The Apprentice: Martha Stewart is a reality game show and a spin-off from the series, The Apprentice, that ran in the fall of 2005. Broadcast on NBC, the show featured business tycoon Martha Stewart. Tasks were centered around Stewart's areas of expertise: media, culinary arts, entertaining, decorating, crafts, design, merchandising, and style. The tone of the show was somewhat muted compared to the original, as Stewart brought her own sensibilities to the elimination process, often using her catchphrase: "You just don't fit in" in contrast to original series host Donald Trump's catchphrase: "You're fired." She also wrote a cordial letter to the candidate who was fired; many times she took subtle jabs at the fired candidate and gave frank reasons for why the candidate did not succeed on the show. Several segments featuring Stewart were filmed at her home in Bedford, New York because at the time, she was serving the five-month house arrest portion of her ImClone scandal conviction. Donald Trump, Mark Burnett and Jay Bienstock executive produced the show. Businessman Charles Koppelman and Stewart's daughter, Alexis Stewart accompanied the two teams during tasks and reported their observations to Stewart in the boardroom.
Sixteen wannabe-Apprentices for Martha Stewart meet their idol herself in New York City on the first day of their job interview. The teams are thrust into the task of creating a children's book, and as one team risks everything for a odd storyline, the other plays it safe by relying on a focus group. Who will succeed? Who will fail? And who will be The Apprentice: Martha Stewart?
The task for the remaining 15 candidates seems simple enough, operating competing flower shops in Manhattan's West Village. However, one of the project managers quits before a second candidate can be named to replace them.
This week's task is making a cake and selling it at a wedding expo. And outside of the task, one candidate makes an inappropriate comment to Charles, and another one learns that his wife just had a baby.
The remaining contestants try their hand at creating a themed lifestyle suite in a New York City hotel. Both teams face imminent failure, as one struggles with a Project Manager while the other races against time. The winners are greeted by Martha Stewart in a personal visit, but the losers must pay the price in the conference room.
This week finds the contestants working on the task of creating a limited edition salad dressing for Wish-bone that they must sell at two Stew Leonard's store locations. While Matchstick is unsure of their recipe, Primarius may be forced to leave the store after Jim's inappropriate comments. Things get heated in the conference room and Jennifer is sent packing.
This challenge will appeal to dog lovers. Primarius and Matchstick negotiate with celebrities to create an experience involving their dogs to be auctioned off for charity. Which team will win?
The ten remaining contestants must take to the streets with a mobile billboard campaign which is a promotion for Tide to Go stain stick remover.
The task for the remaining 8 candidates is to sell items on QVC. One of the teams end up being screen hogs while the other has a case of cold feet.
The teams are asked to create a pop-up retail space to sell a new coffee machine. However, one rogue candidate spends the team's entire budget on an expensive public relations firm. Meanwhile, the other team chunks its leader when they disagree with the sales plan.
The six remaining candidates go forth into the automotive world and must build a showroom launch that will display the new Buick sedan. One team changes lanes halfway through the project and alters its vision while 2/3 of the other threesome keep arguing with one another.
ach team is required to create a 30-second promotional video for an airline. While one candidate celebrates the last group task with a few drinks on the job, the other team must suffer through one member acting like a Hollywood director.
Martha's top execs meet with the three remaining candidates and one is sent packing. Then, the final tasks are delivered and while one candidate struggles with the job of running a one-ring circus and fails to garner support from the former teammates who have been chosen to help the other candidate’s creative vision is called into question.
Dawna must host a fashion show accompanied by Howie, Amanda, and Sarah. While Bethenny hosts a circus with Jim, Ryan, and a rebelling Carrie. The finale will feature the culmination of the final two tasks, a cast reunion and the live conference room hiring where the newest Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia employee will receive a $250,000 'apprenticeship' working alongside Stewart and her executives.
