The Apprentice UK 2017

everlast75

Looking back, when James was speaking to the camera about their poor choice of location for the advert, there was an obvious sign things would not work out well for his team…

_Dara_

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

Sarah stands out a mile as being the most competent.

Absolute stand out for me too. Very competent. Could totally picture myself working with her and that's rare in an Apprentice contestant.

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

Bushra is probably the next in line but she's not very impressive.

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Bushra for me is on borrowed time at this stage. She's been utterly unspectacular and loves to pass the buck.

Agreed, I find it very hard to say anything positive about her but I can't put my finger on why. She's certainly very visible on the show and gives off an impression of being competent but it seems to be all smoke and mirrors.

yerwanthere123

Surprised Sarah has jumped out for so many, I had to Google who she was Yes she seems to be working away nicely in the background, perhaps they're editing it in such a way that the strongest candidates will start emerging now.

Surprised at some of the contestant ages as well. Bushra is only 34, I'd easily put another five years on her. Shocked Anisa is 36 too, think she could pass for 28/29!

Exclamation Marc

_Dara_ wrote: »

Agreed, I find it very hard to say anything positive about her but I can't put my finger on why. She's certainly very visible on the show and gives off an impression of being competent but it seems to be all smoke and mirrors.

Shes so quick to make sure that when anyone else makes a decision she'll say "OK so I'm taking your idea and decision to do XYZ or go to XYZ as the plan", it's pathetic and so visible. Like that time in the car going around London forcing the non-londoners to decide the route and making a big point that this was their choice.

Jump_In_Jack

Elizabeth's "throw her under the bus" moment was great last night, "Bushra can answer that one." followed by a look of panic on Bushra's face and a string of babble that was fooling no one!

Jump_In_Jack

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Surprised Sarah has jumped out for so many, I had to Google who she was Yes she seems to be working away nicely in the background, perhaps they're editing it in such a way that the strongest candidates will start emerging now.

Surprised at some of the contestant ages as well. Bushra is only 34, I'd easily put another five years on her. Shocked Anisa is 36 too, think she could pass for 28/29!

Apparently Michaela is only 33??
She looks 40 with a lot of dodgy botox to me. But perhaps they lie about their ages?

yerwanthere123

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

Apparently Michaela is only 33??
She looks 40 with a lot of dodgy botox to me. But perhaps they lie about their ages?

I'd put her a little older than 33 alright, but I think the hairstyle, suit and ridiculous Deirdre Barlow style glasses don't help.

Hitman3000

yerwanthere123 wrote:

I'd put her a little older than 33 alright, but I think the hairstyle, suit and ridiculous Deirdre Barlow style glasses don't help.

Does she actually need glasses? I can't see a magnifying effect when she wears them.

yerwanthere123

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Does she actually need glasses? I can't see a magnifying effect when she wears them.

Probably not, it seems to be quite trendy to wear them nowadays.

Hitman3000

yerwanthere123 wrote:

Probably not, it seems to be quite trendy to wear them nowadays.

Maybe So, but those frames ain't trendy.

siblers

She wasn't wearing them with Alan Sugar was explaining the task and she looked a lot younger without them, no idea why she'd want to wear those kind of glasses

Jump_In_Jack

siblers wrote: »

She wasn't wearing them with Alan Sugar was explaining the task and she looked a lot younger without them, no idea why she'd want to wear those kind of glasses

It must be an attempt to make herself look (and possibly feel) more intelligent and more of a serious business-woman.
Also possibly a kind of protection to hide behind if she were to be criticised.

alchemist33

Like last night there are many weeks when two halves of a team completely fail to communicate in time and end up going in completely different directions. Themes are committed to, posters printed or TV ads planned without the knowledge of the other half. Either the teams are alwaysbstupid enough to commit to something without knowing what the others are doing or there are some production shenanigans where they're not allowed to.

BrianBoru00

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Surprised Sarah has jumped out for so many, I had to Google who she was Yes she seems to be working away nicely in the background, perhaps they're editing it in such a way that the strongest candidates will start emerging now.

Sarah has class. She's not jumping out because she's Making her point clearly and eloquently and then rowing in behind the team once the decision is made. To me shes a good way clear.

I'd have Jade next but I'm not sure if that's because she hasn't been found out yet or because she's just being solid. But she has been excellent at selling..


I actually think Elizabeth is quite good. Shes forceful and is definitely quirky but I think it was ridiculous bringing her into the board room - that's never happened before as far as I remember and there have been far far far worse and more incompetent candidates escaping the guillotine throughout all the series.

So far Elizabeth is certainly no worse than any of the remaining candidates

jr86

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Surprised Sarah has jumped out for so many, I had to Google who she was Yes she seems to be working away nicely in the background, perhaps they're editing it in such a way that the strongest candidates will start emerging now.

I won't lie I couldn't tell who was who between her Jade and Sarah Jayne until now either

From editing purposes Michaela has easily been pushed at us the most, it could be set up for a dramatic fall at the interview stages though. Harrison has been very prominent too, he gets lot of cutaways and screen-time and is one of the most vocal there. Very surprised a poster above sees him as just there for ratings, he seems credible to me and Claude had good words to say about him on YF. Sugar often tends to have a soft spot for the jack-the-lad but hard-working types, also. Interviews at least I reckon

Andrew, Charles have been pushed as the antagonists of the series in a way, with Elizabeth the "comic relief" contestant even if she has grown a lot in credibility as the weeks have gone on - imo

remember 2014 though - the two eventual finalists Mark Wright and Bianca both looked miles off potential finalists at this same stage

James, perhaps, could be a potential late bloomer. I don't see who else could fit that bill though, but there's generally one or two every series. Joanne, Bushra and the other woman are on complete borrowed time

jr86

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Does she actually need glasses? I can't see a magnifying effect when she wears them.

They make her stand out more from a visual perspective, which is probably the idea

A large proportion are blatantly only there for the fame and the potential to blag tv gigs, media appearances afterwards

_Dara_

jr86 wrote: »

They make her stand out more from a visual perspective, which is probably the idea

A large proportion are blatantly only there for the fame and the potential to blag tv gigs, media appearances afterwards

Sajan had that air about him alright on You’re Fired.

IvySlayer

I don't see why Elizabeth got such a hard time. She was the only one coming up with ideas, suggestions. If the advert was a representation of her ideas it would have looked a lot better. James didn't manage her or take control, chose the wrong location, name. Sajan messed up directing but how James didn't get sacked I'll never know.

geecee

I like Elizabeth... But can't help but feel she reminds me of the hapless Nanny from Count Duckula!

ArmaniJeanss

siblers wrote: »

I thought her bull in the china shop attitude would have been too extreme for Alan

siblers wrote: »

She wasn't wearing them with Alan Sugar was explaining the task and she looked a lot younger without them

You address me by my proper title you little bollocks.

ArmaniJeanss

jr86 wrote: »

remember 2014 though - the two eventual finalists Mark Wright and Bianca both looked miles off potential finalists at this same stage

I thought Mark was a major player at this stage 3 years ago, the whole Mark v Daniel story was centre stage by now.

This year is just strange - on the grounds that no-one would have just randomly picked the norman village it must be that it was chosen for them by the producers? Maybe that's why only one got fired? There must be legions of good arguments in the boardroom not being shown?
Personally I've stopped enjoying it.

Hopefully the people in the background release some unseen footage of Suicre being taken apart for being a socialist labour fan until such time as an actual socialist took charge.

jr86

These have to be the worst group they've ever had on this show!

jr86 wrote: »

Last year tbh

Don't we say that every year?

I started watching in 2013. so 2013 were my favourite group. Since 2013, contestants seem to have nose dived.

I was watching GoggleBox Ireland earlier and one of the lads in Limerick goes "It used to be Alan Sugar gave them a job. Now he gives them 250k for a 50% share in their company, so its like Dragons Den only with more steps. He must have said "I'm not hiring any more of these langers!"

I lol'ed and he's probably dead-on with his analysis.

yerwanthere123

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I thought Mark was a major player at this stage 3 years ago, the whole Mark v Daniel story was centre stage by now.

This year is just strange - on the grounds that no-one would have just randomly picked the norman village it must be that it was chosen for them by the producers? Maybe that's why only one got fired? There must be legions of good arguments in the boardroom not being shown?
Personally I've stopped enjoying it.

Hopefully the people in the background release some unseen footage of Suicre being taken apart for being a socialist labour fan until such time as an actual socialist took charge.

Yeah, Mark was pretty much there from the start. Bianca only really gained momentum towards the end. She was almost fired for stupidly admitting during a pitch that they were the last people that they'd be pitching to that day, meaning they were forced to accept a lower price.

_Dara_

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I thought Mark was a major player at this stage 3 years ago, the whole Mark v Daniel story was centre stage by now.

This year is just strange - on the grounds that no-one would have just randomly picked the norman village it must be that it was chosen for them by the producers? Maybe that's why only one got fired? There must be legions of good arguments in the boardroom not being shown?
Personally I've stopped enjoying it.

Hopefully the people in the background release some unseen footage of Suicre being taken apart for being a socialist labour fan until such time as an actual socialist took charge.

Suicre.

ArmaniJeanss

_Dara_ wrote: »

Suicre.

Lol, was very drunk obviously. That bit was good (the rest pretty much nonsense!!).

_Dara_

IvySlayer wrote: »

I don't see why Elizabeth got such a hard time. She was the only one coming up with ideas, suggestions. If the advert was a representation of her ideas it would have looked a lot better. James didn't manage her or take control, chose the wrong location, name. Sajan messed up directing but how James didn't get sacked I'll never know.

Yeah, Elizabeth is far from perfect but in this instance, I think she didn't go because she simply highlighted what a weakling Jame was. So ineffectual.

Thing is, they probably had no choice but to go with the incongruous location because of time pressures and they just needed to get on with it. James completely froze up, so somebody had to do something. Ideally, they'd all be coming up with ideas, brainstorming and picking the best one but that didn't happen so the ad was the result of that. I think Sajan's firing was unfair but honestly, I think he just didn't stick up for himself enough in the boardroom. He seemed tongue-tied. James should have gone too though.

Joanna was very lucky to escape the boardroom. She doesn't understand teamwork and collaboration. The name she picked was awful but in a brainstorming session, it's normal to throw dodgy ideas. But they should never get past that stage. She doesn't get that not every idea is a good one.

Was interested in the 'fast' thing as a no-no in the car industry. I didn't know about that but of course it makes total sense. Kinda like how in the airline industry, safety is never mentioned in advertisements for any airline. It's taken as a given or should be.

OwaynOTT

Can't use fast but can call a car swift?

_Dara_

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Can't use fast but can call a car swift?

Not as evocative a word, I reckon.

_Dara_

I don't mind saying that the Apprentice is one of the highlights of my week. I've watched since the second season in 2006 (ah, Ruth Badger, one of the best contestants ever, up there with lovely Liz Locke in 2010), missing about three series along the way since then for various reasons. This show does not get old!

Ohh eee so excited, which gobshite will go this week???

yerwanthere123

The Apprentice is a bit tired as a format, but still very watchable. Still getting decent ratings for the BBC and I, too, look forward to it when it's on. Surely we'll have two going this week? James absolutely should have gone last week, although it could mean he has a good business plan lined up.