You can't find "Auction Hunters" because it's been on one of its usual completely unpredictable breaks.

This season's hiatus started on Dec. 20, after the show aired two new episodes back-to-back. This also fits the show's pattern, if it can be called that.

A few weeks later, on Jan. 12, Ton Jones posted on Twitter that the show "should be back on in the next month or so," and that they were just wrapping up the filming of the rest of the season.

As your question points out, of course, that did not prove true. However, at least it was an assurance that the show would come back at some time -- Spike wouldn't spend money on new episodes it wasn't going to air.

But this is cold comfort to fans who remember last season, when the mid-season hiatus ended up lasting nine months. That time, too, the break started with back-to-back episodes.

There's some more bad news, too. "Auction Hunters" previously used these breaks to produce extra-long seasons: seasons 2, 3 and 4 all had either 26 or 27 episodes. However, when the network renewed "Auction Hunters" for a fifth season, it only ordered 20 episodes. This season's break started right at the halfway point, with episode 10.

Spike VP Sharon Levy expressed her ongoing support for the show when she announced the season 5 renewal a year ago. "We are thrilled to bring back another season of 'Auction Hunters' which, after four years, continues to resonate with our growing gender-balanced audience."

That's an executive way of saying that the show is watched by girls as well as guys. However, it's clear who the target audience is. Australia's News.com.au site put the show on its "best TV for blokey blokes" list, which is an Australian way of calling it a guy show.

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