Dancing with dragons

Dragons’ Den, car-crash TV for the more discerning BBC2 audience
I must have watched dozens of episodes of the popular BBC television series Dragons’ Den. I’m sure you have too, but just in case you have missed this visual feast, let me outline the premise.
Budding entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of four wealthy individuals, the titular Dragons. The applicants are asking for money; investment for their businesses. Typically, they are looking for something in the region of £30,000 to £70,000 in return for a stake in their idea, which, of course, they assure the Dragons, cannot fail.

What makes it unmissable viewing, though, is watching some of their ill-prepared, poorly thought-out and deeply unprofessional pitches being ripped to shreds by the Dragons. I must confess that despite wincing at the cringe-worthy attempts to impress there is, to my shame, more schadenfreude in me than I would care to admit. This is car-crash TV for the more discerning BBC2 audience....