The Apprentice is back!
Here’s one geek’s moral struggle with his enduring love of the BBC reality game show…
The start of a new series ofThe Apprenticealways seems to creep up on me.
I find myself feeling jealous of those who dont feel a need to tune in.
Nor can I justifiably fall back on my set excuse of I watch it for the tips on business.
It would most definitely be shorter suffering.
Sometimes they dont get it right.
I shouldnt be able to forgive a show for that.
Its the same reason I stopped watchingBig Brotherafter the first few runs.
Sensationalism over genuine character.
TV clickbait, basically.
However, when I see the adverts fanfaring its return, I still do a little air-punch of celebration.
Heres my attempt to try and rationalise my reaction.
I remember a conversation I had with a friend just after series seven had finished.
Enter Hopkins spewing her bile; a guaranteed ratings-baiter.
But, since then, the equilibrium has more or less been kept.
The grinning buffoons who spout nonsense like My first word wasnt mummy, it was money!
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I think this is key to my allegiance.
The best example to prove my point however has been the advancement of Claude Littner.
He is a master of the fearsome one-liner.
Here he is cracking a joke.
Here he is actuallypraisinga candidate, albeit well out of their earshot.
And, yes, even commander-in-chief Sir Alan of Sugar has been shown to have a GSOH on occasion.
But does the sense of role-playing really excuse the fact that the show takes pride in these characteristics?
WhetherThe Apprenticeinvites them to play or not, doesnt it encourage this behaviour in the business world anyway?
We have reached a stage where the ones that produce the best television are gloriously reoccurring.
Nobody has messed with the formula as it has grown organically.
They will always start the candidates off flogging something basic out of the back of a van.
There will always be the one where the make an advert of maximum cringe value.
There will always be the one where they have to acquire obscure items.
There will always be one where they go abroad for some reason.
And there will always be the interviews.
They measure about as much business acumen as a thermometer filled with jelly would.
The assumption that the next Richard Branson or Donald Trump is lurking around the corner is absurd.
And let us not forget that these souls sign up for the show themselves.
Theyve all seen previous editions.
I shall probably continue to feel a little bit guilty for enjoyingThe Apprentice.
I cant think of any other show I enjoy that sits in the weird reality bracket.
Its not big and its not clever but it is cathartic.
Bravo to the producers for managing to keep it on the right side of fictional across the years.
