Jim, Jim, Jim...

Well, it looks like Jim, my personal favorite to become Martha Stewart's Apprentice, was sent home--for all of maybe eight hours. It seems he was given one challenge he couldn't handle: a job interview. I was hoping he'd be able to gauge his interviewers and do a good job, but he didn't. Plus all the quirky stuff he'd been doing all along finally caught up with him.

Prior to last night's episode he external activities didn't matter, because he'd always either been on the winning team or produced good enough work to avoid explusion, if not the board room. But this time he was measured not on results but on personality and conduct, and he gave them all they needed to eliminate him.

I have to wonder if this was not Martha's strategy all along. She didn't have to fire two people last week. But having done so, she created an odd number of finalists. Another challenge wouldn't have worked, so she created the interview. All of Jim's quirkiness came up, but none of his successes. It was a witch hunt, and Jim fell right into it. Jim has personality, and, quite frankly, none of Martha's executive staff do. Still, the answers Jim gave to their questions showed that he was seriously miscalculating the situation.

Too bad. The two finalists, Dawna and Bethanny, have all the personality of paper mache, and all the creativity of a doorstop. Not that it matters, as they can each pick three of the former contestants to join their teams for the final challenge. Dawna picked a bunch of doers, which will probably serve her well, as the final task doesn't really demand creativity. Bethanny picked Jim and Ryan, two very good choices, I think, and someone she once had to rip apart to survive a board room--and who is still carrying a grudge.

The episode ended with both finalists really struggling, but then of course it would. They're editing for drama. The sad thing is, at this point I really don't care who wins, except I'd like to see Jim and Ryan succeed. So I guess that means I favor Bethanny.

Not that it matters.