To be fair it's a long time coming but I'm really not into this series as much as I was in earlier series. There's a combination of reasons for my lacklustre response to the show now which are:

* They are not listening to or able to follow basic instructions and there are no penalties when they fail to follow these.
* L A seems to want them to get the job done done as cheaply as possible like in the 'antique' task and as a consequence there seems to be far too much tolerance of lying and cheating and selling stuff for as much as they can get away with whether it's the right value or not.
* All the good contestants keep getting fired, Duane last week and Katie this.
* L A already knows who he wants as he must know their idea and that seemed to be the case last year so we're reduced to watching just an entertainment show which is becoming a bore.
* There's much less activity on here so presumably less people are watching.

Basically The Apprentice is boring now, anyone else agree?

Well the show could get some reboot, some new rules to freshen up the format. Perhaps the show has been running for a long enough period to warrant a few changes. Things can get a bit stale, I guess.

I think LS has lost interest which in turn has put more pressure on the production team to come up with tele-worthy candidates. This has meant dumbing down. Budget may have been cut as tasks are low calibre and both Nick and Karen seem subdued. I would say something is wrong - and, of course, it's having a negative effect on YBF which is hardly worth watching now.

I'm finding it all a bit dull. This is the worst cast that I can remember.

The same thing is said about X Factor, Strictly Come Dancing, Britain's Got Talent, Big Brother - but the viewing figures suggest people do want to watch these reality shows. One big change could be a new boss. Axe Sugar and find a new businessman/woman. That would change things.

Missed YBF from my list. I used to love that show but I can take it or leave it now with the emphasis on leave it. Katie Price on it last week was the last straw.

The biggest problem is firing the better candidates over the entertainment candidates and the fact that most of the remaining candidates are boring or invisible (Gabrielle, Tom, Nick, Jenna, Jade, Azhar).

Just not interested in any of the remaining candidates.


Think that the last great series was series 5 (or series 6 up until the pony disaster in week 10).

Young Apprentice was miles better last year then the last 2 adult series (ok, even if it fell apart in the semi-final).

Agreed OP. I've watched two catch ups this series, because the format is tired, albeit that they've tried to change it which has made it worse. The rest of the reality programmes are the same but it's served up year after year so why watch it? All the time people keep tuning in, they'll come back with another series. The first three series were the best, thereafter it lost its impetus.

The series is looking tired, they should give it maybe another two years and pull the plug.

To be honest I find this years lot better than any from the last couple of series but I'd be hard pushed to invest in any of them, maybe Ricky or Azhar. Jenna seems to have some good qualities but her voice sounds like finger nails clawing down a blackboard. Laura is due for the chop.

It's gone a bit too 'Big Brother' now where they're looking for 'characters' who will be decimated at the interview stage by Claude. I blame Stuart Baggs.

Katy Price on TA:YF was the end of it for me.

This year I can't even remember some of the contestant's names, that's how involved I feel this year I do think it's a particularly incompetent group of people though

I'd actually delve a little deeper and say a lot of the tasks seem set up to fail or cause rebellion.

Take last nights... They have to sell high end gourmet food, fair enough, oh but it also has to be dirt cheap, like 2 or 3 pounds and they have to sell it on a street in Scotland.

I'm sorry but that just seems a little off to me. Couple that with the fact that few of them have experience in selling food by the street side in a city most of them don't know and it was always going to be a recipe for disaster.

Sure, the team that won did go for higher end stuff but they only won by a few pounds and even Al said that was 'risky' and said it must have been their sales techninique that won them the task!

Is he taking the piss with these tasks or what? Ok, so I know it's about getting them out of their comfort zone but it should also be about the relevant skills they can bring to a business. When the variables for loss come down to one team having someone who worked in that particular field against another team who don't and they end up failing on something stupid like their cooking skills, you do have to question it.

You also have to question such a system when it involves people like Katie going and people like Adam staying! I think the premise of the show was ruined for me the moment I realised it was all just set up for tv and Al blatantly couldn't give a toss who wins or loses.

I'd still watch it for mild entertainment value but frankly, I think I enjoyed it more back when I was less cynical.

I think part of the problem is that Alan is thinking about their business plans and we don't know anything about it.
Therefore, we have no idea of his full reasons in the boardroom for firing one candidate over another.

But maybe I am a bit tired of it too. I wasn't even bothered about watching it last night and this is the first series I have really felt that way.

Thought YF was pretty entertaining in places last night though

This weeks task was definitely a lose lose situation. Buy quality ingredients - be criticized for overspending, Buy cheap ingredients - be criticized for not producing gourmet food.

The amounts of money the teams earnt was pitiful. £300, after you've paid the VAT* (they were serving hot food after all) that's £190, that's only £38 for a team of 5 and £32 each for the team of 6. In reality the £240 would not cover hire of the catering truck, generator costs and other expenses. They could have taken nearer a grand. e.g. 175 portions @ £5.99 = £1048

*VAT paid on total sales so for Jennas team 20% of £550 = £110

Not up to the normal standard , But still worth Watching .

I always loved watching TA but this year it is boring me to death.

The format is tired and the tasks are monotonous and the people second rate with little personality or business sense.

I miss Margaret who brought a bit of class and Sir Alan no longer impresses me.

This is the worst cast of the Apprentice (second only to series 4). Even series 4 is more entertaining in the sense that they are many candidates who were too bad to be real (Jenny Celery, Sophocles, Alex 24 years old, Claire & Helen). All candidates from this series are boring & uninteresting. My partner refused to watch it last night so he had to go to the next room.

Nobody is exceptional in terms of business skills, and no eye candy either. This year, the guys are not particularly attractive.

To be honest I've always been a bit disappointed with the lack of realism I suppose and have always felt they should talk more openly about what it is they're trying to achieve like setting up a business long term would need a very different approach to a 2 day task. Also, that L A is interested in low, low cost and biggest profit not quality. Quality only comes into it if the team who went for quality wins Ironically it has been a tad more honest this series but since it's become an investment opportunity rather than a job there's too many other issues like a feeling the winner's already been decided and we're just being entertained but unfortunately we're not being so because there's too many holes in it, the contestants are dull and the criterias lack all transperancy.

Not keen on this series TBH.

Usually there's someone I want to win, or someone I want to get fired, or someone who I want kept in to get interrogated in the interview stage.
This year - nothing*.

There are no characters, and it's a poorer show because of it.
Oh, for a Stuart Baggs!


*except for Stephen. I don't like him or his wonky face.

Although I watched last night I can't actually remember who was fired!

I think it was probably my final episode unless nothing else is on at 9 next week

I have a horrid feeling that Katie was trying to use the show as a springboard into TV, look at her "the future" section of her website:

http://katiewrightapprentice2012.co.uk/?page_id=23

"a massive ambition of mine is to enter into the political media. I would love to take my first hand experience of working in Parliament to become a political correspondent on TV, the radio or written press."

Hardly a career aspiration consistent with being at the helm of a company with Alan. Alan does seem to hate people using "the process" for TV exposure, and I think she was, and so off she went in a seemingly strange firing.

I think this year's candidates are really forgettable. We're on week 7 and I still don't know some of their names.. I read on here about Tom and Nick and I have no idea who they are.

I think the show has sold its soul to the viewers and has now become stuck trying to pander to their amusement.
They know the most memorable moments are people making big blunders and cocking things up, but they used to have an impact because there was alot of actual talent being shown.
Now the show just seems so desperate for entertainment that they exploit the candidates stupidity all the time.

I mean there's hardly anyone I'd want to to be stuck in a room with, nevermind think was a credible candidate to run a business.
I used to be genuinely excited at the competitiveness that came with the show, but now the winner is the person who manages to not look like the biggest plonker out of a bunch of plonkers.
I'm not amused. :yawn:

Only because of the ridiculous recent firings. I'm still enjoying it and watch it every week.

It's gotten really tired , same tasks , same sort of outcomes .

it really needs a shake-up , or a different way of following the action , it's just so stale .