Last week, The Biggest Loser: Families was all about crying. In the first half of this week's episode, they add yelling into the mix. Does a subsidiary of NBC manufacture tissues and throat lozenges?

Homework? This spoiler doesn't do homework!

I had high hopes for this episode -- after all, last year, we got a tight, filler-free one-hour episode that included all the relevant high points and even managed to work in an off-camera death. Alas, it was not to be -- they just cut the episode in half and shuffled the second hour to Wednesday night. Sigh.

The Doctors Are In
Both Bob and Jillian got to put on their psychotherapy hats, but Bob seemed less into the idea. Vicky pulls Bob aside to ask what she can do to burn mega calories since she can't run. Walk on a steep incline, he replies. OK, so how do I deal with my blowhard husband who's pulling me down? Bob's eyebrows nearly jump off his head, but he stutters out that she's got to just stand up for herself and tell Brady to take a flying leap (that may be paraphrased slightly). Vicky talks to Brady, and he's shocked Vicky would think he was bullying her or anyone else. He pledges to back off.

Jillian embraces the role with more relish. First, she meets with Coleen to see where her head was now that she's on her own, without her dad. You need to focus on you, Jillian says, no matter how scary you find it. Coleen agrees.

Then there's Shellay. She and Amy won 24 hours one-on-one with Jillian in the first challenge. For some reason, they think this will be a girl's day out, and are shocked that Jillian brings them to a gym. Um... yeah. She's a trainer. That's what she does. Shellay whimpers and whines and says she can't do what Jillian asks -- she neeeeeds to hold on to the treadmill! Her neck huuuuuurts! It's too haaaaaard! -- and Jillian finally loses it. First, she screams that Shellay sucks (again, paraphrasing), and then exults that she's done her job when she makes Shellay cry. Apparently, this means she really reached Shellay. Ooohkay. Weirdly, Shellay seems to agree, calling it a light bulb moment.

The Home Front
Amy and Phil also take advantage of their prize from the first challenge -- a visit home. And... that's about it. Cute kids, they go hiking, everyone cries, the end.

The Challenge
I understand that endurance challenges are important, and that they're really hard. They're just really, really boring to watch. Look, they're standing on a trapeze in the water with their arms over their heads! Look, they're STILL standing on a trapeze in the water with their arms over their heads! Guess what happens next -- they stand on a trapeze in the water with their arms over their heads!

People start dropping out at about the 45 minute mark. In the end, Purple Amy and Vicky are the last two standing. Amy finally loses her balance at about the 107 minute mark. Vicky wins.

The reward: A care package from home. She also gets to bestow a care package on another team, and she picks Team Purple, because Amy was such a strong competitor. Good call.

The Rant
Jillian meets up with her ladies in the gym and asks if they've done their homework -- 90 minutes of extra-curricular cardio when the trainers aren't around. The ladies say no. Jillian loses it, bellowing that she's never dealt with such a lazy bunch of losers. They'll never win! "You know what?" Jillian screams, "I'm going to watch you go home one by one, and I'll be like this: Goodbye! I can't wait until season 7 when I get someone who cares!" Ouch.

Highlights, thoughts and odds and ends

• I should have know that this was a two-part episode when they worked in the telecommunications product placement, complete with model number. I'm just surprised there wasn't a "Call now!" number on the screen.
• Did Bob's team have the week off? We didn't see them working out at all. Apparently, Bob needs to have some photogenic rants to get screen time.
• I know I've complained about Vicky's attitude, but she was really gracious when she won the challenge. When she chose Team Purple to recieve the other care package, she went talked up Amy's efforts instead of pulling an "In your FACE!" like I imagine Brady would have.
• Jillian, on Amy and Shellay's expectations for the 24 hours one-on-one time: "Shellay and Amy are thinking they're getting manicures and pedicures, they're going to see a movie, we're going to be ladies that lunch... Suckers." But seriously -- how could they have expected anything but massive workouts?
• I'm a bit torn on Jillian's final rant. I can see where she's coming from, but I also get the competitors' perspective. They're working out more than they ever have in their lives -- anywhere from four to eight hours a day with their trainers -- and she wants them to exercise in their free time? Holy crap! The exercise becomes their lives on this show, and I don't we completely understand that when we're just watching it on the couch. Still -- you come on a show like this, you've got to expect massive amounts of pain and suffering.
• Did you catch the helpful trainer tip? Jillian says we should do jumping jacks during commercial breaks, and we could burn up to 300 calories. Just think: Add in the time spent on filler, product placement, manufactured suspense, and repeating what they've already said, and you'll probably burn off an entire cheesecake's worth of calories!

The weigh-in is tomorrow. Do you think one of Jillian's women will be going home? Will Amy and Phil pay for their trip away from the gym? Do you think Jillian is justified in chastising her team, or did she go too far? Talk!

Comments

I too was hoping for a one hour episode. It seemed that way at the start. No, I don't go through all the trouble of checking the t.v. guide. I'd rather turn on the t.v. hope for the best.

I agree, Vicki showed some class. Just when she was being made the villian. Oh, what will the producers do now.

My predicition for tonight, not that anyone asked. Coleen. Lovely girl but I don't think her heart is in it. I give her tremendous amount of credit for helping her father.

Abbey Normal | Oct 8, 2008 5:34:18 AM | #

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I was mad at Vicki tonight because she actually made me like her a little bit.

Loved the Jillian freak out. If you get picked to be on the Biggest Loser you had better be prepared to work out until you are in so much pain you can't think straight. I can imagine how po'ed Jillian must be hearing all the whining and sniveling when there are others who would love the chance to work their butts off for her. It also must be really frustrating for her knowing that the woman on her team are most likely going home long before the people on Bob's team.

Hopep | Oct 8, 2008 9:55:37 AM | #

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Does this season, moreso than previous ones, seem to have more of the contestants (almost all) crying at the drop of a hat?

What gets me is that they seemed surprised, almost defiant, at how much they are being asked to work out and exercise, as if the show had never been broadcast before. I'm tiring of that rant from all of them. Crying pinheads.

Cynic | Oct 8, 2008 9:56:56 AM | #

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How they continue to surprise me, I don't know. But the phone manufacturer's headphones COMPLETE WITH MODEL NUMBER blew me away! Is there a limit to the depths they will sink to on this show??

I loved Jillian's impression of Shellay, complete with midwestern accent. But I HATED Amy's childish/bitchy reaction to her well-deserved expulsion from the gym.

Do you think that the pink team's Mom and daughter ever went 5 years without speaking and this is a chance to reunite them by doing this together? Or that maybe the red team's youngest son might be autistic? BECAUSE THEY NEVER SEEM TO MENTION ANY OF THAT. We get it, producers. It's tragic. We get it.

Chris in TX | Oct 8, 2008 10:06:53 AM | #

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Just in case no one else mentioned it, great job on the re-caps Sarah. They are very entertaining, even when they give you half a show.

Duke Nukem | Oct 8, 2008 11:59:33 AM | #

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I think they did deserve getting yelled at. After last week with the trip to the Grand Canyon and basically doing nothing that week now this week not doing their homework. What do they think they are there for? In general, I wish they could find some people who would just say I'm fat because I eat too much and don't exercise and quit with all the emotional hysterics and just do what they are supposed to do. There are alot of people who would love to be on the show. The fact is no one can make you do this. You have to want to lose the weight and put in the work. It really does work when you count your calories, drink your water and do your exercises. Do you think they look for people who can cry on cue? After last years sobfest I just am sick of the tears. I hope someone (brown) gets below the yellow line tonight. I would love to see the wife gone.

Margie | Oct 8, 2008 1:23:28 PM | #

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WHAT?

there are parents of an autistic child on this show?!

WHY didn't anyone TELL me??!!

and, what do you MEAN there's a mother and a daughter on the show that hadn't talked to each other in years?!

man, i think this show has to get a little more indepth knowledge about these people before, so they can inform us of all these important details!!!!!

NonImus | Oct 8, 2008 2:15:02 PM | #

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