AllMovie

Hosted by actor and custom-car enthusiast Jason Priestly, the weekly TLC cable series Rides was a celebration of "tricked-out dream machines" and the people who build them. Journeying throughout the country and then some, the Rides crew went up close and personal with the talented technicians and artistans who devoted their lives to making custom-built hot rods, hybrids, roadsters, and "retro" versions of classic vehicles. Some episodes traced the creation of a custom job from first concept to finished product; others watched as these hand-made beauties were tested out under conditions both gentle and grueling; and on occasion, the viewer was invited behind the scenes at the factories responsible for everything from the Italian Lamborghini to the famous "Hot Wheels" model cars. Such celebrated mechanics and motor magicians as Chip Foose, Troy Trepanier, Leonard Lopez, Justin Padfield, Steve Strope and Kevin King demonstrated their wares for such celebrity "car nuts" as Christopher Titus, Joe Rogan, Pimp My Ride host Xzibit, athletes Baron Davis and Lawyer Milloy, musician Kenny Wayne, and--as if there was any doubt that he'd show up--Jay Leno. Debuting in the Summer of 2004, Rides quickly rose to prominence as TLC's highest-rated series of the year, not to mention one of the most-watched documentary series in all of cable-dom.