The Hoffman crew - Discovery Channel photo

John Schnabel - Discovery Channel photo

16-year-old Parker Schnabel - Discovery Channel screen shot photo

The grown and experienced Parker Schnabel - Discovery Channel photo

Video Beat - IT'S BACK... GOLD RUSH RERUNS

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

This early series is one that we've partially viewed but not on a regular basis. What initially captured our attention was the chemistry between grandfather John and grandson Parker Schnabel. Other than gold mining the elder taught his grandson how to be patient, behave and respect others. It was a long process that was captured on video over three series when the youngster had numerous conflicts with his older employees

Thursday, November 08, 2018

FEEL GOOD TV = GOLD RUSH

In a time when the world is in chaos there is some relief thanks to You Tube and the powers that be that schedule reruns on the Discovery channel. The Gold Rush series is one such TV series that is in reruns on the Discovery channel previous series and episodes exist. Currently they've been airing daily Monday through Friday.

During season 1, the series was named Gold Rush: Alaska, and the mining occurred at Porcupine Creek, on the Alaskan panhandle. As of May 4, 2018, a total of 176 episodes of Gold Rush have been aired, including 16 specials and two mini-series.

The Discovery channel is currently running e the second season of Gold Rush. This is the first season when 16-year-old Parker Schnabel appeared after graduating from the 11th grade. His upbringing was evident when made exemplified his maturity when he was confronted by old-timer Dakota Fred an individual with a know it all scathing attitude. In their initial encounter the old man confronted the teenager with a, we'll see, challenge from questioning if the youngster could find gold. It wasn't clearly stated but inferred by the Dakota man's condescending comments.

The youngster informed Dakota that he needed a lesson in DIPLOMACY but later reflected, "That's Fred." It was this observation that eventually proved to reveal how astute young man who would go on to demolish his elder competition in the series' that followed.

At that time a good day or big hall for the inexperienced Hoffman crew was $20,000 worth of gold for a FAILED in the first season. The Hoffman crew spent five months and over quarter of a million dollars in a desperate attempt to find gold in Alaska. There is a special episode concluding the season where Hoffman reveals what went wrong and how the guys plan to hit the mother lode in the next season.

That didn't discourage the 11th grader who was smart and possessed a keen instinctive sense that would eventually lead him to find over $3.7 MILLION worth of gold in a single season.

At that time he set a Gold Rush series record and obliterated the competition that failed to produce half of his gold production.

What's most interesting about the series is grandfather Schnabel who taught his nephew the digging for gold business but he failed to accomplish what his pupil would eventually accomplish.

The teenager took over his grandfather John's mining claim when at the age of 91 the elder retired. It was a major factor as the grandfather was in jeopardy of losing the project due to poor results in finding enough gold to retain the business.

Early on in the series a newcomer to the business Todd Hoffman is the featured gold-miner from the first season on. Repeatedly he failed miserably and usually lost money due to poor decision making.

His lack of experience he constantly made bad decision after bad decision. He failed to do his due diligence and lost control of his fist mining claim owing to missing a payment to the land owner. It was decisions like this that eventually led to his downfall and departure form the series.

The twist to what led to losing his claim was in season 1 the land owner sent in a friend to oversee the claims operation since he didn't have confidence in Hoffman. That individual would turn out to be the infamous Dakota Fred who was the antagonist of the series in the seasons that he appeared.

The irony was there was conflict from Hoffman's crew who resented Fred's harsh way of yelling at them and giving instructions. They didn't want to work with him. The absurdity is when Hoffman missed the payment and lost the mine Fred bought it and all of Hoffman's crew were out of a job with NO MONEY and mortgages back home to pay for their efforts over two seasons of blood sweat and tears. Fred maintains that he isn't a CLAIM JUMPER.

The dynamic of the series how a high school student could outthink and outwork individuals that was in most cases, older than his father.

The most refreshing thing about the earlier series is watching the school kid mature and evolve into a young man that basically kicked the competitions asses. He made quick and better decisions while going at it with a balls to the wall attitude.

This early series is one that we've partially viewed but not on a regular basis. What initially captured our attention was the chemistry between grandfather and Parker. The elder taught his grandson how to be patient, behave and respect others. It was a long process that was captured on video over three series when the youngster had numerous conflicts with his older employees. Those conflicts led to dissension and resignations, as in... I QUIT.

The most repetitive remarks from his former employees were that the kid needed to know how to talk to his workforce and not create conflict. It was a long process but eventually Parker got it and those employees that stuck it out got behind his hard driving decisions to set records (for the series) in finding gold.

Starting with the early series it is amusing to see a peach fuzz faced kid eventually grow into a mid 20's young man with responsibilities and having to make serious decisions when he was challenged by his older, jealous competitors that tried to get in his way in an effort to make him fail.

The guidance of the grandfather is most interesting. It's easy to get attached to the old man since he's a role model for guidance, growth and the maturation of an individual.

When he eventually passed away it made us sad. We missed him dearly since he, to us, was what the series was all about. The revival of reruns brings back good memories and was what it was all about that endeared us to the series.

This early series is most interesting for the maturation factors for all involved and is a worth watch. Think about it how much of Donald Trump can one take? Our advice is for some relief… take a feel good pill... and watch Gold Rush.

RELATED - GOLD RUSH'S BIGGEST LOSS - JOHN SCHNABEL

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