I don't drink alcohol!!! Gee, maybe thats why I have this boring feeling while "trying" to watch it!

Trying to watch Apprentice sober? Oh I Feel Your Pain!
I had a (short) struggle whether I could continue the drinking game since I now had to watch Apprentice alone since the Sunday shift. But I figure somewhere, someone was also drinking in my time zone, so I wasn't really going solo.

I've been Tribed! And I liked it!

I think it has to do more with the casting....some of the contestants are just ridiculous and in the viewer's mind wouldn't make great executives. At least the first few seasons had some smart level headed people. It just seems like the contestants have gotten more and more annoying.
I like the switch of adding Ivanka. She's nice to look at...and she's actually smarter than Caroline. I never liked Caroline. She always had that cold condescending look.
the problem with the show is that the drama with the contestants just isn't there because we really don't care about any of them and could care less who wins. Also, I think Trump is kind of wearing thin... I mean the first few times it was interesting...but now I just watch it for the challenges and wish they would shorten the board room because I'm kind of sick of watching people blame each other and get rewarded for it. Anyway, Survivor is coming up so...this show will be on the back burner.

LAST EDITED ON 02-06-07 AT 01:18 PM (EST)

There are a couple things that I think have made this show gone down hill a little. First and foremost is the casting. The stunt casting is now obvisious to anyone watching. Say there are 16 contestants. 8 have to be male and 8 have to be female. What they have done rather than cast the 16 most qualified candidates is they have hired the best looking and the most controversial. They cast for the best tv. Half the people they cast are not even concerned about winning the show. They get on there for free advertisement whether they want to be actors or run their own side company....hey it is a great way for them to get free advertising. I would prefer to see 16 dog eat dog people all ambitious to win the job with Trump.

The other problem I have is some of the tasks. How does writing a tv commericial jingle have to do with running a Trump realestate property?

I am with you though I did not like the Randal/Rebecca thing either, but I thought the real shark jumping moment was Book Smarts vs Street Smarts. That was stunt casting if there ever was. There were maybe two people on the whole season that had Executive VP hiring potential. I think Kendra won that season because even her final two competition did not even want the job working with Trump.

Also, many of you may not even know but only one Apprentice winner, Bill Rancic, has stayed with Trump past their initial one year employment with Trump. Shows you how serious these people want to work with Trump.....Kelly, Kendra, and Randal all went back to running their own companies....I am sure their appearance on the show helped out their individual companies.

>Also, many of you may not
>even know but only one
>Apprentice winner, Bill Rancic, has
>stayed with Trump past their
>initial one year employment with
>Trump. Shows you how
>serious these people want to
>work with Trump.....Kelly, Kendra, and
>Randal all went back to
>running their own companies....I am
>sure their appearance on the
>show helped out their individual
>companies.

I agree with your post WJ, now about your last paragraph, although you may be right on target, I also think that there could be other posibilities for just Bill staying in the Trump organization:

1) Bill is doing well and/or is interested in keeping his position at the Trump Organization, for business or personal or both reasons)

2)Bill was the only one really "qualified" to fit his job position within the Trump Organization.

Maybe the others where not as "qualified" OR their own "business" interests where not satisfy by Trump and/or his Organization, meaning that maybe they didn't got positions that they felt comfortable with, for whatever reasons, like their own fields of expertise.

Just my two cents.

I'll make sure to start an hour early.

Book smarts v. Street Smarts would have worked if they had cast some great people...when I originally heard the idea, I thought it was good. But, the "book smarts" weren't really that book smart, if you look at their resumes, they didn't go to very impressive schools. ...and the street smart guys were mostly buffoons that no viewer would take seriously..... if they had gotten some David Geffen shark types as street smart guys or the top guys from Harvard to go head to head...it would have been different. But, it was basically just people with a 4 year education v. people that didn't finish high school.
Also, as far as Bill being the only one that stayed with the job...I get the feeling that the job is mostly a "show" position. The real "protege" jobs Trump probably gives to his children and those that have been sharks in the industry. Why would he give someone that has basically no experience in his type of business huge responsibilities to run an entire company. The winners probably figured this out in their job and realzied that the job isn't what it was cracked up to be.
I too would prefer to see the best of the best who are real dog eat dog on the show...rather than "personalities" Omarosa wannabes that just annoy me every week. I just think the suspense is gone...I don't really care about the board room...I just want to see more exciting challenges and guys/gals thinking on their feet.

I'll make sure to start an hour early.
Thanks sweetie! Much obliged!

Now, if they would replace Trump.....

I am probably the only one that enjoyed Martha Stewart's vresion.

I agree, we really do not know why Kelly, Kendra and Randal only made it the one year.

But I do know that this position only paid $250,000 the first year. According to the supposed creditials of these people I believe that they made more than that coming into the show. Plus, you gotta remember that for the most part the $250,000 was for working in NY which is more expensive to live than any other city in the country.

Yes, I agree the I thought Book Smarts vs Street Smarts was a good idea....at first. But it did not work.....I agree casting was bad that season...still the worst cast yet.....a bunch of buffoons.

LAST EDITED ON 02-08-07 AT 05:49 AM (EST)

I actually would like to see that experiment of book smarts allstars v. streets smarts allstars....but it will only work if absolutely cast right. That battle happens every day in real life...so it'd be interesting to see. But, in that season, I just couldn't believe the number of knuckleheads...it seemed like an entire team and a half were not smart enough to run a dairy queen. I actually think that some of the contestants on "My big fat obnoxious bosss" were smarter....at least they could sell a crap sandwich with a side of crapcicle on the side.
As far as those past winners, they're smart enough to know they can do better....that british guy who won last year didn't seem all that ecstatic when he was on this show...they probably figured out that it wasn't really a power position... and $250,000 is not a lot if you're a high level executive type in New York where housing and every day living is through the roof. In a regular city, a guy would be styling with that money but over there....not so much.

Best reality show on TV .. hope it does 10 seasons !!

TheMaggot

Welcome Maggot!

I've been Tribed! And I liked it!

If it does I better start shopping for a new liver.

Or we could just stop watching........
(SIGH) OK, I look into getting us on the transplant waiting list.

I've been Tribed! And I liked it!

Let's just not get anything from David Crosby.

The Randall-Rebecca Fiasco was a low point for the show.

The show has gotten worse since then.

Trump is so OVER.

--Singer

Oh, yes, this show is beyond hope. The "shake up" this season has resulted in the worst. season. ever.

But then, I actually loved the Book Smarts vs. Street Smarts season, it was the best since the first season.

Oddly, Randall's infamous "it's the Apprentice, not the Apprentii" was the clear jump-the-shark moment and things have steadily deteriorated since then.

I agree, I think something new needs to be done. The whole sleeping in tents ideal was terrible. Maybe the winners from previous seasons should take over the boardroom without Trump. Let us see how good they really are.

two problems with the Apprentice.

1)Trump was bearable for the first season or two. It was like watching a new variety of monkey at the zoo-- one who knows how to use sticks as tools and picks its nose like a human. Fascinating.
Eventually, though, the animal realizes that all the people staring at him through the glass are simply fascinated by him picking his nose and digging termites out of a mound with a stick, and that just encourages the animal to do even more nose picking and digging, until that's all he does.
Okay, that may be my weirdest metaphor yet, but Trump is that nose-picking monkey. All he does anymore is pick his nose. Wow, aren't we all impressed. We've watched him pick his nose for several seasons now, and we're all disgusted.

2) In another thread I said people need to quit attributing so much foresight and art in the casting of these shows. I still stand by that, but at the same time when the people who cast the show -try- to inject drama by choosing certain people, they're actually making sure everything fizzles. I seriously doubt Omarosa was chosen because they thought she'd cause drama. I think she probably looked like a talented professional in the casting process; and that's why there were so many fireworks. When the producers try and arrange for that to happen, by choosing freaks, they usually wind up with nothing but superficial hysterical personalities who don't engage us. Omarosa was good TV because there was depth. It was crazy scary hellish depth, but there was depth. In short, people who come across as normal only do so because they have often buried their bizarre personalities. They are a lot more interesting than the people who are instantly recognizable as crazy-- because the latter aren't hiding much of anything. What you see is what you get. So our perception of them doesn't evolve, and it is that evolution that so often makes for good TV, because not only are we, the audience, seeing more and more, but their fellow contestants are getting to see deeper layers in them as well. That's where the excitement of these shows comes from.
Thus it is when the producers try to cast a new Omarosa, they end up with someone who is obviously a #####, and who will remain obviously a #####. There are no surprises there.

>two problems with the Apprentice.
>
>1)Trump was bearable for the first
>season or two. It was
>like watching a new variety
>of monkey at the zoo--
>one who knows how to
>use sticks as tools and
>picks its nose like a
>human. Fascinating.
>Eventually, though, the animal realizes that
>all the people staring at
>him through the glass are
>simply fascinated by him picking
>his nose and digging termites
>out of a mound with
>a stick, and that just
>encourages the animal to do
>even more nose picking and
>digging, until that's all he
>does.
>Okay, that may be my weirdest
>metaphor yet, but Trump is
>that nose-picking monkey. All he
>does anymore is pick his
>nose. Wow, aren't we all
>impressed. We've watched him pick
>his nose for several seasons
>now, and we're all disgusted.
>
>
>2) In another thread I said
>people need to quit attributing
>so much foresight and art
>in the casting of these
>shows. I still stand by
>that, but at the same
>time when the people who
>cast the show -try- to
>inject drama by choosing certain
>people, they're actually making sure
>everything fizzles. I seriously doubt
>Omarosa was chosen because they
>thought she'd cause drama. I
>think she probably looked like
>a talented professional in the
>casting process; and that's why
>there were so many fireworks.
>When the producers try and
>arrange for that to happen,
>by choosing freaks, they usually
>wind up with nothing but
>superficial hysterical personalities who don't
>engage us. Omarosa was good
>TV because there was depth.
>It was crazy scary hellish
>depth, but there was depth.
>In short, people who come
>across as normal only do
>so because they have often
>buried their bizarre personalities. They
>are a lot more interesting
>than the people who are
>instantly recognizable as crazy-- because
>the latter aren't hiding much
>of anything. What you see
>is what you get. So
>our perception of them doesn't
>evolve, and it is that
>evolution that so often makes
>for good TV, because not
>only are we, the audience,
>seeing more and more, but
>their fellow contestants are getting
>to see deeper layers in
>them as well. That's where
>the excitement of these shows
>comes from.
>Thus it is when the producers
>try to cast a new
>Omarosa, they end up with
>someone who is obviously a
>#####, and who will remain
>obviously a #####. There are
>no surprises there.

I agree with your second point. That is the downfall. There is going to be drama either way. Cast 16 Trump juniors and you will still see it. We don't need obvisious casting fools like.......say.....Frank. The problem is NBC lost confidence in the concept of the show so they have tried to conjure up drama themselves.

IMO the taskes these people are asked to accomplis are advertising gimicks. Makng the "Most Money" is not the only thing for a group. The difference in totals between the 2 groups can be as little as $60 so that makes one group "losers" Being creative, working together and coming wp with good ideas are ways of being successful and more fun to watch. These are all the same and boring and the entertainment comes from the members arguing and not getting along. I think most of these people are 'A' personalitites and do great in their own world. All the smart ones wouldn't work for Donald Trump who is so arogant and obnoxious to watch. Also I do not like this LA version. I liked it in NY as it gave more of an edge to the program, for instance working in the rain or snow or bad weather. I hope this is the last season and they find a new reality type show to air.
Linda

I remember back in the first season when I was basically a Reality TV virgin. The Apprentice was the first reality show I gave in and decided to watch.
I remember the people on this board were always saying "I am tired of the bickering, and the fighting," as if that weren't what made it entertaining. Omarosa was entertaining-- as much as I HATE to even give the shadow of the possibility of a suggestion that there is anything redeeming about the fact that this woman was born to mankind-- no, not born, rather perpetrated upon mankind.
But heck, the drama was fun.
I think what is lacking is depth to the drama. Also, there needs to be some depth to the show beyond this drama. We want to see people thinking on their feet, succeeding, having brilliant ideas.
The fact is, the show is just petty squabbling now. Not good drama, and not good business, and not good thinking.

Trump is a jerk...but the show is a train-wreck and I can't look away!