• reality shows
  • reality TV reviews
  • about
  • contact
  • reality TV schedule
  • best reality TV
  • send tips or feedback
  • support
  • subscribe
The Profit

A new type of episode for The Profit season 3

by Andy Dehnart 12 May. 2015 | 10:53 am

The Profit Marcus LemonisThe reality TV business makeover show’s version of sitcom clip shows are update episodes that check back in on the businesses. But they tend to be, at best, padded with recaps, offering nothing of any real substance. At worst, they’re embarrassing.

The Profit is not the kind of makeover show where some yelling, new furniture, and paint constitute change for a business. However, its first attempt at an update episode last season had similar problems, primarily that it was mostly recaps about what Marcus Lemonis did with the businesses when he first invested.

Yes, it’s necessary to remind us of what we saw, but we also already saw the episode, so there’s no reason to rewatch it in fragments.

Something new for The Profit season 3

The Profit‘s third season, which debuts tonight, will again include an “After the Deal” special that follows up on several businesses featured on previous seasons. But it will also follow up on previous businesses in a new type of episode: two full-length episodes will each return to a business previously featured on the show. CNBC promises “viewers will see everything that’s happened at these companies since The Profit first visited” and “they’ll get an unvarnished look at Lemonis’s process — and a no-holds-barred exploration of how real business is done.”

Those two businesses are Courage. b and The Simple Greek, which was known as My Big Fat Greek Gyro. Season three’s 12 episodes will consist of those two episodes, the “After the Deal” episode, and nine new small businesses.

Without having seen either of those two new episodes yet, the format strikes me as the kind of thing that I’d like to see even more of. That each episode doesn’t follow the same predictable narrative arc is one of the many things I like about The Profit. Still, many episodes ended on abrupt, unsatisfying notes, so continuing those stories next season is something I welcome, to see what their day-to-day reality is like. (That’s what I wanted from Beyond the Tank, but the Shark Tank spin-off has yet to really deliver.)

Honestly, by this point in The Profit’s life, with so many businesses introduced already, I’d like to see even more of those, to see what the day-to-day reality is like. There also has to be a tipping point for how many new businesses Marcus can handle since he is so hands-on. Sure, some percentage of new episodes end in failed deals/drama, but I’d prefer fewer of those and more ongoing stories about the people, processes, and products.

discuss this story

more great reality blurred stories

  • The 20 Survivor winners who will compete on Survivor season 40
  • How Antiques Roadshow works
  • Scare Tactics: The surprising way the show was cast
  • Behind the scenes of the Guy’s Grocery Games grocery store
  • The Survivor rule book and Survivor cast contract
  • How Big Brother’s house is designed

Reality TV in your inbox

Hand-crafted reality TV news and recommendations sent most Fridays. Unsubscribe any time!

most-popular stories on reality blurred

Dan Spilo during Survivor: Island of the Idols episode 7

Survivor removed Dan after an off-camera 'incident': more evidence of its abject failure

Jeff Probst continues to not provide details about what happened or what will change. Meanwhile, Survivor won't have a live finale and reunion; it'll be pre-taped instead.

Dan Spilo on Survivor Island of the Idols episode 6

Dan Spilo, asked about what happened on Survivor, says he's "not allowed to comment"

Dan Spilo was asked about what happened on Survivor: Island of the Idols in a brief, filmed encounter on the street.

Boston Rob Mariano and Sandra Diaz-Twine on Survivor: Island of the Idols

Survivor 40's cast of 20 Survivor winners

Survivor season 40's all-winner cast has been revealed. Original winner Richard Hatch is not competing, but nearly every winner from seasons 22 to 37 is returning.

Whale Wars

Whale Wars: Watson's Last Stand is not new. It's from 2012.

Animal Planet has bizarrely repackaged old episodes as a new "season" of Whale Wars. But there is a new Paul Watson and Sea Shepherd-focused documentary coming soon.

The central cast of MTV's Ex On the Beach: Peak of Love

Ex on the Beach: Peak of Love cast includes Adore Delano and Temptation Island singles

MTV announced the cast and air date for Ex On the Beach season 4, which has relocated to the mountains of New Zealand and now has the nonsensical name of Ex On the Beach: Peak of Love.

Eagan Tilghman and Matt Ortiz in the robot costumes they made on episode 3 of Making It season 2

Great American Baking Show returns, Making It ends, and other reality TV coming this week

Reality TV and documentary shows and specials premiering this week include one more holiday baking competition, plus car shows and several holiday specials.

Andrea and Lamar, one of the couples featured on Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup season 2.

Life After Lockup season 2's cast and premiere date

Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup season 2's seven couples and premiere date have been announced by WE tv.

Ian Ziering, host of the new Food Network Challenge

Food Network Challenge is being revived

An early Food Network competition is returning, with its original host as a judge, and a Sharknado star as its new host.

Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins, Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, GBBO

The reality TV show of the decade: The Great British Bake-Off

Leading the list of the best reality TV shows of the 2010s is The Great British Baking Show, which replaced conflict and negativity with positivity, humor, and puns.

Jeff Probst on the premiere of Survivor Island of the Idols, standing next to a sign that reminds everyone what Survivor used to focus on.

Survivor season 40 will start earlier than usual

Survivor: Winners at War will premiere in February, and have a two-hour premiere.

behind the scenes of reality TV

Playboy The Curse of Reality TV by Andy Dehnart

Behind the scenes of Hoarders and inside Survivor Coach’s house and life

I visited Ben “Coach” Wade at his home and visited the set of Hoarders, reporting on both in a Playboy feature story.

The Runner set, MatPat

Behind the scenes of The Runner’s real-time production

A behind-the-scenes report from day 29’s episode two of The Runner, go90’s cross-country chase reality competition produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Big Brother house, BB18, new pool, Yosemite

Behind the scenes of the Big Brother house

The CBS Big Brother house behind the scenes: a tour of the control room, back yard, Julie Chen’s studio, and camera ring from where houseguests are filmed.

older

The Profit may back out of Indiana episode over RFRA

newer >

Why The Profit Marcus Lemonis needed to spin-off The Partner

more stories about The Profit

discuss this story

about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Vulture, Pacific Standard, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.

A member of the Television Critics Association who serves on its board of directors, Andy, 41, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. Learn more about reality blurred and Andy.

stay connected with reality TV

Get advice about what to watch and keep up with the latest in reality television with reality blurred's e-mail newsletter. Just enter your e-mail address:

about reality blurred

reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.

reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more.

explore

  • recent news
  • reviews of reality TV shows
  • behind the scenes reports
  • interviews with producers and reality stars
  • archives
  • send tips
  • search
  • advertise on reality blurred
  • about reality blurred
  • newsletter
  • RSS and social media
  • contact reality blurred
  • send tips & contribute
  • privacy policy
  • terms of service
Copyright © 2000 to 2019 Andy Dehnart and individual contributors.