The Apprentice kicks off again tonight and sees a whole new group of business hopefuls trying to avoid the finger of doom from Lord Alan Sugar for a ninth time. But with the format not having changed for nearly a decade, why do we keep tuning in to see who will be on the bad end of a Sir Alan backlash.
While so many reality shows want to see who the best at a skill is, The Apprentice scratches a very different itch and instead simply finds out who is able to screw up the least. This is show all about crisis management, where the ability to not make a complete pig’s ear of the situation is the best to have.
The trouble is though, that while we usually root for the contestants to get over the hurdles placed in front of them, with The Apprentice, we actively want them to fail. It’s a whole heap of schadenfreude, as we actively enjoy watching these egotistical and annoying people bumble their way into every obstacle they can.
Of course it’s all an act. These people couldn’t possibly be this annoying and idiotic in real life, or they would have a nervous breakdown going to Tescos or putting the clocks back. It’s still incredibly enjoyable though to watch this group of egos clashing heads, whatever tasks they’ve been given.
Honestly, the tasks are simply excuses to see the group of suit clad wannabes try and climb over each other to get in the good graces of Lord Alan. Does being able to flog ukuleles have anything to do with good business? Not really, but it does make for an interesting time of watching someone try and make a regular old instrument seem appealing.
Lord Alan also makes for a big part of the show’s appeal too, as he’s a complete contrast to the warm and cuddly hosts and judges that we’re used to seeing on this type of show. He doesn’t ever seem malicious though in the ways that Gordon Ramsey could occasionally be, lifting him up from purely hateful to merely cantankerous. The show’s lack of sentimentality is also nicely refreshing, as way too much of TV contest shows is taken up with commiserating contestants or placating an audience all too ready to hoot and holler at mediocrity.
Overall, despite its myriad series, this is still a talent contest like no other, which is exactly the same reason why The Great British Bake Off proved such a break through last year and why Lord Alan Sugar’s whims will make for entertaining TV for some time to come.
The Apprentice starts Tuesday 7th May, continuing on Wednesdays from 8th May, 9pm on BBC One.
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