Surly Jewish moneylender gets ruthless, young Gentiles to work for free in dubious get-rich-quick scam, yes; it's 'The Apprentice'. When it comes to 'The Apprentice', my analysis becomes as crude & superficial as the programme's MO: I have a vague recollection of those who endured the ritual indignities of televised serfdom; who convulsed in the trenches of despair only to come under sniper fire from lacertilian coffin dodgers like Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford. Eager young things put to task in a grotesque theatre of corporate banality, and for what? The grand prize of getting to work in one of SirAllen's clapped out business ventures. I'll never forget the look on Michele Dewberry's ("winner" of Season 2) face when informed that she'd essentially be running a second hand PC shop, it was, to quote the French on their failed occupation of Indo-China and Vietnam: "The biggest nothing ever fought for". On a separate note, my one off encounter with 'Viglen' nee 'Amstrad PLC' back in 1998 was without incident and a largely pleasant experience, and as with many corporations; it's not the boss who's the worst but middle management, grovelling plutocrats and other henchmen or henchwomen. My hypothesis is that 'The Apprentice' will, someday, come to represent one facet of what was wrong with our society in the 00s; of course that time will only arrive when the masses do an about turn and dismiss those who abuse the means of production. And when they do, I suggest they co-opt SirAllen's own words: "You're fired".