"Dragons' Den" (2004) TV series 2004-????

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Martyn Smith

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | unknown

Release Date:

26 December 2005 (Sweden)

Genre:

Reality-TV

Plot:

Budding entrepreneurs, inventors and small businessmen (and women) pitch their ideas to the five "dragons"...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Japanese TV Series

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Evan Davis	...	Himself - Presenter / ... (51 episodes, 2004-2008)
Duncan Bannatyne	...	Himself - Dragon / ... (48 episodes, 2004-2008)
Peter Jones	...	Himself - Dragon / ... (48 episodes, 2004-2008)
Theo Paphitis	...	Himself - Dragon / ... (42 episodes, 2005-2008)
Deborah Meaden	...	Herself - Dragon / ... (33 episodes, 2006-2008)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

BBC Manchester

Trivia:

The show is based upon the Japanese series "Money no Tora" (Money Tiger). There are also Canadian and Australian versions of Dragons' Den.

Quotes:

Himself - Dragon: You mentioned obviously you're a doctor...
Dr. John Garside: Yep.
Himself - Dragon: I actually think you need one.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Time Trumpet: (#1.6)" (2006)

The X Factor for the Middle Classes

I am not a fan of reality TV, but I do really enjoy Dragons' Den. I concept of the show is simple, budding entrepreneurs pitch there business ideas to the Dragons, all of them leading business people, and offer a percentage of there company in exchange for investment. Some of the people who go onto the show have poor idea or just do not think things thought and it is entertaining watching the Dragons rip them to pieces. However, there are some people who do have good ideas and get the investment there need, such as the man who created Reggae Reggae sauce and the Watford goalkeeper Richard Lee for his shop Dr. Cap. There are also people who have good ideas but do not get the investment they want, normally because the Dragons make them an offer that is unacceptable or there is a hole in the pitch. People who do the best in the show are ones who have a good safety invention or show that there company is already profitable.

The reason why I summarise this program as X Factor for the Middle Classes because people watch it to see people get humiliated, especially the arrogant people and want to see conflict. But there are clever people who come up with very good ideas and Dragons' Den is an interesting program and does show an aspect to how the business world works.