# The Apprentice (oirish version)



## rmelly (23 Sep 2008)

I'm surprised there has been no mention of The Apprentice which started last night.

Actually I'm not that surprised...there was no warning it was starting this week, I only stumbled across it half way through while switching channels. I saw a TV ad for it over the weekend that said 'Coming Soon' - why not say it was starting yesterday.

I only left it on to see if I recognised any of the contestants...

A few initial observations:
1. The cars used by the teams were Renaults - wonder why...
2. They were selling fruit on Moore Street - no surprises there, Bill...
3. The voice over guy may as well have been using the BBC scripts with a find & replace of 'Sir Alan'... e.g. '.....the search has begun.'
4. They have gone for the exact same formula & stereotyping as the BBC - working class dubliner who left school after leaving etc etc etc etc

Why do we have to do carbon copies of the UK on these shows - we're not adding anything so what's the point other than ratings?


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## TarfHead (23 Sep 2008)

It's a franchise. I suppose they have to follow a set format, in the way the UK one follows the US one.

TV3 do not have a good reputation for quality programming. 

The Irish interest is the only appealing feature and it wasn't enough to attract me to it. Then again, the missus was watching the new series of ANTM, so it was all moot anyway  !


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## PM1234 (23 Sep 2008)

> Why do we have to do carbon copies of the UK on these shows - we're not adding anything so what's the point other than ratings?


I thought it was quite good _because_ it copied the UK format 

I was expecting the Irish version to be along the lines of Celebrity Hotel (or whatever it was called) and was pleasantly surprised. They have fewer contestants so it will be a short series but I'll be tuning in.


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## tiger (23 Sep 2008)

Yes, why change a winning format?
Didn't get a feel for alot of the contestants, but that will take time.

Was expecting it to be worse, but I'll be watching it again next week.


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## cork (23 Sep 2008)

I tought TV3 did a good job. 

Far superior to trash like Celebrity Hotel that RTE put out.

I tought that the contestants at an early stage of the competition were strong.

Bill Cullan was Bill Cullan. This was also a positive. He was not mimicing Doland Trump or Alan Sugar.


On the negaive side - taking the bottle of wine from the house was silly. The price of this should have been deducted from their total. If they took tables & chairs - would this have been permitted?

But overall a very good programme. Followed by the excellant Law & Order SVU.


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## Caveat (23 Sep 2008)

Have to say I've heard good feedback about the show from a few people but it's not the sort of thing I would watch - I think shows like this are like marmite, jazz or Jeremy Clarkson - you either love 'em or hate 'em.


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## rmelly (23 Sep 2008)

TarfHead said:


> It's a franchise. I suppose they have to follow a set format, in the way the UK one follows the US one.


 
UK copying US is one thing, but Ireland copying UK is completely different - we get most of the mainstream UK channels, so we see the UK versions, often twice thanks to TV3's deal with UTV, then the Irish ones on top of that?

Anyone remember Gay Byrne and Who Wants to be a Millionaire or Eamonn Dunphy and The Weakest Link - what was the point? Neither was suitable for the job so ruined it (assuming you liked the shows to start with).

To give him his due, Bill Cullen was better than I expected, so I don't really have an issue with him - it's more the justification for both an Irish and UK version when as I said we get the UK version already, often with an Irish candidate thrown in for good measure.

Re the wine, I'm pretty sure the guys in the UK show tried the same thing but got away with it?

I enjoy the UK version, but laugh at any suggestion of the contestants being 'the best of the best' or 'cream of the crop' etc. But again, as with many reality TV shows it goes back to wanting to see these guys humiliated, whether it is by team mates, their own incompetence or the 'boss'.

Finally - is Fiona Looney really 'brilliant' as per the closing voice over?


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## rmelly (23 Sep 2008)

Caveat said:


> Have to say I've heard good feedback about the show from a few people but it's not the sort of thing I would watch - I think shows like this are like marmite, jazz or Jeremy Clarkson - you either love 'em or hate 'em.


 
My 'I only left it on to see if I recognised any of the contestants' comment was probably unfair, it was fine for what it was and I will probably watch again but I'll record and fast forward through the chaff as well as the ads obviously.


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## Cahir (23 Sep 2008)

It wasn't too bad.  At least not as bad as I was expecting.  The contestants didn't appear to be the brightest (apart from the bright orange fake tan on a few of them).  I think a few of them may have lied about their ages too.  None of them seemed to have jobs that required qualifications.  

I think the right bloke was fired at the end though and I'll probably watch again next week.


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## TarfHead (23 Sep 2008)

rmelly said:


> UK copying US is one thing, but Ireland copying UK is completely different - we get most of the mainstream UK channels, so we see the UK versions, often twice thanks to TV3's deal with UTV, then the Irish ones on top of that?
> 
> Anyone remember Gay Byrne and Who Wants to be a Millionaire or Eamonn Dunphy and The Weakest Link - what was the point? Neither was suitable for the job so ruined it (assuming you liked the shows to start with)./quote]
> 
> ...


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## rmelly (23 Sep 2008)

TarfHead said:


> they're aping the US version and not the UK version ? Based on the little I know of him, I would say Dr. Bill is more akin to The Donald, than to Sir Alan.


 
I think you're misinterpreting my point. Doesn't matter which they're copying - my point is we have full access to the UK one (including Irish contestants on it) we don't need an Irish one.


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## PM1234 (23 Sep 2008)

rmelly said:


> I think you're misinterpreting my point. Doesn't matter which they're copying - my point is we have full access to the UK one (including Irish contestants on it) we don't need an Irish one.



But what do we _need_ apart from factual reports?  

In much the same way why do we have Irish soaps when we already have English soaps?

Its an entertainment show - pure and simple.


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## rabbit (23 Sep 2008)

I missed it.  Does anyone know if it will be repeated on RTE ?


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## Cahir (23 Sep 2008)

rabbit said:


> I missed it.  Does anyone know if it will be repeated on RTE ?



It's probably more likely to be repeated on TV3


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## DeeFox (23 Sep 2008)

My guilty pleasure is reality programmes and I think The Apprentice is one of the best ones - it has a winning formula.  I like that the Irish version is so closely linked to the original as it means there is less chance that tv3 will mess it up.  I thought the lads did make a few mistakes.  They walked past two large shopping centres without any one of them thinking that it might be a good idea to sell in them.  The lads also didn't use their time well - the team manager said he was worried they would run out of time if they bought more fruit but I reckon they think they had it in the bag and so didn't keep going until the last possible minute.   I felt sorry for the guy who was fired - he didn't make mistakes like the team leader and I thought he was being punished for being quite more than anything else.


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## rabbit (23 Sep 2008)

Cahir said:


> It's probably more likely to be repeated on TV3


 
Pity for those who do not get TV3


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## MandaC (23 Sep 2008)

I heard it is due to be repeated on Channel 6 (now taken over by TV3) on Friday night.


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## addob (24 Sep 2008)

You can watch the full episode online at tv3.ie if that helps!!

ad


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## DeeFox (14 Oct 2008)

Anyone see the episode last night?  Brenda to win!  I liked her reasoning for not putting the words Personal Loan on the card and thought her reaction was very good when the rest of her team put it on regardless of her explicit instruction.  She was very professional and not ott at all.  When asked by one of the companies why the words were on the card she was able to give a very plausible reason for it without throwing dirty looks at the team!  I thought Joanne was very strong up to now but that she fell apart last night - her pitch was cringeworthy.


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## rmelly (14 Oct 2008)

I had to laugh at the show last night - it's turning into one massive advertising fest.

The over use of terms such as exclusive, high end etc was ridiculous - particularly when they were aimed at a subprime lender with what amounts to a credit card. Does anyone understand what they were on about?

Has anyone even heard of the product itself? I'm loathe to name it here.


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## Pique318 (14 Oct 2008)

Yer wan Joanne reminds me of someone I used to work with 

A walking ego who would hang anyone to get on. Great sense of  schadenfreud watching her last night. She still maintained she did nothing wrong, which will either endear her to BC or show her up for the egotistical person she appears to be.

Brenda was excellent under pressure from the panels.

I too thought it was ironic that they were advertising a loan product for a sub-prime lender...for the Sony Centre and a high-end(?) jewellers.

Far too much childish fighting in the boardroom too imo.


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## Cahir (14 Oct 2008)

I thought the blondie one should have gone.  She was completely useless.


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## Pique318 (14 Oct 2008)

Cahir said:


> I thought the blondie one should have gone.  She was completely useless.


Yeah but she's easy on the eye 
Yer wan Joanne looks like a bulldog chewing a wasp


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## Cahir (14 Oct 2008)

Pique318 said:


> Yeah but she's easy on the eye
> Yer wan Joanne looks like a bulldog chewing a wasp




You think?  I thought that if you scraped all the make up and false tan off blondie she'd be very rough.  I thought the one that got fired was prettier.

Joanne looks about 40, and not a very well kept 40 either.


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## rmelly (14 Oct 2008)

Cahir said:


> I thought the one that got fired was prettier.


 
Agreed.



> You think? I thought that if you scraped all the make up and false tan off blondie she'd be very rough.


 
Even with the make up and tan she wouldn't be my first choice.


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## Red (14 Oct 2008)

Was wondering what the Dublin slang Bill was using when he said you don't have the Lee Rody for it. I nearly keeled over when other half informed me it was liathroidi (balls)


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## Megan (14 Oct 2008)

rmelly said:


> Agreed.
> 
> 
> 
> Even with the make up and tan she wouldn't be my first choice.



Is this a beauty contest?


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## rmelly (14 Oct 2008)

Megan said:


> Is this a beauty contest?


 
No, but equally none of the 'candidates' are there on actual MERIT - contrary to what the program makers say, they are not '14 of the business world's most promising candidates'. They are 14 publicity hungry wannabes.


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## Flax (14 Oct 2008)

I'm enjoying the show, but god is it embarrassing. Where do they find these people?!


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## ney001 (14 Oct 2008)

Pique318 said:


> Yeah but she's easy on the eye
> Yer wan Joanne looks like a bulldog chewing a wasp




Well at least her face moves unlike a certain somebody on that show who reminds me of the Bride of Wildenstein!


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## viztopia (14 Oct 2008)

did anyone notice Bill Cullen getting out of a car at the start of the show last night and standing at it? it was a bently!! what does taht say about a man that sells Renault and he wont even drive it.


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## PM1234 (14 Oct 2008)

Red said:


> Was wondering what the Dublin slang Bill was using when he said you don't have the Lee Rody for it. I nearly keeled over when other half informed me it was liathroidi (balls)



How did he expect the would be apprentices to know what he was talking about? 

I thought it had something to do with the task and was possibly something to do with the marketing script they had made up and was really surprised when Joanne (Joanna?) seemed to understand what he was talking about. TBH  I thought nobody else knew what he was on about but Joanna was humouring him by repeating back his own words


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## rmelly (14 Oct 2008)

viztopia said:


> did anyone notice Bill Cullen getting out of a car at the start of the show last night and standing at it? it was a bently!! what does taht say about a man that sells Renault and he wont even drive it.


 
He made his entrance in a Mercedes in the first episode. In fairness I wouldn't be seen in a renault if I had €100+ million, no matter what my relationship to the company.


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## mathepac (14 Oct 2008)

Megan said:


> Is this a beauty contest?


Yes, it has more in common with the likes of the Rose of Cringelee or Mr / Miss University than it has with Mastermind or Countdown, for example.


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## mathepac (14 Oct 2008)

Pique318 said:


> ...
> 
> Far too much childish fighting in the boardroom too imo.


Yeah, me too.

Despite apparent discrepancies between their birth-certs and the make-up and clothes they use on the show, the three wans in the board-room sounded like pre-teens in a sleep-over squabble.

The show is like the curate's egg, good in parts. I was disappointed last night that more time wasn't given over to the "pitch" to the retailers. I wonder what's the connection with the travel agency (not one of the target retailers on the show) that got several mentions last night?


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## Vanilla (15 Oct 2008)

The connection presumably is an advertising contract involving money...there was an article in a newspaper a few weeks back detailing the amounts paid by certain retailers to get on the show.


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## Green (15 Oct 2008)

What really interests me is why none of the tasks to date have been in Renault, Bill companys, their eventual employer.


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## z106 (3 Nov 2008)

Jaysus - like - that joanna - does she have the un-likeability factor in spades or what ?


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## WaterSprite (3 Nov 2008)

Well, we won't have to put up with her any more!  Jeez though, I couldn't believe what she was saying in the car on the way out.  I thought she was a sneak when she said last week that she "sold" three cars, when she only closed two sales.  She wouldn't work for me - I'd prefer honesty in people and she'd tell you anything to make herself look good.  Delighted she got busted.

Brenda to win!

Sprite


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## PM1234 (3 Nov 2008)

What an outcome  

I really disliked Joanna in previous episodes but tonight in the boardroom she accepted responsibility which I admired. Mind you that was before her final act of deviousness was exposed.

I can only step back in awe of her 'chat' to the cameras in the car. Thought she handled it very well  i.e. given her very limited options and I think she will be the one we'll see on our screens in the future.


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## z106 (3 Nov 2008)

PM1234 said:


> What an outcome
> 
> I think she will be the one we'll see on our screens in the future.


 
Definitely not.
No one can stand her.


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## PM1234 (3 Nov 2008)

qwertyuiop said:


> No one can stand her.



Precisely the reason she'll probably get more airtime


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## Pique318 (3 Nov 2008)

She lied (saying that she'd stand behind her project manager, when she patently didn't in previous tasks), cheated and caused disharmony and rancour whichever team she was on.....she'll be a millionaire before long.

Or else a politician


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## bamboozle (4 Nov 2008)

the way she was carrying on in the car afterwards i was wondering she can either be an actor or have a screw lose....the girl is daft as a brush.  very unlikable.
that girl Orla or the lad with the weird facial hair to win,


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## sam h (4 Nov 2008)

Definately think she has a screw loose.  

The most amazing thing is that she had lorry loads of WEEE stuff coming in and still managed to lose by 30%.


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