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retro_eidasOk, I know a lot of y'all on my FL probably have your TVs on 8E Wednesday nights (American Idol, Lost and Alias night), so you may already be familiar with this. However, I just caught a few eps (per the insistance of a co-worker) of this new show on Discovery called It Takes A Thief.
Hosted by reformed ex-cons Matt Johnston and Jon Douglas Rainey, It Takes a Thief exposes home-security flaws by unleashing these two uniquely qualified experts onto the properties of people interested in learning just how vulnerable their houses are, if at all. Watch along with the homeowners themselves as the burglars size up, break in, and ransack the home in search of valuables. And in so doing, discover what items are attractive — and why — to a burglar.
Then, sit back as our experts give the property a full home-security makeover, reworking everything from locks to landscaping. How foolproof will these new measures be? Homeowners and viewers alike will find out when Matt and Jon pay an unannounced visit some weeks later to test them. Will they get in this time?
I was expecting the show to be cliche and mid-season replacement mediocrity. An hour of gloom & doom, THIS can happen to YOU ::points finger forbodingly:: and dumb people whining & bitching about the faux!thief breaking all their expensive stuff ... but it's actually a pretty good show. It's kind of shocking how negligent some (usually, affluent) people seem to be. A family who leaves their garage door practically wide open and the keys to a BMW *in the car*... unlocked. An irreplaceable Picasso not really hidden in a closet with not so much as a padlock around it and a penchant not to lock the porch doors? :facepalms:
However, what I find most amusing about the show are the hosts.
.
It's almost counterproductive in a way. Am I supposed to want to be robbed? Two abnormally hot, charismatic thieves breaking into your house? That's porn fodder... or a George Clooney movie. Out of Sight is the one good thing J.Lo ever did. The Teutels look way scarier than these guys. Easily. The front page does try to make them look like thugs. But when you start watching the show? The whole dirty, unkempt criminal stereotype drops pretty quickly (even when the guy is burglarizing the house - he still comes off pretty). I suppose that's the point... criminals and burglars can be suave and look like anyone. Guys who you'd chat-up with in a bar and get you to say more than you should about your personal dwelling and assets after a few. Matt is the talker in the show, but Jon is completely sweet and has an adorable New Yawk accent (he sounds like a guido, but not in the indecipherable Gotti-speak way). So... the hosts are the hotness, funny, snarky, very charming and have a comfortable repetoire (they really seem like friends) AND the show is actually informative (although I'd say at least 80% of it is just plain common sense. Lock your doors/windows, make sure the locks work and use the damn deadbolts people!). What's not to like (beyond the whole scary, house burglarizing thing)?
Anyway, if y'all want to kill some time before Lost comes on... Discovery Channel 8pm E.
Hosted by reformed ex-cons Matt Johnston and Jon Douglas Rainey, It Takes a Thief exposes home-security flaws by unleashing these two uniquely qualified experts onto the properties of people interested in learning just how vulnerable their houses are, if at all. Watch along with the homeowners themselves as the burglars size up, break in, and ransack the home in search of valuables. And in so doing, discover what items are attractive — and why — to a burglar.
Then, sit back as our experts give the property a full home-security makeover, reworking everything from locks to landscaping. How foolproof will these new measures be? Homeowners and viewers alike will find out when Matt and Jon pay an unannounced visit some weeks later to test them. Will they get in this time?
I was expecting the show to be cliche and mid-season replacement mediocrity. An hour of gloom & doom, THIS can happen to YOU ::points finger forbodingly:: and dumb people whining & bitching about the faux!thief breaking all their expensive stuff ... but it's actually a pretty good show. It's kind of shocking how negligent some (usually, affluent) people seem to be. A family who leaves their garage door practically wide open and the keys to a BMW *in the car*... unlocked. An irreplaceable Picasso not really hidden in a closet with not so much as a padlock around it and a penchant not to lock the porch doors? :facepalms:
However, what I find most amusing about the show are the hosts.
.It's almost counterproductive in a way. Am I supposed to want to be robbed? Two abnormally hot, charismatic thieves breaking into your house? That's porn fodder... or a George Clooney movie. Out of Sight is the one good thing J.Lo ever did. The Teutels look way scarier than these guys. Easily. The front page does try to make them look like thugs. But when you start watching the show? The whole dirty, unkempt criminal stereotype drops pretty quickly (even when the guy is burglarizing the house - he still comes off pretty). I suppose that's the point... criminals and burglars can be suave and look like anyone. Guys who you'd chat-up with in a bar and get you to say more than you should about your personal dwelling and assets after a few. Matt is the talker in the show, but Jon is completely sweet and has an adorable New Yawk accent (he sounds like a guido, but not in the indecipherable Gotti-speak way). So... the hosts are the hotness, funny, snarky, very charming and have a comfortable repetoire (they really seem like friends) AND the show is actually informative (although I'd say at least 80% of it is just plain common sense. Lock your doors/windows, make sure the locks work and use the damn deadbolts people!). What's not to like (beyond the whole scary, house burglarizing thing)?
Anyway, if y'all want to kill some time before Lost comes on... Discovery Channel 8pm E.
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Date: 2005-03-27 12:23 am (UTC)BTW, I have a friend who hates the show with a passion, but I believe that's only because he's sorry there are not two female thieves. *g*
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Date: 2005-03-27 02:53 am (UTC)Are you referring to Marko? He was ripped off quite thoroughly, wasn't he? ;) I was also very amused Jon was literally making love to that Benz. He was fondling it. heee
BTW, I have a friend who hates the show with a passion, but I believe that's only because he's sorry there are not two female thieves. *g*
In all fairness though, throwing in a hot female thief could entice more in the male persuasion to watch. It also could be handy having a third host and talker in the show. Specifically because it would be nice someone else take over sitting with the Mark while Jon *and* Matt could do some double-team faux!burglaries. We see Matt break down doors in the opening credits... but he doesn't do any of the breaking-in in the actual show. It's like they're teasing us.