'American Pickers' Return Without Frank Fritz Leaves Fans Begging for Healed Relationship

By Alyssa Fikse

American Pickers fans have been in an uproar ever since the exit of longtime co-host Frank Fritz, and the return of the show has only brought those issues back to the forefront. Fritz's exit is likely due to his ongoing feud with former co-host Mike Wolfe. When Fritz's exit was announced in July, Wolfe released a statement wishing him well. "I have known Frank for as long as I can remember, he's been like a brother to me," Wolfe said. "The journey that Frank, Dani (Danielle Colby), and I started back in 2009, like all of life, has come with its highs and lows, blessings and challenges, but it has also been the most rewarding. I will miss Frank, just like all of you, and I pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey."

However, Fritz painted a very different picture in an interview with The Sun. "I haven't talked to Mike in two years. He knew my back was messed up, but he didn't call me up and ask how I was doing. That's just how it is," Fritz told the outlet. "The show is tilted towards him 1,000 percent. I can't even bend that far down to show you how much. That's fine. It's like you've got Aerosmith and there's Steven Tyler and he's the frontman. I found my spot, I'm second and he's number one on the show. That's no problem with me, maybe he does have a problem." If the general public is to be believed Wolfe isn't the frontman that he thinks he is.

Getting Loud on Social Media

With every new social media post from the official American Pickers accounts, there are always fans calling for the return of Fritz. A recent Facebook post was inundated with comments requesting his return. "Does anyone know the meaning of loyalty anymore," commented one fan. "Franks presence is the only thing that kept Mike's ego tolerable," wrote another. "What a s--- show."

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They Want Fritz Back

"I hope Frank will have a spin off series of his own," wrote another former fan. "Just not the same show without Frank," commented another disgruntled viewer.

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The Old Dynamic

"I loved Mike and Frank together! My husband got me hooked on American Pickers but we don't watch anymore since Frank didn't return," wrote another former fan. "Just not as fun to watch anymore." Other people echoed that sentiment, that Wolfe needed Fritz to balance him out. "You could see the camaraderie and a friendship between Frank and Mike. The dynamics have changed and yes you could see Mike's ego getting larger. I won't tune in till Frank gets what he deserves," wrote another fan.

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The Same Story On Twitter

Twitter is the same story. In a new tweet marketing the return of the show on Saturday, fans simply responded with requests for Fritz to return. "Can't watch without Frank!" tweeted one fan. "No Frank, this is avid fan is boycotting the show," wrote another.

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Can The Show Survive?

In his interview with The Sun, Fritz held tight to the notion that he is the "bigger" draw for the series and viewers are more in tune with him on screen, making him a fan favorite. "I'm not arrogant and I'm more of a regular ol' guy. The guy that connects with me is the guy who buys a 30 pack of Busch Light and a pizza on the weekend," Fritz says. "I'm more of the common man guy, I haven't found a $100,000 vase or any Michelangelo stuff. I've never really had a big, big score like that. But all the small scores are the bread and butter and that's my deal." Honestly, he was right. Can American Pickers survive without him if it's quickly hemorrhaging viewers?

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