This week on The Biggest Loser, we finally find our villain! Her best feature is that if she ever threatens to go all Hannibal Lecter, she probably means it. Join me after the jump!
We open to the contestants returning from the last weigh-in. Everyone is clothed except Tracey, since there's certainly nothing embarrassing about remaining in your underpants. Good on her! The group shares hugs and platters of chicken wings to celebrate losing 155 pounds in the past week, but Liz notes there's no time for rejoicing. They must sojourn on to the next challenge.
The next morning, the group heads out for the gym. Alison waits outside the entrance, to which Humpty postulates, "I've learned now, by Week Three, that if Ali is standing there, something awesome is going to happen or something horrible is going to happen." How insightful. Similarly, when he wakes up every day, events tend to occur in one direction or another. It's amazing how that works! Alison greets the cast with a hearty "Hey ladies!" She probably doesn't mean that as cruelly as Jillian would, but it's still enjoyable regardless.
Alison says they did a great job working as a team last week, but this is an individual game. Success comes down to personal choices, so right now it's time to make some big decisions! Everyone gets awfully hopeful they'll get to choose against the gym, so their hearts swell when Alison says it's "Would You Rather" Week. Their hearts are also swollen from cardiomyopathy, but so it goes. Each team is asked to choose between having the trainers and having a pound advantage at the weigh-in. Only one team will be allowed to take the advantage, however. If this sounds odd and complicated, it's because it is. Also, the advantage is only two pounds, so this entire segment is unnecessary. Jillian will physically rip two pounds off a person's body; choosing against her is just foolish!
The teams line up, and they're asked to step forward if they want the advantage. If no one accepts, the stakes will go up. The groups start to conspire. Danny knows an advantage is really important in this game, whereas Amanda thinks Bob and Jillian will be disappointed if they step forward. Also disappointed in Amanda: the universe. I'd include her hospital patients in that count too, but well, they've passed on. Tina Yothers says Bob and Jillian will need to suck it up. The Pink Team is doing so poorly anyway, what does it matter?
The general consensus is that two pounds would be a silly amount to settle for, especially since Alison just said the stakes will get higher. As soon as Daniel says no one would jump for that amount...
She doesn't physically jump since she's now an amputee, but she sure makes the effort. She totally takes the two-pound advantage! Coach Mo is mortified, whereas the rest of the house is just confused. It says a lot about the cast that no one's giggling over her stupidity, they just genuinely don't understand it. Tracey says she didn't want another team to get an advantage of four, six, or eight pounds while she gets nothing. In other news, it's no surprise that Tracey's ballooned into her current size; bitch obviously never learned to share.
Even though Tracey blatantly made her decision alone, Coach Mo has to suffer the consequences. They're both allowed to use the gym all week, but they're flying solo for workouts. The cast shakes their heads, but Tracey just grins and looks around. That's what happens when you're a stroke victim.
Apparently the strain of "Would You Rather" was too much, because we rejoin the contestants at the house instead of the gym. Shay and Daniel slave over their lunch, which necessitates careful planning for a handful of berries.
The trainers promptly enter, to which Tracey squirms uncomfortably. Everyone basically knows Bob and Jillian will lose their shit over the advantage decision, so they're all waiting for the meltdown. Bob asks about their morning and Danny goes into all the details. As soon as the trainers hear it was for two pounds, their eyes roll out of their skulls. Two pounds! Who would ever choose such a nonsensical amount!
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Comments (8)
Ok, I get that it was incredibly stupid of Tracy to take the first advantage - especially since she appeared to make the decision on her own without Mo's consent. Considering the fact that it was only two pounds, and Jillian does have a point - people pay LOTS of money to work with personal trainers, even of the non-celebrity variety -it makes absolutely no sense to just throw away the most valuable commodity you're given in this show. Esp since it made the people who can help her the most absolutely hate her, and that won't just go away in the next weeks...
But also, wasn't Tracy injured and not really working out in the gym anyway? I only saw her there once towards the end of the week... In this case, she was really screwing Mo over, since he really did need the trainers, and that's just mean.
However... I have to admit I don't understand Jillian's legitimacy to be that mad over the temptation challenge. I mean, all Tracy and Antoine did was eat a few cupcakes, and sure - I get why they shouldn't give in to temptation, but they're all burning 6000 calories a day, so 400 extra is not really going to kill them, and in the end - Tracy and Antoine happened to be the ones who lost the most weight! (esp in percentage rates) AND it really was a serious advantage to have in the game, and you can't ignore the fact that it IS a game. They're not just helping people be healthy and lose weight, they're sending people home every week, regardless of whether they deserve it or not, so I don't think it's fair that the trainers ignore the importance of this aspect of the game. Sean didn't eat any cupcakes or accept advantages, and he ended up being the reason his team was sent home.
1 of 8 | Posted by molo | Posted on October 7, 2009 3:17 AM
I have never disliked a reality show contestant as much as I do Tracey, especially after LAST NIGHT's episode! And Mo is no longer my hero because he keeps supporting her. He does all the work and she makes all the decisions--yeah, that's fair.
2 of 8 | Posted by 82kmara | Posted on October 7, 2009 10:53 AM
My daughter and I have been calling Tracey Ms. Crazy Eye since week one. Glad to see she has proven us right! I hate her as much(if not more) than Vickie from a couple of seasons ago. That saying, great recap Bailey! Loved it when you called Jillian a hollaback girl. I almost fell out of my chair laughing when I saw that.
3 of 8 | Posted by kittkatt357 | Posted on October 7, 2009 12:30 PM
Shame on the producers for missing a golden opportunity for more product placement.
During the weepy elimination scene, I half-expected Bobn'Jill to jump out to hawk a box of Kleenex.
I just read today that the Biggest Loser franchise generates $100 million in ancillary product sales per year.
Just saying.
On the fence about Tracey. But then, this is a competition-based show, people are supposed to get eliminated (which I find appallingly cynical for a show that is basically attempting to save the contestants' lives). So I suppose she should grab whatever advantage she can.
On the other hand, guess who's likely to be the first choice to be voted off next? Especially since technically she's entering into the 'dreaded second week'. Hope she gains a few pounds. And her eyeballs explode out of her head.
4 of 8 | Posted by itchy | Posted on October 7, 2009 1:23 PM
I question the integrity of any show that REWARDS overweight people for eating cupcakes. Truly weird.
Tracey will be gone within a couple of weeks.
She appears not to be able to predict the consequences of her actions, which is a characteristic of children and psychopaths. Even the first day, when she sprinted out to a commanding lead before collapsing, she showed this basic lack of understanding of the laws of reality, as well as physics. It truly alarms me that she has children.
5 of 8 | Posted by pixielated | Posted on October 7, 2009 2:11 PM
Spoiler: They don't. Just kidding I haven't watched last night's episode yet, but it would be hilarious if they did pop out. It would be a nice change to cry b/c I'm laughing instead. This show makes me feel like such a Gina McGinaface. (and that's gina as in VAgina, not Gina "You so Crazy" from Martin.) I cry EVERY episode. Often more than once. OMG Shay's mom was a junkie. *cry* OMG she lost her family. *cry* OMG Antoine and Alexandra got together. *cry* OMG I could really go for one of those cupcakes, or at least the m&m's on top. Holy cow I'm turning into a fatass myself. *cry* You get the point. At least this recap makes me cry in the good way. That screencap of crazyeyes staring down the cupcakes is hilarious!
6 of 8 | Posted by cansnuts | Posted on October 7, 2009 2:17 PM
Laffing hysterically, itchy and pixie. I've been reading you forEVER (Survivor, PR), and I can't believe I finally posted a comment for the first time because of Crazy Eyes. You're both way less... vengeful than I am--maybe it's because I've watched this week's episode already? Nope, still trying to get over her cupcake fest from last week.
7 of 8 | Posted by 82kmara | Posted on October 8, 2009 10:51 AM
82kmara: Keep being vengeful!! There's such a fine line with this show because you don't want to laugh at too much of it and seem cruel, but finding it 100% inspiring is just EXHAUSTING. I'm glad these fools got you to start posting!
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I LOVE YOU ALL, thank you for reading this stuff every week! Your comments consistently delight me!
8 of 8 | Posted by BaileyQuarters | Posted on October 11, 2009 10:49 PM