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Undercover Boss
TexasLady:
CBS Press Release:
03.12.2010
CBS ANNOUNCES FOUR MORE COMPANIES PARTICIPATING IN THE FIRST SEASON OF "UNDERCOVER BOSS"
CBS announced today the four remaining companies who are participating in the first season of UNDERCOVER BOSS. The series airs Sundays (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
The remaining Season One companies are:
* Roto-Rooter (Rick L. Arquilla, President and COO): The largest plumbing provider in North America
* 1-800-Flowers (Chris McCann, President): One of the world's largest florists
* GSI Commerce (Michael G. Rubin, Chairman, President and CEO): The e-commerce giant behind numerous top U.S. retailers
* Herschend Family Entertainment (Joel Manby, President and CEO): A leader in the world of family theme parks and attractions
The air schedule for upcoming episodes of UNDERCOVER BOSS follows:
* Sunday, March 14: Churchill Downs (Bill Carstanjen, COO)
* Sunday, March 21: GSI Commerce (Michael G. Rubin, Chairman, President and CEO)
* Sunday, March 28: Herschend Family Entertainment (Joel Manby, President and CEO)
*Airdates for the two additional episodes will be announced at a later date.
Each week, UNDERCOVER BOSS follows a different executive as they leave the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their companies. While working alongside their employees, they see the effects their decisions have on others, where the problems lie within their organizations and get an up-close look at both the good and the bad while discovering the unsung heroes who make their companies run.
The companies whose chief executives have already made the undercover journey during the first season are Waste Management (Larry O'Donnell, President and C.O.O.), Hooters (Coby G. Brooks, President and C.E.O.), 7-Eleven (Joseph M. DePinto, President and C.E.O.) and White Castle (Dave Rife, Owner/Executive Board Member). This week's episode of UNDERCOVER BOSS (Sunday, March 14) follows the COO of the world famous horse racing company Churchill Downs, Bill Carstanjen, as he travels to the backstretch of his company where he will walk, wash and feed the massive thoroughbreds and discover what life is like for the cleaning crew after hours.
UNDERCOVER BOSS is the number one new series of the 2009-2010 season, averaging 18.74 million viewers, 8.0/17 in adults 25-54 and 7.1/17 in adults 18-49.
Stephen Lambert and Eli Holzman are executive producers for Studio Lambert, Ltd.
Source: http://www.cbspressexpress.com/div.php/cbs_entertainment/release?id=24500
apskip:
I really like this show. It is totally formulaic, so I guess that the producers have absolute control on how a company and its CEO must act and follow almost-scripted situations to get on this show and benefit from the positive publicity. It's just like Oprah's "The Big Give" from the summer of 2008 in that respect. However, the CEOs are encouraged like contestants on any reality show to verbalize extensively, so we know a lot of what they are thinking. They have been a treat to watch in action. The televised company employees (who knows how many others were filmed and discarded for that company's telecast based on criteria set up by the producers?) were all real people. I did not see any phonies or ringers in the group, although many of those telecast did seem to have some sort of life issue that serious money could help fix. I recommend it to you to watch (there are 2 episodes before reruns).
TexasLady:
I'm really enjoying it even though it is scripted. It's wonderful to see hard working men and women who are going above and beyond to do their job. It speaks to the American work ethic and finding ways to be more productive and innovative.
It's also funny to watch these CEO's trying to do the small but important jobs and failing, some even getting "fired" because they can't perform at a level needed to do the jobs. :lol:
apskip:
I still have two episodes to catch up on and I do enjoy watching it, but this is the ultimate in set-ups. You know that the people the CEOs are sent to work with are in one of several categories:
1. Patsies that underperform and need to get serious retraining after the undercover period is over (witness Danielle from GSI)
2. People with serious medical problems that need fixing and that need some big dollars
3. People who do not know that they have already been picked by higher-ups for upward mobility, with training and promotions
4. People who have a civic or charity connection that can benefit from some company money
If they just played it straight and did not have it so scripted, this could be a really fascinating show.
TexasLady:
I agree with all your points. It would improve the show so much more if they just let the "boss" go in and not have the list that is by now so evident. For me though the people for the most part are incredible.
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