The second installment of The Apprentice airs tonight at 9pm. That’s another dose of entertainment for 8+ million viewers but a huge shot of pain for scores of real employees.

I know plenty who would say how the show appears to have a spell-binding influence on supervisors, managers and leaders across the country as they emulate the OTT attitude, ethos and aggression of Big Brother in suits.

If your boss’ only business coaching input is from this show and they believe life should be more like it, I feel for you. Tell ‘em to watch Mad Men instead.

Like The Apprentice it’s: contagious, on the beeb, equally outdated (set in 1960s), full of business daring-do, stars several of wrong-uns, and has plenty of out-of-hours issues.

It’s truer to its business theme, far less voyeuristic and much better all round.