Series 7 of Dragons' Den on BBC Two
Episode 1 of the New Outing for the Investment Show
Jul 15, 2009
Dragons’ Den is a stand-out in the world of TV reality investment thingies as it is essentially a programme about wealth, money, greed and horrible business people. It features ordinary folk who have what they consider to be the next big thing selling their dignity as they beg for cash while five scornful faces peer on them waiting for an opportunity to mock their suggestions and their clothes for good measure. But somehow it remains compelling viewing.
New Title Sequence For Dragons’ Den
The seventh series opens with a new title sequence that has gone for a post-apocalyptic approach as the “Dragons” stand sternly in front of a derelict building in an industrial estate while red mist and dark clouds lurk overhead. It’s like a strange mix between Mad Max and Wall Street that is completely unnecessary. Whoever came up with that preposterous design should be sent to bed without any supper.
The titles have changed but the format remains the same in that crazy inventors, eccentric entrepreneurs and utter loonies plead some rich people – hereby referred to as “Dragons” for the sake of continuity and because language restrictions on this website don’t allow them to be called what they really are – for investment and money for their business.
Bidding War in Dragons’ Den
The opening pitch of the series saw a rather befuddled man seek £80,000 for a stake in his air bike invention but had the unfortunate addition of stuttering and tripping over his words. Whether it was a speech impediment or nerves the Dragons found it amusing but some of them were soon won over by the product and it was James Caan who opened the bank balance by gaining a 49% share.
Maybe this was a sign that the Dragons are going to nicer this year and stick two fingers up the recession by gambling on any wacko idea that falls on their plate without wimping out like Alan Sugar. Actually, scrub that, they are exactly how they’ve always been. Duncan Bannatyne remains surly, Peter Jones continues to have that “I’m offended by your presence" look on his face and Theo Paphitis still acts like an East End gangster.
The final invention of the week and by far the best pitch was for a machine that aims to stop any nuisance calls from being received by any unsuspecting phone owner. A rare bidding war broke out with all the Dragons trying to undercut each other before Jones, who has connections in telecoms, agreed to a 12.5% stake at £100,000.
Poor Pitches and Mad Ideas
As ever there were some car crash moments. One group suggested the idea of a horror themed walk through attraction for the UK that was fittingly tense as it was soon revealed that the team had no experience as a single company in the market and hadn’t even bothered to put any of their own cash into the business. That’s like a red rag to a bull or Piers Morgan to Ian Hislop, it’s just something any potential hopeful shouldn’t do on entrance to the Den.
It's harsh but where would Dragon’s Den be without these people? Some of the more oddball ideas were personalised romance novels and an anti-wrinkle hat which were suitably shot down. The show is fun at times but can they please stop roping in contestants or whatever they’re called simply for the investors to make iffy puns, the Peter Jones “this is a paw idea” response to a man who suggested a cat safety collar was just painful to watch.
Dragons’ Den is on BBC Two every Wednesday at 9pm.
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