The Apprentice - The Complete First Season

Rating:
Summary: THE Reality show that tops all others!
Review: When I first heard about this show, I assumed it would be a buttoned-down, more serious version of "Survivor", full of go-getters with massively annoying big egos. After sitting down to watch the first episode anyway, I was definitely hooked.

I was also surprised because nearly every episode was packed with humor and interesting situations. From the presumably simple tasks of selling lemonade or giving people rickshaw rides to the loftier challenges of renting out the finest apartment in manhattan or managing a pop concert, every episode has something to offer. Notably, nearly every character is interesting and most are quite likeable, something you wouldn't expect out of a group of supposedly ruthless businesspeople. Plus, unlike "Survivor", when a contestant gets booted out, it usually makes sense (unlike the 2nd season, in which the Donald seems to have gotten a bit erratic in his decision-making)

Some of the notable characters:

Kwame - very well-educated young man, very low-key and likeable

Bill - middle-of-the-road, sharp business mind, professional

Troy - probably most people's favorite character; presents a naive country-boy demeanor, which covers up his sharp business/sales acumen; also says some of the funniest things and is involved in some of the funniest moments

Omarosa - not quite as evil as people have made her out to be, its just that she has a knack for frustrating the heck out of people with her drama and attitude.

Heidi - tough little cookie with a trucker's mouth, never boring when she's on the screen.

Sam - nearly every time you see or hear him, you just want to laugh. Hilariously off-the-wall when he tries to sell a cup of lemonade for $1000, when Troy tries to help him relax and meditate, and when he stops in the middle of a task for an impromptu nap on the floor


The Donald (of course!) - even if you don't like him much, he keeps his personality in check, and actually says a lot of funny things himself, both to the contestants and in exchanges with his advisors grumpy but funny George and sharp-edged Carolyn.



DVD extras - an A+++; you get to see a nice group of deleted scenes, interviews with Donald, George, Carolyn and Mark Burnett, bios of the contestants, a cool music video, plus my favorite - the audition tapes of every contestant

Plus, this is one of those rare reality/game shows that you will enjoy watching over and over; my highest recommendation!

Rating:
Summary: Trump and five losers for one hour show, what a joke....
Review: Just out of curosity I watched this show a few times, and it was typical realality based TV trash, five or six people try to learn the ropes of business from Trump, and they act like fools to stay in his favor, he gradually fires the ones that fail to please him (much like a trainer would starve a lion) and the winner gets to work at one of his hotel/casios. The premise is explotive and makes people look like fools and it says that both Trump and his TV partners have no taste in making this show in the first place.

Rating:
Summary: best to watch and to give...
Review: After seeing this show a thousand times I had to give it as a gift. This is great for those who never saw season one but got hooked on season 2.

Rating:
Summary: THE APPRENTICE Season 1
Review: For someone who does not watch reality tv, I thought this show was going to be a winner. I was enthralled as a business type at how much there was to learn. When it got down to the end, I was thoroughly disappointed. The show turned into typical daytime tv, canning the obvious choice, Amy, to be "The Apprentice". Oh well, I won't watch this series anymore. I don't recommend it, and I wish for once something could actually be real and genuine and not take me for a-seek thrilling-idiot who likes characters like Omarosa. What an idiot. Amy was a true success. Did Donald Trumps lady get jealous at the thought of a female apprentice? Ugh.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting also in Germany
Review: Hi, i live in Germany and saw a few episodes of "The Apprentice" on my holiday in Asia. I am 22 and I have been working as an business consultant at a larger company for about one year now. Except from the skills you need to do the job, it's often more important to interact with people advisedly. I bought these DVDs to study the interaction of the candidates and i can say it was worth the investment.
The episodes are amusing and instructive. In Germany two channels tried to copy the format of the show, but they totally flopped. One was discharged after the first episode. They fit in a more or less successfull soccer manager to replace Trump, but he was only some kind of laughing stock. Therefore i can say, how important the characteristic personality of Donald Trump is for the show.

Only the last episode was crap, because they accentuated the show character to much. Everybody thought "Great, this brilliant young guy gets the job of his lifetime.", but after they removed the backdrop of the boardroom, the whole credibility of the show was lost.

Great show, but a little less show would make it better! :)

Rating:
Summary: Business worthy of analysis
Review: I'm not a big fan of reality-TV shows. In fact, I watch less than 30 minutes of
TV per week. I have little time to spare, because I'm in the midst of
transitioning from life as a college student to life as a full-time real estate agent
in Beverly Hills (www.youn.com).

In preparation for my new lifestyle, I've been trying to study the tactics, habits,
and behaviors of successful investors. I hadn't seen even one episode of "The
Apprentice", but I heard only positive reviews from my friends. So, I decided
to spend $45 on the DVD box set.

On "The Apprentice", 16 contestants get split into two teams. Trump pits the
two teams against each other. Each team must complete the same types of
business projects in set time frames. The team that makes the most profit
wins. That winning team usually gets the privilege of using one of Trump's
extravagant facilities. As for the losing team, they reconvene with Trump, and
Trump "fires" a member. The process of elimination continues until there are
only two contestants left. Trump awards the last standing survivor with a high
position at one of his companies.

"The Apprentice" is ingenious on two levels. The first level of genius is that
Trump gets to advertise himself on TV, to millions of people. He doesn't pay
for the advertising; instead, Trump gets paid to advertise himself. The show
portrays Trump to be more of a business-god than a business-man. And
people willingly agree to watch this advertising. It's fun. The business-god is
who many of us dream of being.

Not only does Trump get paid to build-up his own business prestige, but also
Trump gets competent unpaid laborers to advertise and promote his
companies. For instance, in one episode the two teams compete to see who
can sell more of Trump Ice, which is Donald Trump's bottled water. In
another episode, the two teams compete to see who can make more money
by renovating and renting out two of Trump's apartments.

Through performing those projects for Trump-badged goods and services,
the contestants form marketing campaigns. They pitch it to two audiences: to
their business contacts in New York, and to the viewing audience across
America. In exchange for their unpaid labor, these contestants get airtime on
national TV, as well as free room-and-board in The Trump Tower.

The second level of genius is that "The Apprentice" can be analyzed as a
stylish documentary about the lives of businesspeople. Not all of the
contestants are good businesspeople. It's up to the viewer to analyze what
makes the good ones good, and the bad ones bad.

In each episode, Trump does give his own analysis of the contestants' strengths
and weaknesses. But that analysis is very brief. He allows the viewers to
discuss their likes and dislikes. And by discussing and analyzing each
episode, the viewer dwells upon the show, becoming anxious to see the next
episode.

Furthermore, the competition effectively turns into a quasi-sporting arena
when Trump allows team members to be traded. Who are the stars? What
are their win-lose stats? Who will get booted next? You have to watch the
next episode to find out.

It is the combination of all of these factors that make "The Apprentice" such a
smart, stylish TV show that is essentially irreproducible. (To see what I
mean, just try watching an episode of Mark Cuban's "The Benefactor.") It
stands alone, allowing students of businesspeople (such as me) to learn more
about business tactics in an entertaining way that leaves me hungry for more.

I give "The Apprentice" 5 of 5 stars because of its combination of educational
value and entertainment value, all supported by a framework of
ingeniousness. It's smart business.

You can read more of my thoughts at www.xanga.com/albertyoun

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Supplement to Business School
Review: Several people warned me "As a career consultant, you need to watch this show!" So when the DVD came out, I did. And I was overwhelmed. You could show portions of the series in a non-Harvard MBA classroom.

The show's premise has been described so often I won't summarize here. As Bill Rancic observes in his book, there's not much reality here. Tasks bear only faint resemblance to real-world business challenges faced by senior executives. Extra pressures arise from the group's living arrangement: a loft on Tiffany Corner, 5th Avenue and 57th Street, where participants sleep in cubicles, "on top of each other." Well, says Trump, a tiny apartment at that location might rent for $12,000 a month. He should know!

Besides the survivor-type drama, we get a rare glimpse into Trump's world, as he shows off his apartment, fleet of aircraft, estates and companies. He comes across as likeable, even "funny," as one fired contestant says, showing annoyance only once in the entire series, during a mix-up in the very last episode.

So can we learn business lessons from the show? In many ways, yes. Above all, what's important is conducting yourself professionally and never losing your cool. Participants must cooperate to win as a team, yet ultimately their teammates are also their competitors. In corporate America, you get ahead by supporting your boss. Here, a savvy team can undermine a leader who's a potential strong competitor or a despised colleague, getting that leader fired.

Trump also encourages players to think outside the box. He is quick to fire those who won't stand up for themselves or who are squeamish about critiquing their colleagues. One woman got fired because she held back instead of "fighting for her life." Feisty is good. But these values are hardly universal. Trump has created not only a company, but also a culture. Other companies may expect executives to stay in the box and be quiet.

Are these really the best and the brightest? Watching contestants fumbling around, it's easy to question the selection process. But we have to remember these folks are fish out of water. They're jammed into tight spaces, sharing quarters boot camp style. They've presumably signed releases, allowing photographers to film them sleeping, brushing their teeth or answering a phone in their underwear.

Some contestants no doubt have trouble relaxing and sleeping in those conditions. And the pace is relentless. As Rancic says in the bonus material, some people just got tired. Stamina, motivation and perseverance lagged. Romance was hard to manage, although one couple came close. (I think Omerosa and Kwame had some chemistry, especially evident in a deleted scene shown on DVD and suggested by his decision to select her for a critical task. But nobody comments so maybe I shouldn't either!)

Candidates were young and many were at a crossroads: newly divorced, restless, and/or facing career challenges. They were a special group in many ways - some special to the point of quirkiness, but that's another story.

Having read Bill Rancic's book first, I watched for signs of greatness. Bill did not stand out in the first few rounds - when some obvious misfits were culled quickly - but found some effective out-of-the-box strategies that dazzled Trump. Additionally, Bill was poised, professional, articulate and good-looking. A no-brainer.

The real winners were those who followed the strategy Kwame describes in the bonus material. He saw the show as a platform for a new company and a new career. Based on media reports, all have received great job offers or seen their businesses expand. One candidate managed to use the platform to display her worst qualities - but you can decide for yourself.

As an expatriate New Yorker myself, I was drawn to the last scene of each episode, when the fired participants find a cab idling right at the curb, presumably equipped with a video cam to record their last thoughts. Just having a cab at your beck and call can be a luxury, but I wondered more. Where do they go? Does Trump buy them last-minute airplane tickets? Fly them home in his private jet? Stash them in the Trump Plaza hotel? Well, maybe we'll find out someday.




Rating:
Summary: Learning about business and having fun
Review: The producers of The Apprentice used the same successful formula of reality television well learned by MTV in The Real World. The only thing necessary for a successful reality TV show is a concept that draws people to the first episode and a cast that is sure to develop engaging conflicts. The formula boils down to making sure things will not run smoothly - enough diversity (or token individuals who are not white) to create racial tension, coed interaction to create sexual tension and a few unbalanced people that tick everyone off. The Real World works and has always worked by these rules, and The Apprentice was not ashamed to adopt the same tactic.
The first season definitely had all the elements: Omarosa served double duty as general evil witch and race card, Sam was kept on just long enough to make everyone crazy and Amy was just too cute for the men to not fawn over. The new season is shaping to be no less formulaic, and if the plan does not pan out, ratings are sure to decline. The Omarosa of season two seems to be Stacie J., albeit a version with less method to her madness. This time a new kind of conflict has arisen - that of experience against youth, or as manifest in the first episode, Patricia against Andy.
This is where the game starts to hit closer to home. Season one had Kwame Jackson, an HBS and Goldman Sachs alum who represented the polished educated businessman, almost irreproachable in every way. He made it to the final pair and was the last contestant to be fired. Among the new crop of recruits HBS, HLS and the college are represented. Alum of HBS are business perfect in their pressed shirts, HLSers are talented tightlipped and ruthless (conventionally speaking) and FASers are brilliant, of course.
Andy Litinsky '04 had the good fortune of making it onto the second season of The Apprentice while still a senior, so now the world knows him not only as a recent Harvard graduate, but a brilliant one as well. Despite his gargantuan brain, everyone seems to think he's too young for the apprenticeship, even the Donald himself. His status as the picked on genius baby has helped him win a good portion of camera time, including a long stretch in the boardroom. But isn't that what the benefit of The Apprentice is anyway - nationwide exposure.
Celebrity has an incredible draw as Andy Litinsky and his fellow Apprentice contestants know full well. It didn't take long to realize that the celebrity of the first season's cast would bring them profit in addition to gratification. The degree of profit from the celebrity of those who had ample airtime is such that the actual prize of the Apprenticeship fades in comparison. Already Bill Rancic, the winner of the first season, has released a book of business advice entitled "You're hired!" How to succeed in business and life, has signed on as spokesperson for the financial services company Advanta and has speaking engagements in addition to his appearances on late night television. As for the Apprenticeship he fought so ardently to obtain - supervising the construction of a high-rise in Chicago. By the time the term of his Apprenticeship expires the foundation of the building might be complete, and meanwhile he's learning the ins and outs of construction. So did the Donald need Bill Rancic, or an Apprentice at all? It seems unlikely; what the he needed more was the success and profit this reality venture brought him.
Runner-up Kwame Jackson fared well also. The investment banker has turned real estate developer and has signed his new company Legacy Development LLC on for a 3 billion dollar real estate project near Washington, D.C. Even Ereka Vetrini, the eighth to be fired on season one, now has her own show on the Style Network. The possibilities for the newly minted stars seem limitless.
Is it possible that the millions of people who tried out for season two or the 18 who made it onto the show all adore Donald Trump and have an interest in his line of work (and think his gilded apartment is the best in New York)? The answer is clearly no. The name of the game is fawning over the boss man until you can achieve the same status, and all sorts of professionals are joining in - lawyers and models among others.
It all sounds like recruiting - in the spotlight. Recruiting and the business world also sell a lifestyle, or at least the prospect of one in the future. Just as contestants of The Apprentice flock from every discipline in search of the glamour and riches success in business will bring, seniors this fall will too flock to presentations and interviews enticed by similar (but perhaps more moderate) possibilities. Hopefully this set of aspiring apprentices will not feel the need, as one new Apprentice contestant does, to watch and follow Donald Trump as he eats.


Rating:
Summary: the best reality show ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: this is the best show i have been praying for this day to come for months it is the only reality shoe with style and class(and all of the omorosa you can take). GO TRUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: THE BEST REALITY SHOW BY FAR
Review: This show takes reality television shows to a whole new level. It is very well written, probably the first show of it's kind and it also must have been a huge risk!! Even though you might hear from others that this show is dumb and is about people making fools of themselves by messing up I watched this show every week and it is the best show I ever saw. Let me tell you, I hate reality TV shows, to me they are boring and most of their plots are pretty stupid. This completely changed my mind about them. If you have the money and are considering buying this I will tell you, BUY THIS SET OF DVD!!! Just to make it fair however I will list all of the pros and cons to you from the stanpoint of someone who is balanced.

PROS:
-Very well thought out
-Great value for hours and hours of fun
-Can teach beginners what to do (or what not to do) in a real life situation
-Interesting people with great personalities (you can choose who your favorite is)
-Very exciting and challenging tasks

CONS
-After watching it too many times it can get pretty boring (hint; don't watch whole set more then once a month)
-Sometimes it is too confusing and you don't know why something just happened
-Some people are annoying to watch because they don't do anything interesting
-Ocationally too much talking, not enough action

Overall this deserves a lot of credit. You want to buy this, take it from someone who stayed up every Thursday night to watch this, and I never missed an episode. P.S. don't judge this by the other seasons this is much better even though they are great.