Smallscreen News
Travel Channel - August 2012 Programming Schedule
By April MacIntyre Jul 24, 2012, 15:27 GMT
Andrew Zimmern, the two-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, food writer and teacher, once again ditches his passport and explores the bizarre foods and cultures in our own backyard in the new season of “Bizarre Foods America” with Andrew Zimmern.
Tune in alert as Travel Channel released their August 2012 highlights.
All times ET/PT unless otherwise noted. All programs are rated TV G unless otherwise noted.
SERIES PREMIERES
ALL YOU CAN MEAT
TV-G
Premiering Sunday, August 12 at 10:00PM with Two Back-to-Back Episodes. New episodes will continue weekly in their regular timeslot at 9:00PM
On “All You Can Meat,” meat, in all its glorious forms, becomes the way in to an America that is quirky, colorful, and downright delicious. Host and meat enthusiast Chuey Martinez travels across the country to find the most authentic preparations of the classic cuts: steak, ribs, pulled pork, brisket, etc. From the Texas pit master to the woodsman in Appalachia curing jerky in his shack, Martinez quickly learns that great American characters make great eats and there is much to be learned about a region by how they prepare their meat. Martinez also discovers that roasted meat taps into deep emotions and has the ability to bring people together. This series will take viewers to some amazing corners of the country – places they can go themselves to discover these mouth-watering meat recipes.
Sunday, August 12
10:00PM
“Pulled Pork”
Chuey Martinez is on a mission to savor some of America’s tastiest pulled pork, from a pork shoulder with a French twist for an amazing mixture in New Orleans, LA, to Mexican pulled pork carnitas tacos in Denver, CO.
Sunday, August 12
10:30PM
“Brisket”
Chuey Martinez is on the hunt for the country’s tastiest brisket! He tries all kinds of brisket, from slow-cooked city and country style in Texas, to sweet and tangy brisket in Charlotte, NC, and authentic Mexican brisket tacos in LA.
Sunday, August 19
9:00PM
“Ribs”
Chuey Martinez is on a quest for America’s best ribs. Martinez tries it all, from award-winning barrel-smoked ribs from America’s BBQ capital of Kansas City to traditional Texas-style beef ribs in Austin, TX.
Sunday, August 26
9:00PM
“Poultry”
Chuey Martinez travels in search of some of America’s best poultry.
TOY HUNTER
TV-PG
Premiering Wednesday, August 15 at 10:00PM with Two Back-to-Back Episodes. New episodes will continue weekly in their regular timeslot at 9:00PM
“Toy Hunter” follows toy and collectibles expert and dealer Jordan Hembrough as he scours the country for hidden treasures to sell to his buyers around the world. In each episode, he travels from city to city, strategically maneuvering around reluctant sellers, abating budgets, and avoiding unforeseen roadblocks. With his sights on the holy grail of toys and pop culture collectibles, we’ll follow along with Hembrough as he digs through thousands of toy stashes, looking to turn people’s old trash into cold cash. As each flip brings him one step closer to his goal of becoming the ultimate collector, the stakes become higher, the hagglers push harder, and the payoffs are greater than ever before. For this toy hunter, poking through cramped attics and rummaging around dirty garages to score rare vintage items is all in a day’s work!
Wednesday, August 15
10:00PM
“Jedi Shore”
Jordan Hembrough’s mission takes him to the one place he never thought he would be hunting – in his own backyard of New Jersey. New Jersey is known as the Mall Capital of the world, and buried in the garages and basements of the locals are hoards of vintage toys leftover from popular department store toy displays. Hembrough knows collectors in the area so finding leads isn’t the hard part, but getting these toy boys to give up the goods at a reasonable price is another story. And if he does discover a life-sized Star Wars showstopper, will he even be able to find a buyer willing to dish out the dough?
Wednesday, August 15
10:30PM
“North Carolina”
Jordan Hembrough journeys to North Carolina – the epicenter of antiques and collectibles. He travels to Bryson City, Asheville and Charlotte, and meets some great people along the way. But these folks drive hard bargains. Will Hembrough leave empty-handed, or will he find toy gold?
Wednesday, August 22
9:00PM
“Jurassic Park Nation” (wt)
Jordan Hembrough is in Cincinnati where some of the most popular toys of the 70's and 80's were created. He's there to visit his buddy Ed, a former Kenner employee, and Traders World, a huge flea market with a barn full of toys. Ed has a number of valuable goodies and an incredibly rare collection of Jurassic Park prototypes, but will Hembrough find a buyer for such a niche collection?
Wednesday, August 29
9:00PM
“Batman Madness” (wt)
Jordan Hembrough visits the great state of Mississippi to hunt down the ultimate Batman collectables. This fearless hunter digs in bat caves and basements to make sure true toy gold doesn’t fly away.
SPECIALS
XTREME WATERPARKS SPECIAL
TV-G
Premiering Sunday, August 12 at 8:00PM
Travel Channel finds the world's most extreme water rides. From the world’s tallest slide in Brazil, to the world's largest indoor waterpark in Germany - we're getting wet and counting down the world's best rides.
INSANE COASTER WARS SPECIAL
TV-G
Premiering Sunday, August 12 at 9:00PM
You voted on travelchannel.com and now the country's top ten most heart-pumping adrenaline rides featured in “Insane Coaster Wars” go head to head! From speed demons to g-forces, which coaster will soar above the competition? We pitted the top roller coasters in the country against each other and you picked the winner. The ballots are in, the numbers have been crunched and this special counts down the ten top coasters in the country.
MYSTERIES AT THE MUSEUM SPECIAL – “Out of this World”
TV-PG
Premiering on Tuesday, August 21 at 9:00PM
Don Wildman takes a look back at the most Out of this World Mysteries at the Museum. Whether it’s one of the world’s first and furriest astronauts, a pair of human heads each the size of an apple, or a photograph depicting the ghostly image of a former president, these are among the most bizarre and otherworldly stories found in America’s museums.
MYSTERIES AT THE MUSEUM SPECIAL – “Secrets of New England”
TV-PG
Premiering on Tuesday, August 28 at 9:00PM
Don Wildman revisits the most fascinating secrets tucked away in New England museums. Whether it’s a hatchet said to have been used in one of the most infamous murders in the country, a dress that may be proof of an alien encounter, or a catalogue that holds the key to winning millions, these are some of the most mysterious stories in the Northeast.
ONGOING SERIES
ADAM RICHMAN’S BEST SANDWICH IN AMERICA
TV-G
Premiere Episodes Wednesdays at 9:00PM
Travel Channel fan-favorite Adam Richman has sampled countless variations of this delectable and ingenious American icon, and now he is crisscrossing the country on a mission to find the most delicious sandwich ever created. “Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America” is an 11-episode weekly series (10 half-hour shows with a special one-hour finale), which documents Richman’s nationwide quest to find the best thing since sliced bread ON sliced bread. Using his own BITE SCALE (B=Bread, I=Interior, T=Taste, E=Eating Experience), Richman samples and judges the three most mouthwatering masterpieces a region has to offer. After naming a regional favorite in 10 geographical locales, each winning sandwich moves to the finals, to face off against each other and two secret wildcards – earning a chance to compete in the ultimate national championship – and fight for the title of “Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America.”
Wednesday, August 1
9:00PM
“Southwest”
Adam Richman’s hunt for the best sandwich in America leads him to the Southwest, where he’ll choose the best in the region between a sliced beef brisket sandwich in Driftwood, TX, a seared beef tongue sandwich in Austin, TX and a beef, pork, ham and chorizo torta in Phoenix, AZ.
Wednesday, August 8
9:00PM
“New England”
Adam Richman’s quest to find the best sandwich in America brings him to the New England, where he’ll choose the best between a crab grilled cheese sandwich in Portsmouth, NH, a zesty lemon lobster roll in Naples, ME and an oven roasted turkey sandwich in New Haven, CT.
Wednesday, August 15
9:00PM
“Championship Finale”
After coasting the nation in search of the best sandwiches America has to offer, it’s time for the ten regional champions to come face-to-face in Best Sandwich in America Championship Finale! Sampling sandwiches in the South, Northeast, Gulf Coast, Midwest, Mid Atlantic, Northwest, West Coast, Great Lakes, Southwest and in New England, Adam Richman must choose between his ten regional favorites and two never before seen or tasted wild cards, and decide which sandwich has what it takes to be crowned his Best Sandwich in America! In this single-elimination tournament bracket, Richman will taste each sandwich and determine which of these twelve sandwiched will make it to the quarterfinals. The six victors will then move on to the semifinals. Finally, three victorious hoagies will move on to the finals. The chefs of the three final sandwiches prepare them one last time for Richman to taste. It’s a fight to the last ingredient for the crowning title. Three sandwiches. One final decision. One will be crowned Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America!
TRIP FLIP
TV-PG
Premiere episodes Thursdays at 9:00PM
In this new original 13-episode series, vacation expert and professional fun-seeker Bert Kreischer turns the tables on would be vacationers and offers them a fantasy vacation of a lifetime – and all they have to do is say “yes” and enjoy the adventure. Each weekly half-hour show features Kreischer as he surprises two people with the most unbelievable trip beyond their imaginations! He convinces passersby to seize an opportunity of a lifetime and add a large dose of spontaneity into their lives. Kreischer becomes the ultimate tour guide and offers up an all-expense paid three-day vacation not written in the guidebooks to unsuspecting travelers.
Thursday, August 2
9:00PM
“Edinburgh”
Bert Kreischer takes Seattle residents Sean and Kiersten to Edinburgh, Scotland for a well-deserved surprise vacation. They get five-star accommodations at the Malmaison Hotel in downtown Edinburgh, and a few of their over-the-top activities include learning to play the bagpipes, a lesson in falconry with giant birds of prey and cliff diving.
Thursday, August 9
9:00PM
“Florence”
Bert Kreischer gives San Francisco residents Aisha and Jaci a surprise vacation upgrade in Florence, Italy. In addition to five-star accommodations at the Villa Cora Hotel, these best friends also get try their hand at archery and paddle under the famed Ponte Vecchio bridge with Florence's professional rowing team. Plus, they get a private showing of Michaelangelo’s masterpiece, the statue of David.
Thursday, August 16
9:00PM
“Las Vegas”
Bert Kreischer surprises a Lancaster, California couple, Aaron and Briana, with a surprise vacation to Las Vegas. After booking them into a luxury suite at Monte Carlo’s “Hotel 32,” Kreischer takes them to fire machine guns, learn a magic trick from world-famous magicians Penn and Teller, and then backstage to meet Celine Dion before catch her show at Caesars!
Thursday, August 23
9:00PM
“Rome”
Bert Kreischer takes recent college grads - Matt and Christopher - to Rome, Italy, where the two young men from Arkansas get the chance to spar with gladiators, zip thru rush hour traffic on Vespa scooters and go canyoning in the Italian countryside.
Thursday, August 30
9:00PM
“New York City”
Bert Kreischer surprises L.A. couple, Tanya and Kirk, with a surprise vacation to New York City. Their Trip Flip includes three nights in a Westin Hotel suite overlooking Times Square, a backstage Broadway tour to meet “Evita” star Ricky Martin and a VIP tour of Yankee Stadium, where they’ll meet some of the players and even do the YMCA with the grounds crew in the 5th inning of an MLB game!
XTREME WATER PARKS
TV-G
Premiere Episodes Sundays at 8:00PM
Hold on to your trunks, because we're taking an all-access, adrenaline filled ride on the wildest, over-the-top and exhilarating water rides in the world! From a high-speed, gravity defying water ride in Orlando, Florida to the world’s tallest water slide in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, we're trotting the globe to reveal the most insane, nail-biting and “Xtreme Waterparks” that will thrill even the greatest adrenaline junkies.
Sunday, August 5
8:00PM
“Getting Wet in Jersey”
Ride the tallest half-pipe in the world at Aquatica in Texas. Then slide, dive and swing into New Jersey's Mountain Creek Waterpark. Finally, brave the world's only double looping water slide at Wave Water World in Austria.
INSANE COASTER WARS
TV-G
Premiere Episodes Sundays at 9:00PM
Roller coasters promise a terrifying trip full of death-defying drops, spine-torqueing twists and stomach-churning inversions – but which ride is better? This series invites thrill seekers everywhere to settle the battle once and for all by voting for their favorite coasters. Each episode features four coasters in a total of six different categories. Coaster experts will argue the pros, cons, advantages and weaknesses of each ride, while viewers experience the ride firsthand through specially mounted cameras. The fan favorites will be announced on air at the end of each episode, and in the one-hour finale, we count down the top ten coasters with the most votes!
Sunday, August 5
9:00PM
“Speed Demons”
These lightning-fast coasters reach mind-blowing speeds in record-breaking time! But which coaster will blow past the competition - Ohio's Top Thrill Dragster, Nevada's Desperado, New England's Bizarro, or California's Xcelerator?
BIZARRE FOODS AMERICA
TV-PG
Premiere episodes Mondays at 9:00PM
Get ready to dive into pigeon pie in Austin, barbeque some armadillo in Central Florida and eat lambs tongue at a one-night only pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles in season six of the “Bizarre Foods” series.
Andrew Zimmern, the two-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, food writer and teacher, once again ditches his passport and explores the bizarre foods and cultures in our own backyard in the new season of “Bizarre Foods America” with Andrew Zimmern. The sixth season, featuring eight one-hour episodes, premieres with Zimmern’s 100th episode of the “Bizarre Foods” series.
Monday, August 6
9:00PM
“L.A. Pop Up”
Andrew Zimmern creates a menu inspired by his travels around the world for a hungry dinner crowd in Los Angeles. He works and eats as he shops for the unique ingredients he plans to serve at his one-night-only pop up restaurant. From learning how to make pig face bacon, to having some tense moments surrounding sea urchin aspic, to working against the clock in a cramped kitchen to feed inpatient diners, Zimmern faces some great challenges as he prepares a globally-inspired meal that can meet the high standards of the food scene in Los Angeles!
Monday, August 13
9:00PM
“Austin”
The food in Austin can get a little weird, but that's a compliment in a city where funky counterculture and eclectic style are part of the pioneer spirit, even when it comes to what they eat. There's a rich mix of tradition and innovation in this central Texas city. From roasted pigeons with the heads still on, to grits mixed with duck innards, to scrambled pig brains and bloody Mary's made with real pig blood, Andrew Zimmern explores the foods that keep Austin's food scene in line with the city's slogan, "Keep Austin Weird."
Monday, August 20
9:00PM
“The Blues Trail”
Andrew Zimmern takes a road trip down the Blues Trail, stopping along the way to take in the music and the food that make up the unique flavor of the Mississippi Delta. From Memphis, TN to Jackson, MS, the foods he finds are both classic and unexpected. While there are plenty of old southern standbys such as smoked baloney, pork rinds and deep fried chicken livers, innovative chefs are also creating new riffs on old favorites including redneck ramen made with noodles and pigs ears and a BLT made with lamb testicles. Whether he is learning how to make souse, dining on Chinese food with a southern accent, or soaking in live music and smoked ribs at one of the Delta's last juke joints, Zimmern explores the multiple notes of the food and music that are the heart of the Delta.
Monday, August 27
9:00PM
“The Other Florida”
Andrew Zimmern gets away from Florida’s big cities and beaches to delve into the interior part of the state where the people and the food have an identity all of their own. From frying up frog legs in the Everglades, to hunting armadillos with true Florida Crackers, to catching alligators with members of the Seminole Tribe, Zimmern gets a true taste of what life is like in the wilderness of central Florida.
HOTEL IMPOSSIBLE
TV-PG
Premiere episodes Mondays at 10:00PM
In this new original series, Anthony Melchiorri, a hotel “fixer,” turns struggling hotels into bustling tourist destinations. Each episode features a hotel in trouble or not living up to its potential. Melchiorri secretly scouts the property and identifies its biggest problems. He then meets with the staff, from front desk receptionists to housekeeping, to the owners themselves to determine the key operation issues. Some owners could risk losing their hotels if Melchiorri’s renovations do not work! After coming up with a plan and prescribing the changes that need to be made, Melchiorri revamps and re-motivates the staff and transforms the hotel. Whether it is demonstrating the proper way to pour a glass of wine or gutting and redecorating a lobby, Melchiorri knows how to turn any establishment around. Melchiorri’s tough-love style can be hard to swallow, and overhauling a business is a painful and often emotional task, but the potential reward of a fully booked hotel with excellent customer reviews makes it all worth it.
Monday, August 6
10:00PM
“The Dream Inn”
Anthony Melchiorri heads to Daytona Beach, FL to transform The Dream Inn, where he renovates the beachside hotel’s dilapidated rooms and hideous yellow exterior, while simultaneously amending the family owners’ damaging and confusing management style.
TOP SPOT
TV-PG
Premiere Episodes Thursdays at 11:00PM
How do you plan the perfect vacation? In each weekly episode, vacationers test drive three different hotel experiences before making their choice. From hotels with private cabanas just steps away from Miami beaches to the rich culture of London, each location will be exciting, making the choice very difficult. Viewers play along by guessing which place will be chosen. The winning spot is revealed at the end of each show - along with whether or not they stayed on budget!
Thursday, August 9
11:00PM
“Vancouver”
Brooke and Chris are leaving behind the Texas heat for the cool shores of Vancouver, Canada. On their first international vacation, they’ll have to choose between three distinct hotels including a secluded coastal island, the hippest section of downtown Vancouver and a Zen-like retreat in the heart of the city.
Thursday, August 16
11:00PM
“New York City”
Tom and Michelle are making their first trip to the Big Apple. They will get a chance to test drive three different NY hotel experiences before making their decision. With a budget of $4,500 for a five-night vacation stay, picking the best of the three hotels will be a challenge. The tour starts with traditional luxury close to the world famous Central Park and Museum Mile, then to Greenwich Village for a charming boutique style hotel located close to shops and a mega sports complex for rock climbing. The third stops takes them to the hipper side of Brooklyn via water taxi, where hotel bikes and Grimaldi’s pizza make this stop an interesting game changer.
Thursday, August 23
11:00PM
“New Orleans”
Tim and Kiki love to travel but they’ve never been able to experience one of Tim’s favorite cities together: New Orleans. Kiki is a first timer and wants to party on Bourbon St., while Tim is looking for a bit of history with his cocktails. They’ve got three hotels to take a shot at but only one can win out. From a historic celebrity haunt in the French Quarter, a Bourbon St. classic with a locally famous host, or a modern oasis on the edge of the Garden District…will the party atmosphere keep them on Bourbon St. or drive them to the edge of town?
Thursday, August 30
11:00PM
“San Francisco”
**Full description TBD.
THE DEAD FILES
TV-PG
Premiering Friday, August 10 at 10:00PM
They are a paranormal team like no other, combining their unique, eclectic and often-conflicting skills to solve unexplained paranormal phenomena in haunted locations across America. Our team approaches every case from their two specific areas of expertise: Steve DiSchiavi is a Homicide Detective and Amy Allan is a medium. Each investigator’s methods and findings remain hidden from the other team member to preserve the integrity of their findings, until the shocking results are revealed to the homeowner in the compelling conclusion of each episode. Steve and Amy come together, with the homeowner, and all of the team’s findings gel into one undeniable – and often terrifying – conclusion.
Friday, August 10
10:00PM
Amy Allan and Steve Di Schiavi investigate paranormal activity at a dentist’s home office in Huntington, WV.
Friday, August 17
10:00PM
Amy Allan and Steve Di Schiavi investigate reports of paranormal activity at Smalley’s Inn in Carmel, NY.
Friday, August 24
10:00PM
“Dead Files Revisited: Family Attraction & Fear at the Family Tree”
In this special episode, Amy Allan and Steve DiSchiavi revisit two of their most suspenseful and captivating investigations from season two – a historic home in Wichita, KS and a family-owned restaurant in Santaquin, UT. As they take viewers on a guided tour from investigation to reveal, Allan and DiSchiavi provide additional insight into their processes and the investigations. Plus, we’ll hear from the clients to find out what happened after the investigation –whether or not they took Allan’s advice and how DiSchiavi and Allan’s findings have affected them.
