The Apprentice: Los Angeles Weekly Performance Review, Episode 11

James: James didn’t show us much this week. He let Tim run with his flawed approach when perhaps it ought to have been challenged or overruled.

The timeline seems a little odd this week. At 7:40, Frank was denied the opportunity to shoot additional photos, and next thing we find out 12 hours later is that they worked all night and no one has really slept. Questions must be asked: Did it take them all night to compose their product? Was Tim that over-focused on details such as the color of an arrow? Was James monitoring time and tasks, or were they just flying by the seat of their pants again? We’ll never know, but I suspect James lost control of this project to Tim.

James really seemed freaked out when Frank expressed doubt about how clearly their photo shoot expressed their message. It seems to me that a few weeks back, James was the one accused of revisiting the concept at the eleventh hour, so maybe that’s why he was a little touchy about it?

Pre-Boardroom, the sponsors gave positive feedback about James to The Donald, and that never hurts. Then in the Boardroom, James defending his position well enough that Trump wasn’t even considering him to be fired. James’ rating is therefore SATISFACTORY.

Despite his self-professed marketing skills, I’m not seeing a ton of innovation from James. With Tim’s elimination following on the heels of banishing Nicole, James has really put himself on the spot for creative thinking next week. Should they fail to win, he may find himself in an indefensible position in the Boardroom.

Stefani: Stefani performed solidly once again. One positive thing she did was to try and calm Frank down when his attempts to change the project at the eleventh hour were rebuffed. As aside, her silently stunned reaction to Frank walking away was amusing – I don’t think people often ignore Stefani so completely.

Stefani’s presentation was very polished once again. She got a positive review from the sponsor, plus Boardroom support from her teammates. Praise from every corner!

Stefani made sure Tim knew she was the one who remembered to bring him clothes for the presentation. A Yahoo clip showed James brought that up at length in the Boardroom, and he even named her as Arrow’s most valuable team member.

Also on a Yahoo Boardroom clip, Trump commented that he never heard her speak until last week, and says, “I was amazed.” Whatever… but, since Trump is the one doing the hiring, Stefani needs to impress him and not just James. It’s probably too late now, but increasing her presence in front of The Donald would be my suggestion to Stefani. I fear she’s played UTR too late into the game.

So, mixing in all those factors, Stefani gets a GOOD rating. Next week, we should finally get to see Stefani lead the team. We’ll find out if she has the leadership skills that have proved so rare this season or, like Kristine and Frank before her, will she be more effective as a minion?

Tim: Again Tim started the episode in a tough spot, after learning how he got trashed in a Boardroom he didn’t even attend. In the unpleasant discussions that ensured, his loyalty was brought into question and although I may applaud his truthfulness, he never said the words his teammates needed to hear from him. I think James exaggerated the “distraction” factor this generated in the Boardroom, but I believe the team was beginning to have significant doubts about Tim.

Tim’s response was to get a little defensive and a little desperate, ramming a fair but failing concept down his teammates throats. Spending all night editing is unforgivable too. And really, excluding those pesky nightmares, who ever shows up to work wearing their PJs? At least they didn’t have feet in them, or a trap door in the back. Dress for success, not for naptime!

When Tim commented, stuttering, that he couldn’t finish a sentence in the Boardroom, he needed to use his vocal skills and his quick wits to take control of that situation. That’s not easy to do, but I thought Tim was one who could pull it off.

I actually don’t have much else to say about Tim, because I’ve been ranting about his unprofessionalism over the Showmance for several weeks now.

By the time the Boardroom was underway, Tim had acquired the twin labels of “disloyal” and “disruptive.” Tim’s rating must be UNACCEPTABLE.

Several readers have written to say that Tim is one of two great idea men this season (Derek’s the other, but over fewer episodes), and I completely agree. However, even as late as in his post-elimination interview on Yahoo, after first alluding that Nicole may have been a distraction, he then denies that it was a factor. It was.

In Conclusion:
Lat week, when I said it was “the WORST episode ever,” several of you write in to remind me of what you felt were even bigger messes. Gosh, thanks for the memories! This week was a big improvement. I think we got all the confirmation we need that Heidi will be the winner.

Did Trump make the right decision? I’m not sure. Why did James get extra credit for PM-ing well for a couple of weeks, yet Tim was trashed for a rare substandard concept over a whole season of good ideas?

Lastly, here’s a link to my survey It’s just for fun and won’t take you long to complete, so why not give it a try?

That’s all for this week, so please feel free to let me know what your thoughts are at the eAddress below. Next week – survey results!

Brian lives in Toronto, where he can be reached at uncle_bto@rogers.com. He spent a couple of decades working in middle management at The Prudential, primarily hiding behind the coffee machine to avoid his pointy-haired bosses. He’d like to hear your opinions and promises to respond to all serious email!

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