As Survivor will be on hiatus for several weeks, I've decided to write on The
Apprentice.  Actually, in many ways, I like this show more.  Survivor had been
originally intended to be a 'meritocracy', where those who did well would excel
and triumph.  Instead, the strong are often devoured by The Mob, as alliances
and group politics play a critical role during Tribal Council.  However, in The
Apprentice, alliances, while useful, have no bearing on the final outcome during
The Boardroom scene.  It doesn't matter what the group thinks as much as it
matters what one man, The Donald, thinks.  Trump has the last word on everything
and don't you forget it!  He's been around too long and is too wise to be snowed
by wanna-be hacks. 

Case in point, this week's episode begins with scenes from last week's boardroom
where Stacey attempt to finger Brent as too disruptive to continue.  But Donald
wasn't buying it.  Brent was not the reason Synergy lost that week.  Pepi's failure
to lead and Stacey's poor choice of location were the root causes.  So The Donald
axed them both!  The story then picks up as the others wait back at the loft.  Only
Allie predicts that Brent will NOT be fired.  Andrea becomes weepy and upset
when Brent walks through the door.  She retreats to the Ladies' room and locks
herself in.  Two women attempted to console her, but she rejects their offers. 
While this goes on, the editing shows Brent buttering up a couple of bagels.
Things get touchy for the other team, Gold Rush, as Lee and Dan announce that
they'll be observing a Jewish holiday.  Lenny, who is also Jewish, thinks they are
copping out, letting the team down. 

As Lee and Dan head to a synagog, the rest of the contestants assemble on the
87th Floor of Trump Towers.  There, Donald announces that Lee and Dan are out
for the holiday, as well as his viceroy, George.  Trump accepts the absence as
part of life.  He also makes a jab at Brent, that people need to get over the fact that
Brent is still around, even though most think he's a disaster.  With Viceroy
Carolyn and wannabe viceroy Bill in attendance, Trump explains this week's
task.  Chevy dealers are gathering for a corporate retreat.  Both teams must plan
an event package for the dealers, and feature to them the new Chevy Tahoe.  The
dealers will then critique the retreats both teams prepare.

Theresa is Project Manager for Gold Rush and Andrea is PM for Synergy.  The
initial skull-sessions of both teams demonstrate each PM's managerial skills.
Theresa is more interested in their events having style and class and is not too
concerned with themes or details.  She seems more concerned if anyone has
some extra mascara handy, for she is in need.  Gold Rush settles on having an
open bar, models to show off the Tahoe, a golf-chipping contest, a comedian to
entertain the dealers at lunch, and a horse drawn carriage to bring dealers to the
event area.  Tarek tries to sell Theresa on renting an astro-turf putting green that
can simply be laid-down anywhere, but she sees that as a waste of money. 

Andrea leads Synergy's skull-session quite well, hitting upon an overall theme of
the new Chevy Tahoe being "Nature Refined".  A rugged SUV with many new
comfy-luxury features.  She assigns Brent the task of familiarizing himself with
the details of the Tahoe.  Her logic is to keep him occupied with 'make-busy'
work  as to not distract the rest with his usual boorish behavior.  Brent's idea for
arranging massages for the dealers is quickly shot down.  Instead, a series of
outdoorsy events are planned, such as skeet shooting, fly fishing, and rock
climbing.  We also get more editing of Brent eating.

"PLAN B" is the show's theme, as The Donald explains that a good leader must
always have a Plan B.  This falls in place as Synergy's plan for skeet shooting is
ruled out by the park's manager.  Andrea quickly comes up with an alternative
event, golf-cart racing.  Over at Gold Rush, Lenny supervises the setting up of
the tents and stage.  Theresa and Bryce arrive and confront him about the lack of
electricity.  Lenny says that's not his department.  Bryce argues with him and then
calls and rents a generator ASAP.  Theresa is frustrated by Lenny's attitude. 
Tarek is having trouble of his own with setting up the chipping contest.  The field
is atrocious.  Mostly bare ground with a smathering of crab grass.  It looks worse
than my backyard!  Viceroy-Wannabe Bill looks on in horror.  The models arrive
and Theresa assigns Bryce with the duty of familiarizing them with facts and
details of the Tahoe.  Too much information in too little time.

The dealers begin arriving.  Theresa and Charmaine greet their guests and treat
them to wine and the buggy ride.  Gold Rush has their Tahoe on a rotating plat-
form where the models try to do a car-show-like demo, but the models are clue-
less.  Dealers get little info on the Tahoe.  The chipping contest is a joke!  Worse
yet is the comedian Charmaine hired.  The Kathy Griffin-wannabe begins by in-
sulting half the audience.  The rest of her act is equally offensive, leaving a bad
taste in everyone's mouth.  Over at Synergy, the dealers are having fun!  Especial-
ly with the improvised golf-cart race.  Sean gives the dealers an actual ride in their
Tahoe, and thoroughly briefs the dealers in all it's features as can only be done
in the Queen's English.  Poor Brent is left to take care of the garbage cans.  LOL!

Both teams gather afterwards in the boardroom to hear their scores.  Bill tells
Gold Rush that their guest dealers were very unhappy.  They learned nothing
about the Tahoe, they didn't have fun, and found the whole event tasteless, espe-
cially the comedian.  Carolyn reports that Synergy hit the mark with their guests.
Their dealers gave them glowing praise for putting on an informative and fun
retreat, even saying that time flew by quickly.  This one is easy for Trump as
Synergy is clearly the victor.  Donald tells them for their reward, they'll go to the
Atlantis Marina on Long Island and swim with real, live sharks!  Trump makes a
joke at Brent's expense, "Wait till them sharks see you!"  He then informs Gold
Rush they must return to the boardroom tonight where someone will be fired.
Donald then asks Theresa if she has any early picks for whom she'll bring back
with her after the initial session?  She answers that she'll be bring Lenny back
for sure.

Synergy scampers off to the marina.  The focus is comic relief here as Brent's
fear of being eaten.  Ha-Ha-Yawn-Yawn.  Thankfully, we shift quickly back to the
loft where Gold Rush pow-wows.  Lenny is pissed at Theresa for blaming him
for their loss.  He argues they had no theme, which was her mistake.  Bryce has
a private chat with Tarek that Charmaine should be called out for the dopey
models and for the awful comedian.  But when joining the others, Lenny irks Bryce
about the generator snafu.  A heated exchange ensues, leading us for more fire-
works to come.

It's Boardroom Time, and Gold Rush braces for facing reality.  The Jewish holi-
day issue is brought up, again.  Lenny says, as he is also Jewish, that he could
have easily had taken the day off as well, but he didn't for the team's sake.
Donald asks Theresa what went wrong?  She starts giving lame answers about
how she delegated responsibility and how it was abused.  Lenny, especially, was
difficult to manage.  Trump calls on her the lack of a theme, and the silly horse-
drawn carriage idea.  Bill raises the issue of the chipping contest.  Tarek defends
himself saying he wanted to rent an astro-turf set-up, but Theresa ruled against
him.  The issue of a Plan B, seeing that the grounds were awful and doing some-
thing else was raised, but went nowhere.  Carolyn wants to know if Gold Rush
paid the comedian in full.  Trump asks who hired her?  Charmaine owns up and
says she did pay the comedian after the show in full, $1700.  Trump says they
should have had Lenny entertained the dealers, as Lenny is a funny guy.  Bill then
brings up the issue of the dumb models, and, again, Charmaine cops a plea. 
Trump asks Lenny who he'd fire?  Lenny answers that he'd fire them all.  Funny
guy!  Lenny then fingers Bryce and Tarek for the failure of the chipping contest,
and Theresa for lack of theme and bad management.  Tarek seconds firing
Theresa for lack of theme and bad decisions.  Trump asks Theresa who she'll
bring back to the boardroom?  Lenny and Tarek, of course!  Trump excuses the
rest to return to their beautiful loft.

In their private conference with The Donald, Bill and Carolyn give Lenny a pass
as to why the team failed.  Tarek should have been more creative and insistent
on improvising something other than the chipping contest.  Theresa failed on
several levels.  Robin is ordered to send the three back in.  Theresa is immediately
put on the defensive for her choices.  She should have brought back in Charmaine
as she was responsible for the two biggest issues, the offensive comedian and
the dumb models.  Tarek is scolded for his lack of backbone but keeps his mouth
shut.  Lenny's failure about the generator is forgiven.  Trump fires Theresa.  As
they leave, Tarek promises to give it his all next time.  Trump tells him he better.

SPOILERS:  The world according to Brent is fully explored.  More of his antics
and disruptions.  Brent is fully engaged to cause mayhem at the next boardroom
meeting.