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/ Home / HDTV Programming / Show Reviews / Monster Garage /
 Show Reviews

 
 Monster Garage
 Dennis Burger
 06/01/2005

Produced by: Original Productions
Network: Discovery HD Theater
Scheduled: Monday, 9 p.m.
Reviewed on: Montgomery, AL; Knology
Channel: 913
Monster Garage—a series predicated on transforming perfectly good automobiles into garish contraptions, such as a Zimmer Golden Spirit into a logsplitter or a Peel Trident into a turbo- charged go-kart for little people—is proof that there is a very real distinction between good TV and enjoyable TV.

Each episode, host Jesse James—renowned custom bike builder and descendent of the famous outlaw—leads a different team through attempted construction of the monster du jour. They’re given one day to design, five to build, and on the seventh day they test. (The biblical parallels are obvious, assuming you believe in a god who sports tattoos and describes his creations as “bitchin.”)
Of course, the show’s hard-core devotees probably couldn’t care less about the presentation, but Monster Garage makes for good high-def material. Detail is solid on the whole, with the high-tech redneck computer graphics standing out in particular. The audio is ostensibly 5.1, although it leans heavily on the center channel. Then again, you probably won’t be using Monster Garage to show off your system. It’s certainly worth watching, but it’s definitely not worth admitting to watching.

 
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