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The Apprentice series 2

 
  

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Ganesh
08:54 / 04.05.06
I also warmed to Michelle a bit, but I agree with Margaret's "cold fish" assessment, and Nick's warning that she possesses the mutant power of one-to-one seduction (interesting that the interview panel were all-male this year; I wonder whether a female interviewer might've had a different experience interviewing Michelle). I think she's been a successful radar-avoider rather than a successful task-performer, and if Michelle goes on to win it'll be on the strength of her achievements before the series began, and possibly her ability to tug on the heartstrings of sentimental ol' Servalan.
 
 
Ganesh
09:02 / 04.05.06
Didn't know Ruth played for the home team

Team Sappho!
 
 
Hattie's Kitchen
09:35 / 04.05.06
Yeah, what the FUCK is Ruth wearing in that preview clip? She looks like a Harlequin gone horribly wrong.
 
 
Not in the Face
10:07 / 04.05.06
SirAlan, desapite his gruff all business exterior, obviously likes his parties as it looks like he's setting the same task again. More wedding and party planners should apply for the show.

More similarity to last year - looks like Michelle takes a gamble on Syed much as Saira did on the (forget his name - loud mouthed italien bloke) in the hope that he would have a flash of sales brilliance but more likely it will end in tears and recrimination.

Also worrying but not surprising that Ansell gets booted for being 'nice' which seems code, not necessarily for being actually nice (although he does seem to be), but for not displaying the ability to be a fucking arsehole.

Best bit of the programme aside from destruction of Paul, was when Michelle and Ruth left the boardroom - no hugs or congratulations but immediately casting the other as 'the enemy', especially Michelle. Judging by the look on her s face, if the film crew hadn't been in the cab with them I wouldn't have put any odds on Ruth making back to the flat in one piece. As it was I think Michelle was running down the list of dangerous substances at hand.
 
 
Spaniel
10:33 / 04.05.06
I'd certainly rather work for her than Syed, for fuck's sake.

Mainly because Syed's a complete and utter idiot who would probably singlehandedly destroy any company he worked for through the power of his stupidity.

I really can't stress just how much his dimness irritated me.

As for Paul, yeah, he's an insufferable dick, and I've always maintained as much, but I don't think he's all blag. From what we've seen of him during the tasks he's considerably more capable than most of his fellow candidates.
 
 
Hattie's Kitchen
10:41 / 04.05.06
Next week it looks like Michelle gets Syed, Sharon and Paul to work with her on the final task, while Ruth gets Jo, and I think Tuan? Don't know who else she gets.

Apart from her much sharper business skills, this is why I think Ruth will win:

Although she can be blunt with people, Ruth can at least form somewhat friendly connections with both men and women - she's much warmer than Michelle, who struggles to form any real bonds with people, especially other women.

I've noticed that Ruth was the only other woman Michelle arguably got along with in the house. Sharon and Michelle didn't like each other, so that doesn't bode well for Michelle seeing as it looks like Sharon will be working with her on the final task. As will Paul, who as seen previously, has a real problem working for women and Michelle can't manage people as effectively as Ruth. Syed will somehow find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as usual, so based on that I reckon Ruth will win the final task.

However, that means sod-all because the 2 finalists are rumoured to have been working for Siralan for the past 6 months, as did the finalists last year. Michelle may have won Siralan over with the hard-upbringing background, as did Tim last year, but this is where Ruth will really excel. I think Ruth is much more hungry for it than Michelle is, and knowing that Michelle already earns over £100,000, Ruth will be going all-out to prove that she's Apprentice material.

Badger to win! And to release a cover of Whitesnake!
 
 
bjrn
21:49 / 05.05.06
I don't remember how it went last year, and I'm not even sure I saw the final episode. They do this task, and them SAS makes his decision? I'm guessing it won't be based solely on the last task, that'd be quite silly. Can someone tell me what the last task was last year?

I wonder who I would pick if I was one of Ruth and Michelle and had to pick others to have on my team. I think I would have taken Ansell, and perhaps Tuan as well, who actually seemed pretty good at what he did (making sure things fall into place), except I have a vague memory of (possibly) him screwing up the finance part in some task. But taking someone "difficult" is perhaps a good way to show that you can manage people well...
 
 
Mourne Kransky
19:38 / 08.05.06
Last task last year was, IIRC, to organise a party on a boat going down the Thames. Trick was to theme it and sell tickets to the general public. Saira borrowed a Harley Davidson as set decoration and offered free drinks. Tim put on a fetish fashion show. He won. Sweetie...
 
 
Peach Pie
12:57 / 09.05.06
is there some stipulation in the apprentice contract to have a contentious person called 'Paul' in the final four? with a bit of foresight we could have marketed "ah thenk ahm brelliant" badges for the price of the big issue. now the opportunity is lost forever.

i don't think michelle particularly flirted with the interviewers. i wondered what was behing margaret's dismissal of her personality. i'll be very surprised if the badger doesn't win.
 
 
Ganesh
13:33 / 09.05.06
I think Nick used the term "seduced" rather than "flirted", which is probably more accurate: I think Servalan found her Secret Origin story exceedingly seductive (in a non-sexual way), and would imagine she's marginally the front-runner at present. I don't think it's a shoo-in for Da Badger at all.
 
 
Mourne Kransky
15:20 / 10.05.06
Guardian readers' poll favours the chopstick formerly known as Michelle at 57% over the glorious and fearless Badger at only 43%. Tch...
 
 
Ganesh
16:12 / 10.05.06
'S a close thing, but I don't think I'd put money on Da Badger. Unless she pulls something major out of the hat - ideally, something Dickensianpovertyesque enough to worm her way into Servalan's chilly ventricles.
 
 
Peach Pie
17:07 / 10.05.06

hmm... yes, I see what you mean. last year siralan kept paul the first till the very last on the basis of his personal connection.

ooo! it's on tonight! i had forgotten...

michelle has done very well, but i think ruth has been by far the best over the course of the series. we shall see.
 
 
Ganesh
17:14 / 10.05.06
Depends whether doing the best over the course of the series actually counts for anything. With Paul, it didn't.
 
 
Peach Pie
17:23 / 10.05.06
No... He presented badly at interview, but he had a rough old time of it. He didn't seem to stand a chance by the time he got to have his first proper chat with siralan.

Thought the interviews were more brutal this year than last. Clive and Paul W adopting James and Tim as their personal favourites perhaps took the edge off their bite.
 
 
Ganesh
19:16 / 10.05.06
Hmm, I feel Ruth's team is the less dynamic of the two. And her idea's a bit... well, middle-aged and geeky compared with the sexypartyorginess of the 007 theme.
 
 
Cherielabombe
19:19 / 10.05.06
Hmmm. You're right about the middle-agedness of Ruth's event. But then Michelle's isnt' all that original, either - SAS suggested 007, after all.

Still though. If I had a choice between a murder mystery and a Bond night, I'd choose Bond!
 
 
Alex's Grandma
19:21 / 10.05.06
Syed's on the other team, admittedly, but I can't help but wonder if Badger hasn't pissed on her chips with this seemingly very ill-advised murder mystery evening.
 
 
Ganesh
19:22 / 10.05.06
Oh dear, Servalan's already down on Ruth's murder mystery idea - and he's fucking it up on the grounds that "it sucks". I wonder whether he's going all out to sabotage it because he's already fixed on La Dewberry as his Apprentice...
 
 
Cherielabombe
19:23 / 10.05.06
Don't tell me Ruth's REALLY going to go ahead with the murder mystery, even after SAS has called her about it! Big mistake, darling.
 
 
Ganesh
19:25 / 10.05.06
Well, yeah, but it was a bit crappy of him to suddenly throw his opinion in at that stage. She's now going to go for some sort of compromise can-can dressing-as-a-clown bollocks which will be neither one thing nor the other.
 
 
Cherielabombe
19:28 / 10.05.06
Though, actually... handling it pretty well for a basically weaker idea. How could He not be impressed?!?
 
 
Ganesh
19:29 / 10.05.06
Kinda feel Syed and Paul are working against one another here.
 
 
Cherielabombe
19:32 / 10.05.06
"Ruth has decided to 'jazz up' her event."

Now we know how she ends up in that get-up!

Who's gonna go out to Covent Garden/South Bank/Insert London Tourist locale here and flog those tickets first?
 
 
Ganesh
19:36 / 10.05.06
"Cock."

Paul's comment on Syed. Pithy.
 
 
Cherielabombe
19:43 / 10.05.06
So it's kind of a Moulin Rouge/20s murder mystery/too-tight corset kind-of-evening..
 
 
Ganesh
19:43 / 10.05.06
Actually, Ruth's looks a lot more fun - in a claustrophobic kinda way.
 
 
Cherielabombe
19:45 / 10.05.06
I was thinking her *team* definitely looks like they're having more fun, at least.
 
 
Cherielabombe
19:46 / 10.05.06
Ruth's team, that is.
 
 
Ganesh
19:47 / 10.05.06
And she sold it better - but Michelle's was clarrrssier.
 
 
Cherielabombe
19:52 / 10.05.06
Don't shoot yourself in the foot, Badger!!!

(or... has SAS already made up his mind??!? )
 
 
Ganesh
19:54 / 10.05.06
I thought this task showcased the strengths and weaknesses of each. Ruth's theme was a bit uninspired and meh, but she rallied and sold a shitload of tickets. Michelle had a sexypartyorgy theme but couldn't marshall her team to do the selling. Not the same degree of loyalty, either from colleagues or customers.
 
 
Ganesh
19:57 / 10.05.06
If Servalan goes for Michelle, I'll be fucked off.
 
 
Cherielabombe
19:58 / 10.05.06
It worries me when he's saying things like "Give Ruth something to sell and she'll sell it..."
 
 
Tryphena Absent
19:58 / 10.05.06
Nick the henchman looks a bit disappointed.
 
  

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