NBC has picked up “The Apprentice,” the Mark Burnett-produced, Donald Trump-fronted unscripted series, for a second run, likely beginning in the fall.
The pickup falls into the no-brainer category. “The Apprentice” has been averaging about 19 million viewers a week Thursday nights, holding its own against CBS’ hit “CSI.” (A Wednesday airing was trounced by Fox’s “American Idol,” after which NBC quickly moved it back to Thursdays.)
“The Apprentice” features 16 wannabe moguls vying for a job with Trump’s company, with an annual salary of $250,000. Each week, the two teams are given some business-related task — thus far, they’ve designed ad campaigns and sold merchandise at flea markets. The winning team remains intact, while Trump dismisses one of the losers with “You’re fired.”
Applications for the next cycle for “The Apprentice” are available at NBC.com.
