The Apprentice (US &UK) is a constant favorite and guilty pleasure when it comes to reality TV shows. The show itself is insanely entertaining, while subtly educational. Perhaps one of the more "real" shows out of all other reality shows out there in the vast emptiness that is cable television (cough The Hills cough)- The Apprentice features intelligent contestants in the business arena vying for the ultimate job in NYC (The UK version- London). The candidates must be smart, unique, independent, cooperative, and ruthless in this competitive process to be number one.
The Apprentice has inspired me in many ways, such as garnering my interest in business or causing me to obsessively abuse the show's tagline: "You're fired!" as means to annoy family and friends. The Apprentice is a great show- but there are major differences between the US and UK versions that shed light on some strengths and weaknesses in comparison to the other.
And with that said: I rather enjoy the UK version much better.
Why UK version of the The Apprentice "trumps" the US version:
1. Lord Sugar (The UK counterpart to Trump) is much more rational and coherent in making decisions than Trump (who often times fires people based on whim and the mood of the day).
2. The beautiful English/Irish/Scottish/Welsh/etc. accents- oh God even the losers of the show sound like winners
3. The UK captures a grittier and realistic tone to the show, while the US show is very Americanish. Meaning: flashy, quick cuts, dramatic edits, abrupt zoom-ins, and the (bom chika wowwowwwwuh) like...Hence, veeezah veee, thus- the UK version is in a pure aesthetic sense seemingly "real-er."
Some notable differences between the UK and US versions (if you must know):
1. Most of the time, Americans fight for the Project Manager (aka group leader) position; their UK counterparts mostly shy away from this stressful responsibility.
1a. The influencing factor being: if you are the PM of a winning task you will be exempt from fireage on the next task (US). Lord Sugar does not follow Trump's risk-reward schema: PMs are still vulnerable and responsible for the next week's task.
2. UK version highlights that the show is a JOB INTERVIEW PROCESS. US version highlights WHO WILL STAND ABOVE THE REST AND WIN THAT 100,000 SALARY. I suppose when it all comes down to it, the prize and the conclusion are all the "same."
I highly recommend both shows (both US and UK versions) for anyone (interested in business or not) because it's fun, genuinely educational, and sometimes hilariously entertaining (stress + cameras + Lord Sugar + stress = loads upon loads of crying men and women). For those who don't know anything about the show: TV.com is a wonderful source for all things Apprentice.
You can watch episodes on YouTube. Or perhaps Hulu; in the near future.
That aside, what do I think about Celebrity Apprentice (US)? A sort of spin-off show dedicated to celebrities (replacing the common persons) and charities (replacing the top $100,000 job)? At first I was defiant about it and had a tiny but explosive tantrum to Trump's stupid "creative" twist to the original series.
However, after closely following Celebrity Apprentice these past few years, I realize- it is not so bad (despite being 2 hours long every episode- aka a real draaaaaag). Being that I expected something more akin to a horrific traffic pile up, Celebrity Apprentice is... alright. The main driving factor to Celebrity Apprentice's "fun" is that the contestants are celebrities, already well-accomplished human beings. AKA they do not seem as desperate nor do not suck up to Trump as hard as the average Joe/Jill. But that does not mean all is well. Tempers flare. Overblown egos clash. And eventually you see celebrities acting like all of us: human beings that are bossy, eccentric, clueless, prideful, etc.
It's fun to see the likes of Sharon Osbourne utilizing her star-status to garner paparazzi support as a free ticket in obtaining high quality photos for promos. It's fun to see huge tantrums thrown (Melissa Rivers) at cameras/producers/etc. However, Celebrity Apprentice has become much more of a spectacle, less educational for aspiring viewers. Celebrity contestants use their star power/popularity more so than their talents to rake in the cash (although charity fundraising bulldog Holly Peete is something else!). Even Trump and his advisors (his kids) seem entertained by their group of celebrities running around like headless chickens- unused to the nitty gritty harsh reality of the business world.
The Junior Apprentice (UK) is a spin off series (season 1 has just ended) featuring kids as contestants. When I first heard of this concept my immediate reaction was: "WTF? What do kids know of business?" I must admit, I'm highly ashamed and have become incredibly humbled by my watching experience of the Junior Apprentice. Teenagers all over Britain (some who seem at the verge of puberty), are selected by their business ambitions/accomplishments to compete for the ultimate prize fund that will support a future business endeavor.
After episode 1 (6 episodes in total), I was immediately blown away by how accomplished, well-rounded, coherent, and intelligent these kids were. Some of them, (younger than 17 years old!), already had noteworthy businesses prior to the show. I've learned so much from these kids who performed fantastically in every project assigned to them and although there is the usual drama (mature kids are still kids after all), Lord Sugar's intentions spreading interest in business to the younger generation have completely shined through with each fun-filled episode.
Junior Apprentice = Hilarious, fun, and intelligent
I highly recommend any Apprentice fan to watch the Junior Apprentice (available on Youtube as of now). It's just fascinating to see business prodigies face off while using their wiles and wits to remain ahead. Kids think differently than adults and this twist makes this Apprentice series so awesome to watch.
Lord Sugar, yes is much easier on the kids (than on the adult prospects), but that is because he acts as a teacher figure rather than a boss figure. I loved every minute of the Junior Apprentice.
Overall Diva Scores
The Apprentice (US): A-
The Apprentice (UK): A
Celebrity Apprentice (US): C+
The Junior Apprentice (UK): A+
Diva Talkin',
SJ
