EPISODE ELEVEN

After Chris had been fired, Ivana and Kevin returned to the suite for a low-key but friendly welcome. In an interview, Ivana said she was upset that Chris had sent Jennifer M. back up to the suite to avoid the firing. Ivana guessed at the reason Chris spared Jennifer M.: "I think he had probably fallen prey to her hypnotic Fembot spell."

The next day, the teams met with Trump and Robert Hanson, President of the Levi's company. But before getting to the task, Trump introduced yet another twist. To even up the teams, The Donald told Mosaic that they had to immediately pick someone to go over to Apex. As Project Manager, Wes mulled the decision over while an impatient Trump hurried the team: "Choose somebody, let's go." Wes finally told Kelly to head over to Apex, in spite of Maria's objections. Jennifer M. said that Apex was very happy with their new team member. In an interview, Kelly said that Wes chose to give him to the opposing team because he's a stronger candidate than Wes. Next, Trump told the candidates about their next task. He said that with so many competitors, Levi's needs to get the message out that they're more than just 501 jeans. The task for the teams would be to communicate that message by developing an in-store promotional catalog. The teams would have access to photographers and models for their photo shoot and a design team to produce their final product. Trump said that the team with the most innovative and exciting catalog, as judged by Robert, would be declared the winner. As always, Trump promised that the losers would meet back in the boardroom, where someone would be fired. The ever-present Carolyn and last year's Apprentice, Bill Rancic, would be Trump's eyes and ears on the task.

After Apex warmly welcomed Kelly to the team, Project Manager Kevin led a brainstorming session. Ivana suggested a non-traditional approach to the catalog: a Fit Wheel, where a customer could turn the dials of the wheel based on his or her desired fit to select the proper type of Levi's jeans. Everyone liked the idea, but Jennifer M. had trouble getting her head around it. After both Ivana and Kelly offered explanations and sketches, Jennifer M. said, "I don't know why I don't get how this works." In an interview, Ivana said, "Jen is slow to understand what's going on… If you want an out-of-the-box thinker, do not hire Jen."

On Mosaic, Project Manager Wes brought the group together for an initial meeting - but it was Maria who seemed to take charge. Maria laid out the elements of the task that she felt were most important. She also told the team that her goal was to push everyone outside of their comfort zones. In an interview, Maria said she had the most experience in advertising. In her own interview, Sandy claimed that Maria wanted to "own" the task. Sandy warned, "It would be an awful, stupid, ridiculous idea to just leave Maria in charge of it."

Apex arrived at the photo studio and the team threw themselves into their work - literally. Kevin said that the team had decided to put themselves in front of the camera wearing Levi's jeans instead of using the professional models. Kevin said that they wanted to show normal people finding their fit with Levi's jeans. So Kevin, Ivana, Jennifer M. and Kelly got the model treatment: wardrobe, hair and makeup. Kelly was particularly impressed with how Jennifer M. looked. His exact words when he saw her were: "Holy smokes! Cha cha!" Ivana said that everyone has just one question when it comes to jeans: How does it make me look in the rear? So the team got plenty of shots with the jeans showing off that particular part of the anatomy.

At Mosaic's photo shoot, Wes directed the action - at first. But things changed when Maria arrived, or as Wes put it, "When Maria flew into the studio on her broomstick, the whole attitude of the room changed." In an interview, Maria said she felt that no one was "driving the ship" and that someone needed to take charge. So, Maria told the photo staff that she was directing the shoot. But Andy worried that the team was running out of time. He felt that, under Maria's control, they were taking too many shots of each person and that they'd never get all of the jeans photographed in time to meet their deadline. Andy told Wes that he had to do something. But when Wes told Maria that it was time to move on from a particular shot, Maria told Wes, "Do not get in my fricking face. I understand. Back off." In an interview, Sandy said that if she had been Project Manager, she would not have let Maria talk to her like that and get away with it. Sandy added, "We're going to lose this task if we put it in Maria's hands."

Mosaic then moved from the photo studio to the design studio - but the change in location didn't change the friction among the team members. In an interview, Maria emphasized that someone needed to take the reigns and drive the task. Maria worked with the designer on the catalog and didn't want anyone else on her team in the room. Sandy called Maria a "control freak". Later, Sandy and Maria sparred verbally over the issue. In an interview, Andy said that Wes was somewhat to blame for the twenty-minute fight; Andy felt that Wes should not have let it go on that long. By the end of the fight, Maria dabbed tears from her eyes and repeated that she was not a control freak.

In an interview, Kevin said that Jennifer M. was useless a lot of the time because she didn't understand what was going on: "She couldn't get the concepts." Kevin said he had to "neutralize" Jennifer M. by giving her "busywork" so that she didn't bother the rest of the team while they did "real work." So when the team got to the design studio, Kevin gave Jennifer M. a task as the others on the team worked with the graphic designers. Ivana went even further and said that with every task, Jennifer M. was getting "more blonde." In an interview, Jennifer M. admitted that she was given busywork - but said that it was because Kevin and Ivana had a grudge against her.

As Mosaic prepared for their presentation, Andy suggested that the team wear Levi's jeans or go completely formal and wear suits. But Maria said she thought they were dressed fine and Wes agreed. Next, Mosaic presented to Robert and two Vice Presidents of the company. Wes opened the presentation and then handed it over to Maria. In an interview, Andy said that Maria dominated the presentation and said a lot of things that were not good for the team. Robert pointed out that all of the shots in Mosaic's catalog were front shots with just one exception. Maria said that they had gotten many butt shots, but that the jeans didn't fit as tightly as they would have liked, so they didn't use them. In an interview, Wes said that Maria lobbied to keep the butt shots out of the catalog because she didn't think they were perfect. Wes said that Maria let him down in that respect. Robert also pointed out that the Mosaic members dressed casually for the presentation, but didn't all wear Levi's jeans. Maria said they didn't have time to get the jeans, but Robert replied that the team should have planned ahead.

Kevin opened Apex's presentation enthusiastically, but Jennifer M. worried that Kevin was too aggressive. She also said that Kevin sweated while he talked and called it "disgusting". She hoped that the perspiration didn't turn off the executives. Kevin introduced Ivana, who presented her brainchild: The Fit Wheel. Ivana also talked about the importance of the butt shots in their catalog. Robert asked how the team came up with the idea for the wheel and Jennifer M. jumped in with the answer. But in an interview, Kevin said that Ivana, the creative force behind the Fit Wheel, was the only person who was qualified to answer the question. Kevin felt that Jennifer M. was trying to take credit for Ivana's idea. Ivana said she had to jump in because she felt that Jennifer M. was not delivering the right answer.

Trump and Melania (in Levi's jeans) showed up just in time to hear Robert's verdict. Robert said that Apex had done a really good job. They smartly focused on the rear in their photography. And Robert said that the team's Fit Wheel communicated all of the categories of jeans that the company had to offer. However, Robert said that their catalog was not as sexy as it could have been. By contrast, Robert said that Mosaic captured sexiness, but didn't deliver the crucial message of the diverse offerings of the company. So, Robert declared Apex the winner! After having endured several consecutive defeats, Apex was thrilled and the team members gave each other big hugs. Trump asked who on Apex did the best job. Robert said Jennifer M. did, which burned Ivana. In an interview, Ivana said she was angry - not only did Jennifer M. not conceive the Fit Wheel, but she didn't even understand it at first.

For their reward, Apex met with Billy Joel and got a private tour of the theater presenting his Broadway show. They talked with the singer/songwriter and were treated to a private concert. Ivana called it a "huge reward." At the suite, Maria laid out her strategy to Sandy and Andy. She would be going after Wes in the boardroom. In an interview, Wes admitted that he was "particularly vulnerable" as the Project Manager.

In the boardroom, Trump opened by asking Maria why the team didn't include more shots of the models' butts in their jeans. Maria didn't have an answer. Wes said that Maria didn't like the shots, but then had to admit that he was Project Manager and had the final say. Wes blamed Maria for the loss and said that she over-promised and under-delivered. Both Andy and Sandy had positive things to say about Maria - Sandy even called her a "marketing genius". However, Sandy also felt that Maria should be fired. Trump brought up that the team didn't wear Levi's jeans during their presentation and Maria used that as an example of poor planning on Wes' part. Finally, Wes chose to bring all three of his team members back into the boardroom to face the firing.

With just Bill and Carolyn in the boardroom, Trump asked for their thoughts. Carolyn felt that Wes was sharp but a bad leader. She also said that Maria doesn't work well with others. Bill said that Wes couldn't control his team and pointed to the long fight between Sandy and Maria. After Mosaic returned to the boardroom, Maria and Andy agreed that Wes was a "lousy leader." Wes said that he tried to get Maria to speed up the photo shoot, but Maria told him to back off. Carolyn said that if she had an employee who told her to "back off," that employee would no longer work for her. Trump said Maria over-promised and under-delivered - and was impossible to work with. But he also said Wes lost control of his people and failed as a leader. Trump said that they were both "horrible." Then he said, "Maria, you're fired." Stunning the candidates and making Apprentice history, Trump added, "And I just have to do this. I have no choice. Wes, you're fired also."

Team Apex Team Mosaic