Review: Martha Stewart: The Apprentice
As a public service--and before it goes on the Web--here is my review of MS:TA that will be posted this coming weekend on
www.televisionheaven.co.uk
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart (NBC)
Reality Series
Host: Martha Stewart
Assistants: Alexis Stewart, Charles Koppelman
Premise: If you’re familiar with Donald Trump’s version of “The Apprentice” (or the UK version), this one needs no explanation: 16 contestants are divided into two teams and the teams perform a task each week. The winning team gets a reward; the losing team goes to a room where someone is fired. In this case, the one in charge is Stewart, the better living maven and former prison inmate; she is helped by daughter Alexis and Martha Stewart Omnimedia Chairman Koppelman. The winning “apprentice” will get a job working closely (we are told) with Stewart.
What I Think: There are differences between Martha’s “Apprentice” and The Donald’s “Apprentice”. The theme songs–“Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” by the Eurythmics for Martha; “(For The Love Of) Money” by the O’Jays for Donald. Martha has her daughter Alexis and former music publishing executive Kopelman for support; Donald has George and Carolyn. And instead of Donald’s “You’re fired”, Martha dismisses the loser with the phrase “You just don’t fit in”–and sends him or her a short letter of regret to boot! Otherwise, these programs are as different as night and evening–and that’s the problem. It’s mostly “been there, done that,” well-produced and competent as a Mark Burnett reality show can be. But it also shows how bankrupt NBC is for good prime time series these days. That’s not a good thing.
Competition: Martha’s “Apprentice” is up against comedies “George Lopez” and the new “Freddie” on ABC; “Still Standing” and “Yes, Dear” on CBS; “That 70's Show” and “Stacked” on Fox; drama “One Tree Hill” on WB; and “America’s Next Top Model” on UPN. It remains to be seen if a second “Apprentice” can hold its own against this soft competition.
