The Apprentice Australia
If this is television's idea of the ultimate job interview, I'd be advising everybody, including the boss, not to give up their day jobs just yet.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under Programming, Reviews
There are a couple of moments in The Apprentice Australia where businessman Mark Bouris buzzes his secretary in his foyer to tell her to send in his 12 candidates, all vying for the opportunity to be employed.
The young blonde lady looks up from her laptop on which she has been quietly tapping away and gives the waiting dozen the directive. Around the slick reception room everything looks fake. Behind her desk there are no drawers, cabinets, paperwork or anything remotely real. I’m not even convinced she’s even entering anything on her laptop (indeed, whether it is even plugged in).
In the Bouris board room it’s the same story. Here’s an enormous room with an even more enormous boardroom table. It’s so big a camera can fly over the table. The windows look phony too. If this is reality TV, so far there isn’t much reality yet.
But onto the content…
The point of the show, created by Mark Burnett, is for ambitious strangers to prove they have what it takes to win a $200,000 salaried position in Bouris’ Yellow Brick Road project. I don’t quite recall hearing what the company does, but everyone seems keen to meet this Wizard. As with the Donald Trump original each of the contestants travel is driven towards Bouris’ office. As a narrator sets the scene, Sydney does its best to look as wealthy (and important) as New York City. It doesn’t quite get there.
Bouris greets his 12 contenders and lays down the ground rules. In his first appearance he talks the talk, and off-screen he very probably walks the walk. Given I’d never particularly heard of him prior to the show being commissioned it’s hard to say. What is clear in this first appearance is that he is no Trump. Or Alan Sugar, either.
The teams are divided into male and female groups and sent to their mansion, a very impressive clifftop abode, overlooking the Pacific. As we hear more from the contestants they are determined, hungry and competitive. The youngest is 19, the eldest 54. Most are mid-20 to mid-30s. While culturally they are predominantly Anglo-Saxon, at least they don’t all look like catwalk or menswear models.
After they settle on names for their teams, Bouris assigns them their first task: to work as gardeners and raise as much money as they can in two days. Teams quickly strategise and head out to commission a mix of both corporate and residential work. Watched over by two of Bouris’ closest advisors, they quote on jobs and knuckle down to work.
With such a labour intensive challenge, it seems a somewhat unfair first task, but the women are determined.
As the format decrees, the pressure of the challenge begins to crack alliances. Personalities clash, individuals complain and some belittle one another as they race against the clock.
When the groups front up later to Bouris, he hears their excuses and takes counsel from his advisors. Listening to excuses he is abrupt with his patience. The camerawork and music do their best to amplify the drama, and magnify the canyons between success stories and failures.
FremantleMedia Australia has an exemplary track record with adaptations of international formats: MasterChef Australia, So You Think You Can Dance Australia, Project Runway Australia etc. Yet again they have shown they know how to package a reality format that looks like a Rolls Royce. Despite Nine’s earnest ads, thankfully they haven’t taken the show down the road of worthy contestants. This does stay true to its Burnett format (it even has Eden Gaha as a consulting producer).
At least this is a vast improvement on homeMADE and Australia’s Perfect Couple. But in a recession it remains to be seen whether Nine has timed this to the mood of the country. Everywhere else we’re being told ‘nice’ is in, backstabbing is out.Â
The other concern is Bouris himself. Most of his lines feel like they have been written for him. Trump was a man who improvised with passion. Alan Sugar had fire. Bouris has a flat delivery that feels unconvincing. Instead of giving the impression of puppetmaster he appears manipulated, uneasy with the theatre of the game. A New York drawl and a Cockney swagger run rings around a flat Australian drone.
And will the contestants ever match the defiant personality of someone like The Apprentice‘s bitchy Omarosa? Probably not, but there are a few who might go down in flames trying, which could be part of the fun of this most ambitious series.
If this is television’s idea of the ultimate job interview, I’d be advising everybody, including the boss, not to give up their day jobs just yet.
The Apprentice Australia works best on the ground with its contenders in challenges, than in front of an ‘acting’ CEO in an even faker boardroom.
The Apprentice Australia airs 9:30pm Mondays on Nine.
63 Responses
Thank goodness Carmen was “Fired” But oh! Sabrina!!!!! What an irritating women. She could certainly be “Miss World Irritating 2009” but unfortunately she is probably destined for a future with Channel Nine, where they excel in employing irritating women. (i.e. Shelly Croft)
Carmen is the most arrogant’ ive seen on australian tv, taking the title from Gordon Ramsey,to see her finaly get fired after all her pathetic stuff ups was the funniest thing ive seen for ages, her over inflated ego punctured, good ridance ;
I love the introduction where we are told that these contestants are some of Australia’s ‘finest young minds”. Heaven help Australia. The contestants are (for the most part) a collection of losers who are completely deluded as to their abilities and strengths and most are manipulative liars with a complete lack of honesty or integrity with some exhibiting personality disorder traits. The groveling they do when ever in the presence of “Mr Bouris” is unbelievable and in the case of the lawyer (last week) cringe making. One can only hope that the man who played one part of the couple who had booked into the hotel was an actor. If he behaves like this in real life he really needs to get over himself. Mr Bouris seems to believe that if you have paid money then you can act however you want to and berated Sabrina for referring to this couple as ‘high maintenance”. Respect goes two ways Mr Bouris. It can not be bought. Sam seemed happy to play he gamble with another a**e-hole guest and did not seem to understand or care how demeaning this was. Quite sad!
I have spent some of today asking a number of people associated with me “had they ever heard of Mark Bouris before this show hit the air”, and they all said “no”.
They had heard of Wizard Home Loans, but didn’t know who was the principal of that now defunct company. So the earlier person who commented saying “the reviewer should have known who Bouris was/is” I think is a bit harsh.
Mark Bouris presents well on tv, and appears to have a tough exterior and a no-nonsense attitude, also appears not to suffer fools lightly. But he certainly was not well known here in Australia prior to this show being produced locally.
Tonight a team sold raffle tickets. It is illegal to sell raffle tickets for private or personal gain, only for community or charitable groups. This wasn’t mentioned on the show and concidering it is a show about buisness rights and wrongs this should have been picked up on.
Great show – I am sure that it will work in Australia.
Carmen – should have been fired in 1st episode -underquoting was the reason they lost (Mark failed to mention ) OH it might be a marketing ploy.
Sabrina – congratulations on the miss world title and wanting “world peace” which I doubt are the criterias for winning “The Apprentice”.
Lyton – You deserved to be voted off – thanks Mark – maybe you must go teach “Marketing 101” for dummies. You talk the talk but cannot walk the walk.
Mark – you need somebody with balls for your position I hope you find her or him.
Look forward to next episode.
From Dubai
Hypocritical…. every episode since the first the Team Leader for the week has been fired… under the guise of Your the leader.. so… your responsible for the team not winning. Yet in the first episode Carmen (the team leader) was kept on and the ‘other woman’ ( I don’t even remember her name as she was never given the opportunity to show ‘who she was’) was the sacpe goat. ‘They’…Mark Bouris speaks of integrity etc etc… but really just like in all business rules change and you can never be sure when the wool will be ripped out from under your feet..!! (from…not impressed).
@ vee, just google the apprentice australia and follow the prompts, this site will show you anything that you have missed from the show.
having watched the apprentice last nite for the 3rd time i can tell you it has slowly but surely improving, i hope it keeps up the good work. well done mr. bouris
loved it..but can someone tell me who got got booted last night 12 Oct. vid cut off… that disgusting carmen with her lies and bullying made it again….sighs… sickly sabrina is still there too…
thanks
Amy.
What a joke-Bouris trying to pass himself off as financial royalty. The whole concept is s**tful and these people are only evergoing to be employess. As i recall, Bouris was up s**t creek very recently, and now he’s suddenly our answer to Toupe Trump and that arrogant Sugars…LOL…Channel 9 clutching at straws yet again.
angela it basically means you have a false face or in old school talk your a 2 faced bitch or bastard
Could someone tell me what a ” Maclevelin Mask is? ” (spelt as it sounds…) One of the reason’s Lynton got fired. ( Maybe Sabrina could tell me , as she has the high IQ ) Love the show, but I agree , it’s on too late.
This show is great but Sabrina Houssami has to go, she has a lot to learn in life, like for one, she needs to get off her high horse and down to reality. Fancy introducing yourself to complete strangers saying, “Hi, I’m Sabrina crowned Miss World Australia in 2007″… excuse me while I vomit… come on!! I can’t wait to hear Mark Bouris look to her and say “you’re fired!”
as i posted earlier apprentice was okay, but surely not worth a repeat on sunday night, its all to confusing for me to understand the current trend of progaming at the moment, what formula do they use, repeat apprentice but not hey hey. how do they decide, ratings ?
I was so disappointed with this 1st episode… could not believe that woman got fired… For what? Doing as she was told!!… she simply followed orders given to her by a pushy, trashy looking woman she had never met before! how does that translate to her being unsuitable as an entrepeneur???
that whole thing had nothing to do with her talents or potential… we haven’t seen that from her yet. the poor lady, and she is lady …(too rare these days in business) didn’t stand a chance with Carmen lying about her performance! But what we did see was another candidate who did not listen, understand or negotiate effectively And who also showed weakness by crying like a little schoolkid…. so why did she get rewarded for her mistakes? very disappointing
I think the narrator is Andrew Daddo.. at least they are making use of him somehow…
I would like to know why the show went to air 9.30pm to 11.00pm that is very late for the worker (like me that had to go to bed). Can you please put this show on earlier is possible.
Viv
i was really looking forward to this show as i loved the US & UK productions. Bouris is a really handsome guy, but for the purpose of this show he just isnt charasmatic/dymanic. Alan Sugar in the UK version was great, a little crude but really put across the ‘cut throat’ ‘dog eat dog’ business thing. Donald Trump gave concise constructive criticism. Bouris was a little soft. He should not have given encouragement to Carmen when she cried. THis is supposed to cutthroat boardroom stuff, and lets face it, Carman should be making sandwiches not a serious candidate for a high paying job.
Bouris doesnt appear to cut it as the hard edged boss, despit his success. If he is looking for alternative work to finance he could probably get some work doing photographic modelling.
hey does anyone know who was the narrator for this show?
It seems that the reviewer has been hiding under a rock for the past decade not to be aware of Mark Bouris and his position in Australian business. It’s also dissapoonting to read such ignorant comments about Wizzard Home Loans – Bouris built it, sold it for a tidy profit to GE who ruined it and then sold it at a loss to Aussie who then dismantled it.
I really liked the first ep. Though have to agree with the fake set. And what’s with the frosted glass boardroom and all the doors. Also the receptionist doesn’t speak when she picks up the phone … very odd.
Fantastic first ep! I’m hooked!
I loved the US and UK versions, but not convinced by the first ep. All felt a bit staged, and a bit awkward, and very slow paced.
I would just like to second dregatron’s comments – the fact that Bouris is the “Boss” is laughable at best. His track record isn’t squeaky clean – and I am sure more of this will come out during the season.
As such – who would want to work for Bouris? Having seen the contestants (seemingly low calibre candidates – some don’t even have a job at the moment) not many people do either! Low calibre candidates vying to work for a business lightweight is not a good situation (it may make for good tv) but overall it rewards mediocrity!