News

American Chopper Available on DVD Tuesday, April 08 2008

If you ever happen to find your self in Orange County Choppers in Rock Tavern, New York upon the invite of Paul Teutul Sr or his son Paulie, please don’t call the choppers motorcycles. You will be on the wrong end of the infamous Teutul tantrum.

But when you watch American Chopper Season One on DVD, you might not mind the quarrelsome family. In fact you might become throughly entertained by it all.

Paul Teutul Sr. is the walrus-mustached and fiery tempered patriarch of the family with a penchant for chewing out family members and has in his possession an ironic sense of humor. Paul Jr. himself shares his father’s aggressive streak along with his namesake. Junior is the Chief Fabricator of the OCC and is the focus of his father’s criticisms and rage.

The DVD contains 13 episodes that document the Teutul’s involved in some project: building a display chopper for a New York City trade show, a memorial bike for the fallen firefighters of 9/11 to a NASCAR themed chopper for a special event. Most of the work is done by Junior with Papa Teutul hovering over his work barking orders and complaining about time management. Paulie however has cast himself perfectly as an assassin to his father character. Paul Jr. at times belittles his father and delights in spotlighting Papa Teutul’s insecurities. Despite the catfights, there are some touching moments between father and son.

It is not hard to understand why this show is so popular. Even when we are witnessing a vicious battle between Pop and son that mirrors the mythical Saturn-Jupiter dynamic, something becomes apparent: they are funny and entertaining. But a new interesting element comes into play that adds to the irritation and amusement of Papa and Paulie: the inclusion of youngest Teutul son Mikey late in the season.

The Discovery Channel has brought the public another installation of the Teutul family psychodrama in American Chopper Season Two on DVD. Featured personalities for this season is Paul Teutul Sr. acting as the passive-aggressive papa, Paulie as the brilliantly artistic yet antagonizing junior and Mikey Teutul cast as the youngest son and comic relief for the show.

Mikey, who appeared on the show late in Season One, now sparkles as a major role player at the OCC even if it is just to answer the phone or take out the trash. He is the buffer between Senior’s demands for perfection and Junior’s nasty undercurrent. Papa consider’s Mikey a hoot and will laugh hysterically at his youngest son even if he was screaming at him two seconds earlier.

Actually, this season doesn’t show as many arguments as last season but the infamous Teutul anger rears its head on occasion. We also see that even Mikey possesses it as much as Papa and Junior even if it lies dormant underneath layers of joviality and yes, immaturity.

Season Two arrives 20-something episodes deep with more expensive projects for the Teutuls to complete like a commissioned bike for Jay Leno and episodes concerning the process for building a Tool Bike, a Liberty Bike and a POW/MIA bike. Papa Teutul created the later with assistance from employees Rick, Cody, Mikey and Campo. Vinnie now becomes a vehicle for Senior’s compulsion for a tidy workplace during the second season. Vinnie cleaned up the area as asked (read: vehemently ordered) and got back to work as usual. Mikey Teutul even gets his own “Mikey Special” for all of his fans. This is proof positive that laughter truly gives powerful medicine and the best ratings.

Also available:

American Chopper The Serie - Season 3
American Chopper The Serie - Season 4
American Chopper The Serie - Season 5
American Chopper The Serie - Season 6