Pilot Review: The Apprentice: Martha Stewart

Network & Time: NBC, Wednesday @ 8pm EST

Stars (Out of 10): 5

One Word Summary: No

"The Apprentice: Martha Stewart" Review:

          If Mark Burnett was looking to find a businesswoman equally obnoxious and unnatural in front of the camera as Donald Trump, he has found his woman. The Apprentice: Martha Stewart uses the same formula that made Trump's version a success except for a few minor changes.

          Martha brings her job applicants into a 'conference room” instead of a 'boardroom,” though the rooms' setups are eerily similar. Martha's receptionist has a British accent while Trump's receptionist (Robin) does not. The Donald sends his losers away by telling them they're 'fired;” Martha tells them they 'don't fit in” and writes them a letter. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Donald goes around bragging about 'his companies” while Martha only feels the need to repeat 'Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.” several hundred times an episode. Trump has George and Caroline as his 'eyes and ears;” Martha has her daughter Alexis and an old guy named Charles who walks around holding cigars. A little creepy… I know.

          But for a reality show to succeed it needs more than an interesting host or an original concept (of which Apprentice: Martha has neither), it needs a great cast of contestants. Martha got a better cast together than Donald's last two shows have (though he didn't have months behind bars to have the perfect cast assembled for him). She's got Jim (who looks to be the Sam of this season), Beth (who dated Charles' son and was best friends with his daughter), Chuck (The Apprentice's first openly gay contestant), Dawn (who needs complete silence to get anything done), and Howie (who's already confessed his love for Martha).

Which Apprentice is better? Hard to say, I don't like either. The Donald gets the point for being more obnoxious, we'll call it a push on who's more unnatural in front of the camera, and give Trump the final decision for (a) being the first and (b) having George and Caroline. Reality TV's charm is beginning to wear off, and the last thing viewers needed was the same show on two nights in a row… but this is from the network that tried to give us four Law & Orders.

Pilot's Nielsen Ratings: 5.5/9