One would think that after almost 20 years of The Apprentice, viewers would be tired of the BBC show, especially since there are always new shows on TV and streaming services that are competing with it.
But Lord Alan Sugar and his trusted advisors have kept the show going for so long because it has a simple formula that works as long as the candidates are charismatic and business-savvy enough to earn a huge £250,000 investment from the tycoon.
In recent years, some of the contestants have been sorely lacking in business skills. Instead, they have been comedic relief contestants who seemed more like aspiring reality stars than actual people who want to start their own businesses.
After seeing the first episode of the 2023 season, this doesn’t seem to be as much of a problem with the cast this time… Don’t get us wrong, though: there will be plenty of hilarious mistakes right from the start.
Let’s start with the bios of the candidates, which came out this week before the first episode aired on BBC One. Already, there have been comparisons to James Bond and Kim Kardashian, as well as a few arrogant claims of greatness that Lord Sugar is sure to put down a peg or two in the boardroom.
Anyone who has seen an episode of The Apprentice since 2005 knows that a candidate’s actions need to speak much louder than the words on their blush-inducing CVs if they want to act like they’re the best of the bunch.
Lord Sugar immediately puts the candidates to work in the boardroom, where he is joined by his assistants Karren Brady and Claude Littner, who will make a brief appearance in two episodes after his recovery from a bike accident.
To brown-nose the business magnate and create a good first impression, the contenders, as usual, laugh at everything Lord Sugar says, even the insults aimed at them.
Their mouths drop when they learn that their first assignment will take them to the Caribbean island of Antigua, where rather than relaxing in plush accommodations, they will have to suit up and try to offer individualised tours to vacationers.
As soon as the respective boys’ and girls’ teams have their initial group meetings, powerful individuals begin to emerge from within each team, while other, more reserved characters begin to recede into the background almost quickly.
But as is typically the case, the candidates’ hasty actions will come back to bite them in the rear ends, and the loudest voices are not always the most astute.
Some bright competitors are brought to light during the first task of the competition because they demonstrate an ability to thrive in high-stakes situations and receive positive comments from Lord Sugar after returning to the United Kingdom.
The contestants continue the tried and tested strategy of simply shouting loud enough to drown out any other opinions in their vicinity. This leads to the typical chaos and mayhem that fans of The Apprentice have come to expect and hope for in each new series of the show. However, these needless squabbles are highly amusing.
The viewers will invariably be provoked into yelling at their televisions and declaring defiantly that they could perform one million times more effectively if they were given the chance.
It is difficult to predict which of the strongest-looking contestants will continue to be frontrunners given that there were a total of 18 candidates at the beginning of this year’s process and that there are several weeks ahead. It is also difficult to predict which of the more reserved candidates will emerge from their shells to make their mark.
In spite of this, we have a feeling that those who see it will be in for a journey that will have them laughing out loud at various points.
The Apprentice returns on Thursday at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.