Black Gold (TV series)

Black Gold is a reality-documentary television series that chronicles three oil drilling rigs in Andrews County, Texas,[1] 30 miles northwest of Odessa. It was partly produced by Thom Beers,[2] creator of Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers.[3] The Black Gold theme song was sung by country music star Trace Adkins. The title "Black Gold" comes from a slang term for oil.

Black Gold
Season 1 title card
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes44
Production
Executive producers
  • Brent Henderson
  • Jeff Conroy
  • Philip D. Segal
  • Sarah Whalen
  • Thom Beers
Running time45 minutes
Production companyOriginal Productions
Release
Original networktruTV
Original releaseJune 18, 2008 (2008-06-18) –
April 4, 2013 (2013-04-04)

Black Gold aired Wednesday nights on truTV at 10pm. It is also shown as a special presentation on TNT in high definition. The show also airs in the United Kingdom on ITV4 and debuted in Australia on A&E on February 4, 2016.[4]

Series overview

First season

The first season follows three rigs — Longhorn, Viking, and Big Dog—that have only 50 days to successfully locate and retrieve the crude oil. The roughnecks, as they are called on the rig, endure exhausting and dangerous work demands. Oil rigs Longhorn and Viking are funded by wildcatter Mike Lamonica while the Big Dog is funded by wildcatter Autry Stephens, both of whom have put up millions of dollars in hopes of finding new deposits of oil. The show also features pipe salesman Michael “Rooster” McConaughey, brother of actor Matthew McConaughey and a self-made millionaire who stars in the CNBC series West Texas Investors Club. The first season was the highest rated series to date on TruTV.[5]

Second season

The second season (premiered August 8, 2009) only follows one rig, Big Dog rig number 28, owned by Autry Stephens. The season is centered around the requirement given by Stephens to finish four wells in 50 days in order to maintain the lease on the land. One notable returning character is Gerald Williams, who was fired in the previous season.

Third season

The third season, premiered September 9, 2010 follows Big Dog rig 28 wildcatting on hostile landowner Peggy Hauser's land.

Fourth season

The fourth season began on November 30, 2011, airing Wednesdays at 10pm. Again it follows Big Dog rig 28.

Fifth season

In August 2012, truTV ordered a 10-episode fifth season of the series, slated to begin in the winter television the new season will begin airing December 19, 2012 at 10pm.[6]

Sixth season and cancellation

On April 4, 2013, Black Gold star Brandon Watson was arrested for driving while under the influence and hit-and-run.[7] Soon after his arrest TruTv removed Black Gold from its website, cancelling the show along with the sixth season, which was set to air December 16, 2013.

References
  1. "Reality TV show stars Texas roughnecks doing their jobs". 15 June 2008.
  2. "'Black Gold' on truTV: A series that's relevant".
  3. Bellafante, Ginia (18 June 2008). "Workers of an Extreme World, One Beyond Classes". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  4. Purcell, Charles (28 January 2016). "New This Week (Feb 1): The 100, Selling Houses Australia, Dickensian, Auckland Nines and live sport". The Green Room. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  5. "TruTV renews 'Black Gold'". The Hollywood Reporter. 29 July 2009.
  6. "truTV Taps Fifth Season of Black Gold". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  7. "Midland Oil Driller Featured on "Black Gold" TV Show Facing Misdemeanor Charges of DWI". 4 April 2013.
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