American Digger (TV series)
| American Digger | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | Spike |
| Original release | February 1, 2012 – 13 Apr. 2013 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
American Digger is an American reality television series airing on Spike. The show follows former professional wrestler Frank Huguelet (aka Ric Savage) and his company American Savage as they search the United States for buried historical artifacts. The second season of the show was retitled Savage Family Diggers as Savage's wife Rita and son Nick join the crew.
On August 7, 2012, Spike TV announced that American Digger had been renewed for a second thirteen episode season. Filming of the new season began Fall 2012 and Aired in Spring 2013.[1]
Description
The series focuses on Savage and his crew as they travel across the United States searching for buried artifacts. Searching historical documents, the team attempts to find locations that may contain artifacts that can be located using a variety of tools including shovel and metal detectors. The crew has to negotiate with the various land owners for permission to dig on their land. Due to many Americans being protective of their land it can be quite harrowing trying to find locations to dig. When valuable artifacts are discovered they are taken to various collectors and sold at which time the money would be split between the land owner and Savage.
The Savage Crew
- Ric Savage[2]
- Rita Savage (married Ric in 1999).
- Giuseppe "G" Savage, Ric's and Rita's eldest son.
- Nick Savage, their youngest son.
- Rue Shumate, 43(left the crew)
- Bob Buttafuso(left the crew)
Controversies
Professor of anthropology at the University of Florida Susan Gillespie criticized American Digger as well as the National Geographic Channel show "Diggers", saying, “Our main issue is that these shows promote the destruction and selling of artifacts which are part of our cultural heritage and patrimony.”[3]
The American Anthropological Association protested the show's presentation of archaeology as a "treasure-seeking adventure, in which our collective heritage is dug up and sold for monetary gain." Ric Savage's column in American Digger Magazine was cancelled. The publisher also filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Viacom. Viacom reported that it obtained a license for the trademark.[4]
Savage Family Diggers
In December 2012, Spike TV announced that American Digger would be renamed Savage Family Diggers for its second season premiering January 30, 2013 at 10:00pm. The name change better reflects the crew in the second season which adds Savage's wife Rita and son Nick to the dig team.[5]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Ice Cold Gold" | March 21, 2012 |
| 2 | "Motor City Money" | March 28, 2012 |
| 3 | "Savage Shark Hunt" | April 4, 2012 |
| 4 | "Moonshine Money" | April 11, 2012 |
| 5 | "Cherokee Treasure Trove" | April 18, 2012 |
| 6 | "The Bowels of Brooklyn" | April 25, 2012 |
| 7 | "Blood, Sweat, and Money" | May 2, 2012 |
| 8 | "New World Treasure" | May 9, 2012 |
| 9 | "Unearthing Controversy" | May 16, 2012 |
| 10 | "Mob Money" | May 23, 2012 |
| 11 | "Spoils of War" | May 30, 2012 |
| 12 | "The Fountain of Cash" | June 6, 2012 |
| 13 | "Buried Bucks in the Bayou" | June 6, 2012 |
References
- ↑ "Spike TV Orders 26 Additional Episodes of "Auction Hunters" and 13 Episodes of "American Digger"". Retrieved 26 October 2012.
- ↑ http://www.spike.com/shows/american-digger/bios
- ↑ Carter, Bill (21 March 2012). "TV Digs Will Harm Patrimony, Scholars Say". The New York Times. p. 1.
- ↑ Gardner, Eriq (31 October 2012). "Viacom Sued Over Spike TV's 'American Digger'". 10/31/2012. Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ↑ Hughes, Jason (31 January 2013). "Ric Savage Searches New Orleans Brothel Sites On 'Savage Family Diggers' Premiere". 01/31/2013. Huffington Post. Retrieved 9 February 2013.