In last night's Biggest Loser, the teams of two became teams of six. Host Alison Sweeney informed the partners that they would now become the Black Team and the Blue Team. But wait, there's more. In keeping with the show's game format, they would have a chance to play a temptation game that would give one of them power to divide up the teams and choose the team trainer. And with this we get the reemergence, or rather continuance of Tracy as the Campus Villain.
Challenges: Every season there are temptation challenges. These can range from money prizes to having power on how the game is played. Last night the temptation was to have power in dividing the teams up. Everyone decided to participate except for one. The temptation game was set up like a wheel of fortune with silver platters. A player could land on a one thousand dollar prize, a delicious but dangerous cut of chocolate cake or the coveted power play ticket. Now, watching the first few contestants get the junk food platters was difficult. I would have gladly eaten those delectable treats for them, until Alison had to go and reveal their calories. One thousand calories for the cake smothered in chocolate icing?! Yikes. Anyway, after the first few people went it was time for Tracy to spin the wheel. If you haven't watched the show before, Tracy has been given the power once before and not only burned bridges, but torched them. So everyone was holding their collective breaths while the wheel is spinning. Is it wrong that I hoped Tracy would get the power play ticket? The drama would be better than a soap opera. Tracy, by the way did get the ticket, much to everyone's chagrin. I really don't understand the contestants this season. Do they not realize they are on a reality show? Tracy's choices in the past may not be popular or even ethical, but at least she's playing the game.
And now the bridges are ashes. Tracy did what every good villain/game player would do. She broke up teammates who had formed a real bond over the past five weeks to suit her own needs. Most notably Liz and Danny and Dina and Rudy.
The second challenge of the night had a prize attached to it. Whoever won would get video messages from their loved ones back home. Game on! I don't know who makes up the challenges, but this person must have some affinity for the Egyptian era. One of the contestants had to lay on a platform, while the remaining four flanked them on either side, carrying the contestant heavy platform across rocky terrain and mud pits. I was sweating just watching it. Through it all, the stronger Blue Team (with no help from Tracy, who was sidelined from a continuing injury) won.
Drama-Rama: This show wouldn't be a ratings juggernaut if not for the drama that takes place outside the challenges. When Tracy separated Liz from partner Danny, she set loose a conniving spirit that would not be quailed lightly. Liz decided that Tracy must go, so she made herself an asset by exercising like a mad woman. Of course, karma doesn't look too kindly on this, as she fell while running on the treadmill. Jillian responded to this by saying, "what happens when a southern woman gets mad?" Liz threw back, "she gets even." Alright then. It's nice to see that the competitive fire has finally been lite under these contestants.
Dina struggled with her own drama,as she faced her greatest threat...a stool. She must jump on it, which doesn't seem like a big deal. Just jump right? Apparently it's not as easy as it looks. So, the stool became a metaphor for believing in yourself, achieving something, and destroying fear.By the end of the show she still hasn't beaten the stool, but she's getting closer.
Weigh-in : It's all a numbers game now. Pounds lost count, but it's the percent of weight loss that really matters. The Blue Team was first: Tracy lost 7lbs (silence from the usually clap enthusiastic crowd), Allen and Rebecca also lost 7lbs each, Rudy dropped 8lbs, and Liz dropped 8lbs. With 2.56 percent of weight loss, the Black Team needed to lose more than 45lbs. First up Abby who lost a respectable 5lbs, Dina and Amanda both lost 6lbs each, Danny lost 10lbs, and Daniel dropped 11lbs. Then there was Shay. She has never had big numbers, but this week she dropped a whopping 16lbs, winning it for the Black Team. It was thrilling to watch the underdogs take the win.
The deliberation process was next. Who from the Blue Team will say goodbye? Okay, so the most logical answer would be to vote of Tracy, right? No one likes any of the decisions she's made, there's too many knifes in backs, etc, etc. But, then Coach Mo fell on the proverbial sword, telling his teammates he's the weaker player and therefore should be voted off. And the other teammates kept to his wishes. He was voted off, but we see in an update that at home he has lost a total of 76lbs! Can't beat a happy outcome.
The Aww moments: Although I said this is a game, there is a heart to this show, and that heart is the generosity that the contestants (save Tracy) show each other. When the Blue Team won the videos from home challenge, Rebecca decided to give Dina (Black Team) her tape. Even when Dina gave back the tape, saying she wants to win it herself, I couldn't help but feel touched at the unselfishness Rebecca showed. And then the waterworks really started flowing when Liz brought Danny down to watch the video with her, but instead it was his family tape. Take a note Tracy: playing the game doesn't always mean you have to be evil.
Biggest Loser airs Tuesday at 8 pm on NBC.
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