftsmen go about their work, such as the graphic artists who paint and decorate the tank and fenders for each bike.

If you're into mechanics, motorbikes or building then this show is for you.

Soap opera for men

[Bobs-9 · 28 January 2004]

While watching this show and hearing Paul Sr. and his sons interact, it occurred to me that this is sort of a soap opera for men. In between shouting matches and tantrums over short deadlines, missing tools, bad welds, etc. you see Paul Sr. and his sons sorting out their issues with each other and trying to work together. Sometimes these struggles end in slammed doors and hurt feelings, and sometimes (particularly when younger son Mikey is involved) they end with a joke, a few laughs, and smiles all round. Awwwwww! I think Mikey learned long ago that the best way to survive his father's wrath is to make him laugh. It works almost every time. Very clever.

I don't know anything about motorcycles, so I'm sometimes a bit puzzled by the tribute theme bikes that the Teutuls put so much effort into. Interesting as they are mechanically and artistically, the show doesn't really make it apparent to me how they help the firemen or war veterans they honor. The honorees always seem to love and appreciate them, though, so maybe that's enough.

Watching the Teutuls and their crew of craftsmen, artists, and master mechanics is addictive and fascinating. It's like looking into one of those old medieval workshops where everything was done by hand and designed and built in the shop under the supervision of a guild master. I really envy them. This is probably a way of life and doing business that's disappearing, so it's nice to think that it still flourishes in some places. See this show!

Unsympathetic people on a lousy show

[patrickfilbeck · 1/10 · 15 December 2021]

This show is not about the world of motorcycles, but about some of the idiots who drive them. Unsympathetic people who look stupid and aggressive, but are also stupid and aggressive. A lousy show, fitting the protagonists.

It's an awesome show I don't understand why anyone would hate it !

[n-kellie · 10/10 · 21 June 2006]

All of their designs are great. Most of the people who vote on this kind of thing are wannabees, but not me or other people who gave you good ratings. The show is about a family that builds choppers. The stupid thing is that every idiot thinks that they are located in Orange County, California. When really they are located in Orange County, New York. They have designed many awesome bikes including one for Wendy's. Who ever thinks that this show sucks is a fat, nut-job person that's 40, and lives with his mother. Only true lovers of choppers will really understand, and admire this show. I do think though Paul Sr. should retire from the shop.

First two seasons was great, but then it got worse!

[gangerolf-1 · 4/10 · 15 March 2008]

I was a large fan of this series for the first two seasons, but then it got boring and I quit watching the show (checking in sometimes, though). Why?:

These brothers, fellow workers and their father making all kind of crazy choppers appealed to me in the beginning. The creativity was good, but not quite to my taste; a little bit to childish. Like building a Fireengine chopper... what is that all about? OK, I REALLY don't like theme bikes.

The arguments/fights in the beginning between the family and workers looked genuine (and a little fun), but it started to really look manufactured after season two.

The inside look of the real manufacturing of the bikes started to be less interesting (it seemed), and we was forced to seeing the family on different stupid trips and non-bike related things. It turned into some kind of kindergarten for adults, and less about the bikes.

Also, as the seasons goes by, the more the show lean towards pure commercial bikes. Almost every bike is created for a brand name.

American Chopper is now a one hour commercial!

Watch the first two seasons, and drop the rest, unless your really not into motorcycles, and love trivial drama, and know that you are looking on a one hour commercial.

Verdict:

7/10 for the first two seasons.

4/10 for all seasons combined.

2018 season First episode, totally scripted... ugh. Spoilers!

[quockquock · 1/10 · 3 March 2018]

I have watched the entire series since the beginning. It used to be a great show, then all it was was screaming, yelling, fighting and stupid deadlines. The newest 2018 episode starts out with Paul Sr. not being able to assemble a set of front forks. So he calls up Paul Jr. and asks for help. WHAT? Just 3 minutes earlier they were talking about how Paul Sr. had been in the business for 40 something years, owns one of the most successful (independent shops) in the motorcycle building business world, and he can't assemble some forks? He doesn't have an employee on staff in his huge shop who can assemble forks? And they "conveniently capture this moment on camera? Later in the episode Sr. is showing his latest build to the Casino managers who ordered the bike and they have a look of concern on their faces, and one of them says.. "We need to talk"... then they go to commercial... Oh the drama, I was so glued to the TV... geesh,, when they came back the casino manager basically said, We love it, we love it so much we want you to build us a second bike. Sr, also decides to pressure test a gas tank, WHY? Why Sr, at that moment when the cameras are rolling? Of course disaster occurs and the tank over-expands causing more drama and more time crunch issues. If Sr. doesn't know how to pressure test a gas tank after 40 plus years in the business, an isn't smart enough to let his people do the work they were hired for, he shouldn't be on TV. Especially when these staged/scripted scenes go on and on. And yes, in the upcoming episodes, we see Sr, yelling, screaming and threatening his staff. Whether it's real, staged, fake or whatever remains to be seen. Just not by me. I have already programmed my DVR to no record any more episodes. Just show some cool bike building and reveals. The Paul Sr. yelling, got old 10 years ago.

For the best in Reality Television Watch "AMERICAN CHOPPER"..

[Jdc102 · 12 January 2004]

Believe it or not, it used to bother me about a year or two ago when I heard people say that they hate reality television. I know, that sounds really weird, but its true- it did bug me. But now, I totally understand. I can't stand it. Not only is it offensive and just plain mean, it really serves no point. I dont mean ALL of Reality TV- Basically any reality show on fox other than American Idol. I still love Survivor, Monster House and Queer Eye is also good. But then there's American Chopper, which easily surpasses "THE OSBOURNES", because not only is it just as funny (if not funnier)than that show, you actually learn a lot about the crafts of building motorcycles and how much time and effort goes into building and designing them. One of my biggest pet peeves about 'reality television' is that it doesn't serve a purpose and its people who are 'hungry for fame and attention'. But "American Chopper" isn't like that at all. Its just two guys, doing what they love to do. I have nothing but good things to say about this hilarious and all around fantastic show.

This belongs somewhere else, NOT on the Discovery Channel

[crash21 · 1/10 · 17 October 2005]

I agree with Darthhatchman's comment "What ever happened to Discovery airing educational programming?" The Discovery Channel used to be made up of a wide array of interesting and informative shows, but now it's nothing but the same dumb shows all day, every day. They don't even show anything special on holidays. Normally, holidays have specials all over the place. Anymore, on the Discovery Channel and TLC all they show is marathons of things like American Chopper and Trading Spaces, which are already all over the normal programming.

The Discovery Channel has basically been turned into a car and home improvement network. Their shows like American Chopper, Monster Garage, and Surprise by Design have basically smothered the Discovery Channel. After all this started happening, Tuesday used to be the only night with their traditional Discovery programming, when they showed their law shows like The New Detectives. But now Tuesday has gone down with the rest of the programming, and now they apparently don't even make new episodes of their good law shows, and they just show old re-runs of them between 2PM-4PM on weekday afternoons.

American Chopper has absolutely no educational value and ironically is about that same "reality show" concept of the show that killed TLC, "Trading Spaces", only on American Chopper, instead of people turning rooms into abstract art and wasted space, they're doing this to bikes and cars instead of homes.

Except their other channels, like The Science Channel, Discovery programming that was actually educating and worth watching is no longer based on anything more than stupidity and so-called "reality" programming. If they were going to air all of these car and biker shows, why didn't they just create a new channel for it? Not replace the original Discovery Channel programming, because it was so much better than all of this.

It was bad enough when things like this first happened to TLC, and shows like Trading Spaces took over TLC, but now the Discovery Channel has gone down the same path. It seems like all of the TV shows meant for intelligent people are being smothered by poorly done so-called "reality" shows. I really hope the Discovery Channel seriously considers changing their programming on every Discovery network channel back to actual education, before they're all completely destroyed.

Godawful pile of junk

[CherryBlossomBoy · 1/10 · 14 August 2011]

Call me biased - I hate choppers. These so-called "bikes for real men" are safety hazards no one sane should ever sit on. They are uncomfortable, impractical, expensive, wasteful, loud and, let's be honest, plain ugly piece of machinery. And if that wasn't enough there is a family in a grand state of New York that adorns them with various crappy juvenile cartoon clip-art. The show is about that family.

The haters got it right - there is nothing of substance here, only the constant verbal altercations between unlikable characters. There is absolutely nothing in there Discovery Channel was supposedly about - discovering. There is nothing new to discover, I got quarrels at my own home too, everybody does. People who love this show and think of themselves as the "real men", really ought to finish at least two grades of elementary school. Because they don't realize they're watching a lowly soap-opera.

What's the point?

[BushLiedMarinesDied · 1/10 · 19 December 2006]

The only marginally amusing or interesting part of this series is how the younger Teutuls outmaneuver their awful father, someone who's managerial & personal skills are ideal for inside the ring at a WWF wresting match but nowhere else.

As for the rest? Well this week they build a hard tail, stretched out chopper. Next week they build a hard tail, stretched out chopper. For the BIG season finale they build (GASP!) a hard tail, stretched out chopper.

They don't make the engine, they often don't make the frames, they don't make the forks & they often take in pre made "tin works" ie tank, fenders etc. What do they actually do apart from cosmetic work & a lot of hammering when it doesn't fit together? Not a lot.

I'd like to see them do something different, use a pair of Harley engines, or a jet engine, or make a Sports Bike, or SOMETHING different! But it's like watching a pizza parlor... it's all the same base (here it's always the same frame, engine etc), but you can have any topping you want (ie cosmetic work).

B-O-R-I-N-G.

Great Show

[meribethb · 5 July 2003]

I came upon this show by sure accident but I have to say this is one of my favorite shows now. I love to see what Paulie is going to come up with next and what Big Paul is going to yell at Paulie about next. You can also see the love that this father and son really have for each other and what they do. I met them a couple weeks ago and I have to say they where so nice and didn't seem to have any of this going to their heads.

Was good then got bad fast

[NegativeIons · 1/10 · 23 June 2019]

First few seasons were great, then it became about stupid arguments and non bike related antics.

Tantrum TV at its worst

[inago · 1/10 · 9 August 2012]

Reality shows today are really just extra low budget, poorly scripted soap operas of the past. Very few American reality shows are aired here in Japan, for the very fact that they make people too uncomfortable. This is one of the few that is aired in Japan due primarily to the popularity, yet rarity, of custom motorcycles amongst some people in Japan, but not because it is quality programming. This television series could probably expand their audience considerably, worldwide, if it toned down the incessant, yet petty, bickering, whining, and constant tantrums that turn so many away from typical reality shows.

Due to is popularity, and given that the standard reality show "tantrum TV" format has become so worn out, one would think this show would try a different approach--maybe a few more vintage, or classic bikes--but instead repackaged the show under a new name that focuses less on bikes, and more on petty bickering.

Really

[dswierk · 1/10 · 16 July 2018]

Why is this show back. Last time this was on was a whiny temper tantrum

The Best "Reality" Show Period.

[corsilcj · 17 June 2003]

Check out american chopper on discovery (mondays 10pm est)... it's more than just building bikes. It's about family, power, perseverance, frustration, and so much more. Paul Jr. and Paul Sr. disagree on almost everything. It's almost comical to watch their arguments. Sometimes the stress gets to these boys, and it's interesting to watch them sort it out.

Wow, Sr. has a job.

[rejohnson · 4/10 · 25 April 2011]

Why isn't the NY Game Wardens after Paul Sr., there is no way he can kill that many dear without breaking the law, and the thing about it is, that he talks about it every other episode and thumbs his nose at them. Is that state that big that the game wardens are over burdened? He states, and I quote "I got an Idear". What is an Idear? Is that the cross breed of a whitetail and mule dear, or is he just that stupid. Paul Jr. should maybe recommend he go back to elementary school. This guy has a reality show.

Wow, what is America coming too. Make a reality show that prepares Paul Sr. for the test that all aliens take to become American Citizens.

Hey Paul, how many Supreme Court Justices??

My interest became a reality for me!

[sharonlync · 27 January 2004]

I love "Orange County Choppers"! I was channel surfing one day and noticed Paul Sr., stopped on the channel and decided to watch it for a bit. I haven't missed a show yet. I can't tell you how much I enjoy watching the crew work together. Paul Jr. and Dad. They are the best. The bikes are beautiful, such a work of art. When I know a show is going to be on, at a time I can watch, I rush home and turn on the TV. It is like watching friends. I feel like I know them. Reality shows are not me, but this one, what can I say. It is different. I am your "PR" gal. I tell everyone about the show. The only thing left for me to do is meet Paul Sr. I have always loved bikes. Thank you again, for this great show.

Sharon Grass Valley CA

American Chopper is not as bad as it looks

[sparkplug_90 · 20 February 2005]

Personally, I think American Chopper is one of the best shows out there. It's fun to watch them put the bikes together, and argue about the dumb stuff that families argue about. Its refreshing to see a reality series that doesn't try to be something it's not. Unlike VH1's "Surreal Life", this is something the whole family can watch, and enjoy together. They may argue like all hell, but at the end of the day they're still grateful to have each other in one another's lives. There's a lot of shows that show people arguing but a majority of them do not show them making up. I really respect the guys of O.C.C. They truly are incredible.

Great Insight!

[mike_byrne · 5 January 2006]

The Discovery Channel provides great insight to creativity and mechanical fabrication. So the hosts are Simpsons-like in their family dysfunction, but look at the wonderful creations that are assembled, the use of design tools, and imagination (how ever it is induced). Though I am not a cycle rider/owner for physical handicap reasons, the show offers a fine view of the custom fabrication shop environment that can be enjoyed by anyone with a notion of mechanical fabrication curiosity. Justice is served well by the Discovery Channel for bringing the the Teutul's obnoxious creativity in to our living rooms. Personally having a background in fabrication (auto & aircraft) it is a treat to see the Teutul family dysfunction coupled with mechanical ingenuity displayed in one hour vignettes. Ride on boys!

I hate this show!

[Darthhatchman · 22 March 2005]

Wow! What ever happened to Discovery airing educational programming? Not only does this show contain no educational value to it what-so-ever, it actually make's me feel dumber for watching it. Hey I like motorcycles too, but why do I care about a bunch of grease monkey-drama queens who bitch at each other like middle school aged girls while they assemble over-priced yuppy bikes. It would be one thing if this show actually showed step by step how these machines are made. But no, it stoops to the lowest common denominator by showing how despicable these sell-out, coorporate blow-holes act. At least real reality television has attractive women eating rotten eggs in their underware while airing on networks not titled DISCOVERY. I expect more substance from a network that has brought me the wonderful documentaries that Discovery used to air on a regular basis.

Enough Already

[senorjuez · 1 January 2006]

I saw this show a few times and have had enough. The Teutels 15 minutes were up long, long ago. The only reason people watch is for the conflict between Paul Sr. and Jr. because if you want to learn about building motorcycles, you will be disappointed. Some people think that Paul Sr. overacts for the camera, but I disagree. He likes to show off his tattoos, and he looks like a Mafia bodyguard plus his New York attitude. If anything, he tones it down for the cameras. This show is nothing more than a masculinity's soap opera. The drama level is always high and I just want to see Paul Jr. beat the crap out of his dad so that this show can have an appropriate ending.

Don't listen to Darthhatchman, he/she obviously doesn't get it

[BerniceBattams · 2 April 2006]

Chopper is not just about bikes, it's about a family owned & run business. While Sr & Jr argue(a lot) the rest of the OCC crew try to build bikes. There IS somethings you can learn from this show. Quite often they do things that they shouldn't. There is times where they don't wear gloves, proper shoes (Mikey), glasses and other stuff. Some of the bikes are pieces of art and yes they do 'theme' and bikes for businesses, doesn't mean that they are sell-outs, it just means that they do bikes that people want. Not forgetting that they enjoy destroying things and doing stuff outside of the shop, It's is funny seeing what Mickey does next, How can you NOT like Mickey.

The Osbournes...Who?

[tazzytess · 29 June 2003]

If you like the Osbournes, you'll love the Teutels. I really hate reality TV, but when I came across American Chopper, I just couldn't take my eyes off the TV. On The Osbournes, at least they were open about some of their staged arguments. But with the Teutels, the S#!T is flying in every direction and it is all done out of love and with real emotion. The best is yet to come, even though they seem to outdo themselves everyweek. I hope this show sticks around for a long time.