No sense in explaining the premise of this show; we all know what The Apprentice is. It's all about getting ahead, making your mark, and scooping up all that extra money, money, money. So it only makes sense that the sixth installment of the Mark Burnett produced reality series takes place in Los Angeles, a city obsessed with vanity, appearances, and the almighty buck. However, it seems that Burnett and Trump have finally realized that for The Apprentice to ever stand side by side with Burnett's CBS juggernaut (you've probably heard of it, usually takes place on an island), things needs to change. I'm not so sure the transformations this show has gone through were the right ones though.
First, let's talk about what's good. The move to L.A. has definitely invigorated the show; it feels fresh and it definitely feels brighter. Remember that first season of CSI: Miami and how flamboyantly colorful and explosive it looked when compared to the Vegas original? The same can be said when you look at this and compare it to the previous five New York seasons.
The show also feels younger. Gone are Carolyn Kepcher and George Ross. Filling Carolyn's seat is The Donald's Wharton educated daughter Ivanka and the other seat will be filled by a rotating cast of former Apprentices and the winning Project Manager. That's right, one of the new twists this season is that the winning Project Manager will join Trump at the boardroom table during the firing process of the losing team. On top of that, the winning PM will also remain PM until their team loses. I like that a lot because it creates the potential for the dynasty if one team were to keep winning. By the same token, that could backfire, and seeing the same person in charge over and over could quickly get stale.
I've now seen the first two episodes of the season and the show quickly establishes what's staying the same and what isn't. As I mentioned, the younger feel is definitely prevalent but here's what I don't like about it. When Trump had George, Carolyn, and season one winner Bill Rancic by his side, it felt like he had actual professionals (who knew what they were talking about) advising him. With the new structure, he could have different people advising him each week. I'm not sure I like that inconsistency and, if anything, all it does it isolate Trump and it makes it clear that the onus of decision is solely on him.
The other big twist this season has in store is the theme: the haves and have-nots. All season long, the winning team will get to sleep inside Trump's swank L.A. mansion while the losing squad will bunk out in the backyard in tents. It highlights the fact that winning is what you want, but we knew that anyway. It feels gimmicky and I'm not sure it serves any purpose beyond that. The idea is that it will further motivate people to win. The potential of being hired by Donald Trump wasn't enough encouragement to do well?
Overall, the big question is: has the show changed? Yes, definitely -- enough that loyal fans will be pleased and perhaps enough that lapsed fans who have skipped the last few seasons (myself included) will come back.
The Apprentice: Los Angeles premieres on Sunday, January 7 at 9:30 on NBC.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-01-2007 @ 10:50AM
V said...
YAAAAWN!
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1-02-2007 @ 10:28AM
TomB said...
Me too.
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1-02-2007 @ 4:18PM
jay said...
trump is just a jerk anymore. why anyone would watch his show anymore is beyond me. i like how he went around last year and praised the apprentice as the #1 show in the country.. yeh like 3 years or so ago when it started.. not last year.. in fact, i dont recall it ever crossed the top 10.. and now that the show is LA based, i dont think you will find many people on the east coast watching or even caring about it. im not sure if any one watched WWE Monday Night Raw or not, but last night Vince McMahon came out and ripped on Trump a little bit saying that Trump stole McMahon's "You're Fired!" phrase. It was quite funny. anyway, thats my 2 cents.
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1-04-2007 @ 9:49AM
Judy Wilson said...
I love the apprentice. I am a single professional 52 year old woman who enjoys watching these talented and diverse people step up to the challenges, fall on their faces and everything in between. Trump is a successful man. Who cares if some of these comments suggest he's a jerk. He's a successful jerk or he's just beyond some people's comprehension. All of my years of work and experience and lessons learned are sometimes realized on the show and it's interesting to watch how these people come to task or not.
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1-04-2007 @ 9:50AM
tonya smith said...
i liked the show because it was real. these people were doing a job interview. now they sleep outside?! it seems to be just a game now. it's not real anymore.
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1-04-2007 @ 9:50AM
Sarah Snow said...
I'm a Ghostie!~!!!
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1-04-2007 @ 9:50AM
Prima Frankie said...
I think Rosie Odonnell should be added to the board room. Yup--tired of that too.
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1-04-2007 @ 9:50AM
Muriel Kussier said...
RElly..sleeping in tents....that is not reality
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1-04-2007 @ 9:50AM
Cecelia grim said...
I'm really very happy that it is back on !!!! My family and I watched every week and was very dissappointed that it wasn't on . My grandkids are 9,11,13 and they really liked the show too It was a teaching lesson about life and by the way Donald is not a jerk he is a successful man that alot of people wish it was them Carry on Donald
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1-04-2007 @ 9:50AM
CC Fancher said...
Go back to the basics Trump!!! After reading this review I understand why Trump picks fights with people who are only going to make him look bad (Rosie)why waste your time??? Then he runs around town making comments about how ugly he thinks Angelina Jolie is. Does Trump own a mirror. He's lost touch with reality. Go back to the basics Trump!!! I was a loyal fan but no more. Sounds very dissapointing.
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1-04-2007 @ 9:52AM
Jude Harrison said...
I love this show. Regardless of what Trump does, someone is going to be a critic. He's made money and lost money and given away millions - do we ever hear about that! Good for you Donald keep up the good work. I am sorry we won't be seeing Carolyn anymore though.
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1-04-2007 @ 9:53AM
Buddy said...
When will the Trumps go crawl back underneath the rock from which they came from. He gives me the creeps.
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1-04-2007 @ 6:37PM
Carol said...
Can't stand the man. He's pompus and a loser. They should go back to the original premise where they were going to have a different boss each season. Who can take this much of him. And, the whole Rosie thing, I think she was pretty funny when she did her impersonation and I think he has played on it just so he can get attention paid to "The Apprentice." Everyone do the world a favor. Don't watch this show so it will go away along with the Donald and his hair.
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1-05-2007 @ 12:54PM
Stan said...
I am so tired of watching a bunch of bitchy, lazy A type personalities snipe at each other week after week I could puke. Not one of these individuals knows what it means to put in a hard days work. Apprentice indeed, most of them couldn't do what the average working man does in a day. Needless to say, I won't be tuning in.
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1-07-2007 @ 11:21PM
jane Barnes said...
I like learning the business stuff and comparing my instincts with others'. Often I do better than I think.
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1-07-2007 @ 11:21PM
jane Barnes said...
I think Frank should be fired.
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1-08-2007 @ 4:29PM
jane Barnes said...
I think Frank should be fired.
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1-08-2007 @ 4:31PM
Jackie Lubben said...
Heidi might have been a good project manager, but her grammar in the boardroom was shockinglly bad ("...someoone should have went...").
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1-08-2007 @ 4:31PM
RO said...
The show was so ridiculous last night. It has lost all its professionalism and realism. To have the losers sleeping outside and showing up in the boardroom all done up (hair & makeup) is a put on.. Frank acted like a moron. To delegate their assignment from a driveway and they the teams ran dressed in their business clothes without sitting indoors to discuss a game plan is unreal. And, yes, my husband was correcting Heidi's grammar too.. Oh..and to have a recording of a baby cooing and giggling in the beginning... come on here.. Let's get professional or I will not waste anymore time watching what has become a "comedy"...
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1-09-2007 @ 12:24AM
Wotan said...
Very disappointed that the frantic, asskissing idiot (Frank) was not fired. Should have left along with Martin. Sad start......
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