Random 1

Random 1 is a documentary-style reality television series that aired from November 2005 to January 2006 on the A&E cable network. In each episode, hosts John Chester and Andre Miller travel from town to town, in Miller's real-life, rickety pickup truck Jackie, searching for total strangers who are looking to have their lives changed. However, unlike other such "do-gooder" shows, Chester and Miller employ an all-shapes-and-sizes approach, with assignments ranging from a new cell phone to a week in rehab to a new prosthetic leg. The show ran for one season, and premiered to favorable reviews.

The crew abides by a set of rules: the person being helped must be a stranger, the mission must be completed in one day, and no money may be spent (as Chester explains in Episode 4, "Out Of The Woods", this is because money distances a philanthropist from the person he or she is trying to help. All three of these rules were eventually broken in the course of the season, however). In order to free up John and Andre to get to know the subject of a given episode, they are aided by three producers in an internet-ready mobile RV. Capella Fahoome, Jim Lefter, and Molly Schrek, once a subject has been decided on, go to their laptops and cell phones, searching for local businesses or individuals willing to help. Typically, the "street team" and the "RV team" do not interact except over the phone, although this policy, too, has had its exceptions.

Although Random 1 is no longer on the air, the A&E network granted the team permission to present individual episodes as webcasts, which may be viewed on the show's website. DVD sets of the show have yet to be mass-produced, but devotees may purchase individual episodes directly from A&E.

As of May 24, 2007, there was no planned DVD release of the show itself, however, a feature film adaptation featuring Mark and Normand is touring the festival circuit, having premiered at South By Southwest. It combines footage from episodes 4 and 10, along with behind-the-scenes footage of the show, and new footage of Mark and Normand's post-Random 1 experiences. It is entitled Lost In Woonsocket.

In Baltimore, John and Andre meet Bruce, a homeless, one-legged former construction worker, who is struggling to keep his life together, begging for change while hobbling around on a very outdated prosthetic limb. The crew attempts to find a prosthetic company willing to donate a $22,000 prosthetic leg. The Bruce story is intertwined with the story of Kim, from Stamford, Connecticut, a young woman with a comfortable job who wants to do more with her life. The crew searches for a non-profit agency interested in hiring Kim.

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Wikipedia