'The Biggest Loser': The Week Two Curse brings bloody noses and broken bones
It's that time of year again; time to battle "The Biggest Loser's" dreaded Week Two curse. And what better way to do that than a series of wake-up calls from Dr. H and company? Oh, and someone smashes her face in.Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels are well aware that the curse is looming overhead, so of course, their main goal is to pump up the workouts. But first! Dr. H has become somewhat of a stringent news-breaker when it comes to telling the contestants just how fat and unhealthy they've truly become. Bob volunteers to be guinea pig and gets weighed down with 303 pounds, which is equivalent to Michael's excess body fat. Bob literally looks like he's in pain. He doesn't understand how Michael can physically carry around so much weight every day. Then there's Patti from the Purple Team. She's on nine different medications for diabetes, is on the verge of losing her feet from the disease, and still hasn't given up her delicious sugary treats. Now that, my friends, is suicide.
Red Team's Lance actually used to be a commercial diver, but gained weight and lost his job. Dr. H even brings in an armored truck to demonstrate how much money the average person loses due to obesity. Remember how Jillian has always refused to eat junk food to prove a point? Well apparently she decided to do it this time because Orange Team eats over half of Taco Bell's menu every day. Jill only makes it through about four nachos before she spits it all up. And somehow, I'm still physically attracted to her.
We take a break from the wake-up calls for this week's challenge. It's a pool! The challenge itself was pretty boring; the teams have to take ten balls from one side of the pool to the other on a balance beam. The contestants, however, treat it like they're walking a tight rope across the Grand Canyon. The most pathetic teams are Brown (John is still a little lost without his twin) and White. This is where things get interesting. Maria has a fear of water (even though it's just a pool and there are a hundred crew members milling about) and refuses to cross the balance beam. In one swift moment of glory, she jumps off the beam and smashes her face into the concrete. The paramedics strap her on a gurney like she's just fallen off a 3-story balcony and send her off to the hospital. For being the losers, the White Team incurs a 2-pound penalty at the weigh-in. The Red Team won the challenge, along with immunity.Because of her banged up body, Maria isn't able to work out at full speed. Jillian, however, has no sympathy for Maria. She calls her out on pretending to be weak and fragile and makes Maria get into the pool for a doggie-paddle lesson. Bob, similarly, calls our Michael for going with his mom instead of finishing the challenge. It's about time the White Team realizes they won't be coddled on the Biggest Loser ranch.
Back to Dr. H! He's still dishing out the devastatingly embarrassing news, and this time they're doing the "real age" tests. Maria (surprise, surprise) has the worst physical regiment Dr. H has ever seen. Then there's 51-year old Cheryl from the Orange Team, who has an internal age of 75. It doesn't help matters that she smokes in conjunction with stuffing her face. The Gray Team are shown some hidden camera footage of their sleeping habits. They toss and turn so much it's hard to imagine they're getting a few minutes of sleep at a time. Pink Team's Ashley isn't faring too well after finding out her internal age is 30 years higher than her actual age.
At the weigh-in, everyone's walking in a little bit anxious. The Week Two curse is definitely in full swing, and sometimes no matter how much someone works out, it's no guarantee they'll lose weight. First up is the Red Team. They won immunity, and apparently they're also quite the game players. Melissa gains a pound and makes it pretty obvious she watered down. Bob would rather her just state it bluntly, but she retorts that her concern is getting big numbers next week. 'Nuff said. Gray Team manages to get 17 pounds together, Pink puts up a combined 13 (Sherry falls below 200 pounds), and Green takes the lead with 12 pounds. Then there's Purple, who only manages to lose a total of seven pounds, but not from lack of trying on Stephanie's part. Orange is safe with ten pounds, John hangs in there with a ten pound loss as well, and the Black Team loses an amazing 15 pounds. They save the best for last. The White Team has all the odds against them. A 2-pound penalty. A broken mommy. The fattest person on the ranch. But somehow, somehow, Maria loses ten pounds and Michael loses 11. WTF? Did Maria call last season's Tracey for tips on how to squeak by in this competition? That means that Purple is going to elimination. It's always convenient when the other teams don't need to make the tough decision. Patti volunteers herself to go home, even though she's got pretty bad health problems. In her update, she hasn't really lost that much more weight but looks to be semi-motivated. Perhaps she's just taking her time.
Next week: more watered-down contestants! I see a pattern forming.
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I wasn't impressed by the "tasks" as they called them. It seemed like too much filler. I think it was more impressive for them to just meet in the Doc's office and go over test results.
And, of course, Bob and Jillian would be theatrical in the weight and junk food scenarios. What are they going to say, "That's really not a bad-tasting nacho" or "This is good weight training"?
Finally a contestant OUT LOUD said they watered down because they had immunity. We have been saying that for seasons, but finally someone actually admits it. I still think it is pretty lame, but like Bob said, I have respect for them because they said it out loud.
Jillian's theatrics were ridiculous. Tell me she hasn't eaten some unhealthy Mexican food in the past and secretly enjoyed it. Puhleaze.
I actually liked how they added the tasks associated with the Dr visit. Okay Bob's theatrics were stupid too
I noticed in the credits that they called out that Bobby Boy has an endorsement deal with the gum company. Hmm you'd think there would be some sort of television standards against that practice. So in the future we'll be seeing Brita's special edition Jillian water bottle? Bob's Ziploc baggies? Allison's Slenderizer Shorts?
I had to turn it off after an hour or so. This was one of the most ridiculous shows of any season. As mentioned, Bob and Jillian's theatrics were too much. Even Dr. H is getting in on the act.
Jillian's getting tougher to take each season. Hey Maria, sorry you smashed your face but I'm going to stand here, give you the evil eye, and make you feel like crap. Then I'm going to put on my shrink hat and we'll hug in the pool.
The message of this show is getting lost in the obviously scripted dialog and endless product promotion. Next week see which contestant gained 200 pounds after their puppy ran away and get a load of our newest product: The Biggest Loser enema with Bob's smiling face on the box.
Actually these last two episodes haven't been that bad with the product placement. Jillian is annoying and I swear that was scripted when the Brown guy(sorry can't remember his name) went thru is " I like comfort food' WHY...I'm*sob* cursed...boo hoo....I'm going to keep watching I want to see what happens
I have no sympathy for Maria and Jillian's treatment of her. Maria acted like a fool. She acted like that pool was infested with piranha and eels, and not only injured herself but cost her son a 2-pound penalty. She deserved to get picked on by Jill.
Jen - I must respectively disagree with your statement that Maria acted like a fool. She was not acting. She actually feared the water. As a phobia, her fear by definition is irrational. Telling her not to worry and just get on the beam does not work. It doesn't matter if the US Coast Guard and Navy SEALS are in the pool ready to rescue her. Phobia's work that way.
I actually enjoyed the "Jillian pool" moment. She had Maria address and face her fear in a much calmer environment.
Did I hear Bob correctly? Was he telling Michael that he should have left his mother bleeding face down on the pavement and completed the circus stunt challenge? WTF? I know part of the Biggest Loser is to build people's self-esteem and have them think about their own well being. But it was his mother for Pete sakes! You gotta be friggin' kidding me.
Could you imagine Michael continuing with the challenge, stepping over his mom to get the bouncy balls. I could hear telling the medics "can you move her over a bit, I have a challenge to complete here".
So tired of the product "ads". I only really like the weigh in and can skip all the stupid "challenges", screaming, berating etc. I watched NCIS and pick up Loser in hour # 2.Thanks for the recap.
DVR baby, that's all I gotta say.
I have a close family member with an intense phobia of crowded places. When in that situation he struggles to be rational. Sometimes he wins and at other times he can just keep it together long enough to get outside. If you have not experienced that intense dread it is difficult to be empathetic. So I feel for Maria and her difficulty. With that said...Maria has admitted that she is a fan of the show. As a fan myself, I really can't think of one season that didn't have the contestants traversing in, around or over water. What was she thinking? I think if it was really as bad as choosing to take a nose dive on the pavement as opposed to touching water, she would nor should not have tried out for the show. Maria, bless her little heart is a sweetie, but she is also an enabler. Her son is her buddy. What's going to happen when he gets slim? The dynamics of their relationship will change. I think a lot more is going on than just a fear of water. So no I don't mind that initially she didn't receive as much sympathy from Jillian. She says that she wants to help undo the damage she's done not only to her son but to herself. She's chosen to come on a show full of challenges that are not unexpected to make that happen. Somewhere she's got the find the strength that would have made her crawl over that beam like their lives depended on it. Well... that's my armchair-quaterback review. I hope Red Team's strategy doesn't backfire