Todd Merrill of ‘Picked Off’ on America’s obsession with ‘what’s it worth?’

In the reality television world, one man’s garbage is definitely another man’s treasure. With the success of American Pickers, Pawn Stars and Antiques Roadshow, the nation has found new meaning in old objects.

The History Channel is banking on our collective interest of turning forgotten collectibles into cold hard cash with its new series, Picked Off. The six-part competition show premieres Wednesday, July 11 at 10 p.m. Each episode will follow four teams of pickers that must take $100 and find one item worth the most money. Once they have “picked” their item, they will present their findings to Todd and Ethan Merrill, the judges in the “Dealers’ Room.” The grand prize winner could bring home $10,000.

With a specialty in contemporary furniture and modern design, Todd Merrill knows Americana and its unique value. Whether overseeing his own antiques company for stylists, designers, hotels and restaurants, or presenting top work from the world’s best artists in his galleries, Todd offers a trained eye on unique household objects.

Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged e-mails with Todd Merrill about Picked Off and what viewers can expect from the new series. Answers have been slightly edited.

How did you get attached to this new show for The History Channel?

I did an episode of American Pickers — the guys came to my shop Todd Merrill Antiques in NYC with a vintage betting machine, the “Horse-Race Game” — we had a great time. At the end of the taping the producer said, “You are a natural and could have your own show.” Months later the producers were putting together Picked Off and called me to be the anchor “dealer.” I then suggested my brother as my on-air partner — two weeks later we were in Kentucky shooting the pilot.

You get to judge the contestants along with your brother. Could you describe that relationship with Ethan? Is it special to work so closely with a family member?

Ethan and I grew up together in Vermont working in my parent’s auction business — Duane Merrill and Co. Auctions and my grandparents’ antique shop — now closed. We were steeped in the antiques trade from birth — literally. So we are well versed at working together when it comes to antiques. I live in New York City and he lives in Vermont — we have not actually worked together since we were in college — but nothing has changed and it’s great to have an opportunity to work with him on Picked Off. As far as judging the contestants goes, I’m probably the harder of the two — he is the nice judge, I’m a bit more direct with my comments and criticisms. I’m now more New York City and he’s more Vermont.

What makes a good ‘picker’? How does the average person gain a good eye on antiques and their value?

A good picker is usually born with an eye for great merchandise. They can just sniff it out of a huge pile of trash. That innate ability and self-education usually results in the most success, but in addition to having (an) eye and knowing a little about everything, you must be motivated. At the end of the day it’s often the picker who moves the fastest who gets all the best stuff. My advice for someone starting to pick is choose an area to learn — see as much of that genre as you can and then branch out your base of knowledge from there. It’s almost impossible if your just starting to be broad.

Without giving away too much about the upcoming episodes, were you surprised by the competition from the pickers on the show? Did they make many rookie mistakes?

The competition was fierce, and there was a lot of emotion generated. The contestants covered multiple sites to pick per competition and just getting from one to the other could involve a 100 miles of driving! If you got beat by another competitor then all the good stuff would have been picked and you’re left with nothing. Being faced with nothing and another huge drive to the next possible pick is tough. The contestants worked hard for the most part. Rookie mistakes like overconfidence, not paying attention to condition or listening to the fabricated “stories” from the people they were buying from was typical, but made the show exciting and unpredictable.

Why do you think antiquing and similar industries have blossomed so well as reality shows? What sets Picked Off apart from the rest?

America has an obsession with “What’s it worth?” Thus we have a huge genre of shows that revolve around antiques and collectibles and evaluating the worth of it all. It’s not going to go away anytime soon because this obsession is nearly universal — everyone wants to know if they have trash or treasure and how much it’s worth. It’s a vicarious pleasure to watch this process again and again. Picked Off takes it to a whole new level — the contestants have to use their wits and knowledge to find the goods in a fierce competition — they are not just lining up at the counter for an appraisal. They are literally running through huge flea markets — knocking doors or driving hundreds of miles to find the best they can in a very limited time. This mirrors what real pickers actually do and makes the stakes high. They are gambling with a small amount of money, hoping to turn it with knowledge, luck and ambition into enough to win the $10,000 prize.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Picked Off premieres on The History Channel on Wednesday, July 11 at 10 p.m. Click here for more information.