How hungry are you?

Last night I was watching, shock-horror... Dragon's Den!

Now some may know that I have not been a fan. I watched the first series and really didn't take to the set up. Then I was invited to take part and managed to get myself bounced pre-heats (I suspect by letting on too much of my 'no such thing as bad PR' agenda) so sulked a bit. Then I met several lovely people who had taken part and really didn't like it for hwo they had been treated. Then I took part in SKY's Big Idea and saw just what I could have got into, and so liked the whole thing even less.

But this was a 'where are they now?' compilation.

Now, as we all know, many things can be conjured in the edit suite, so it's odd that I hung in for the first 50 minutes because it conformed to all my worst imaginings. Mostly this was a bunch of poor sods being set up for a nasty fall. And the sheer arrogance of the judges was simply breathtaking. All my previous misgivings about how poorly this represented the inventor/entrepreneur/VC process was reinforced in spades. Why does it have to be like that... well, good TV of course! At least a few who were ill-served by the finance process were still doing OK riding the wave of the BBC audience base.

Then we got to the final one. And this was a true success. So its position was not surprising assuming the BBC has a modicum of ethics and desire to at least tilt to the notion that it's trying to promote a public service, and not just muck about boosting ratings. How that Evan guy has any cred elsewhere as a consequence is a mystery.

Ignoring for now that the BBC machine is putting a scag load of wonga in other people's pockets by playing along (and if I could do it, I would, so no harm, no foul), this was an interesting set-piece in how it could/should be done.

Shame the product was vile, being some kind of TellyTubby Teddybear (I would have thought the IP would have been interesting) so your kid can truly do without any parental input at all (which the usually less than my favourite Duncan noted and bailed from the off), and bust it within a day.

But the process was more than interesting. The pitcher, a bright young lad, had really got his plan together, and it pushed the moneymens' buttons big time. Plus he sucked up to them in all the right ways, which got them on board. But he also seemed to listen and respond... quickly, which really got them proactive. To the extent that, instead of almost all else I have seen pumped out on the BBC news by way of a commercial for whatever they are trying to push to success to justify the show, the principals actually seemed to be taking part beyond dropping chump change... along with the poor sods they toy with.

Of course, the lure of personal profile with a running camera (oddly Argos got a mention, plus a corporate shot... nothing to do with their being a partner) and the chance of turning a buck may have helped.

I still think the whole thing is pretty despicable, but at least with this one, small exception, I saw a glimmer how all the parties could pull together to make something work.

Something to bear in mind as today I have just posted the package for the IP competition to throw some serious weight behind RE:tie. I just hope that when I hit the VC trail, they are nothing like most of what I saw on display last night.

If I am putting money in another's pockets, I not only want to do so knowing it's justified, but they deserve it too. Plus I'd prefer to like 'em and know they at least have some soul.