Series synopsis
The Celebrity Apprentice is an American reality television series that premiered on NBC on January 8, 2004. It ended on February 28, 2017. It was created by Mark Burnett. It stars Donald Trump.
The ultimate sixteen-week job interview where eighteen Americans compete in a series of rigorous business tasks, many of which include prominent Fortune 500 companies and require street smarts and intelligence to conquer, in order to show the boss that they are the best candidate for his companies. In each episode, the losing team is sent to the boardroom where they are judged on their performance in the task. One person is fired and sent home.
Premise
The ultimate sixteen-week job interview where eighteen Americans compete in a series of rigorous business tasks, many of which include prominent Fortune 500 companies and require street smarts and intelligence to conquer, in order to show the boss that they are the best candidate for his companies. In each episode, the losing team is sent to the boardroom where they are judged on their performance in the task. One person is fired and sent home.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Donald Trump as Self - Host
Guest cast
- Arnold Schwarzenegger as Self - Host
- Tony Bennett as Self
- George Steinbrenner
- Fabolous as Self
- Billy Joel as Self
- Jenna Jameson
- Joe Simpson
- Anna Kournikova
- Annika Sörenstam
- Mike Piazza
- Sean Yazbeck as Self
- Michael Bloomberg
Episodes
This series spans 16 seasons with 209 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 3 | ||
| Season 1 | 16 | January 8, 2004 | April 15, 2004 |
| Season 2 | 18 | September 9, 2004 | December 16, 2004 |
| Season 3 | 18 | January 20, 2005 | May 19, 2005 |
| Season 4 | 15 | September 22, 2005 | December 15, 2005 |
| Season 5 | 16 | February 27, 2006 | June 5, 2006 |
| Season 6 | 14 | January 7, 2007 | April 22, 2007 |
| Season 7 | 13 | January 3, 2008 | March 27, 2008 |
| Season 8 | 12 | March 1, 2009 | May 10, 2009 |
| Season 9 | 11 | March 14, 2010 | May 23, 2010 |
| Season 10 | 13 | September 16, 2010 | December 9, 2010 |
| Season 11 | 12 | March 6, 2011 | May 22, 2011 |
| Season 12 | 14 | February 19, 2012 | May 20, 2012 |
| Season 13 | 12 | March 3, 2013 | May 19, 2013 |
| Season 14 | 14 | January 3, 2015 | February 15, 2015 |
| Season 15 | 8 | January 2, 2017 | February 28, 2017 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trump and Contestants on Oprah | |
| 2 | A Look Back | |
| 3 | a recap |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Meet the Billionaire The contestants are split into two teams, one team of 8 men and another team of 8 women. The two teams are then given their first challenge - sell lemonade on the streets of New York with a budget of $250. The team that makes the most profit wins. |
January 8, 2004 |
| 2 |
Sex, Lies and Altitude For the second task, the corporations have to design advertisements for the Marquis Jet Card. |
January 15, 2004 |
| 3 |
Respect The challenge this week is a lesson in negotiation. The task is a scavenger hunt of sorts - the teams are given a list of items to buy from vendors from all over New York City. |
January 21, 2004 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Toying With Disaster This week's task is to design a new toy for Mattel. Apex designed a remote-controlled car, where the car parts could be changed, while Mosaic designed an action figure line. Mattel chose to go with Apex's design. Apex was treated to dinner with Trump and his fiance in his penthouse. Rob was fired because he underutilized himself. |
September 9, 2004 |
| 2 |
Scoop Dreams This week's task is to develop a new flavor of ice cream for Ciao Bella Ice Cream, and then sell the most. Mosaic developed Donut Flavored Ice Cream, and Apex developed Red Velvet Flavored Ice Cream. Then the teams moved to street corners to sell. Apex ran into a problem when the corner they chose was already occupied by a licensed vendor. Apex was forced to move to a new corner, but couldn't decide, so they split up in half. After passing by Mosaic's set up, Apex realized they should be together. Stacie J. was asked to give directions, and she made a mistake. Apex made $2,472.29; and Mosaic made $2,707.85. Mosaic was treated to champagne and caviar, and Apex was sent to the boardroom, where Bradford was fired for relinquishing his exemption from the boardroom.. |
September 16, 2004 |
| 3 |
Send in the Crowns This week's task is to create the most ""buzz"" in New York City for the newest flavor of Crest toothpaste with everything from cash giveaways endorsed by flamethrowers (Mosaic) to cavity-free baseball catchers (Apex). |
September 23, 2004 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Whopper 101 This week's task is to create the most enticing new burger for the Burger King menu. |
January 20, 2005 |
| 2 |
Motel 666 This week's task is to renovate a motel along the New Jersey shoreline, and then recieve the highest rating by the customers. |
January 27, 2005 |
| 3 |
Trouble Is Brewing This week's task is to create the most buzz about Nescafe's Taster's Choice coffee. |
February 3, 2005 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Let's Get Physical The eighteen new candidates of the hit reality series meet their fiece, hand-picked competition and discover their teammates at the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey. The rigorous job interview begins with a bang as the new corporations, split on gender lines - Team Excel made up of all men and Capital Edge made up of all women, deal with the billion-dollar fitness business by creating a new class at Bally's Total Fitness Centers. Melissa clashes with the other women, one team's marketing scheme angers Carolyn, and Markus is insulted as Project Manager. Still, Excel is able to just barely squeak by with a win, giving them the prize of dinner with the Donald, but Markus is not granted the usual exemption for being the winning Project Manager because his team does not vote for him to receive the privillege. Capital Edge is sent to the boardroom, where, in an Apprentice first, PM Kristi chooses to bring back only one person, Melissa, who is fired for having a negative tone throughout |
September 22, 2005 |
| 2 |
There's No Little 'I' In Team Markus struggles to fit into his team and Marshawn faces criticism from some of her corporation members when she steps up to lead a task involving advertising for Lamborghini's. Excel Corporation's adoration for their advertisements clouds their vision to see some apparent faults, but with the help of Kristi, Alla, and Jennifer, the women of Capital Edge pull off an upset win, earning the opportunity to skate on the ice with a hockey team. Once there, Rebecca falls on the ice, and her future is uncertain with a serious ankle injury. In the boardroom, Excel Project Manager Chris takes a page from Kristi's book and chooses to bring in only one person, Markus, with him into the final boardroom. Trump, Carolyn, and George see this as a fatal mistake, and Chris is fired for it. |
September 29, 2005 |
| 3 |
Something Old, Something New A third candidate is fired when the hopefuls take on the business of high technology. The winning team enjoys a reward dealing with children while the losers square off in the boardroom, where they are blindsided by their Project Manager. |
October 6, 2005 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Summer of Sam's The New Season! |
February 27, 2006 |
| 2 |
The Razor's Edge The candidates challenge New Yorkers to text message on their mobile phones. |
March 6, 2006 |
| 3 |
Get it in Gear The candidates must throw a corporate retreat for car-dealership owners. |
March 13, 2006 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
To Have and Have Not The Apprentice moves to Los Angeles, and eighteen new candidates vie for a coveted position with Donald Trump in this sixth season. |
January 7, 2007 |
| 2 |
Pink Is the New Black The seventeen remaining candidates are challenged to design and manufacture a new collection of men's and women's swimwear for designer Trina Turk, then put their creations on display in a fashion show on a California beach. |
January 14, 2007 |
| 3 |
Civil War Teams battle it out to create Hollywood's best tour experience, from Lakers Girls to celebrity lifestyles. Who will grab the spotlight? |
January 20, 2007 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Task: Selling Hot Dogs Donald Trump returns for a seventh season in the boardroom with 14 new business-savvy contestants. The twist this season - the contestants are all celebrities! First up the teams select captains and then hit the streets to sell hot dogs! |
January 3, 2008 |
| 2 |
It's All About Business 101 Each team must make a commercial for Pedigree dog food advertising their pet adoption drive. |
January 10, 2008 |
| 3 |
Mr. Outside the Box The two teams are each given a "Jet Stream" trailer to transform into a mobile campaign to promote and sell Kodak products. The pressure builds when Hydra damages their computer and Empresario misses out on a meeting with the executives. |
January 17, 2008 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Let Them Bake Cake Donald Trump returns for an eighth season in the boardroom. Joining him are fourteen new celebrity candidates vying for the title of the Celebrity Apprentice, as well as $250,000 for the charity of their choice. First up, a bake sale featuring cupcakes in a challenge to sell the most, despite culinary challenges and a surprise taste test. |
March 1, 2009 |
| 2 |
E.Z. Does It The men look to get back on track this week as they are asked to make a comic book character as a representative for an online company. The winning team will be chosen by the company's executive in charge. |
March 8, 2009 |
| 3 |
Altar'd States The remaining celebs must decorate a bare space into a bridal boutique and then sell 125 wedding dresses. |
March 15, 2009 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
True Colors Donald Trump divides the celebrities into men versus women and instructs them to choose a team name and in a surprise twist, Trump asks them to choose the opposing team's project manager. For their first task they must run a New York City diner. The team who brings in the most money at the diner, including tips, wins. It isn’t long before the celebrities’ egos clash as they compete to see who will be the first celebrity to face Mr. Trump in the boardroom and hear the words "You’re fired." |
March 14, 2010 |
| 2 |
Give Me A Moment This week's task is to build a storefront to relaunch Kodak's famous Kodak Moments campaign. |
March 21, 2010 |
| 3 |
Deep-Seated in Security This week's task was to create a four-page editorial to showcase a new product for LifeLock and Norton 360. |
March 28, 2010 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Back to Work Sixteen candidates, all affected by the economic crisis, arrive in New York City for a 13-week job interview with Donald Trump. Trump divides them into teams and tasks them with creating a modern workspace. A fight breaks out on one team, and on the other side, the leadership abilities of the Project Manager are called into question. During the presentation, an office hazard leads to an accident, putting one team's fate in jeopardy. In the end, one team pulls out a win, and a candidate on the losing side becomes the first to hear Trump's fateful words: "You're Fired!" |
September 16, 2010 |
| 2 |
Frozen Assets One team sabotages the other as they sell ice cream on the streets of New York City. |
September 23, 2010 |
| 3 |
Working Like A Dog The teams are tasked with running all aspects of a dog daycare and spa. One Project Manager threatens to bench a team member if they continue to act up. On the other side, a fearful team member is resentful when their Project Manager puts them in charge of dogs. A surprise visit from “Dog Whisperer” Cesar Millan puts everyone on their toes. In the boardroom, Trump reveals which team has pulled out the win, and on the losing team another candidate is fired. |
September 30, 2010 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pepperoni Profit The 16 celebrities are divided into two teams and tasked with running pizzerias; the teams set a fundraising record; the first contestant is eliminated. |
March 6, 2011 |
| 2 |
Child's Play In the second episode of the season, the Celebrities must write an original children’s book based on one of their own teammates and perform it for 4- and 5-year-olds. |
March 13, 2011 |
| 3 |
Unhappy Campers Each team is given two Camping World RVs to stage an 'experience' in mid-town Manhattan. One Celebrity wrestles control away from their project manager. The other team questions the sanity of their leader, who stops working on the task to play a game of catch. It's a race to the finish, but one team ultimately stands victorious. The losing team faces Donald Trump in the boardroom where another Celebrity is fired. |
March 20, 2011 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Hero Worship Season 12 of Donald Trump's business-savvy series opens with 18 celebrity players creating and selling deli sandwiches. The star contestants include Arsenio Hall, Clay Aiken, Cheryl Tiegs, Debbie Gibson, Adam Carolla, Lisa Lampanelli and Penn Jillette. |
February 19, 2012 |
| 2 |
Getting Medieval The teams produce and perform a medieval-theme show for an audience, yet an insubordinate contestant and a serious injury mar the task. |
February 26, 2012 |
| 3 |
How Much Is That Celebrity In The Window? The players have to produce themed living Lord and Taylor display windows featuring Ivanka trumps fashion line. The boys don't quite get women's fashion like the girls do. |
March 4, 2012 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Wolf in Charge of the Hen House Season 13 opens with 14 returning celebrities tasked to sell meatballs in a charity competition, but there are beefs due to a power struggle and an unorthodox approach to the mission. Stars include Trace Adkins, Stephen Baldwin and Gary Busey. |
March 3, 2013 |
| 2 |
Just as Simple as Making Soup The teams jet to Universal Orlando Resort in Florida to produce an interactive 3-D photo experience, but an indecisive project manager and a tyrannical leader mar the mission. |
March 10, 2013 |
| 3 |
I'm Being Punked by a Jackson The all-star celebrities must perform a soap-opera scene for a beverage-mix product. One team doesn't mix well, however, when a project manager tangles with an insubordinate member. |
March 17, 2013 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
May the Gods of Good Pies Be With Us! The series returns with 16 new stars! Watch these celebrities battle in men vs. women teams, tackling business challenges that test their skills and creativity. First up: a pie selling challenge where it is winner-take-all. Who will be sent home? |
January 3, 2015 |
| 2 |
Your Commercial Is Very Panicking Teams tackle their next challenge: creating commercials for Neat's digital organization tech. Kevin Jonas leads the men confidently while the women's team struggles under Kate Gosselin's uncertain leadership. Who will win, who will fall? |
January 4, 2015 |
| 3 |
Scatty Kathy Shows Up On The Menu The teams create product-tasting presentations for Luvo, a healthy frozen meal company. They will be judged on brand messaging and overall presentation, and will serve a menu of Luvo products to diners. Vivica and Terrell step up to lead the teams! |
January 4, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
In Here You Call Me Governor With Arnold Schwarzenegger as the new boss, the celebrities get right down to business with tasks from Tyra Beauty and Trident gum. |
January 2, 2017 |
| 2 |
Fire Up That Chopper The celebrities must create a live health segment showcasing a grape juice with the teams producing and editing viral videos for a new King's Hawaiian product. |
January 9, 2017 |
| 3 |
Candy for a Billionaire The celebrity contestants are posed with creating a marketing campaign for Kawaski motorcycles and aren't afraid of pushing boundaries. Moo.la founder and CEO, Gemma Godfrey, assists celebrity attorney Patrick Knapp Schwarzenegger in overseeing the celebrities campaigns. As one team approached this task with humor, the other team seemed to take gender roles seriously - maybe too seriously. In the second episode the teams are shaken up and it's no longer ladies versus gentlemen. They are presented with creating a new See's Candy for none other than world famous chocoholic Buffett. Two representatives from each team are flown to Omaha, Neb., to present the candy to Buffett in person. Preparation is key in this task as one team fails to do their homework. |
January 16, 2017 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | NBC |
|---|---|
| First aired | January 8, 2004 |
| Last aired | February 28, 2017 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Monday at 20:00:00 |