American Inventor (2006)
American Inventor was a reality television series based on a competition to be named America's best inventor. It was conceived by UK entrepreneur Peter Jones, who appears on the British version of the somewhat similar programme Dragons' Den, a format originated in Japan where it is owned by Sony. It was produced by Jones alongside Simon Cowell and the producers of American Idol. It premiered on ABC on March 16, 2006. It was organized as a competition between the various Inventors resulting in one overall winner. Janusz Liberkowski, who invented a new type of child safety seat based on the human womb called the Anecia Safety Capsule, was declared the first season's winner in a live episode on May 18, 2006. The second season premiered on June 6, 2007. Firefighter Greg Chavez, who invented a fire suppression system for Christmas Trees called the Guardian Angel, was the winner of the second season, on August 1, 2007. On March 20, 2008, the show's official website was removed, and the series was not included on the 2008 fall schedule, therefore the series was cancelled.
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Episode 1 - Episode 101
Release Date: 2006-03-16In the premiere of American Inventor, we see the open casting calls in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, where inventors of all ages presented their weird, wacky, or wonderful inventions.
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Episode 2 - Episode 102
Release Date: 2006-03-23Contestants from the cities San Francisco and Chicago get a chance to show their invention ideas to the judges with hopes of making it to the next round.
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Episode 3 - Episode 103
Release Date: 2006-03-30More contestants from San Francisco, New York, and Denver show their ideas to the judges. But, in this episode, one willing contestant offers to run his truck over a car to prove his invention is worthy.
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Episode 4 - Episode 104
Release Date: 2006-04-06The nationwide search for America's next big invention continues with open casting calls in our nation's capital, Washington DC, and in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
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Episode 5 - Episode 105
Release Date: 2006-04-13In this special two-hour elimination episode, the group of 50 are called all together, and have one minute to re-pitch their invention in front of the judges and their fellow inventors. The judges narrow down the field to the top 24. The top 24 make a personal plea to the judges about what the invention means to them, and the field is eliminated down to 12. The 12 finalists are each given $50,000 to make their invention better.
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Episode 6 - Best of Inventions - Part 1
Release Date: 2006-04-20This special edition of American Inventor showcases audition highlights of inventors who did not make it into the final rounds of the show. In this episode, part 1 of 2, most of the inventions have already been aired in previous episodes; however there is a minority of new, previously unaired material.
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Episode 7 - Episode 106
Release Date: 2006-04-20The search for America's Next Greatest Inventor continues in the first of four semi-final rounds. Ed Evangelista, one of the four judges, mentors three of the semi-finalists as they each use their $50,000 prize money to develop their products.
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Episode 8 - Episode 107
Release Date: 2006-04-27In the second semi-finals episode (out of four), judge Mary Lou Quinlan mentors three of the semi-finalists as they each use their $50,000 prize money to better their products. In the end, she must select only one to move on to the final round.
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Episode 9 - Best of Inventions - Part 2
Release Date: 2006-04-27This special edition of American Inventor showcases audition highlights of inventors who did not make it into the final rounds of the show. In this episode, part 2 of 2, Matt Gallant counts down through the 10 most outrageous inventors of the series so far.
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Episode 10 - Episode 108
Release Date: 2006-05-04In the third of four semi-final rounds, three more of the semi-finalists use the $50,000 prize money to develop their inventions. In this episode Peter Jones mentors and judges the three contestants.
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Episode 11 - Episode 109
Release Date: 2006-05-04In the fourth of four semi-final rounds, three more of the contestants use the $50,000 prize money to develop their inventions. In this episode Doug Hall mentors and judges the three semi-finalists.
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Episode 12 - Countdown to the Finale
Release Date: 2006-05-11Airing right before the original airing of "The Finale", this recap episode summarizes the events of the four previous semi-final rounds ("Episode 106" through "Episode 109").
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Episode 13 - The Finale
Release Date: 2006-05-11The four finalists attempt to create 30-second TV commercials for their inventions. The commercials will be aired and viewers will get the chance to see both the finished products and what the contestants had to go through creating them. At the end of the show, viewers are given the chance to vote on who they think deserves the $1 million prize and bragging rights as "The American Inventor".
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Episode 14 - The Finale Results Show
Release Date: 2006-05-18One week after the finalists' final products and commericials have aired, the winner who receives the most votes nationwide will be announced and presented with a grand prize worth one million dollars.