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FantomWorks

FantomWorks

2013–2019Ended5 seasons70 episodes~60 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

As a former test pilot, Dan Short hopes that Fantomworks will become a classic car restoration shop that runs with military precision. Instead, he is finding out that when making old cars 'better than new' - nothing goes according to plan.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch FantomWorks?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists FantomWorks streaming on discovery+, HBO Max, Shout! TV via The Roku Channel, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about FantomWorks?

FantomWorks earns 2 badges, led by Cult Classic and Feel-good.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is FantomWorks worth watching?

FantomWorks' Midcredits score is the 41st percentile of all shows, from 481 ratings across 2 sources. 65% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

41st percentile

Better received than 41% of shows

61st percentile among Reality-TV39th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)43rd
Approval (how many liked it)40th

Acclaim

Cult Classic: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

69 /100

43rd percentile of all shows

59th percentile among Reality-TV42nd percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

Approval

How many liked it

65% liked it

40th percentile of all shows

67th percentile among Reality-TV38th percentile among 2010s
65% rated it 7–1035% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

31st percentile

479 ratings across platforms

69th percentile among Reality-TV38th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 19% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show features a shop that takes on multi-month, high-cost classic car restorations and doesn't hide the problems that arise.

Fans praised

  • Realistic timeline & costs reflect actual restoration industry
  • Skilled craftsmen produce top-notch final builds
  • No sugar-coating, upfront with customers

Detractors panned

  • Faked drama and contrived conflicts
  • Substandard bodywork — taped-off parts, mismatched paint
  • Shoddy quality control — misaligned panels, poor fasteners

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive55

final builds look impressive but quality flaws exposed by detractors

AtmosphereDivisive55

realistic shop environment vs contrived drama

Pacing50

some drawn-out interviews and staged drama

CharactersDivisive45

Dan Short seen as honest and passionate or hot-headed and abrasive

DialogueDivisive40

heavy profanity; fans find it authentic, detractors offensive

Plot and storyDivisive35

predictable formula with manufactured crises

Acting30

reviewers note staged drama and over-reactive host

Episodes

9 seasons

Season 9 · 2018 · 8 episodes

  • S9E1

    Beetle Juiced

  • S9E2

    Against The Grain

    Dec 12, 201860 min
  • S9E3

    Bow Tie 'Til I Die

    Dec 19, 201860 min
  • S9E4

    Flatheads Forever

  • S9E5

    Brick By Bricklin

    Jan 3, 201960 min
  • S9E6

    Elephant In The Room

    Feb 28, 201960 min
  • S9E7

    Metro Mayhem - Part 1

  • S9E8

    Metro Mayhem - Part 2

Watch experience

What is FantomWorks like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmTender · 10% of shows
Told as
Case of the week plus an arcStatus quo each season
ToneThe show presents the restoration process and shop dynamics with a straightforward, sincere admiration for craftsmanship, avoiding irony or self-parody.
The rideThe mood is driven by deadline pressure and problem-solving, punctuated by moments of relief and success.
StructureThe show is an unscripted reality format with no notable narrative devices; episodes follow a standard chronology of restoration work.
Episode formatEach episode centers on one or two restoration projects (self-contained cases), with an overarching sense of the shop's ongoing operations and crew dynamics.
Season formatSeasons are structurally similar — each features new projects but the same shop, crew, and format, with no overarching serial arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe focus on skilled restoration and satisfied customers leaves a sense of enjoyment and optimism about preserving classic cars.
How it ends · evidence
Cyclical ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeFantomWorks is a reality series documenting the day-to-day operations of a classic car restoration shop. Each episode follows a project from start to finish without a narrative arc crossing episodes, so no Booker archetype applies.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfAmbitionSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% (this title) · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% (this title) · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

Ambition · 14% of showsCommunity: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe show focuses on the drive to restore classic cars under pressure, alongside the camaraderie of a tight-knit team.
StanceThe show celebrates the ambition and teamwork involved in restoring classic cars, presenting it as a worthy endeavor.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalRealistic
RockFolkSupportive music · original score · Ed Smart
SettingA 52,000 sq. ft. classic car restoration garage in a small American town.
MusicEd Smart's score accompanies the garage's rhythm, with a rock/folk blend matching the blue-collar, automotive theme.

Content guide

Is FantomWorks okay for kids?

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • CanadaG
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • NetherlandsAL
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does FantomWorks have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in FantomWorks?

Cast

Dan Short
as Self - Host
Audrey Sickles
as Self - Office Manager
Allan Alvarez
as Self - Paint Supervisor
Rob Dietzel
as Self - Project Manager
Spencer Bradnan
as Self - Finisher
Walter Maddox
as Self - Metal Worker
Dino Tempesti
as Self - Mechanic
Dale Bagwell
as Self - Electrician
Josh Phillips
as Self
Melissa Short
as Self - Dan's Wife

Crew

Directed by

Molly McKinley, Bill Evashwick, Ozana Halik, Tim Prokop, Edward Flaherty, Paul Donvito
+6 more, Jenny Chung, Steve Jones, Esther Reyes, Robert Castorina, Ashley Zahorian, Jason Nicholls

Written by

Cortney Taborn, Jenny Chung, Tim Prokop, Peter Rees, Matt Hensel

Cinematography

David Haycox, Grégoire Valcour, Mark Gamsey, Jacin Buchanan

Edited by

Molly McKinley, Carol Carimi, Ed Leahy, Cortney Taborn, Shawna Carroll, Larry Frank
+16 more, Brandon Nance, Ozana Halik, Marie Zoll, Brien Lohrmann, Arthur 'Art' Citron, Brian Kregg, Candace Kregg, Shelton Mansfield, Matt Hensel, Meredith Hays, Marion Delarche, Uwe Klimmeck, Bryan Kregg, Keith Shea, Paul Vitello, Kevin McGuinness

Music by

Ed Smart

Produced by

Chris Rattican, Brandon Broussard, Molly McKinley, Leah Thompson, Cortney Taborn, Sam Wackerle
+28 more, Bill Evashwick, DeForest Mapp, Keren Markuze, Michelle Sims, Ozana Halik, Shaan Akbar, Brigette Rock, Micah Cohler, Arthur 'Art' Citron, Tim Prokop, Nicolas Valcour, Paul Donvito, Mark Gamsey, Jenny Chung, Brien Lohrmann, Kiran Gonsalves, Steve Jones, Esther Reyes, Matt Hensel, Erik Adolphson, Robert Castorina, Meredith Hays, Ashley Zahorian, Katie Barrie, Ally Bradnan, Michelle Simms, Keith Shea, Jason Nicholls

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