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The Biggest Loser  

(Note: This is NOT an official NBC website)

O.K., so I'm a fan of the show and all-too-fond of spouting off my opinions and observations about it so I figured maybe I'd throw up a page on it so that other people could be bored with my opinions and observations.

Week 9

Remarkably Vicky managed to start off week 9 by sinking even lower than before.  More hateful rhetoric and name-calling - this time directed at Amy C.   And it's hard to believe that, with a straight face, that she could claim that Amy made a stupid move by voting Brady off.  Vicky has to know as well as anybody that there was no way Amy C. was making it to the final four if Vicky, Brady, Heba and Ed were still there.  It was a SMART move for Amy C. to vote for Brady.  It wasn't good for Vicky but...guess what...Amy isn't required to do what's best for Vicky.  Amy is required to do what's best for Amy, and that's what she did.

Bob acted pretty neutral, he has to, but I can tell that he has little sympathy for Vicky.  I think he finds the game-play stuff distasteful and has more respect for people whose motives are more altrustic and geared towards the real purpose of the show - getting healthy.  Clearly Vicky is there to get money, not healthy.  I will give Vicky some credit though - she started off the episode by getting up early and working hard in the gym.

It's 80s week on The Biggest Loser and that means 80s clothes and 80s workouts.  Jillian's team went for dance workouts with a guest trainer- probably a pretty good fat burn since it's relatively low intensity and if they're having fun they'll spend a long time doing it.

Bob led his team thru step aerobics.  Give Bob credit, he's a lot of fun.  After the workout he tried to get reconciliation among the Blue team but Vicky is being hateful and small and Amy C., to her credit, doesn't care and isn't running to kiss her butt.

Challenge

80s Trivia under buckets of water.  The contestants are holding ropes attached to barrels suspended above their heads.  The barrels contain water weighing half their body weight and the contestants are asked trivia questions about the 80s.  If they get the question right they get to add water to somebody else's bucket.  If they get it wrong they get water added to their own barrel. Eventually they can't hold the barrel anymore and it will tip over and pour down on them vaguely like Jennifer Beals in Flashdance.   Last one standing wins their choice of $5000 or the ability to add a 1 pound penalty to the player of their choice.

Here are a few highlights...

Ed got the first question wrong - got water added to his bucket.  Heba got the second question ("Buns of Steel", d'uh) right and added water to Colleen's barrel.  Colleen got the third question right and made a smart strategic move by adding water to Ed's barrel.  Ed was already struggling and by adding another 25% of his body weight to the barrel she really made it tough on him.  Sure enough, his bucket tipped on him and he was out.

Amy C. got the fifth question right and, not surprisingly chose to give the water to Vicky.

Surprisingly I knew the answer to question 6 (the average dress size in 1985 was 8) but Renee didn't.

Amy C. and Colleen both went out in quick succession.

Heba missed the seventh question wrong and got 25% more water.  Vicky decided to let go as it was just getting to her.  Shortly thereafter Heba lost her grip and her bucket went over.

Finally it was just Michelle and Renee.  Michelle offered to buy Renee a handbag if Renee let go; Renee was holding a LOT of water anyhow and probably didn't mind letting go, so she agreed.

Michelle won the challenge without ever having to answer a question.

For more 80s Trivia click here.

After the challenge Bob is still trying to make peace between Amy and Vicky - as usual Vicky is all about herself.  At this point most of America seems to be anxious for Vicky to go home.  Heba, to her credit, seems to be staying out of it.

Last Chance Workout

Jillian takes her class to the spin workout from hell.   At one point she takes the seats off their bikes and makes them keep going. 

Quote of the Week

"Are you out of your comfort zone?  You're welcome."
       -Jillian-

One of the recurring themes of this season is Michelle's battle and development.  It is a good story and I like Michelle, but it's starting to get a little repetitive.  She's got issues with her mom that she's working thru, we get that.  She doesn't know who she is, whatever that happens to mean.  O.k.  For what it's worth I'd be happy if Michelle won this season.

Bob starts his team on the treadmills and his trying to mold them together.  I doubt he's having much success in that but they do seem to be working hard.

Observation: I like this show, obviously, but it's often a very thinly veiled commercial.  Jillian gave a 3-minute ad for Ziploc Veggie bags in the kitchen.  I know that sponsorships cover a lot of the costs.  Of course, the players are competing for the "Jello $250,000 Grand Prize".

Sad Moment: Amy C. finally breaks down and apologizes to Vicky.  Heba says she thinks Vicky was sincere - but that's because she couldn't see the 1-shot with Vicky where she expressly said she doesn't trust Amy at all and clearly ISN'T over it.  Amy C. did the right thing and shouldn't have apologized, in my opinion.  If she didn't do what she did then Amy would have been gone the first time she fell below with any of the other Blue team members.

Weigh In

Michelle won the challenge and had the choice of $5000 or a 1 point penalty for another player.  Naturally she chose to go with the penalty and she gave it to Vicky.

Player (sorted by %) Weight Loss in Lbs
Amy C. 8
Michelle 8
Ed 11
Renee 8
Heba 7
Vicky 6
Colleen 3

Tough moment for Colleen when she only dropped a 3.  But with Vicky and Amy C. still to go it wasn't over yet.  Amy C. dropped a big 8 then it was Vicky's turn.  She needed to drop more than 6 and she pulled exactly 6.  Falling below with Colleen.  Biggest Loser fans burned 325 calories cheering.

VIEWER TIP: During the weigh-ins especially the producers create cliffhangers.  They take you right to the verge of finding out the new weight, then cut to commercial, along with a few sneak peaks of what's to come.  They almost always try to mislead you with those sneak peaks - a shot of Jillian looking shocked or some team member looking happy.  When you get back the result is almost always the OPPOSITE of what the sneak peak suggested it would be.

Strategy

Vicky and Colleen fell below the yellow line.  Naturally Ed and Heba were going to vote for Colleen to go.  Renee and Michelle are going to vote for Vicky to go.  The swing vote will be Amy C.  You have to think that Amy C's LOVING the chance to get rid of Vicky but who knows what she's thinking.

Kudos to Colleen for not just turning to Amy C. during deliberation and saying flat out "You know if it comes down to you versus Vicky, Heba or Ed that you're gone right?"

Renee was very tactful in her comments, but naturally voted for Vicky, as Michelle did.

It must be hard for these contestants, in such a partisan game, to sit there straight-faced and claim that their votes are for anything other than team loyalties.  Heba gets credit for at least speaking the truth - that it came down to her teammate as she voted for Colleen.

Amy C. then reversed her big win of the week before...and voted for Colleen.  Vicky was safe, America was stunned.  Colleen was going home.  Amy C. just probably cost herself the game.  It was Vader vs. Skywalker and Amy C. cut Skywalker's arm off.  If she thinks Vicky is going to show her any mercy or loyalty she's mistaken.  Vicky will send her home in a heartbeat.

And the fortunes have swung once more.  With Colleen out of the house and Amy C. ostensibly back on her side (at least for the moment) Vicky seems to have her alliance back and the numeric advantage once more.

Next week it gets tough.  Renee and Michelle will have to stay above the yellow line and hope they can whittle down the Blue team.  Maybe Amy C. will come to her senses next week and vote with them, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

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