With S5 nearly finished which series do you think is the best/your favourite?

I would have to go with S3. It was the first 1 i saw so i always have a soft spot for it but i honestly think it was the best. It had some great candidates like Jadine, Tre and Kristina and some classic moments like Paul and the cheese in france and Simon selling live on the shopping channel.

Series 3
Series 1
Series 2
Series 5
Series 4

If we gave an abitrary number to the best series, series 3, say, 10, then series 1 would have 7 points, series 2 would have 2 points and the other 2 would be too far into the minuses to even make sense of.

Series three was, without a doubt, my favourite. Series four would rank as my least favourite because I barely warmed to anybody.

Thus far :

1 (because it was fresh, new, unpredictable, with interesting characters, and Nick and Margaret mostly kept their over-rated gobs shut)
5 (my favourite cast, with a great variety of tasks, marred slightly by predictability)
3 (Would be right at the top, but the firings from week 9 onwards right up to the final hiring were horrible, depressing bullshit)
4 (A cast full of vile walking personality disorders at least produced occasional comedy)
2 (Teams turn up, Ruth sells a load of shit, Jo Cameron screams her irritating gonk head off, teams go home, somebody useless and pointless gets fired, wash, rinse, repeat to infinity)

I really enjoyed 1, 3 and 5. 1 because, as mentioned above, it was brand new, unpredictable etc etc, 3 because it was fantastically entertaining in an almost pantomime way and 5 because I feel the "cast" are most relatable-to.

Never got into 2 or 4 - I found them both wholly flat and devoid of charisma. The former in particular.

I agree wholly with Monkseal , although S3 was my favourite.

Series 3. I didn't watch series 1, and I didn't see all of series 2, so I can't really include those. I thought series 3 was great, series 4 was good, and the current series is entertaining for all the wrong reasons.

Series 3, it was the last time that the candidates actually looked as though they could be an Apprentice and not TV stars and the entertainment came from them all thinking they were the best, whereas this bunch is arrogant but without any reason to be so.

In terms of the candidates as a group:

Series 1
Series 3
Series 5
Series 4
Series 2

However, in terms of the final winner:

Series 1 Tim
Series 4 Lee, Series 2 Michelle
Series 5 Whoever wins
Series 3 Simon

Every series gets better!

I like Series 4. Not the best candidates business-wise, but the entertainment factor was huge. The Marrakesh episode is a classic.

Then:
Series 1
Series 3 (mainly because of Tre)
Series 2
Series 5

It's also between S1 and 3 for me. Both had a good mix of candidates, a decent-ish crop with abilities (although this year is quite strong), and people you could root behind and be outraged by in equal measure.

Indeed, although I've greatly enjoyed this year, there hasn't been a candidate in particular I've been madly supporting or one who has brought out my homicidal tendencies. It's been a good business year though which is refreshing.

S2 was a pile of pants(men).

I loved Series 2! I liked the earlier serieses much more, when it wasn't such a popular show and tucked away on BBC2. My order (best to worst):

Series 2
Series 1
Series 3
Series 5
Series 4

Last year (series 4) was double dull, can't even remember who won.

Definately Apprentice 2006. with Syed. I found him to be the most comical of all candidates. Also Ruth and Michelle doing battle. Great stuff.

I think series 4 was my favourite, however, I found there were too many horrible contestents, and a lot of pathetic bullying going on. I still found it the most entertaining though. I think it's because I had my 2 favourite candidates decided during episode 2 (Raef and Lucinda), whilst this year, it was by like episode 7 before I chose my favourite.

Also, because last year had so many horrible people in, I really, really strongly liked my favourites, so I found the show far more intense. This year, I have a favourite, but it's sort of like 'I like everybody, I don't mind who goes', which doesn't make great TV.

This year's candidates, as people, are leagues above series 3 and 4 though.

The one with Tre, Simon, Adam, etc. I LOVED that series so much.

Its really hard to say. Series 1 was easily the best in some respects, because it had genuine candidates who were there to get a job with SAS and had no intentions of doing anything but that. They were all smart, streetwise, and still had the ones who were great tv, but were actually not trying to be it. Adele for example was great to watch, but I doubt she was thinking "if i act like this, i'll be famous."

My favourite series is probably series 3, just for being so entertaining. Its not the best in terms of an actual competition, but they were just all so great. Kristina was still robbed mind.

Series 4 was by far the worst. Nobody deserved a job but Claire, who was the only thing worth hiring or watching for. (Credit to Lucinda and Raef too)

Oh, and I must say, this series is a big step up on recent years. Its not my favourite as such, but it has the best balance - the candidates are entertaining, but on the whole are good at business too. A few to many tosspots for my liking though.

If I was to name a worst series, it would be this one. I gave up I think after 3 episodes, it was so boring.

I think Series 2 was my favourite, which obviously isn't in agreeance with everyone on here
Second would be second for me, a great balance of candidates and so many great moments! The winner kinda ruined it for me though, Kristina would've been a great winner!
Series 5 would be next, depending on the winner I think it could be second - it's had some great moments!
Series 1 then because it had great charatcers who actually were there for the jobs
Series 4 would be last...just because although I watched, there were few to root for, and watching Sophocles stay over Jenny M, Sara and Raif made the series go down in entertainment so much!

Series 3. Has there ever been a villain funnier than Katie Hopkins? She was insane, saying she wanted random people to be run over etc. Also Kristina was one of the best Apprentice candidates across all the series in terms of capability, imo. Helped that she wasn't a supercow too! And Paul, and the sausages. And Tre. And 'Reclaim the STREET!'... I could go on!

I didn't get to see series 1, but from what I know, they were much better than those who followed.

S3 is probably my favourite out of the series I have seen. Tre remains one of my favourites, and Katie one of my most loathed (but admired). Simon and the trampoline is still my favourite TV moment. There were also contestants besides those remembered well who were good (i.e. Jadine, Naomi, Adam).

S5 are almost as good as the third series - they certainly make up for the hellish contestants of S4. Good candidates -even Ben, Phillip, Debra and Mona showed good skills here and there. A satisfactory final five, unlike last year.

S2 was not very impressive in terms of candidates - but it did give us living legends like the Badger, Syed (my favourite by far in terms of entertainment ) and even Michelle. Tied with S5 for me.

S4 - Apprentice hell. Need I say any more? Some of my most hated contestants (Sophocles, Jenny C and Alex) come from that series. With a few exceptions, the crop last year were just pure evil - and very stupid. Lee winning despite a CV lie crowned it all. Good entertainment - but video nasty. For me Jenny C remains the worst contestant in all the series.

My favourite was serris 2

3
5
1
2
4

1. Series 3
2. Series 4
3. Series 1
4. Series 5

Didn't see Series 2.

Series 5 has been shocking. Absolutely awful. I never though I'd turn off The Apprentice.