TV Critics: The Apprentice final

“The Apprentice itself isn’t the winner. Tired and in need of some serious redecoration. Tossing in a few extra tossers, plus the odd double firing, that’s not enough. Nick Hewer’s leaving, I see – it’s hard not to think of rats and sinking ships.
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“This [Apprentice] has been an entertaining contest, enlivened by characters such as haplessly puppyish James Hill, spivvy salesman Daniel Lassman, shrieking Canadian social worker Steven Ugoalah and Colombian lawyer Felipe Alviar-Baquero, who talked about himself in the third person. Felipe’s habit was annoying and Felipe really has to stop it because Felipe made himself look daft.

“However, I haven’t been convinced by its scheduling. It’s been shunted from its springtime slot to autumn, where it rather got lost among bigger, shinier, more media-friendly reality franchises such as Strictly Come Dancing, The X Factor and I’m A Celebrity… Back to spring next year please, Lord Siralan Sugar.”
Michael Hogan, The Telegraph

“Right, a little bit of Christmas cheer and goodwill to all men, including Alan Sugar, is called for. A litany of criticisms for the finale of The Apprentice would be unseasonal and Scroogey.

“Instead of moaning about the iniquity of giving Baron Sugar of Clapton swathes of BBC airtime and a shovel-load of funding from the licence-payer to further his personal business interests, this column proposes to find something nice to say about the show.

“There’s Nick Hewer, for a start. He’s likeable, with a self-deprecating sense of humour. I daresay you need one of those to work with Lord Sugar.

“Then there’s the editing. The Apprentice has turned the reaction shot into an art form: it’s like watching an hour-long conjuring trick every week. The deluded corporate spiel that the numb-witted candidates spout is cringeworthy, but the skilful inter-cutting of the expressions on other faces can be genuinely funny.
Christopher Stevens, The Daily Mail