"You're fired."

I didn't expect to hear those words again (well, at least on T.V., as I'm bound to be booted from a job for one reason or another). But, to my surprise, The Apprentice is back on. What time I hear you ask? The ever-so intelligent time-slot of 11:30 p.m., Sunday nights. Good thinking Channel 9. Way to bury a show. For future references Eddie, don't do what Channel 7 did with Arrested Development, or Channel 10 with The Office.

Back to the topic, when I heard that Donald Trump fired Carolyn, either the eyes or the ears for Donald on tasks (because The Don doesn't get his hands, eyes or ears dirty), I thought that would be the end of the series. However, lo-and-behold, I found that Season 5 is up and running. Suffice to say that it has already finished in the States (something I found out the hard way), but at least we are getting it none-the-less.

Last nights opener: fantastic. It took it back to the old, original, business-based Apprentice that was the first series. It had it all: a great competition between the two groups (a very close result), a great, back-to-basics reward (lunch with Trump), and an even better boardroom. In fact, I think it could have been a better boardroom meeting than all of Season 4's.

What made the meeting great was that it was Donald going to town on the failed team leader, Terek, who (one would assume) was the fittest choice at being said leader. Trump had picked him, so I guess he felt that it reflected poorly on him when he ended up loser leader. As a note, Trump picked him because he was a member of Mensa, that I.Q. group who are supposed to be among the "smartest" 2% of the world. So, yeah, the Donald just went to town on him about being a crap-house leader.

But isn't it always the case, the person who probably should have been fired as well (because Terek should have been booted out for his failures also), Summer (who did very little ... well, nothing in the challenge), opened her mouth just as Trump is rip-roaring into Terek, and got herself fired. Silly people. She should have listened to the advice of 'The Russian'.

Ah, yes, 'The Russian'. A nickname given to Lenny Veltman probably because Don forgot his name. But even though Lenny is from Azerbaijan, it doesn't matter, because it's Donald Trump, and he's always right. Except in his politics, when he is pro-Trump and anti-idiocracy. Lenny, I like. He seems like one of those guys who is just no bullshit, all business, calls a spade a spade and is ready to go to work. He gave Summer the advice to shut-up and stay quiet, and she wouldn't get fired. Best advice ever, because if she had followed it, she would have still been in the show. It had worked right up to the final, crucial moment, when Trump took his last breath, raised his fist (because Trump has hands of gold and doesn't need a hammer) to put the last nail in Terek's coffin.

A few other interesting characters on the show, Sean Yazbeck looks to be one to keep an eye on as well. Seems to bring something to this show (possibly the British accent) that hasn't been there since Bill Rancic and Kelly Perdew won. A sort of air of professionalism and ability, they didn't need to have their hand held or anything and, most of all, unassuming until the crunch.

Here's to hoping that the rest of the season is just as good, no, gets better, and climbs the ladder to be the best series yet. But then again, we are talking about Donald here. What has he ever done that's failed?

Thomas.