Domestic diva Martha Stewart certainly didn't let any grass grow under her feet upon her release from prison after that well-publicized insider-trading scandal. Beginning in the fall of 2005, Stewart was not only headlining a weekly, hour-long reality show based on Donald Trump's The Apprentice, but she was also back in the daily afternoon hours, just as she'd been for so many year on Martha Stewart Living. Premiering in syndication on September 12, 2005, the hour-long, five-per-week Martha may well have been the first talk-information series ever hosted by someone who was still under house arrest and had to wear a monitoring device. While the expected cooking and homemaking tips were well in evidence, Stewart also went the Oprah Winfrey route with celebrity guests, lifestyle information, and theme shows (in one of these, every woman in the audience was named Martha Stewart!). Ongoing segments included "Martha's Scholars," part of Stewart's program for needy college students, "Young Mom Entrepreneur," and "The Worst Cooks in America." Martha was syndicated nationally by NBC Universal, with the NBC owned-and-operated TV stations getting first dibs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
