If you watch NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” regularly, you know that a few seasons ago, Vicky and Brady — well, mostly Vicky — were doing all they could to win the game, at times with no regard for teammates and housemates. It was all gameplay all the time. Last season big Ron did the same thing while appearing to be the gentle father figure. Well, the new season has its game-player, and it’s Tracy from the purple team. Yeah, the same Tracy who started the season in a hospital because she couldn’t breathe on her own after jogging a mile. We’ll get into all that soon..but meanwhile, here is your recap….

The contestants began with a challenge from host Alison Sweeney. Each team was offered the chance for a 2 pound advantage at the weigh-in in exchange for giving up the right to train with Bob and Jillian. If no one jumped, Alison was going to raise the stakes a pound or two to tempt them. At first, no one did jump, but then Tracy did, saying she didn’t want anyone else to have the advantage. The problem is, Coach Mo did not agree with Tracy’s decision and couldn’t say anything until it was too late. He, as her teammate, had to go along with it. As you can imagine, Bob and Jillian were pissed off beyond belief.

Then they showed Abby, who had recent X-rays on her knee, with Dr. Huizenga. Abby had a micro-fracture, meaning she could only work out in the pool for a bit and had to really focus on diet…there was then the obligatory product placement with Yoplait Light yogurt (note to those of you who are not sponsors….I love regular Yoplait yogurt, but that light stuff that has fake sugar is positively disgusting…just my 2 cents!).

Then on to the next challenge, another temptation, and this time with cupcakes. Whoever ate the most cupcakes would have control at the weigh-in….meaning, that person would choose which contestant from each team of two would weigh in for their team, with the other teammate’s weight not counting this week. Only two contestants did this…Antoine, who ate two cupcakes, and, yep, you guessed it…Tracy, who ate four. Tracy had this switch go off in her head that this is a game and decided she needed that control too badly despite the consequences–which were, the trainers being pissed off, again, and everyone else in the house hating her. Coach Mo was, needless to say, frustrated and pissed, but not nearly as pissed as Jillian, who more or less told Tracy she had no interest in helping her anymore.

Anyway, the main challenge was a physical one, and the winner of the challenge would give their team immunity. They had to choose between lugging 10 pound weights a short distance or 25 pound weights a longer distance, and the person who put in the most weight the fastest would have their team color’s flag raised. Allen won for the green team, great news for Abby since she could not participate in this one.

On to the last chance workout, and Bob was harping on Dina while Bob was doing the same to Amanda. Then Danny as well as Amanda and Rebecca decided to butter up Tracy and try to sway her vote on who would weigh in for their respective teams. Danny wanted her to choose him and not Shay, because he knew Shay might have a bad week and feared for her being eliminated. Meanwhile, Amanda has struggled to lose weight thus far and wanted Tracy to choose Rebecca.

At the weigh in, Tracy said something about regretting her decisions, to which Jillian promptly replied: “Tracy, you are full of shit!” Awesome.

Anyway, here is how the weigh in went, and keep in mind the losing team would be sent home, not just one person. The green team lost nine pounds, Allen 4 and Abby 5, but they were immune this week. Julio, the only remaining black team member, lost 7 pounds. Brown went next, with Liz and Danny each losing 4…Tracy had chosen Liz to count, but it didn’t matter. Blue was next, and Tracy chose Rudy over Dina, and Rudy lost 12 pounds to Dina’s 3. Backfire-age! Up next, pink…Tracy chose Amanda against the teams’ wishes, and Amanda lost 5 pounds to Rebecca’s 7. Next was the red team, and Tracy chose Sean, who lost 6 pounds to Antoine’s 11. This put them below the yellow line. Danny and Shay of the orange team were next, and of course the evil gameplayer Tracy chose Shay, but both of them lost 6 pounds. Still, this put them below the yellow line as well. The only team left was purple, meaning Tracy and Coach Mo. Tracy, amazingly, lost 11 pounds and Coach Mo just one pound. How did Tracy do it? Diet pills? I mean, she couldn’t have done that legally with no trainer, could she? As you might suspect, nobody clapped or cheered for Tracy.

So it was the red team and the orange team, but Antonie and Sean decided to sacrifice themselves and asked for everyone to vote for them to keep Danny and Shay on the ranch–mainly because they felt they had strong support systems back home while Shay did not. And that’s how the vote went, unanimously.

Back home, Sean has lost a whopping 120 pounds, down from 444 to 324, and Antoine lost 105, down from 367 to 262. Wow! Not only that, but remember the first contestant to be eliminated, Alexandra? She lived near Antoine, so he looked her up and now they are an item, working out and losing weight together. How cool is that?

So now we’re down to 13 contestants, 12 of which are pissed off at Tracy and don’t trust her. This is going to get interesting, just like the producers want it to. See you all next week!

Last night’s “Biggest Loser” season premiere featured 16 contestants, some of them among the heaviest the show has ever allowed on. And the theme of the season is “second chances,” including Daniel Wright, the dude who last season was the heaviest competitor ever at 454 pounds. Daniel has returned this season to try and finish his mission and become The Biggest Loser. There are also folks who have had the short end of the stick in life, so to speak, none more dramatic than Abby, who lost her husband and two young children in a horrible car crash a couple of years ago, and let her weight balloon up. She’s been given a second chance to get her life back on track, as have others who have had their lives de-railed in one way or another.

So the episode began with the contestants being bused to the beach, where they met up with show host Alison Sweeney. Mrs. Mike reminded me to mention that Alison looks positively awesome, especially after having a baby last season. Seriously, she does….and I think I speak for all of America when I say I’d like to know what her own diet and workout regimine has been!

At this point, Daniel arrived in a limo and the rest of the contestants immediately connected with him, with absolutely no one bitter that he was allowed to return. The first challenge was, they would have to run or walk one mile, and the winner would have immunity the first week. Not only that, but since they would be breaking off into teams, the winner AND his teammate would have immunity. Well guess who won? Daniel did, an amazing feat when you consider where he started on this journey. But as the contestants crossed the finish line, two of them had to be rushed to the hospital…..including Tracy, who became limp and frighteningly losing all awareness around her….and Coach Mo, who also needed medical attention.

Dr. Huizenga announced that both Tracy and Coach Mo were fine but needed more recovery time in the hospital. Meanwhile, the other 14 contestants had to go through a series of tests with Dr. H to see how sick they all really were. As if seeing Tracy and Coach Mo weren’t sobering enough.

The contestants then had to choose their teammates, and Daniel went first and chose Shay, because she was going to be the heaviest person (476 pounds), something he could relate to. Amanda, who was chosen by America in the season finale back in May, kept going on about being honored that America chose her to represent….um, it was you and one other girl Amanda, America had two choices! Coach Mo returned and found out that Tracy was going to be his partner when she got out of the hospital.

Anyway, after the teams were selected they all weighed in and the numbers were just staggering, with four of them over 400 pounds and Shay at a stunning 476. Daniel is down to an incredible 312 pounds. After the weigh-in, the teams learned that Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, their trainers, would be training them all together and not in teams as in previous seasons. This is because of two reasons–Jillian was beating Bob’s ass each season, and she kept producing winners, and also because they wanted the competition to be between the contestants and not the trainers. Good call.

So as the training commenced, the contestants were fighting back, because their bodies have not endured this type of work in years. Shay even went outside and threatened to quit, but she smartly returned. Then, after enduring a ridiculous amount of fluff and commercials, they all marched back onto the scale.

Daniel and Shay went first and lost 29 pounds, with Daniel losing 12 of those and getting down to a svelte even 300. Amanda and Rebecca went next and lost 24, with Amanda only losing 6 and wondering where she went wrong. Those two had to sweat until everyone else weighed in. Rudy and Dina lost 36, Antoine and Seaen 40, Danny and Liz 34, Abby and Allen 34. Alexandra and Julio lost 26, but with Julio being as big as a house, that was not enough to keep them above the yellow line. Amanda and Rebecca were safe. But Coach Mo still had to weigh in, and he lost 19, enough to keep him safe and send Alexandra and Julio to the chopping block.

Being that each of the two had lost 13 pounds, Alexandra was kind of bitter that Julio had only lost a small percentage of weight comparatively. But both of them had to state their case to the rest of the team on why they should stay. Alexandra, at 20 years old, needed to stay because she had a lot to learn, but Julio is a father and husband who needed to be there to get healthy for his family. It was tight, but the final vote was for Alexandra and she was sent packing.

They showed her having lost 60 pounds since she arrived back home, an amazing feat but with a long way to go. But we at least know she has a shot at winning the consolation $100K.

Still, I want to know what happened to Tracy. Hopefully she’ll return next episode. Meanwhile, this season promises to be extremely dramataic, just like the producers want it to be. There are lots of contestants to pull for, but you have to believe that America is pulling for both Abby and Daniel.

Who do you like? Let me know in the space below, and see you all next week…

Then they brought out Ron and Mike to see who America voted into the final 3…..both looked awesome but Mikey clearly lost more than Ron, at least to the naked eye. We’re all sick of their gameplay, but you have to hand it to them on doing a great job. And, drum roll please….America voted Mikey in! Many of us were pulling for Ron because we didn’t want to give him what he wanted, but I think in the end everyone saw a Mike-Helen-Tara final as more compelling.

Then a new twist as they brought out two potential contestants from next season, Erinn and Amanda, who looked like they could be twins. America would vote throughout the show on who they wanted on the show. Mrs. Mike said was everyone was thinking…just let them both on!

Then it was time to start bringing out each contestant in sets of four to weigh in. First, Estella and Jerry, the oldest two people ever on the show; and Damien and Nicole. Estella lost 83 pounds, or 34.3%, but Jerry shocked everyone by losing a whopping 177 pounds, or 47% of his original weight of 369. Wow. Dr. H was on hand and went on and on about how Jerry was as healthy as he’s ever been after battling many diseases and conditions early on. Good for him! Damien lost 136 pounds and Nicole 123, but neither was good enough to overtake Jerry. Nicole however is now fitting into a Size 8 wedding dress as she had hoped!

Then came Sione and Filipe, Carla and Joelle. Sione and Filipe were asked to do their hilarious “oonga boonga” Hawaiian dance, before weighing in. Both of them are inspiring the rest of their pork rind-eating family at home. Sione lost 146 pounds and Filipe 135, great numbers but not good enough to take the lead. Carla and Joelle appear to have made up, and both looked really good. Carla lost a stunning 128 pounds, and Joelle, the slacker of the two, lost 80 pounds but looked like she lost more.

Then came Blaine and Dane, as well as Mandi and Aubrey. Blaine lost 116 pounds and Dane 154 (he started at 412!), and both have been running marathons with regularity. Good for them. But they didn’t lose as much percentage as Jerry. Mandi lost 92 pounds and Aubrey only 55, but Aubrey went on about how tough it is being a mom and keeping herself on track, and gave a shout out to all the moms out there to keep on keeping on.

Seven left….next up, Cathy and Kristin, David and Dan. Cathy looked great but Kristin looked amazing, despite her platinum blonde, Pink-esque hair style. Yikes. Cathy lost 95 pounds and Kristin lost (wait for it…) 167 pounds! While Kristin has also become a great motivational speaker back home, and while she went from 360 pounds to 193, it wasn’t enough to pass Jerry. David lost 43 pounds, the lowest percentage among everyone last night, but hey, it’s something. Dan, the heaviest contestant ever at 454 pounds, lost 142 pounds, down to 312, and looks amazing. Let’s hope he keeps after it. But hey, still nobody has surpassed Jerry!

Next up, Laura, Shannon, and Ron. Laura looked awesome, but let’s face it…she was sent home after a bad hip injury so was at a bit of a disadvantage. Laura lost 86 pounds. Shannon, Helen’s daughter who everyone but Helen feels bad for about Helen sending her home too early, lost 92 pounds…not bad at all, but not good enough. So it was down to turkey man (thanks Chris) Ron…..he looked great but to me, not 50% great. Still, Ron lost 192 pounds, down from 430 to 238. Wow. But, Jerry took the $100K at-home challenge crown! Jerry, the 64-year-old man who collapsed at the start of the season, who battled through all that as well as leaving the show around Week 2. Wow wow wow, is all I have to say. What an amazing story.

Mrs. Mike pointed out that with Joan Rivers winning the “Celebrity Apprentice,” that old people were having the “Best Week Ever” (thanks VH-1). Then they showed the winner and runner-up from the Australian version of “The Biggest Loser.” Wow, this show has gone global? And they announced that Amanda won the spot on next season’s show.

Then it was on to the big weigh in between Helen, Tara and Mikey. Mikey was brought out first because he was already introduced earlier. Then Helen, who looks amazing but whose saggy arm flab was almost touching the ground. Then Tara came out, and Mrs. Mike and I held our breath, because for whatever reason Tara didn’t look like a winner. Since Tara won an amazing 12 challenges and never fell below the yellow line, she was able to choose the order of the weigh-in…it would be Helen, Mikey and her. Helen lost 140 pounds, down from 257 to a stunning 117. Damn….117? I think I could pick her up with one hand by her arm flab. Anyway, that was good for 54.47%. Uh-oh. Who would top that? Mikey went next, losing 207 pounds, down from 388 to 181, but just short at 53.35%. Uh-oh. But hey, Godfather Turkey Man and Turkey Son didn’t win anything! Then Tara…..everyone held their collective breath….and she lost 155 pounds, down from 294 to and awesome 139…..but sadly, not good enough to beat Helen, or even Mike.

Helen was crowned the Biggest Loser. Mrs. Mike threw something at the TV, and I hoped that Helen would share her $250K with Shannon. But she probably won’t. So this season, your Biggest Loser is a 47-year-old mom from Michigan who was a somewhat quiet, tequila swilling gameplayer the whole time. Let’s see what kind of role model she is for America and the world.

So that’s it…read here tomorrow as I’m taking part in a conference call with Helen today and we’ll have a recap and see if anyone gives her a hard time about Shannon! Meanwhile, I’d love to hear what you all think of this outcome. Thanks for reading!

The final four went home for 30 days and then would return to the ranch to weigh in one final time, with America voting someone off, or rather, voting someone in to the live finale next Tuesday. Ron and Mike went home to Detroit, Tara to Long Island and Helen to Lansing (does anyone else notice how many contestants are from Michigan and Wisconsin every season?).

And here, I would like to give a shout out to our reader Chris, who pointed out that Ron looks like a turkey with his shirt off…..Mrs. Mike reminded me, and then every time Ron spoke we noticed he had a turkey neck thing going, and we snickered like a couple of 12 year olds.

Anyway, everyone was struggling with being home, and that shouldn’t really be a big surprise. That ranch is pure torture on these contestants, but they do indeed need their trainers and the structure of being on campus. But they were all welcomed by their families, and Helen’s daughter Shannon was there but you could clearly see how pissed she still is about Helen sending her home early in the competition. Argh. Then they didn’t show Shannon again, further proof that she is pissed and not faring well at home. They also showed Ron’s son Max, but there was a good story in this, which we’ll get to.

Then it came. Everyone received a Biggest Loser package on their doorstep, and it was a DVD of Alison Sweeney telling them they would all be running a marathon when they returned to Cali.
Yikes. First a half-marathon, and then this? These producers are psychotic….there is really no other way to say that. Mikey was pissed and really, all of them started freaking out, wondering if they could finish a 26 mile race. Bob and Jillian then surprised each of them with a visit to train and hang with them for a day or so……and both of them were pissed about the marathon too. Bob even told Ron he didn’t think he should do it, but Ron was determined to walk it.

Jillian had to calm down Mikey, Helen and Tara, who were all having issues with being home. But then when Bob showed up at Ron and Mikey’s house, he wound up paying more attention to younger brother Max….even training him and teaching him about nutrition. I was not looking forward to more footage on this kid, but it was really awesome to see Bob do that. I’d be really surprised if Max isn’t invited to the show next season. Oh, and producers….did we need to see Max puking so graphically? I mean, I could almost tell you what he ate before working out….ewww!

Then in training for the marathon, Mikey hurt his hip and was told by doctors that he could not run, but that he could walk the race. Mikey was pissed. Then it came time, and Alison told each of them that they would get $10,000 for charity if they finished. As they went along, members of their families were placed at the mile markers to run/walk with them and be encouraging, as well as former contestants like Ali, Michelle, Bernie and Heba. Tara, who kept saying she was having recurring nightmares about not finishing the race, finished first….of course she did. Then Helen finished, and later Mikey did, walking the whole thing. Bernie told Mikey he should be proud of accomplishing that, even if he had to walk it all. Then Ron, who was really struggling and dealing with a bad knee and high blood pressure, almost had to stop. But something inside Ron made him keep going, and as much as I can’t stand the Turkey Man, it was kind of cool to see him finish.

Then it was weigh-in time. Ron and Mike went first and each lost 10 pounds. That’s a pretty big accomplishment, even after all this time and after 30 days at home, but these are two hefty men, so who knows. Helen had to lose 6 or more pounds to make the finale, and she lost 7. Tara had to lose 7 or more, and she lost 10, putting her in the finals too. So then guess what? Mike and Ron fell below the yellow line together. This is exactly what many of us wanted, the chance to spoil the gameplay of the Godfather Turkey Man. Naturally, Ron pleaded with us to vote Mikey in, and not him. But like last season when Heba and Ed did the same thing and America was sick of Heba’s gameplay and voted Ed in, I see that happening this time with everyone voting in Ron. Either way, one of them will have a shot at the $250K. So do we vote Ron in for spite, or do we allow Mikey to have a shot against Tara and Helen? I can’t imagine Tara is not going to win it all at this point, and I’d much rather her win than Helen or the Turkey family. So let’s vote Ron in (1-866-613-0002…..or for Mikey, dial 1-866-613-0001) and let Tara squash him like a bug. Then, hopefully, Sione or Kristin or Filipe or Cathy or Nicole will win the $100K. Really, anyone but a turkey.

Are you with me? Let the discussion begin!