The Apprentice

The Games People Play (1)

Season 3, Episode 16, Aired 5/5/05

Episode Summary

In the sixteenth week of the Apprentice job interview, the final three candidates are faced with actual interviews - not by Mr. Trump, but by top executives from four of America's largest corporations. These executives see little potential in Craig, who is fired on the spot. Immediatley, Kendra and Tana are given their final tasks: Kendra is to run a video game tournament sponsored by Best Buy, while Tana is to operate the NYC 2012 Athlete Challenge, part of New York City's bid for the Olympic Games. Trump brings back six previous Apprentice candidates, giving three of them to both of the final women as employees, and the ultimate tasks begin. Kendra faces trouble from sponsorships, Tana deals with unorganization, and both women struggle with their hard-to-lead employees. Who will prosper in the final challenge of intelligence and business savvy?moreless

6.7

EPISODE RATING: Fair

12 votes

Your Rating: 10

"Perfect"
Your Rating: 9.5

"Superb"
Your Rating: 9

"Superb"
Your Rating: 8.5

"Great"
Your Rating: 8

"Great"
Your Rating: 7.5

"Good"
Your Rating: 7

"Good"
Your Rating: 6.5

"Fair"
Your Rating: 6

"Fair"
Your Rating: 5.5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 4.5

"Poor"
Your Rating: 4

"Poor"
Your Rating: 3.5

"Bad"
Your Rating: 3

"Bad"
Your Rating: 2.5

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 2

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 1.5

"Abysmal"
Your Rating: 1

"Abysmal"

Rate It

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Donald Trump

Himself (the boss)
Kristen Kirchner

4th Fired
Carolyn Kepcher

Herself/Trump's assistant

Fan Episode Reviews (1)

See All

Déjà vu All Over Again – Book Smarts vs. Street Smarts Face Off in the Final Two

5.9

"Mediocre"

By theaterguy007, Jun 19, 2005 Report Abuse

Dj vu All Over Again Book Smarts vs. Street Smarts Face Off in the Final Two

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last time on The Apprentice, different marketing strategies made one team a winner (Magna's Kendra and Craig) and the other a loser (Net Worth's Tana and Alex), sending Tana, who stupidly rallied for the "bedazzler," and Alex, who ultimately was fired because of his lack of marketing, were sent to the boardroom, and the final four were chosen.

This week, things got started very quickly, with rapid-paced interviews and a sudden firing. When Tana came back from the boardroom, yelling "Honey, I'm home!", both Craig and Kendra were happy, and Craig declared that "I still feel that Tana and I are the cream of the crop." That had me a little confusedI don't know why Craig included himself in that statement, but, whatever. When in Rome Okay, never mind. That's not the right way to use that. I learned that from Anchorman just to let you know. Well, the obvious "cream of the crop" went to go pray while Kendra got some rest for the day ahead.

The day that she rested up for was actually the oft-feared interview episode, that forces the producers to eliminate someone in the first fifteen minutes of the installment. The candidates meet in Trump's penthouse, are fed some crap about living in an empty apartment, and are then introduced to four very important people the interrogators. These four rich men and women, including David A. Brandon (of Dominos), Darlene Dagget (of QVC), Howard M. Lorber, and Greg Brennema (of Burger King), would ask the three potential Apprentices a series of questions to determine who isn't top notch. Tana goes into the situation with the optimistic view of having to "sell herself," to which my sister, Kristen (I mention her so much, I guess she deserved an actual name shoutout), asks "I thought you should never sell yourself!" She doesn't understand the difference between prostitution and self-confidence yet.

Anyway, the interviews were very well edited, with some Brady Bunch-style cuts, and more rapid-fire, overlapping inquiries that really don't reveal too much to the home audience, except for the fact that Craig's pretty crappy and Tana and Kendra are okay. The three wise men (and one wise woman) agree; they tell Mr. Trump that Craig had little substance, and that he was lots of talk without many real answers. Kendra delivers a split decision, with the first two mentioned considering her answers "scripted" and "preconceived" while the other two like her and think that she could benefit the Trump Organization, although she is a bit young. Tana is well-liked by all four of the authorities except for Greg, who doesn't know if she could succeed in running a company on her own. The others like her honest, down-to-earth, and easygoing personality, and her quiet sense of confidence.

Although it's pretty obvious who will be fired (and perhaps because of it), Trump dismisses the interviewers and then summons the candidates. He asks Craig a quick question of his ability to succeed, but believes that he must side with his advisors, and fires him faster than you can say "guacamole." It's okayI didn't like him much anyway. Seriouslyhe was a jackass. Sorry Craig. It's the truth though, reality TV never lies.

Kendra and Tana go up to the suite and are greeted by some bubbly and a scrapbook full of photos of their past co-workers, Apprentice-wise. We are reminded of Todd (the kind guy who just couldn't win the Burger King task), Brian (the "Silly Little Man"), Verna (the quitter), Danny (the laughable, air headed freak with the guitar and a heart of gold), Kristin (the foul-mouthed ***** with the director boyfriend but not anymore, according to TV Guide), Michael (the chauvinistic idiot with the big mouth), Tara (the woman who just wanted to clean up her favorite city, Harlem), Audrey (the chick who tried to scar her face because she was too beautiful but eventually was fired because she looked ugly in that clown suit), John (the semi-smart asshole drummer), Erin (the Paris Hilton-Ashlee Simpson clone who wants to be a Tool Time lady), Stephanie (the pizza delivery girl who grew up on Daddy's money), Angie (the kind-but-snappy woman who, unfortunately, choked under pressure), Chris (the hot-headed, spazztastic lunatic who made me laugh every week), Bren (the albino "Orville Redenbacher stunt double" with the bow ties), Alex (the fairly-smart guy who just made a mistake or two along the way), and Craig (the condescending guy with two or three kids). Wow, what a dynamic castpretty memorable.

The next morning, Tana and Kendra meet Trump in the boardroom to get their assignments for the final task. Tana is told to run a "mini-Olympics" type thing at Chelsea Pier, and Kendra gets to run a huge video game world championship run by Best Buy. They are then given employees to help them on the task, who Trump, via video-phone, tells them they will be very familiar with. Both shudder. Tana gets the privilege to work with her ex-teammates Brian, Kristin, and Chris, while Kendra gets to command around Danny, Erin, and Michael. Poor Kendra. Even poorer Tana. I think Mark Burnett's trying to slip both of 'em up, because Kendra's team is a bunch of idiots and Tana's team is a bunch of hot heads. Lemme just say that I would much rather see Audrey thrown into the mix on Tana's team, and would have liked to relive some of the experiences with Verna. And maybe see her cry again. That would be funfor me at least.

Okay, so both women are screwed, but they manage to cope with their situation, and though Kendra messes up a meeting with EA Games and Best Buy, as well as pissing off Sony Playstation sponsor Aimee Duall, and Tana still can't grab hold of her team who's trying to find parking both women look like they will be successful in the final tasks. Now, since it's time for me to turn in, I'll leave you with a warning to look for more details on the end of this episode and the rest of the task in next week's review of The Apprentice.

-Adam Polaski

-Contact Me or join my mailing list at theaterguy007@aol.commoreless

DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Write a Review

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

Trivia
ADD TRIVIA
- This is the final season where there was an interview process before the final task. Edit
- Unlike seasons 1 and 2, the final two candidates do not get to choose whom they would work with. Instead, candidates from their original team are picked as their new employees. Thus, Kendra works with fired Book-Smart candidates, while Tana works with the fired Street-Smart candidates. Edit
- This is the first time in the entire season that Kendra has faced the final boardroom. Edit
Notes
ADD NOTES
- Craig is fired after his interviews with Trump's advisors, leaving Kendra and Tana as the Final Two. Craig's firing guarantees that the first woman Apprentice will be hired this season. This is the first time the final two candidates have both been women. Edit
- For this episode, Kendra is forced to lead Erin, Michael, and Danny, while Tana is expected to work with Chris, Brian, and Kristen. These people were fired on tasks two through five, nine, and twelve. Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Erin: (About her, Danny, and Michael) If you can manage us, you can manage the Trump organization. If you can manage Chris, Kristen, and Brian, you deserve a medal of honor. Edit
- Kristen: My ass is no longer on the line. Edit
- Kendra: I feel like it's Tana and Craig against me. Edit
Allusions
- Help by adding allusions to this episode. Add allusions