EPISODE ONE

From aboard his private jet, Donald Trump welcomed us all back to New York City. Trump provided a quick update on Bill Rancic - the candidate who fought his way to become The Apprentice last season. Bill is now hard at work overseeing the construction of Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago. Donald also laid out the ground rules, which will work much like the previous season. Eighteen candidates will battle over fifteen grueling weeks for the chance to work for Trump as the head of one of his many companies. Each week, the candidates will compete in a business task, working with some of the largest companies in the world. And at the end of each task (you know it), someone will be fired. After the dust clears, only one candidate will survive the ultimate job interview to become The Apprentice!

All eighteen candidates arrived at Trump Tower and went to the waiting room, just outside of the infamous boardroom. The candidates form a diverse group. Some have Ivy League degrees while a few have only a high school diploma. What they all have in common is success and drive. (Click here to meet the candidates.) But in a room packed full of highly qualified business people, Raj, in his red pants, two-toned leather shoes and bow tie, stood out. And as far as personality, Raj was certainly full of... confidence. Once the candidates entered the boardroom, Trump welcomed them to New York, "the meanest city in the world" and "the greatest place in the world." Trump introduced his trusted associates, Carolyn Kepcher and George Ross. As before, the two would act as Trump's eyes and ears during the tasks. Trump said that the candidates would be broken up into two teams and, like last time, it would be the men versus the women. For each task, the teams would elect a Project Manager to lead them. Trump then revealed a twist. He said that the Project Manager of the winning team could not be fired the following week, no matter how his or her team performed.

The group headed upstairs and entered their lavishly appointed suite (complete with a three-hole putting green, a $100,000+ kitchen, and a basketball court). Next, the group introduced themselves to each other and took a taste of the good life, sampling champagne and caviar. Wes toasted to the men defeating the women. In an interview, Ivana said that she thought Wes was too sarcastic and asked, "Who wants to work with a guy like that?" Then, the two teams split off and read their first assignment. Each team would have to permanently give up one member to the opposition - and that person would become the Project Manager for the first task. Just when it looked like the reluctant men would have to draw a name from a hat, Bradford volunteered to switch sides. On the other team, Pamela volunteered to lead the men. Next, it was time for the teams to pick their names - something that would represent them and convey their strength and power. The women's team, led by Bradford, voted for the masculine "Apex," while the men's team, with Pamela at the helm, voted for the somewhat feminine "Mosaic." Several of the men weren't happy with the name and Raj was particularly vocal. In an interview, he called "Mosaic" a "fruity-toot name" that said "nothing." Jennifer C. also thought that "Mosaic" wasn't very masculine and she couldn't wait for the men to tell Trump that it was their team name.

The following day, everyone met Trump at the Toys R Us in Times Square. As the first order of business, Trump asked each group for their team name. Bradford announced, "Apex." Trump said, "Good name." Then Pamela declared her team's name, "Mosaic." Trump asked incredulously, "Mosaic?" - which drew laughs from the other team. Trump minced no words and said, "Wow, that's awful." Before getting down to business, Trump commented on the cane Raj was wielding because Raj looked like he had two perfectly good legs (yes, added to the red pants ensemble, Raj was sporting a decorative cane). Trump then described the first task. Each team would have to develop a brand-new toy for Mattel - the largest toy manufacturer in the world. The teams would work with designers to produce a prototype, which would then be play-tested by an unforgiving focus group composed of kids. Mattel executives would then decide which team had created the best toy.

Pamela led Mosaic's brainstorming session at Mattel headquarters. John suggested a backpack/water gun; Wes pitched a magnetic fish tank and Andy passionately plugged Crustacean Nation - an oceanic version of Mr. Potato Head - a lobster torso with interchangeable appendages. The others jumped on the crustacean bandwagon. Everyone contributed ideas. But Rob seemed to be unable to get into the conversation. In an interview, Wes said that Rob didn't feel he was part of the creative process. When Rob finally did manage to jump in, he pitched the idea of an electric eel with removable appendages. But that idea was shot down since the others felt it was odd for an eel to have appendages. In an interview, Rob said that he would always do what's best for the team, even if that meant hanging back a little bit.

Apex, led by Bradford, had their own brainstorming powwow. At first, the women seemed to be pitching girl toys for boys (like an Easy Bake Oven for boys). In an interview, Bradford said he worried that the women would not be able to understand what little boys want in a toy. Bradford pitched a remote control football head. The women weren't sold on it. Maria raised the issue that not all kids would be into sports. The women pitched another idea: a remote control car with interchangeable parts. But Bradford stuck with his idea. And in opposition to many on his team, he said that he was making "an executive decision" and was going with the football head. Maria was a bit frustrated, to say the least. In an interview, she said, "I thought to myself, if I could just get my hands around his throat... his jugular... I would absolutely take him out right now." When Apex met with the Mattel design team, Bradford pitched his football head toy. The designers said that they had seen something similar before and didn't think the product would be a success. Bradford then backed off his brainchild and pitched a remote control car with interchangeable parts (yes, the idea that the women had come up with). The designers really liked it. They said they'd have to pull an all-nighter, but they would produce a working prototype of the toy.

The next day, a group of kids determined the fate of both teams. From behind a two-way mirror, Apex, along with George and a few Mattel executives, watched as the kids were introduced to the Metamorphor - a remote control car with interchangeable parts. The kids immediately liked the toy and all ran up to take a closer look. The kids had fun changing parts and racing (as well as crashing) the vehicle. Crustacean Nation, from the minds of Mosaic, did not generate as much excitement. When the same group of kids saw the action figure, one kid was unimpressed and didn't run up to take a closer look. Behind the two-way mirror, Pamela (standing next to Carolyn and the Mattel executives) commented that one of the children had a "mini Dumb and Dumber" haircut. In an interview, Chris said that the comment was not the thing to say in front of executives whose customers are kids.

Later, while Apex was waiting to hear who had won the task, Stacie J. grabbed a Magic 8 Ball and asked if her team was going to win. Everyone played along at first, but Stacie J. didn't stop. She kept asking the 8 Ball questions and announcing the answers, long after the others seemed interested. Then she yelled to some of her team members who didn't seem to be listening. The rest of the group seemed confused and uncomfortable, but Stacie J. kept talking and no one seemed to understand her. In an interview, Stacie J. said that everyone was being distant and even anti-Stacie. In her own interview, Sandy said that Stacie J. completely lost control and brought the team down. Sandy even went so far as to say that without a doubt, the next person to be fired off of their team would be Stacie J.

Finally, it was time for the Mattel executives to render their verdict. They said that Crustacean Nation was too similar to some toys already on the market. On the other hand, they thought that the Metamorphor built well on their current line of remote controlled vehicles. But most importantly, the kids really liked playing with it. The clear-cut winner was Apex! For their victory, the team would dine with Donald and his fiancÈe, Melania, in their home atop Trump Tower. As for the losers, Mosaic would get leftovers and a trip to the boardroom - where someone would be fired. Trump also told Bradford that, as Project Manager of the winning team, he could not be fired the following week.

Apex spent an evening at Trump's lavish home eating a gourmet meal and Mosaic spent the night in, licking their wounds. Later, the members of Mosaic fretted about the upcoming boardroom. Pamela was worried that she was an outsider among the men. Rob was concerned that Pamela would say he didn't contribute. And Andy worried that his youth would make him a target. But, as a nationally ranked debater, Andy promised to "take out" Pamela in the boardroom, if necessary.