S05.E00: The Profit in Puerto Rico: An American Crisis

[Thrifty]

Quote

Marcus Lemonis investigates the current state of Puerto Rico and examines the reasons why, months after Hurricane Maria, many of the island's residents lack power, water and reliable shelter.

This one slipped a bit under the radar.  It's a special, and my DVR season pass didn't pick it up so I had to set a manual recording after seeing a promo for it during the Mr Cory's Cookies episode.  I haven't watched it yet.  Been out of town for a week and a half and still catching up.

[cooksdelight]

My DVR missed it also so I’ll catch it when they rerun it. I’m hearing so many different things from people who are down there, and I can’t stand that camera-hog of a mayor or whatever her job is.

[Amarsir]

On 1/1/2018 at 2:35 PM, cooksdelight said:

My DVR missed it also so I’ll catch it when they rerun it. I’m hearing so many different things from people who are down there, and I can’t stand that camera-hog of a mayor or whatever her job is.

Fortunately she wasn't present. Marcus has two brief conversations with the Governor, but nothing more than "it's hard, but we're moving forward".

This was a decent special for human interest stories, but not much of The Profit. We saw the devastation around the island but with just a little focus on businesses. Marcus said a number of times "The government should be doing more" but didn't seem to be doing much investigation into what was being done and what's holding it up. Over his multiple visits you could see progress, but it wasn't what he focused on so much as "look at all these unresolved problems".

Marcus's concern is definitely genuine, as I know he was Tweeting a lot while he was down there. But what you'll get out of the special depends on how much you've been following the situation already. If you already know about washed-away bridges, lack of water and electricity, etc, then there's probably nothing here that will be new to you.

[tehach]

I was surprised at the amount of complaining versus genuine problem-solving. Seems like either some things got left on the editing room floor or Marcus didn't have any profound ideas to offer. His attempted ambush on the Army Corps officer regarding the number of boom trucks arriving on-isle fell flat.

To me the episode missed an opportunity to present some innovative solutions to a logistics nightmare.

[Thrifty]

I don't think I'm even going to bother watching this one, after going through the first 10 minutes.  It's not even an episode of The Profit.  It's more like an episode of Dateline guest hosted by Marcus Lemonis.  I don't watch Dateline or any of those news magazine shows.  Why should I make an exception just because CNBC is trying to trick me into it?

[Michael McD]

AN ABSOLUTE FRAUD!!!

Maria, the most American speaking "puerto rican" I've ever heard in my life... is the "face" of the native disaster?? With her nice clothes, sun glasses, gold colored watch... AND it just so happens that her husband works for the only working well??!!  Which btw had the only bridge, which was washed  away from the storm... yet the "people" came together,  sandbagged a river to concrete a bridge... which allowed the trek to water again... and apparently building a concrete bridge is even better than the bridge that was there!