I know a lot of Hardcore Pawn is fake for TV, but for all the contrived bickering between Ashley and Seth, or Ashley and pretty much anyone, or the antics of the various crazy customers, there is something very real about the show. The mood swings and the shifting alliances of the Gold family and their employees feel very genuine, and while the constant hysterics might grate sometimes, it's still much more entertaining than yet another reality show about vapid relatives of a Zelebrity, or the sex lives of drunken 20 year olds. There are a lot of moments which are just a pure adrenaline rush, as well as occasional moments of tenderness (like when Seth tells Ashley she did a good job in how she handled firing someone).
Neither Hardcore or Pawn Stars are a great guide to real life. One is full of fireworks, the other is full of somewhat laborious lectures and painful "comedy" segments with Chumley. Both of them thrive because of the relationships of the people who run the shops.
If you want a painstakingly realistic chronicle of life, then don't watch Hardcore Pawn. If you want a fun ride which is at times a little more realistic than you may want to admit, then give it a try.
Neither Hardcore or Pawn Stars are a great guide to real life. One is full of fireworks, the other is full of somewhat laborious lectures and painful "comedy" segments with Chumley. Both of them thrive because of the relationships of the people who run the shops.
If you want a painstakingly realistic chronicle of life, then don't watch Hardcore Pawn. If you want a fun ride which is at times a little more realistic than you may want to admit, then give it a try.