I tried to watch the first episode of Martha Stewart’s Apprentice last night, but in short order, switched to a superb show on PBS about the Tango, with top-notch performances by dancers and musicians from Buenos Aires but, unfortunately, some horrible camera work (there ought to be a law that when you film a dance performance, you must at all times SHOW THE DANCERS’ FEET, for heavens sake, and not their faces.)
Anyway, the Apprentice was a huge disappointment.
I’d hoped for something quite different from Ms. Stewart, but she’s using the same, shopworn elements as Donald Trump: a bunch of young, good-looking people with gigantic egos; two flunkies; unembarassed product placement; tasks that are only vaguely related to running a business; corporate pals of the host getting their 15 minutes of fame while they judge the tasks; a lavish communal suite; staged reaction shots; rewards reflective of the “good life” to which all young men and women of commerce and industry aspire; etc., etc., blah, blah, blah.
I really enjoyed the first season of The Apprentice, but it’s become a crashing bore, and I hope both versions tank.