The Apprentice 4, Episode 8: Fired, You Are

I can’t remember the last time I was so excited to watch an episode of The Apprentice. Not only did we have the pending hissy fit that Clay was about to throw at the end of last week’s episode, but the task features Star Wars. Considering that I briefly considered naming my son Luke Sky Wasser, you might say that I’m rather fond of the movies. Let’s get to it!

Alla and Felisha wait in the task for the results of the Boardroom. Alla says that if Clay survives, they’re in trouble, because he’ll be vindictive. “It’s war,” she says, because Clay is totally in it for himself. Clay and Adam return, Clay slamming the door open and shooting Alla and Felisha a smug look. The two of them notice and figure they’ll deal with him. They give Adam a hug, and the three of them go off to talk without Clay.

Felisha thinks that Clay might sabotage the team out of spite. Adam tells the women that Clay refused to shake his hand after the Boardroom. Alla says that’s how Clay is going to act from now on, because he is vindictive. Alla is afraid that at this point, Clay doesn’t care if they win or lose, and it’s going to be hell.

The next morning, Randal answers the Trump phone and gets the instructions to meet in the Boardroom at 8:00. They file in, and Clay already looks mad. Trump arrives and tells us that Bill will be filling in for George. It’s always nice to see Bill. Trump wastes no time in showing the candidates the trailer for Star Wars: Episode III. Randal is grinning from ear to ear, and I spot a fellow Jedi. Trump says that Star Wars is a very successful franchise. If you add up ticket sales, merchandising, and so forth, it’s brought in $13 billion. The task will be to create an in-store display featuring the new DVD as well as the game Battlefront 2 at Best Buy. They will have access to Lucasfilm staff in putting together their displays, and at the end the display that is judged best by executives from Best Buy and Lucasfilm wins. Trump sends them on their way with, “May the force be with you.”

At Capital Edge, Clay reveals his allegiance with the dark side of the force by demanding that he be project manager, after the way he was treated in the Boardroom. I really don’t know why he’s so shocked that anyone tried to get him fired; perhaps he’s never watched the show before. Felisha says she’s not pleased with the idea of him being in charge, since he’s so bitter. Clay says that he knows they want him off the team, and everyone lies and says that’s not true. Felisha tells him that they are a team. Clay says he wants to lead them so that he can learn to trust them again. I’m not sure why that’s a selling point to the other three, but whatever.

In an interview, Clay shows that he himself isn’t to be trusted – he wants to be in charge so that he can tell everyone what to do. If they don’t listen, he’ll have an easy time getting them fired. He asks if anyone else wants to be project manager. Adam says he won’t do it, which is fair enough since he did it last week. Like morons, Felisha and Alla don’t volunteer. Alla says that she just wants his respect during the task. Clay agrees, but in an interview, says she’s the person he’d most like to have fired. Alla vows to put in 200% in the next task.

Over at Excel, we quickly learn the disturbing fact that other than Randal, no one on the team really knows anything about Star Wars. How can that be? Were Marshawn, Rebecca, and Brian raised by wolves? Randal, however, can’t be project manager since he was last week and has an exemption. Brian says he’ll do it, but that he’ll need the help of the team. He adds again that he knows very little about Star Wars. I am still not sure how that’s possible.

Capital Edge goes to meet with the Best Buy and Lucasfilm executives to learn what they’re looking for. The two men explain that Episode III is the last Star Wars film, and it’s important because it’s an origin story for Darth Vader, one of the greatest villains of all time. Alla says in an interview that it was great meeting with the two executives. They told her everything she needed to know about the movie, and she learned that in particular, they should focus on selling the game and the DVD. She is confident that they have what it takes to win.

Excel has the same idea, and Randal sets an appointment to meet with the same men. Brian allows 15 minutes to get there. Marshawn is a little surprised at that – she thinks it would take more time than that, but since Brian is from New York, she figures he knows what he’s doing. They end up leaving after 10:00 for a 10:15 appointment, and Rebecca says she hates cutting it so close. Brian calls to say they’re running late. He’s surprised at how bad traffic is.

It’s time now for the Trump Lesson of the Week: “Loyalty.” Trump talks about a guy he was planning on hiring until that guy started talking trash about his current boss. Trump didn’t hire him because he was disloyal. Trump says that if there’s someone disloyal on your team, you should get rid of them. That doesn’t bode well for Clay, now does it? This week’s Betsy Lesson of the Week is simple: Let the Wookie win.

It’s now 10:30, and Excel is officially late. Brian calls to apologize, and the executives are polite about it. By the time they get there, it’s 10:45. The executives say that they’d like to talk to them, but they have to leave for another meeting. Excel is out of luck. Rebecca is not pleased and thinks that having made the judges wait will really hurt them. Brian sighs, “We’re screwed.” See, if they had watched Star Wars, Rebecca would have said, “I have a bad feeling about this,” and Brian would have said, “We’re doomed.”

Now seems as good a time as any to mention that several of the scenes in this episode transition with swipes, just like in the Star Wars movies. Apprentice editors, you rock.

At Capital Edge, Alla says that the origin story of Darth Vader is the key to the movie. In Episode III, she says, all questions will be answered. The team discusses who will be at the photo shoot, and ultimately, Clay and Alla go. Darth Vader, Chewbacca, and several Stormtroopers arrive. By the way, my spell check recognizes Chewbacca, which is pretty awesome. Anyway, Alla starts directing the photo shoot, and Clay leaves to flirt with a cute guy. Alla is frustrated and wonders why Clay is even there in the first place.