Redemption Inc., episode 8: woman on top
With Jeff gone (at least until next week’s reunion show), we started rooting for former crack dealer Alia—she’s blunt, she’s potty-mouthed, and she looks damn good with her choppy new executive haircut. In this episode, the finale, Alia, Sam and Brian prep their business plans with a crowd of consultants, psychologists and coaches and make their final pleas to Kevin O’Leary. Who wore a powder-blue suit? Who drove into the boardroom on a tractor? The answers—and our thoughts on the winner—after the jump.
First up, the ex-cons work with consultants and brand managers to refine their business plans. Alia is unimpressed with their projections on her landscaping and snow removal business, saying, “I don’t think they understand how much the [email protected]# it snows in Prince George.” Canadian zing! Brian, meanwhile, needs to sell a guitar and give three lessons every day to make his music store a go—good lucky, buddy. By default, the consultants pick Sam and his T-shirt shop as the guy to beat.
But Alia has a fan in the next expert: a psychologist who says, “It’s hard to believe Alia is only 26 years old.” (Doctor, we were shocked, too.) To even things up, the acting and performance coach—a curly-haired, over-enunciating stereotype—says that she feels Brian will win. We bet the producers made her say it to keep the suspense alive.
What the consultants say doesn’t matter anyway—it’s O’Leary the ex-cons need to impress. Brian blanks during his presentation (let’s be serious, it was never going to be Brian), Alia drives in on a lawn mower, and Sam works both his pitch and the ridiculous blue suit-and-vest combo he’s wearing. O’Leary mulls it over, and after eight silly challenges, countless puns and one heartbreaking elimination (Jeff!), Alia wins the $100,000 in start-up money. Looks like she’ll be shovelling snow and mowing grass rather than selling them. Congrats!
• Number of times Alia called the brand consultants “donkeys,” then retracted it: 1
• Number of two-handed handshakes given by Sam: 4 (Ooh, he’s good.)
• Number of contestants who blanked during their presentation: 2
• Number of pieces of blue clothing worn by Sam at his pitch: 4
• Number of times we were shocked by how much Alia’s mom sounds like Alia: 4
• Number of times the clip of Brian confessing to spending $25,000 on crack was recycled over the season: 3
• Number of side bets we made on the finale: 3
, we started rooting for former crack dealer Alia—she’s blunt, she’s potty-mouthed, and she looks damn good with her choppy new executive haircut. In this episode, the finale, Alia, Sam and Brian prep their business plans with a crowd of consultants, psychologists and coaches and make their final pleas to Kevin O’Leary. Who wore a powder-blue suit? Who drove into the boardroom on a tractor? The answers—and our thoughts on the winner—after the jump.
First up, the ex-cons work with consultants and brand managers to refine their business plans. Alia is unimpressed with their projections on her landscaping and snow removal business, saying, “I don’t think they understand how much the f!@# it snows in Prince George.” Canadian zing! Brian, meanwhile, needs to sell a guitar and give three lessons every day to make his music store a go—good lucky, buddy. By default, the consultants pick Sam and his T-shirt shop as the guy to beat.
But Alia has a fan in the next expert: a psychologist who says, “It’s hard to believe Alia is only 26 years old.” (Doctor, we were shocked, too.) To even things up, the acting and performance coach—a curly-haired, over-enunciating stereotype—says that she feels Brian will win. We bet the producers made her say it to keep the suspense alive.
What the consultants say doesn’t matter anyway—it’s O’Leary the ex-cons need to impress. Brian blanks during his presentation (let’s be serious, it was never going to be Brian), Alia drives in on a lawn mower, and Sam works both his pitch and the ridiculous blue suit-and-vest combo he’s wearing. O’Leary mulls it over, and after eight silly challenges, countless puns and one heartbreaking elimination (Jeff!), Alia wins the $100,000 in start-up money. Looks like she’ll be shovelling snow and mowing grass rather than selling them. Congrats!
• Number of times Alia called the brand consultants “donkeys,” then retracted it: 1
• Number of two-handed handshakes given by Sam: 4 (Ooh, he’s good.)
• Number of contestants who blanked during their presentation: 2
• Number of pieces of blue clothing worn by Sam at his pitch: 4
• Number of times we were shocked by how much Alia’s mom sounds like Alia: 4
• Number of times the clip of Brian confessing to spending $25,000 on crack was recycled over the season: 3
• Number of side bets we made on the finale: 3){kind=link}
It was an interesting finale to say the least. All three concepts had a social quality to them (Brian: kids, Alia: single moms and ex-cons, and Sam through his charity). But where Alia stood apart was knowing her product. Music stores can go a week without selling a guitar and Brian expects to sell one a day? And a business selling t-shirts and accessories is fine for a booth at a fair or on the sidewalk but not a business you want to put six figures towards, no matter the cause. If snow falls that much in Prince George (remember when back in the old days we used to get snow accumulation in Toronto?)then Alia can easily gain individual and corporate contracts, so for Kevin as agonizing as he made it look, it really was a no-brainer.
The only issue I have is it should be a live finale. But otherwise, on to season two (AND THERE WILL BE A SEASON TWO, RIGHT, KEVIN?)
”Number of times we were shocked by how much Alia’s mom sounds like Alia: 4″ .. LOL .. they should meet the rest of us .. LOL
That Alia girl is gutsy gal. We picked her right off the bat. Kevin O’Leary will not regret his decision. Flowers bloom, lawns need cutting and snow falls. Good choice.
Sam is a real salesman but should choose a different product. Brian came out in the end with his sales pitch but should take up with the CEO’s idea.
Can’t wait for Redemption Inc #2.
im not originally from this country but it never ceases to amaze me how similar the middle and upper classes are around the world. as soon as their entitotlements are taken from them they beome angry hostile bitter men who act like spoiled brats. african indians muslims whoever,they oppress the females back home and rob steal and rape and murder but when they come here they are the first to scream injustice and prejucism. samule comes from a privilegegd background so what exactly is he so angry and bitter about. he grew up in toronto in the first world with free school free healthcare free social assistanceand the poor people are fat. samule needs to be transformed into a female and dropped in the middle of afghanistan or india or somalia or chile under pinochet so he can have something valid to be angry about. i think oleary lost respect from samule from early on because he mistreats anyone who does not have money and grovels like a snake for oleary because he is rich. alia treated everyone the same and remained herself always. it really showed samules elitist and discrimiatory attitude and his duplicity.quite the disengenuinous fellow. my advise to samule is to learn to treat and interact with all the persons equally regardless of therr class sex and race.