DETOURS Podcast Season 6
Hosted by longtime ROADSHOW producer Adam Monahan, each episode of Detours dives deep into the mysteries, secrets, and surprises of a single ROADSHOW object — astonishing and amusing listeners with every turn. From GBH and PRX.
DETOURS reveals the stories, secrets, and surprises of TV treasures that go beyond the screen
Ever wondered what happens to the treasures featured on America’s beloved ANTIQUES ROADSHOW after the cameras leave town?
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW DETOURS tracks down the juicy afterlives of your favorite finds from PBS’s hit series.
DETOURS Podcast host Adam Monahan
Hosted by longtime ROADSHOW producer Adam Monahan, this podcast dives deep into mysteries, secrets, and surprises as each episode takes a thrilling “detour” into a single ROADSHOW object, astonishing and amusing listeners with every turn. From GBH and PRX.
Enjoy all the episodes from Detours Season 6 below!
Episode 1 — A Fact Re-checked
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW DETOURS kicks off Season 6 with a TV fact checker’s worst nightmare — an error pointed out by a keen ROADSHOW viewer. When the date of a painting depicting a quintessential Chicago scene of the activity on Michigan Avenue is called into question, host Adam Monahan begins a hunt for the truth and sets off a cascade of coincidences and corrections. What follows is a captivating journey of twists and turns, building to a thrilling auction finale … but are the mysteries of the painting ever solved?
Episode 2 — The Most Dangerous Book
Are you in danger of being poisoned by an antique book? The Victorian era ushered in new bright vivid dye formulas that produced brilliant yellows, reds, blues, purples, and greens. Although an antidote to the pervasive soot and grime of the day, these new dyes were laced with poisonous heavy metals — the worst being Emerald Green containing arsenic. Join host Adam Monahan who questions if over 29 seasons of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW a poisonous book has ever come before the hit series’ cameras? Follow the search through the show’s appraisal archive, the discovery of a curiously bright green book filmed in Hartford, CT, in 2008, and a visit to The Poison Book Project for the shocking answer.
Episode 3 — The Case of the Folk Art Forgers
For an appraiser, keeping a keen eye out for forgeries is part of the job. But just how complicated can that task become and to what lengths will forgers go to pass their work off as authentic? Join host Adam Monahan as he explores the story of famed 20th century Louisiana folk artist Clementine Hunter, a prolific painter whose work regularly appears at ANTIQUES ROADSHOW events, and uncovers how an astute student of her work noticed oddities in the marketplace which led to the FBI cracking the biggest Hunter forgery case ever!
Episode 4 — Treasure from the Trash Heap
Is it true that one person’s junk could actually be a treasure? If you’re an ANTIQUES ROADSHOW fan you might know our Junk in the Trunk specials — loving tributes to the left-over appraisals from the cities we visit each year. But what happened when an odd-looking pen was discovered during ROADSHOW’s 2023 visit to Akron, OH? Join host Adam Monahan as he picks through the junk pile of history to rediscover a forgotten invention by Thomas Edison and rescued an appraisal from the cutting room floor to fulfill the TV dreams of the guest who owns it.
Episode 5 — Elvis Tries to Leave the Building
Thirteen years ago, a life-sized Elvis Presley cutout rocked ANTIQUES ROADSHOW with a $10,000-$15,000 estimate but now it’s time for him to leave the building. Join ANTIQUES ROADSHOW DETOURS host Adam Monahan for a journey through pop culture history and a dramatic auction filled with twists and turns. Will the superfan owner score a princely payday for the King of Rock and Roll or are they headed to the heartbreak hotel?
Episode 6 — One of a Kind
Since ANTIQUES ROADSHOW debuted on PBS almost 30 years ago, toys and games expert Noel Barrett has brought joy and vast knowledge to countless guests, but there’s one appraisal—and mistake—he just can’t let go of: a 1930s Snow White painting that defied all initial expectations. Join host Adam Monahan as he takes us on an unexpected journey through the world of Disney art, exploring how the true value of this treasure only revealed itself over time.
Episode 7 — Standing the Test of Time
When a large equine statue first appeared at ANTIQUES ROADSHOW in 1997, Asian Arts expert Lark Mason was suspicious if it was truly an authentic relic from China’s Tang Dynasty or if he was dealing with a horse of a different color. There was only one way to know for sure if this U.S. Air Force pilot's 1950 purchase was authentic. Would the piece pass an age-detecting thermoluminescence test? Join host Adam Monahan as he follows the horse’s trail from ancient-buried treasure to modern-day marvel, and finally to the shocking result with a return to the appraisal table!
Episode 8 — On Top of the World
Maps show us the world. These wayfinding wonders show us how people think about the world, and sometimes they make us think about the world differently. When a map from 1700 worth thousands of dollars and showing a very different world view came to ANTIQUES ROADSHOW’s 2023 event in Sturbridge, MA, it raised the question – on modern maps, why is north always at the top? Join host Adam Monahan as he travels through map making history to discover the surprising events that flipped cartography on its head.
