A&E: Arts and Explosions

A&E, the channel I would always skip across from childhood through most of college. My knowledge of this network was minimal, all I knew was that my parents watched it a whole lot which meant I was steering clear. It turned out I was right, up until about 2 years ago A&E’s schedule was similar to this:

12:00am-6:00am: Biography

6:00am-7:00am: Night at the Improv

7:00am-12:00am: Biography

No way this programming lineup has enough explosions to keep me entertained. However, today’s A&E is totally different. Shows like Inked and Criss Angel Mindfreak have completely changed what this channel is all about. If you’re just now ready to begin your journey down the path of A&E, here’s a quick guide to get you stated.

Inked: Remember the real quiet guy from The Surreal Life? Well he’s back and not so quiet this time around. The show is filmed at a real life tattoo parlor in Las Vegas, making the show less about tattoos and more about 20-somethings living in Las Vegas with disposable incomes.

King of Cars: Reality show about rapper turned T.V producer turned music producer turned car salesman Chopper, who operates the #1 new and used car dealership in the United States. In order to attract customers he employs a cast of characters including a blue genie and drag queens among others. He also hosts a weekly infomercial that plays out more like a variety show that an advertisement.

Dog the Bounty Hunter: Another reality show about the day to day life of Hawaiian bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman. He has a team of sidekicks made up of his new wife and his sons, who make this ensemble by far the most unattractive combination of human beings on T.V.

Criss Angel Mindfreak: Not really a reality show, more of a series of demonstrations by illusionist Criss Angel, who looks a lot like Jesus without a beard and worked out 6 days a week. He can teach you some really practical stuff, like how to saw your girlfriend in half, how to telepathically slit your wrist to remove that pesky quarter under your skin and how to sit on a bed of nails while a hummer drives on your chest. Check out some previews of his stuff on Google video.