You're hired to fire all these hires.
Had enough of The Don? Well too bad, you're getting more. NBC is letting Donald Trump take over its Sunday nights with the next season of his reality show The Apprentice.
Each episode will be boosted to two hours, says TV Week, and will help NBC save some money (by not having to produce something else, like something worth watching) in these penny-pinching times.
"Donald has always felt the boardrooms were too short, and I think he's right," producer Mark Burnett said. "Right now, there's really only about nine minutes of footage that we use and the boardroom [scenes] go on for hours sometimes. The problem has been trying to squeeze it all in. Every season we go through the struggle of cutting the show down."
However, according to one source, NBC only recently asked Burnett for double the time--a problem since the show had already wrapped filming. Burnett, on the other hand, says NBC has been toying with the idea for some time now and they're well prepared to fill two hours. If they do have trouble going long, they can always just add an hour of dramatic music and soap-opera-style zooms before Trump cans someone.
This year's version of the show will once-again be celeb-injected, with model Kathy Ireland, former Superman Dean Cain, rocker Gene Simmons, 90210's Jennie Garth, The View's Star Jones, and boxer Sugar Ray Leonard among those who will be competing against one another.
Two hours of The Apprentice? Is this a victory or your worst nightmare?
Comments (42)
I saw the first series of the Apprentice and I notice on the show Tionne really didn't have opinion when they were planing on how they were going to sell the cake cups.So that told me she don't have a lot up stairs.When you go on a show to raise money for your charity you need to have something up stair.Tionne was being to quite,and she got sick on the show.So Tionne might as well leave the show.I was really expecting more from her.
Sounds great to me! I love The Apprentice UK clocking in at 2 hours (1 Hour 20 Minutes without ads), I think this is a great direction for the US show to go.
Oh dear, are you serious?
I've only seen a few episodes of the US version, the UK version with Sir Alan Sugar is quite entertaining, I would certainly prefer to see more of the background strategy discussions and more boardroom with some additional interviews of the remaining candidates and their feelings as part of the boardroom process. The Trump show is edited quite differently to the Sugar version.
Two hours of Trump - no joy in that.
2 hours?! maybe no adds would add 20 minutes. Thats enough. Theres already product placement in the asignments they do.
Heroes should be 2 hours, Supernatural should be 2 hours. Who really needs an extra hour of Donald Trump?!
Why?
wow 2 hours of the Donald
"NBC save some money (by not having to produce something else, like something worth watching) "
hmmmk, i thought article writing wasn't supposed to be so biased?
anyhow though, it is insulting that they would do this because they obviously dont want to keep on good shows like, say, Studio 60.
And if they already filmed it, what kind of further "fake" stuff are they going to add in to make it double the length???? I dont get that.
But hey, Dean Cain is gonna be on (in a way I feel bad if this was an appealing gig for him), so I think i'm gonna have to watch it and root for him.
What I dont understand is why Gene Simmons is back....wasnt he already on in the very last season? why does he get to be on again?moreless
Star Jones???!!!!??? 'nuf said...I will NOT even give this one a try!
Donald might have pushed it up to two hours due to the fact that Rosie is out of a job again. Bad news for him is that I'm sure this will be the last season.
Dean Cain man I might have to watch Superman take everyone down now.
Why do you need two hours.
Gene Simmons had his chance and lost! Of course since he is friends with the Donald, it is not surprising. Afterall the Donald decided to stick with the men (Trace and Piers) instead of Carol Alt who actually earned the right to be in the finals last season.
Two hours fits the kind of program, i've watched loads of BBC Apprentices and they could have easily made 2 hours of it.
I want to see Vincent Pastore come back again and triple cross everyone.
Amazing.
Can't wait to see what are they up to
I'm not surprised to see Gene Simmons asked back as a Celebrity Apprentice. He's a great business man but I seriously doubt he'll make it past episode three. That being said, I have absolutely no plans to watch the show. NBC must really want to slide into oblivian as far as views are concerned. Nothing can drag me away from Cold Case on Sundays.
Who watches this really! J U N K!!!
Not a nightmare, but certainly a bad dream.
Well this is good. Now I know for sure that NBC is not going to infringe on my Sunday night schedule! Thanks NBC for putting on a 2-hour block that I'll not be watching.
I've always liked this show, but 2 hours may be a little to long. I did enjoy the 2 hour episode they aired last year, but I'm not quite sure it will be fitting week after week. I guess we'll see!
I am not a fan of any of the reality shows, so hopefully I can find something 'non-reality' to watch on the other networks for that second hour as well.
not surprising. you americans love to watch people arguing and fighting. Perhaps Jerry Springer could fill in for Don Jr. in the BORED room ?
Donald Trump sucks. Did they need two hours to fit his ego?
So it goes from near cancellation a short while ago to two hours? Only on TV....
I like the show but I think two hours is too long. Also why is Gene Simmons on it again? That is rediculous.
Way too long! I TiVo it and use the fast forward button. I want to see Jennie Garth on The Apprentice. That's the only reason I'll be watching it. ON TIVO.
This sucks! As if we need more of The Don!
Good news for Cold Case.
Good news for Cold Case.
I am very confused at seeing Gene Simmons come back again. I thought he all but quit last time? You dont give quitters second chances. I think hes using it as a ratings grab
i dont think i could last watching this every sunday for two hours. What a waste of my life.
2 hours seems far too long. I think I'd be bored well before the end.
gene simmons is coming back?? whats up with that..i think the trump is showing a little favoritism there lol
I only watched it last year because I love Trace Adkins. I might watch this year, but I don't like the idea of it going to 2 hours. I think the board room scenes are already long enough.
It will totally work for NBC. They did that this summer with Last Comic Standing. The episodes would've been a nice 90 minute fit, but they just reiterated things left & right and made the pace a lot slower. The point is that fans are going to watch regardless of the episode length, so by adding in more filler, NBC will get what they want.
Who watches this crap? I thought that they cancelled this last year!?!
No way, two hours!! Well I either see something else or record it and make extensive use of the fast forward.
It's like NBC wants to fail.