It’s a new day in the world’s most dramatic job interview, but before we can start the new task, we’re reminded of the last firing. Dan had to walk, mostly because he didn’t take Lenny with him into the boardroom. Tarek and Lee return to the suite, Lee to open arms and Tarek, well, not so much. Luckily, Bryce is there to offer Tarek his support and after electing himself the new Project Manager, bring the team together for a bonding session. Tarek starts things off by pointing out that he’s used as a scapegoat because he’s just such a darn strong player that everyone else feels threatened. The camera focuses on Charmaine’s reenactment of Tarek rolling his eyes, but what I’m really wondering is how long Bryce is going to be in Tarek’s corner.
The next day begins with Lee leaving to attend services for Yom Kippur while the rest of the interviewees meet up with Trump to get their task. Curiously, Andrea seems to be wearing the black turtleneck/blue scarf uniform that her team wore for their last presentation. I’ve heard she’s a millionaire, so I’m not sure why she’s that short on clothes, but whatever. As Trump talks about building a brand, we’re assaulted with Trump for all the senses. Trump’s face, his clothing brand, the watches, the cologne. But enough about him … The visiting execs today are from Arby’s, of which Trump is a fan, and they have a new chicken sandwich to promote. The teams will be writing jingles that will be performed in front of a UGE crowd.
The teams return to the suite and begin strategizing as Bryce starts to rally his troops. On the Synergy side, Sean volunteers to be PM and starts off by taking his entire team with him to meet with the Arby’s execs. They hear all about the product, take diligent notes, and head out to begin work when Gold Rush finally makes it into the van. On the way, they try to explain to Lenny exactly what a jingle is. When Gold Rush arrives, they're 25 minutes late, which they try to downplay. No such luck, though, as the Arby’s CEO gives them a serious dressing-down. Bryce tried to kiss some butt, and they better hope that it was enough, because the guy was not happy with them at all! Cut to Tarek’s interview where he quickly throws Bryce under the bus for not getting them there on time.
Trump’s business lesson of the week: Command Respect.
Okay, Trump, seriously? You have an empire, and this is the best you can give us? The guys fixing your escalator don’t even look particularly overcome by respect. Sure, they’re doing their job, but couldn’t you come up with anyone bowing and serving?
Back to Synergy, where the bad singing is just beginning. They jump on a concept quickly, piggybacking on Arby’s familiar “I’m thinking Arby’s” slogan. Watching their jingle come together is like the Von Trapp’s all over again – such love, such energy, such creative harmony. They move smoothly to the recording studio where a little of the love is lost when Sean gets a bit overbearing, but that’s eclipsed by one of the most exciting moments of the season so far: Michael speaks! He wants Sean to share some of the responsibility, which I find curious because I have a hard time each week just remembering Michael’s name. Can’t wait to see how this plays out later!
Things at Gold Rush aren’t quite so happy at first – the initial shot of the team is them sitting around staring at each other while one of the guys says, “This is hard.” :S They’re throwing around a few ideas – of course “I’m thinking Arby’s” is one of them and Lenny takes things rather literally by suggesting jingle bells for five seconds in the beginning. Bill looks like he’s in actual pain. Lenny’s next suggestion is including the sound of an actual chicken and the phrase “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” and I’m wondering why they can’t find a television or radio to give the guy an example of what a jingle is. Bryce extols the value of a leader knowing when to delegate and puts Charmaine and Leslie in charge of the lyrics. They make it to the recording studio, where Tarek takes over the direction of the band and the singers, and Bryce is “stoked” with the result. Yes, stoked. He’s just so proud of the way they came together as a team! With everyone on both sides feeling so warm and fuzzy, it’s rather sad that it’s all going to come crashing down for half of them when they reach the boardroom. Onto the presentations!
Synergy starts off the presentation with their jingle, which immediately makes Team Gold Rush nervous. Theirs is next and we learn that Gold Rush is a little country and Synergy is a little more rock and roll. The crowd enjoys the energy of Synergy, as does Trump, who dances around during Synergy’s presentation but only gives a little bop for Gold Rush’s. Arby’s execs introduce the world’s biggest Arby’s fan, Donald Trump, who asks the audience of Arby’s customers to vote for the best jingle with their applause. Synergy is the clear audience favorite, and it’s soon apparent that the execs feel the same way. They acknowledge that Gold Rush did a good job of mentioning lots of menu items, but Synergy matched Arby’s energy and brand personality. Most importantly, the Synergy jingle made it clear that this all-natural chicken is only available at Arby’s.
For their reward, Synergy is treated to a six course truffle meal at Alain Ducasse Restaurant that includes the white truffle at a cost of $4,000 a pound. :crazyThe dinner is an absolute love fest, with Sean complimenting the ladies and Allie telling the men that they look dapper. Roxanne points out that she sees Sean’s game before the women go on to gush about his accent. The whole scene is so warm and fuzzy that even Andrea is smiling.
Back at the suite, Gold Rush is having a very different sort of love fest. Bryce tells the team how great they did and how he isn’t going to backstab anyone in the boardroom. Charmaine tearfully hopes that Trump won’t fire anyone. Bryce stops the love long enough to tell her how stupid that is. At one point, Lenny seems to step up and almost volunteer to go, acknowledging that he contributed the least to the task. The meeting ends with Bryce asking them all to present a united front.
In the boardroom, Bryce tells Trump that they lost because the music wasn’t appealing enough and that Tarek served as creative director while Charmaine wrote the lyrics. He quickly takes responsibility for approving everything, though. When Trump asks him who should be fired, he points out that Lenny contributed the least.
When conversation turns to Lenny, we hear that he is the “first Russian jingle writer” who just couldn’t get past the cultural barriers of this task. I’m almost feeling bad for him until Bill asks him how long he’s been in the US. The answer is 14 years! :huh He’s never heard a jingle? Even if he wasn’t familiar with the term, the phrase “I’m thinking Arby’s” should have clued him in pretty quickly! Trump declares that Lenny is on thin ice, but turns the conversation to Charmaine.
Bryce only gets a minute to back up Charmaine before Bill tells Trump that the team was 25 minutes late to their meeting. :O Oops! Not a good note to end on while Trump starts asking around for who should be fired.
Lenny says: Fire Bryce because he wasn’t a good enough leader. Lenny tried to think of rhymes in Russian and translate them to English, but it just didn’t work. Poor Lenny.
Tarek says to fire Bryce as well. Tarek, will you ever understand the concept of finding an ally? Bryce has tried and tried and tried to be your friend!
Lee’s answer is that he shouldn’t have a say because he wasn’t present for the task, which prompts the conversation of whether or not it’s fair for him to kind of get two byes in this competition. Trump “digs” the importance of religion, but points out that life isn’t fair. In fact, life sucks. Lee, always the politician, says that if his team wants him in the boardroom, he’ll understand.
Leslie agrees that Lenny should be fired, and Trump comments that Lenny masks his talent. Bryce, apparently jumping on the “life isn’t fair” discussion and ignoring the way that Tarek threw him under the bus not to mention Trump’s well-known contempt of Tarek brings Lenny and Lee back with him. His reason for bringing Lee after a religious holiday? The team lost because of the lack of creative input and they really could’ve used Lee. Bryce says that the decision was difficult, but he had to make it.
The theme of the second half of the boardroom is apparent from the beginning when Trump asks Bryce why he brought in Lee but not Tarek or Charmaine. Bryce points out that he approved all of their decisions, and he doesn’t actually think that Trump will fire Lee. Then why did you bring him in? I hope it wasn’t to force Trump to fire Lenny, because we can all predict how that power struggle will play out! Bryce stands by the hard work that Charmaine and Tarek put in, but Carolyn points out that the amount of work is irrelevant – they missed the mark. Bryce continues to point out that he was the one that approved their decisions so much that Carolyn wonders aloud why he doesn’t just fire himself.
The argument continues, with Bryce contending that if no one is actually to blame for the loss, then he was right to bring in the ones that contributed the least. Trump, however, thinks that it’s terrible that Bryce brought in Lee but not Tarek or Charmaine, and Bryce is fired. His taxi ride home is particularly sad when it reminds me of The Bachelor - he'll find out what he's missing! the best person for him is in a taxi right now! - and ends with these bitter last words, "it wouldn't hurt Trump to listen once in awhile!"