Canadian Pickers never gets old
Long before he became one half of the duo known as Canadian Pickers, Scott Cozens was an electrician, then a lawyer. One profession taught him about energy and scientific principle; the other taught him how to sell a line. He’s always been fond of poking through other people’s throwaways and hanging out at garage sales, though. As Antiques Roadshow has shown week in and week out for countless seasons, looking for “old stuff ” never gets old. One never truly knows what value there may be in that reupholstered theatre seat or that fading, Depression-era poster that has history stamped all over it.
Sheldon Smithens, on the other hand, is a third-generation antiques dealer. Picking is in his blood. He’s a professional auction broker and appraisal expert, and he lectured at the University of Calgary before Canadian Pickers made him, if not a TV star exactly, a regular TV presence. Smithens taught a course called Antiques, Art and Auction, but it didn’t take him long to figure out that doing is more time-consuming than teaching.
Canadian Pickers returns for a new season Monday, with Cozens and Smithens once again scouring the land in search of that elusive find that will turn the collectible antiques market on its head. With their familiar cowboy hats and prairie jackets, they’ve become a fixture at flea markets and yard sales across the country, when they’re not picking through tool sheds, storage barns and abandoned attics.
The idea for Canadian Pickers was spawned by American Pickers, but it’s truly Canadian, in every other way. Smithens and Cozens knew each other through their families; their mothers would hang out together at community garage sales.
The show’s producers picked Smithens for Canadian Pickers early on. Cozens came along for the ride, and because it made sense that the two hosts of Canadian Pickers get along. Having them bicker over finds like a pair of old alley cats might have made for good TV, but only for a short time. (8 p.m., History)
Broadchurch, playwright Chris Chibnall’s exquisite ITV drama about a young boy’s murder in a quiet, seaside town overlooking the English Channel, reaches the final act of a haunting, evocative tale. Make no mistake: this is dramatic, finely tuned storytelling. When Broadchurch aired in the U.K. this past spring, it became one of the most tweeted-about dramas in U.K. television history. Yes, it’s that good. (10 p.m., Showcase)
Top of the Lake, filmmaker Jane Campion’s harrowing drama about the disappearance of a pregnant 12-yearold girl in rural New Zealand, ends with Det. Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) uncovering a terrible secret, and doing something about it. The finale aired Saturday, the least-watched night of the TV week, where it was easily overlooked.
Here’s your chance to catch up, if you missed it the first time. (10 p.m., Bravo)
Moss, Emmy-nominated — again — for Mad Men, joins Craig Ferguson in a repeat of The Late, Late Show from June. Also on the guest list: Seth Rogen. (12:35 a.m., CBS, CFMT)