I need to get round to watching the full series 1 at some point.
For me the high point of the Apprentice was series 3, 4 and 5. There were more interesting characters during those, the show was much better to watch. In the last two or three series, the contestants have been quite dull.
My favourite series will always be the first. I watched it from the first episode because I'd watched the American version while I was living over there. It's amazing to watch the first UK series now. It's like watching a different show:
The candidates were actually competent business people and they all got along so well together. They were also all so much older; Tim was the youngest at 27!
The set was much less slick - Sugar, Nick and Margaret whispered when they were alone in the boardroom and you could sometimes hear the candidates coughing and moving about outside - obviously hadn't soundproofed it yet!
The series showed lots of footage from the house in every episode (perhaps because Big Brother was at the height of its popularity at the time?)
The narrator sounds completely different - he hadn't quite found his style, looking back
Sugar actually seemed to treat the candidates as serious prospects and talked to them more as equals rather than like a headmaster talking to naughty school children in all subsequent series
Nick and Margaret smiled all the time and were friendly towards the candidates
The boardroom sessions seemed much shorter, and everyone behaved so professionally in them. Everyone admitted their mistakes and there were no stitch ups
The treats the candidates were given were things like weekend breaks away in Scotland and Monaco. These days it seems they're lucky if they get a fish supper and a few beers
Somehow all those things together made for better telly, in my opinion. I knew they'd gone down the slapstick, "cringe TV" route as soon as I saw Jo in series 2. They've just gradually changed the show so much in every series that it no longer bears much resemblance to what it originally was.
I don't think they have gone down the slapstick route. They did a little bit, around about the Series 3/4 route, but I think they're back to taking it seriously again now. And there were stitch-ups in Series 2, Lindsay bringing Miriam and Adele into the boardroom being the obvious example.
I don't understand your comment about the treats either. They have had some fantastic treats! They've had speedboat rides, zorbing, visits to Jersey, street-dancing with Diversity, flying lessons and jacuzzi sessions in the last couple of years. I wouldn't turn down any of those...
I need to get round to watching the full series 1 at some point.
For me the high point of the Apprentice was series 3, 4 and 5. There were more interesting characters during those, the show was much better to watch. In the last two or three series, the contestants have been quite dull.
I disagree entirely! I don't think that candidates being thick and being entertaining equal the same thing. I like seeing contestants that actually do a good job. And I didn't find the Series 8 candidates dull either, though I know a lot of people did.
Series 3 and 4 were some of the weakest series, I think. Series 4 had very few credible candidates, and Series 3 would have been forgotten about if it wasn't for Katie and Tre.
My favourite series will always be the first. I watched it from the first episode because I'd watched the American version while I was living over there. It's amazing to watch the first UK series now. It's like watching a different show:
The candidates were actually competent business people and they all got along so well together. They were also all so much older; Tim was the youngest at 27!
The set was much less slick - Sugar, Nick and Margaret whispered when they were alone in the boardroom and you could sometimes hear the candidates coughing and moving about outside - obviously hadn't soundproofed it yet!
The series showed lots of footage from the house in every episode (perhaps because Big Brother was at the height of its popularity at the time?)
The narrator sounds completely different - he hadn't quite found his style, looking back
Sugar actually seemed to treat the candidates as serious prospects and talked to them more as equals rather than like a headmaster talking to naughty school children in all subsequent series
Nick and Margaret smiled all the time and were friendly towards the candidates
The boardroom sessions seemed much shorter, and everyone behaved so professionally in them. Everyone admitted their mistakes and there were no stitch ups
The treats the candidates were given were things like weekend breaks away in Scotland and Monaco. These days it seems they're lucky if they get a fish supper and a few beers
Somehow all those things together made for better telly, in my opinion. I knew they'd gone down the slapstick, "cringe TV" route as soon as I saw Jo in series 2. They've just gradually changed the show so much in every series that it no longer bears much resemblance to what it originally was.
Agree with most of what you have written. The first series was by far the best if you look at the skill level of the candidates. Any one of the final four from series one would have won any of the other series (if they were in it). It was also good entertainment.
The first few series were business oriented, now it seems more entertainment oriented. With a few loons thrown in to keep the ratings up.
For pure entertainment value you can not beat US apprentice S7. The fights between Piers Morgan and Omarosa are legendary. Nothing comes close to those two having it out over several episodes.
I enjoyed Series 3 the best, possibly because it was the first one i ever saw but i still think it had some of the best moments. After series 3 i like Series 1 and 5.Series 1 was very serious and had many credible candidates and Series 5 kind of tried to return to that after Series 2, 3 and 4 being a bit more about 'big'characters and entertainment than a serious business show. But 5 was still entertaining and at times hilarious.
Series 2 is ok but it had some very poor candidates,remember the episode where they all kept crying? Series 4 had some of the most unpleasant candidates out of any series
Series 6 bored me,7 was a bit better and i barely remember series 8 despite being the most recent one lol:o perhaps i need to see it again.
I found myself enjoying last nghts opening episode for 9 so thats a good start
Comments
For me the high point of the Apprentice was series 3, 4 and 5. There were more interesting characters during those, the show was much better to watch. In the last two or three series, the contestants have been quite dull.
I don't think they have gone down the slapstick route. They did a little bit, around about the Series 3/4 route, but I think they're back to taking it seriously again now. And there were stitch-ups in Series 2, Lindsay bringing Miriam and Adele into the boardroom being the obvious example.
I don't understand your comment about the treats either. They have had some fantastic treats! They've had speedboat rides, zorbing, visits to Jersey, street-dancing with Diversity, flying lessons and jacuzzi sessions in the last couple of years. I wouldn't turn down any of those...
I disagree entirely! I don't think that candidates being thick and being entertaining equal the same thing. I like seeing contestants that actually do a good job. And I didn't find the Series 8 candidates dull either, though I know a lot of people did.
Series 3 and 4 were some of the weakest series, I think. Series 4 had very few credible candidates, and Series 3 would have been forgotten about if it wasn't for Katie and Tre.
Agree with most of what you have written. The first series was by far the best if you look at the skill level of the candidates. Any one of the final four from series one would have won any of the other series (if they were in it). It was also good entertainment.
The first few series were business oriented, now it seems more entertainment oriented. With a few loons thrown in to keep the ratings up.
For pure entertainment value you can not beat US apprentice S7. The fights between Piers Morgan and Omarosa are legendary. Nothing comes close to those two having it out over several episodes.
Series 2 is ok but it had some very poor candidates,remember the episode where they all kept crying? Series 4 had some of the most unpleasant candidates out of any series
Series 6 bored me,7 was a bit better and i barely remember series 8 despite being the most recent one lol:o perhaps i need to see it again.
I found myself enjoying last nghts opening episode for 9 so thats a good start