Episode 2 - Scoop Dreams

Things go far from smoothly as 17 would-be tycoons take on the big city ice cream biz and each other. A highly regarded candidate freezes under pressure, conflict swirls around an outcast and a troublemaker becomes a scooping hero. The winners are treated to champagne and caviar, while the losers get their just desserts in the boardroom, where the 2nd candidate is fired.

Comments

I can't believe it. I am so angry at Trump...Bradford was merely supporting his team and putting his performance on the line b/c he knew that regardless of immunity he outperformed everyone on that team. Donald chose Bradford to prove a point - that in a blink of an eye you can make a mistake. Well, Donald proved his own point by firing Bradford. A stupid mistake that will cost "The Donald"; his company, his credibility and his value to our entertainment culture.

I cannot believe that Trump thinks it is a mistake to stand on your laurels for a job well done. There is absolutely no way that Bradford should have been fired when judged on performance. He supported his team and his own performance as the natural leader of Apex Corp. I have enjoyed this show from the beginning of season 1, but disagree 100% with the farce that happened tonight. I could careless about watching the rest of the season as the best person was unfairly removed. This is ridiculous.

Trump thought he was teaching a lesson...but the real lesson is that no employee, even George or Carolyn has "immunity". That's a foreign concept in any real boardroom.

Okay, I've lost all respect for Trump. EVERYONE knows Bradford did the right thing. For Trump to let him go with those other two screw-ups in the boardroom, it could mean only one thing: Trump doesn't care about hiring the best. He must now be in this just for ratings. In fact, Bradford is the lucky one. Even before he was fired, I was yelling at the TV for him to quit. I can't imagine anyone wanting to work for such an idiot now. The Donald has made himself as irrelvant to proper business practices as Dan Rather is to proper journalism. And Caroline?! What a spineless suck-up! The way she changed her mind after Trump's dumb decision proves she is nothing more than a yes-man. Fire them all!

[iphotowalla]

The choice was clear in the second episode. Personality cults, not intrinsic value rule in the halls of Trump International Megalomaniacal Corporation. Bradford is a stand up guy willing to put his record on the line. He stood for something. He took responsibility and was not afraid of sticking his head out. To bad the DONald acted impulsively and not seen that Bradford's integrity is what Trump lacks.

Between Ivana and Stacie. Ivana should have gone. No good, no performance, no intrinsic value and get some better glasses to see your teammates across the street. Stacie though not an atypical candidate is still pulling her wait and performing outside of the box. Stop judging and support her ideas…you may see better results.

Shame Donald. For Shame Donald.

[I who is about to die]

I too was shocked when Bradford was fired. I do think that it is possible that Trump was just proving a point or trying to get ratings and I was very upset to see Bradford go.

HOWEVER, The Donald does have a point about the fact that Bradford should not have jeapordized his place on the team and made a rash, cocky decision to give up his immunity. I think he was too trusting in the job he did and maybe he thought he could stick his neck out based on the job well done and impress Trump when really he didnt need to do that at all.

:: Hope I dont get too much hate mail

Bradford was brave stepping up to the plate for the team (by putting himself in the same playground as his teammate to make his view that much genuine) but his decision was plain foolish to cede his immunity (afterall, this is nothing but a competition). But, Trump's choice also was a foolish one. He contradicts himself by explaining Bradford's action to be detrimental in a business world and yet he chooses to keep a candidate that was incompetent. Trump kept praising Bradford to be the best candidate so far before he fired him. So he basically made an executive decision only to make a point knowing he's firing his best candidate and keeping a candidate that surely deserved to be fired!? Trump, you're fired!

[Jack]

After watching tonight's 2nd episode of "the apprentice" I was ready to pen a quick letter off to Donald and was pleasantly surprised to find this site, and a bunch of people already lined up to point out the shortcomings of the Donald's decision. I must admit that up until tonight this had been my hands-down favorite show, but with Donald's equally stupid and rash decision this evening, seemingly with no other possible explanation than pumping up the ratings, my interest in the show has really waned. I'm continually amazed at the power of TV to glamorize the mighty, and in a split second to knock them right over. Mr Trump- you're fired!

[barry]

O.K. for those of us that missed it. What was the "huge, Life threatening error" that bradford made? Did he do something wrong in the task or was it just that he gave up the immunity?

I can already smell the next episode's surprising ending as it previews "rules will be broken!" I think Trump recognizes his own mistake and will rectify it by firing two candidates (most likely Apex looses again and Ivana and Stacie ends up in the boardroom again)and bringing back Bradford in the competition. It's the only way to reclaim his reputation. He certainly lost one today.

Barry, Bradford didn't do anything wrong until he gave up his immunity. Actually he showed his ability to hustle quite well. Trump praised Bradford but didn't like Bradford's attitude in giving up his immunity, nothing else. Believe all the comments above, Trump made a bigger mistake.

Dump the Trump! I was hoping for a quality second season of The Apprentice but after watching this episode I have lost all respect personally and professionally for Trump. Bradford by no means of the imagination should have even been considered to be fired, even after saying he would give up his immunity. Bradford contributed a lot to that team and I think that Ivona and the rest of the group knew it. I would much rather support Bradford for standing up for his work and team then support Trump or the Apprentice. So I am dumping the Trump! To bad becuase I was a big fan of the first season.

Good going Bradford, although may have made an error at least you stuck to your guys.

Congratulations Mr. Trump! How many viewers do you think you lost after tonights power trip? Bradford was displaying the confidence that I would look for in a leader and justifiably so. He made negative comments about his teams performance and backed it up by agreeing to be treated the same as the rest. Confidence, not arrogance is what got him fired tonight. You are totally unpredictible, and not in a good way. I think I will check out Mark Cuban on the Benefactor. You don't have to fire me, I quit!

[a]

Brad being fired was a shocker, but I agree with the decision. No one is invisible if you put your neck out. However, I would like to see Ivana go asap. She has no leader skills, very indecisive and would not take any responsibility for the failure of her team.

I loved this show, but after tonight I'm just not sure. It appeared tonight as though Donald thought he was God...sorry buddy, but in the real world you're not. Yeah, Donald's spontaneous decision was incorrect, so according to his rules he should be fired.

To all of the people who have written they are upset with Donald Trump's decision to fire Bradford, don't forget that this is a scripted, rehearsed, edited fictional television show where we the audience are shown only what the producers want us to see to make the feel the way they want us to feel (in this case angry at Trump) so just sit back and enjoy the ride because it isn't reality, there is no logic to it, it's just about ratings for the network, and a good time for the audience and the participants. That's all.

[CDC]

Bradford's giving up immunity took guts and showed his solidarity for his team. His only mistake was not defending his action. Showing solidarity for one's team is apparently so foreign to the Donald that he had no clue as to why Bradford would have given up his immunity. It is all about power for the Donald. That is just sad.

[CDC]

Bradford will land on his feet. I am sure a person of his integrity would not do well in Trump's organization. After today he will probably get some offers from companies with integrity who understand that corporate social responsibility is not about just giving money to charity -- it is about the integrity of your decisions.

Bradford's move was so unbelievably stupid that I started laughing at him from the very moment he announced it (especially when you saw his face every few seconds as it slowly dawned on him what he'd done). The fact that he's a lawyer, like me, makes it even funnier. I certainly hope he doesn't make it a habit of going to court and telling the judge, "Your Honor, just to show you how great my client is, I'm going to waive ALL of his legal rights!"

It was a bonehead move. Trump was absolutely right in making his decision. The others showed weaknesses too but there will be plenty of time to can them. This kind of stupidity simply must be responded to with swift action, and Trump recognized that. He's smarter than you folks think.

[Rocko J]

Say, why did Ivana freak out so badly? I mean it was a surprise, but it's pretty over the top to bury your head in your hands and say "oh my god" over and over. Way to prove to people that you can't take the heat in the kitchen ...

[rookie]

say, is it just my imagination that Caroline goes easy on the men and is hard on the women! She accused Pamela of being insensitive to parents, and in the last season she found fault with Heidi! I could hardly understand what Bradford's 'life threatening error' was all about. I thought he was a true leader, full of confidence and integrity.

[Andy]

I was shocked too -- but it was good for the drama and proved a point.

The real blame should go on Ivana for even bringing bradford in the room in the first place. She made a backhanded move by trying to bring in the strongest people to bring down Stacy, but it ended up backfiring on her.

Now her team is crippled without a good worker and leader. And all the girls are going to be PISSED at her for leading to Bradford getting fired.

[JFM]

I have to agree with CDC (2:43). Trump made the best choice. The competition itself was close, with something like a $250 difference. It was a toss up. It easily could have gone the other way. And although other candidates may have made small mistakes or shown less sales drive or creativity than Bradford, none of those mistakes comes close to the way Bradford shot himself in the head in the boardroom. It was extremely reckless. Bradford knew the stakes were high and he totally gave away his advantage - and why? Not to express support for his team, but to rub their faces in his success. It was his chest thumping that got him in trouble. He got swept away by his own ego and lost sight of the goal - to be the last man standing. I agree with Trump's decision. You can't run a company the way Bradford runs his mouth. Bradford showed that his macho self-image takes priority over his business decisions . . . probably not as a rule, but he did it in this instance so you know he could do it again. Too risky. He had to go. Trump was right.

[JFM]

I don't think anyone will hold Bradford's firing against Ivana. They'll understand how stupid it was for him to "waive immunity," and hold him accountable for his own actions. If anything, they'll be glad to be rid of a tough competitor. But Ivana's reaction in the boardroom will definitely come back to bite her. Not good to fall apart like that. And Jennifer wasn't much better. Stacie's going to cruise as long as her competition keeps committing suicide in the boardroom.

[Vasudev]

Title: Bradford, you are still the winner!

Bradford was supposed to be battling for the prized post of spearheading one of the business enterprises in the Trump business world. Though he was the project manager of the winning team in episode 1, he alienated all his collegues in his project team by his ridiculously whimsical, coarse,insulting, dictatorial, always-my-way and only my way, and in-your-face style of management. In the tragic episode 2, where he show cased his multi-talented personality of infectious enthusiam, superlative salesmanship, and great marketing wizardry, Bradford bonded really well with all his team members and even won them over completely to his side. He had won an immunity from being fired in the second episode for being the project leader of the winning team of the first episode of Apprentice 2 management TV show; he had now won over all of his team members in the just concluded project task of designing a new ice cream flavor and selling it successfully to the ice cream devouring public. He was at the pinnacle of his success and at the top of his world. But, Bradford was loath to enjoying his success in a quiet and dignified way. Bradford became cocky; became very sure of his invincibility; began soaring in the air; became over involved in the board room proceedings; started venting his opinions on all and sundry; majestically opted out his own immunity from getting fired in the second episode; and started accepting with Donald Trump that he might have started shooting himself in the foot; he might have fallen prey to his own perverse desire to self-destruct himself; and he might have begun a tragic journey to self doomsdom, self decay, and self destruction. Bradford needlessly, unnecessarily, and painfully erred in recklessly throwing away his hard won immunity and betting against his own future and in the process, making Donald Trump lose all confidence in Bradford's ability to provide leadership and stewardship of one of the business units of the Donald Trump's business world. However, it is not the end of the world for Bradford. People realize that, however foolhardy Bradford was in causing his own demise in the sparkling, enticing, and merciless Apprentice 2 TV series, Bradford was also the project leader of the winning team of the first episode and except for one pivotal mistake, was the star of the second episode. Several candidates in the Apprentice 1 series perished in infamy, but Bradford will be talked about for years to come, as a shining star cum a tragic hero. Bradford may have has lost the opportunity to become the apprentice but has surely and certainly won the battle for the most admiration and adoration of millions of TV viewers all over the United States. Bradford, you are still the winner!