The Apprentice has become a caricature of itself

[DockOTheBay]

Anyone else really annoyed at how ridiculous The Apprentice has become?

If you look back at clips from previous seasons, they had people who were actually competent, of various ages and backgrounds, who wore normal clothing. They worked together as a team and actually aimed to produce something decent - rather the trying to sabotage each other at every opportunity.

Also recently the method of the programme makes no sense. Split the groups and expect them to come up with a coherent marketing, with no communication between them? Do customer research AFTER the products are finalised? Its just stupid, of course the stuff they come up with is crap.

Agreed but I still love it! I’ve missed it for the last two years.

Oh and the project managers just say "this is what we are doing" and expect everyone else to do it. NO team playing whatsoever.

@BeingATwatItsABingThing

Agreed but I still love it! I’ve missed it for the last two years.

I missed it too, but now its back on I'm disappointed :(

I think it has got worse and worse...but I still watch it!

I love it but its so cringe sometimes

The tasks are more complicated nowadays (I've watched since the first series). Back in the day, it was 'make an advert' or 'design a product' or 'sell stuff' but now it's design the product, make an ad, make a social media trailer, pitch it, sell it ...

It does lead to everything being a bit frantic - as you say, no cohesion. In real life you'd never have to come up with branding for a drink you hadn't tasted.

I'm not sure whether the contestants are getting more useless every year, or whether I'm getting older and wiser and more cynical .

Whatever, I'm still a huge fan and it's one of the few programmes I make a point of watching every week.

What really pisses me off, is that they show clips at the start of each episode of future weeks, meaning you already know who hasn’t been fired 😤😤😤

They’ve purposely made it worse since the series where the two finance people got to the final, with relatively “boring” business ideas. People don’t watch it for good business acumen; they watch it for car crashes… so they hire the people likely to cause that. Ideally with some talent or good business ideas mixed it; allegedly, but that is debatable…

I miss the “good old days” too; it used to be quite a funny and informative watch, and the crazy people were entertaining exceptions rather than the norm.

@ClariceQuiff

The tasks are more complicated nowadays (I've watched since the first series). Back in the day, it was 'make an advert' or 'design a product' or 'sell stuff' but now it's design the product, make an ad, make a social media trailer, pitch it, sell it ...

It does lead to everything being a bit frantic - as you say, no cohesion. In real life you'd never have to come up with branding for a drink you hadn't tasted.

I'm not sure whether the contestants are getting more useless every year, or whether I'm getting older and wiser and more cynical .

Whatever, I'm still a huge fan and it's one of the few programmes I make a point of watching every week.

Agree. I remember when the pitching used to be done in the final, when they'd organise a launch party and then pitch. It always seemed a big deal because you'd never seen them pitch before. More recent series have them pitching every other week, it seems.

The market research after finishing the product was bizarre! They had even already pitched it to one of the stores too, hadn't they? I couldn't work out if that was deliberate or the producers had a scheduling hiccup and just went with it?

I still love the programme, but was struck in the first episode by how all the girls were wearing exactly the same outfits but in different colours! Tight shift dresses with high heels and wiggling backsides. How boring. What a shame the lovely Shama had to leave.

I agree with all your points.
It was better when the prize was a job offer rather than a business partner set up. I reckon AS knows right from the beginning which business he’d invest in.
My teens really like it but even they can see how ridiculous it is.

I miss the “good old days” too; it used to be quite a funny and informative watch, and the crazy people were entertaining exceptions rather than the norm
Yes there were some real memoable characters in the first few seasons - Ruth Badger, Stuart Baggs, Saira, James Max, Lee who did the pterodactyl impression

I couldn't tell you the name of a single contestant in the past 3 seasons or pick them out of a (bland) line up.

I agree with you OP, it has gone downhill rapidly over the last few series and this one is even more of a joke. I find myself muttering if these are the best business brains, we're screwed.

Mind you the 'turd' designs of the Men's Team this season have been an unexpected highlight.

@ThisBear

The market research after finishing the product was bizarre! They had even already pitched it to one of the stores too, hadn't they? I couldn't work out if that was deliberate or the producers had a scheduling hiccup and just went with it?

They've done it before so I think its just the way they do it now. They seem to have a lot less time, products have to be made in a few hours and no time for "tweaking" after research. Each task used to span 3 or 4 days, I get the impression its now only a day or 2.

I agree. They design the packaging, and then get a call from the other half of the team to tell them what flavours they’ve gone with? What a waste of time.
I mean, obviously I know it’s reality tv, but it’s just a pointless exercise to design packaging for a product not yet designed and then be criticised for how the packaging doesn’t mention a key feature of the product. Which they could have no way of guessing when bloody designing it.

@AutumnAlmanack

I still love the programme, but was struck in the first episode by how all the girls were wearing exactly the same outfits but in different colours! Tight shift dresses with high heels and wiggling backsides. How boring. What a shame the lovely Shama had to leave.

She was my favourite :(

There's been a couple of really good contestants in the past couple of years that haven't made it to the final- Michaela who worked in the construction field and had a procurement business was a favourite

I think there's less variety in the contestants now they're all (supposedly) entrepreneurs. You had more of the quiet types when they were applying for a job.

Also feels like the person fired is the one whose business plan is not liked. The person responsible is always saved. V odd. Also agree on methodology. How can you design app for product not even seen?

I think they blatantly keep the ones who're most entertaining now.

I've never watched until this season . Where on earth do they find the candidates? I've done nothing but laugh . Is it supposed to be a comedy program? The male team seem as thick as pig shit . The cruise campaign they came up with week one was awful but the toothbrush in week 2 had me howling ! Why are they so obsessed with everything look like a turd? 😂

Where on earth do they find the candidates?

Anyone can apply!

Is it supposed to be a comedy program?

Definitely edited with comedy in mind - in fairness, it always has been.

Why are they so obsessed with everything look like a turd?

I'm sure a psychologist would have ideas!

@ClariceQuiff

Completely agree OP. It used to almost be a serious type show - OK so it was never documentary style, but now I feel the contestants are simply chosen on the basis of who will cause the most drama. It's gone really downhill.