I don't understand the relationship between Scrapheap Challenge and Junkyard Wars. I get that SC is the original British version of the show which, and when televised in America by The Learning Channel is called Junkyard Wars. Now I hear of an American version of the show with an American host being filmed in Britain (next season to be filmed in California [?]) and bearing the JW name.

But now I see on the SC website that the winners of SC this season will compete against the winners of JW to be shown Dec 17 in Britain. But the American version hasn't been televised in Britain, has it? It looks like JW lags behind the SC airdates by only a month or so. And I'm sure the American version hasn't aired in America yet, either.

Good grief, I'm confused. Where are Cathy Roger's diagrams when you need them?

-- Derek Jensen (djensen@kconline.com), December 11, 2000

Answers

You've got most of it! Yes, when SC is shown in the US it is called JW, and most of the 3 series to be shown here have now been seen in the US. However, the first series of totally American JW was made this year with US contestants, experts, judges and a US presenter (plus our very own Cathy Rogers). These will air in the US in the new year. This produced the American faces you saw in the Transatlantic Special on Sunday 17th December, showing the Long Brothers, winners of the new JW series against this years overall SC champions, the Meglomaniacs. This show will air in the US later next year as they haven't seen the new JW series yet.

Complicated isn't it!!

-- (scrapheap@rdfmedia.com), December 19, 2000.

Well I just saw the new American version of JW and it is thw worst show I have ever seen... ever! I say bring back the british version!

-- Yummer Cat (PepsiMaddness@excite.com), January 04, 2001.

I discovered SC on American cable (TLC) and was just enchanted; told everyone I knew to watch it. Regretably, the American version is a major disappointment, with most of the blame placed squarely on the "American presenter", who lacking any sort of charm or wit, nevertheless manages a passible imitation of a dim, self-absorbed, 12-year old. My heart goes out to Cathy Rogers, who still gives it her all. Cathy! We're not all twits!

-- Jeffrey S. Jewett (spider@umd5.umd.edu), January 04, 2001.

Having just watched the new JW with the American host, I think most of us brit fans problems lie in accepting change. I thought the addition of Cathy to the on-camera set was a bad idea until a few episodes of her caustic humor and famous "ouch" face ingrained itself in my mind. The new host is trying hard to fill the shoes of an experienced veteran, and we should all give him a few episodes to "fit in". Nobody liked Mike Nelson when he took over Joel Hodgkins place on Mystery Science Theater 3000 at first, but we soon found out he worked just as well.

Besides, this is a kids educational show anyway. They have to have someone excitable to relate to.

-- Jason Bellflowers (jbellflowers@vwtonline.com), January 06, 2001.

Although in contrast to my earlier statement, it was exceptionally annoying for him to continuously call the pumpkin a "punkin." Even Cathy pronounced that right.

Oh yeah, I wouldn't feel bad for Cathy guys, she's executive producer. She could fire him if she wanted to.

-- Jason Bellflowers (jbellflowers@vwtonline.com), January 06, 2001.

George kept using the term 'punkin' on purpose (refering to the name given to the annual pumpkin throwing competition in the US). Unfortunately he kept using it over and over and over again - which made it very annoying.

-- Rick (rsrickard@hotmail.com), January 06, 2001.

Hello all! I hope my presence on the "Punkin' Chunkin'" episode didn't cause too much stress to anyone. I have to commend my team and the staff for working very hard under difficult conditions. My speech accent is a very southern version of the American language, far at the opposite end of the English language spectrum from the British version. In the final cut, the edited version, there was a lot of what actually was going on that had to be edited out due to time restrictions. I'm sure that some of the humor displayed by my team mates didn't make it to the screen. My teammates were all over fifty. When they arrived at Heathrow, they were all three made up with ugly false teeth, a knee brace on one, an arm sling on another and some other bandage on the third teammate. This caused a few moments of serious "What have we gotten ourselves into?" among the RDF people. This kind of "leg pulling" humor continued for the rest of the time in London. Sometimes the humor got a little blurred with tiredness, because the day in Britan starts at about 1:30 AM our time. In the final cut, it looked as though the object of the team was to make me happy for some reason, but we were all working (and playing) the whole time, as a team, with input physically and mentally, toward the final product. There were some safety concerns which limited our choice of materials and parts, as compressed air is a very powerful and potentally violent energy storage medium. My friends and I competed in the "World Championship Punkin Chunkin" this year, and returned home with the trophy for the human powered division, as well as having placed sixth in the unlimited air cannon division, right below all the teams with sponsorship. The WCPC is a competetion for range with eight to ten lb. pumpkins, and was featured in the short clip in the episode titled; "Missle Launchers". To see more about "Punkin Chunkin" try: Onager.net or punkinchunkin.com. If anyone wants to email me, put "Junkyard Wars" in the subj. box, and I will read it and reply. To all the fans, teams, and staff that have made this impressive blend of human and machine show possible. THANK YOU ALL. If even just a little of the pleasure that we had making the show came thru to the audience, then it was well worth all of our efforts.

Waddy aka "Capt. Mayo," expert for the "Three Rusty Juveniles"

-- Waddy Thompson (cthomp3851@aol.com), January 09, 2001.

You whiney Brits. It must be hard to see your precious little show become something that is seen by 100 times the amount of people it showed to in England. Now that it has gotten off your Island, it can now reach the masses in large numbers. It's ok....You'll make it......The sun will come up tomorrow....tomorrow.....

-- John Gap (mindthegap64@hotmail.com), January 24, 2001.