On NBC’s “The Biggest Loser: Couples,” gameplay reared its ugly head again last week as the black team voted off Damien after saying they wouldn’t. The show began last night with the blue team members pissed off about that, and feeling like they could not trust the black team, and also that the game was now “on.” Yeah, just what I don’t want to see in a weight loss show. But I guess we have to get used to it, because this is what the show is about, and what the producers want us to see. However, I also have to say that while everyone kept Joelle in the competition another week, she finally is showing signs of wanting to succeed and wanting to work hard to get there.
With five days until the teammates who were sent home in Week 1 can return, everyone is getting anxious and looking forward to getting back to the “Couples” theme. Being that it is Super Bowl week in real time, Curtis Stone from “Take Home Chef” was brought in for the initial challenge, which was to guess the calories in typical Super Bowl fare. The winner would get a 2-pound pass for their partner at that weigh in, and Stone would fly to wherever the partner was for a healthly cooking lesson. Big Dan won the challenge, and Stone surprised his partner Dave back in North Carolina. Dave has been eating somewhat unhealthy at home, stuff like fried chicken and hot dogs, because he has no idea how to cook. Stone helps him out and Dave is feeling energized.
Then for the main challenge, which of course had a football theme, the contestants had to chase footballs all over a field and put them in a fellow contestants’ bin in order to eliminate them. In other words, Tara and Dane and Mandi were not at an advantage now because everyone was trying to eliminate them first. The Arizona Cardinals’ Kurt Warner was on hand, which is quite coincidental because dude is playing in the Super Bowl this week, and this episode was likely filmed before football season even started. Anyway, Warner’s message was that he has had a successful career when everyone had told him a decade ago that he would never be an NFL quarterback. Helen won the challenge, getting immunity for herself this week, and guaranteeing that her daughter Shannon would be back at the ranch next week.
At the last chance workout, Big Dan was struggling, but Jillian kicked his butt and got him running. He’s only 19, but Dan is proof that anyone who is even over 400 pounds can still exercise if they want to.
Before the weigh in, the teammates were all brought back, and those teammates will weigh in next Tuesday at the start of the show. But one of them would go home with their teammate last night. Helen went first since she had immunity and lost 6 pounds. Mike and Ron teamed up for 16 pounds, and they were worried about those numbers. These are two HUGE men. Blaine and Dane lost 26 pounds, even more remarkable because Dane had gone home to Arizona to be with his wife who was having their fourth child. Felipe lost 13 pounds and woo-hooed for about 5 minutes. Tara lost 12, Kristin lost 12, Mandi 10. Then Dan lost 12, which isn’t a lot since he still was over 400 pounds. Joelle lost 10, which put the Ron/Mike team, and Dan/Dave team both below the yellow line.
Meanwhile, Dave had pissed off Tara and a few of the other contestants by saying his heart may not have been in this competition. That’s bogus, considering his buddy Dan needs this show more than anyone. And in the end, those guys were voted off because of that.
They showed Dan and Dave at home, and I’m surprised Dan still talks to Dave…..anyway, Dave has lost 46 total pounds, but Dan has lost 101! That is remarkable, and I know that everyone in America is pulling for him to win the $100K in the season finale. I know I am, but it still makes me mad that the people who seem to need this show the most keep going home each week.
Next week should be interesting, as everyone who spent a few weeks at home is back, including fiery Carla. Should be fun, and should be more gameplay, I just can sense it. Ugh. See you then….
