For the third season of this reality show, it was rewarded with a move to BBC1 primetime and thus bigger ratings. As with previous seasons, we had the idea put forward that the 16 people are the brightest hopes for UK business but in reality they are just people who have entered the "house"; the real "prospects" are working 16 hours a day in the city and earning £100,000 (before bonuses) before they are 26. This is a bit of a problem because the show does come over as taking itself a bit too seriously but generally the formula works well enough to make you forget this.
The tasks continue to be a little bit contrived but only if you don't watch reality shows; if you compare it with those on things like America's Next Top Model then generally they are good enough to provide the challenge that the show needs. Quite often though they are not much more than the foundation needed for the final third of the show spent in the boardroom. In most of the episodes this is well balanced but one or two challenges are pretty dull non-events that are the work we have to do to get to the boardroom fireworks. Sugar continues to be a great panto villain. Of course he is playing a role but he plays it well within what essentially is a game show (no matter what he says).
Anyway, season three started off well enough with the usual collection of characters all speaking in management clichés and going on about being winners etc. The first task was to sell coffee in London and featured the losing team buying several hundred litres of milk as well as the sight of gobby Jadine singing a cringe-induction "birthday song" to a customer. Wobbly Andy got sacked and good job too as he annoyed me by calling everyone "my friend" etc. Week 2 was to design an accessory for dogs. Rory's posh headmaster style of management was a delight (he made the team take their jackets and ties off to be "creative, but kept his on to show them who was in charge). Naturally he was sacked. Week 3 saw the girl's team desperately doing kiss-a-grams for money in pubs by the end of the day; claiming they want equality one day, falling back on sex the next! Geri was sacked but nobody came off.
Week 4 had the highlights of Tre asking a trader to dodge VAT for him (slightly illegal) and Nathelie labelling sweets "natural orange" despite being full of chemicals and E numbers, but it was the scientist that was sacked. Week 5 was the art gallery challenge as Katie became this slimy luvie at the sight of art while Tre was actively disgusted by photos of "fish & t1tt1es". Nathelie was sacked as she collapsed in the boardroom, unable to blame anyone else. Week 6 was a joy to behold as the teams went to France to sell fresh English produce. One team did well and we saw little of them, however Paul led the other team to a loss. He bought massive blocks of cheese from a cheap supermarket, Adam spent a fortune on a sign for the stall and, to save cash Paul didn't buy a barbecue but instead tried to do a military technique of cooking (which didn't work). Week 7 was the teams sent to find a list of objects and bargain the price down. The boardroom is amazingly personal as they go at one another and Sugar drags it out even though it was always going to be Adam that got the sack.
Week 8 brought the challenge to design and sell trainers and produce the joy of seeing posh Simon break-dancing and rapping (of a sort) in their advert. The boardroom saw more of the usual digs between Katie and Christina and typically the weak-willed Gazzale collapsed under the egos and she was fired. Week 9 was selling to trade and was dominated by the surprising teamwork from Katie, Christina and Naomi. Tre's team strategy was basically a clusterf**k. His strong record saved him but his matey relationship prevented him taking Simon into the boardroom (who surely would have gone) and left Jadine exposed for her emotional wobble over missing her daughter a shame as she was the only one to talk Sugar's advice on her character. Week 10 was the joy of selling live on a shopping channel. Surprisingly it was not as good an episode as I had hoped but Simon selling the trampoline was a comedy high of the season. Naomi was an obvious sacking and we entered the penultimate week.
Week 11 was the regular "interview" task. It was quite good as they ripped into the contestants and analysed them well. The boardroom went to predictions with Tre and Lohit (sp) going. Katie was a surprise twist but perhaps validated the accusation that she wanted to do well in the competition rather than get a new job and life leaving Simon and Christina for the final and I must admit that at that point I assumed I knew the winner. In week 12 Christina managed her team better and come up with a better design for her project however, for some reason, Sugar decides that Simon is the winner and then suddenly the episode is over it is a very weird finish to the series and annoying for just how sudden and unexplained it was Christina didn't even get a chance to speak her mind after the decision! A shame since the episode had been enjoyable with lots of old conflicts resurfacing mostly with Tre and Rory.
Overall, a good season that is par for the series course. It is still a reality show, so don't expect too much but it was an enjoyable one for those that have enjoyed previous seasons.
The tasks continue to be a little bit contrived but only if you don't watch reality shows; if you compare it with those on things like America's Next Top Model then generally they are good enough to provide the challenge that the show needs. Quite often though they are not much more than the foundation needed for the final third of the show spent in the boardroom. In most of the episodes this is well balanced but one or two challenges are pretty dull non-events that are the work we have to do to get to the boardroom fireworks. Sugar continues to be a great panto villain. Of course he is playing a role but he plays it well within what essentially is a game show (no matter what he says).
Anyway, season three started off well enough with the usual collection of characters all speaking in management clichés and going on about being winners etc. The first task was to sell coffee in London and featured the losing team buying several hundred litres of milk as well as the sight of gobby Jadine singing a cringe-induction "birthday song" to a customer. Wobbly Andy got sacked and good job too as he annoyed me by calling everyone "my friend" etc. Week 2 was to design an accessory for dogs. Rory's posh headmaster style of management was a delight (he made the team take their jackets and ties off to be "creative, but kept his on to show them who was in charge). Naturally he was sacked. Week 3 saw the girl's team desperately doing kiss-a-grams for money in pubs by the end of the day; claiming they want equality one day, falling back on sex the next! Geri was sacked but nobody came off.
Week 4 had the highlights of Tre asking a trader to dodge VAT for him (slightly illegal) and Nathelie labelling sweets "natural orange" despite being full of chemicals and E numbers, but it was the scientist that was sacked. Week 5 was the art gallery challenge as Katie became this slimy luvie at the sight of art while Tre was actively disgusted by photos of "fish & t1tt1es". Nathelie was sacked as she collapsed in the boardroom, unable to blame anyone else. Week 6 was a joy to behold as the teams went to France to sell fresh English produce. One team did well and we saw little of them, however Paul led the other team to a loss. He bought massive blocks of cheese from a cheap supermarket, Adam spent a fortune on a sign for the stall and, to save cash Paul didn't buy a barbecue but instead tried to do a military technique of cooking (which didn't work). Week 7 was the teams sent to find a list of objects and bargain the price down. The boardroom is amazingly personal as they go at one another and Sugar drags it out even though it was always going to be Adam that got the sack.
Week 8 brought the challenge to design and sell trainers and produce the joy of seeing posh Simon break-dancing and rapping (of a sort) in their advert. The boardroom saw more of the usual digs between Katie and Christina and typically the weak-willed Gazzale collapsed under the egos and she was fired. Week 9 was selling to trade and was dominated by the surprising teamwork from Katie, Christina and Naomi. Tre's team strategy was basically a clusterf**k. His strong record saved him but his matey relationship prevented him taking Simon into the boardroom (who surely would have gone) and left Jadine exposed for her emotional wobble over missing her daughter a shame as she was the only one to talk Sugar's advice on her character. Week 10 was the joy of selling live on a shopping channel. Surprisingly it was not as good an episode as I had hoped but Simon selling the trampoline was a comedy high of the season. Naomi was an obvious sacking and we entered the penultimate week.
Week 11 was the regular "interview" task. It was quite good as they ripped into the contestants and analysed them well. The boardroom went to predictions with Tre and Lohit (sp) going. Katie was a surprise twist but perhaps validated the accusation that she wanted to do well in the competition rather than get a new job and life leaving Simon and Christina for the final and I must admit that at that point I assumed I knew the winner. In week 12 Christina managed her team better and come up with a better design for her project however, for some reason, Sugar decides that Simon is the winner and then suddenly the episode is over it is a very weird finish to the series and annoying for just how sudden and unexplained it was Christina didn't even get a chance to speak her mind after the decision! A shame since the episode had been enjoyable with lots of old conflicts resurfacing mostly with Tre and Rory.
Overall, a good season that is par for the series course. It is still a reality show, so don't expect too much but it was an enjoyable one for those that have enjoyed previous seasons.