The twelfth season of The Biggest Loser kicked off this week, with a new format and two new trainers but the same gung-ho attitude to beat obesity in America one pound at a time. Fifteen new players (who I talked about in my pre-season introduction a few days ago), each clad in gray shirts bearing their numerical age, are whisked across the desert in a bus and dropped off at a spot, literally, in the middle of nowhere. A barren landscape of nothing. I’m sure this is a metaphor they are trying to pound home right from the start.
Rather than give a long-winded, blow-by-blow account of the episode like I did last year, I am go to attempt to streamline the events the take place, recapping any strategies, challenges, and personal breakthroughs or epiphanies, as well as my personal take on this season’s contestants, and discarding the rest. It’s a recap, not a soliloquy, so here’s to recapping a new season!
You can probably take it as read that all of the contestants are highly motivated, for whatever reason, to be on the show, and each believes that they have what it takes to win the game. It remains to be seen which are the season’s “game players” (there’s always a few) and which are there strictly for lifestyle-changing purposes, but we’ll find that out in time.
Eventually, Alison shows up in a Hummer and divides the three teams into their age groups, and then a group of Marine CH-46’s dramatically fly in and deposit the three trainers onto the desert floor. Bob needs no introduction, and neither does Anna, really. My first impression of Dolvett basically confirms what I’ve read about him. He really seems to know his stuff. I’m not aware just how much expertise Anna has at training other people. Yes, she’s a former world-class athlete, a self-professed ardent fan of the show and a major hottie, but do all those things mean automatic success? We’re about to find out.
This week’s challenge: I have a major problem with how the first challenge was set up. Namely, everyone had to hoof it one mile across the desert floor while carrying a long metal pole of indeterminate weight, and the first team to get all of its members across the finish line would have their pick of trainers, and the second-place team would then get to choose from the other two. It was obvious right from the start that the over-50 group would come in last, and be stuck with the trainer with the least experience: Anna. And lo, that’s precisely what happened.
Naturally, everyone wanted Bob because he’s a proven commodity, and so the under-30 group decided to charge out of the gate. This proved detrimental as a mile is a long slog in the desert, and they ran out of steam pretty quickly, allowing the middle-aged team to claim victory… and Bob. The youngsters opted for Dolvett and the seniors will be taking their cues from Anna. One interesting side-note: Alison announces that at the end of the season, all fifteen contestants will reunite in the same spot of desert to do their obligatory marathon. And not only THAT, but whoever wins that marathon is automatically in the finals. Wow, that’s a new twist. Wonder if that means there will be four finalists or still three.
Breakthroughs, revelations, catharses...
Ex-NFL linebacker Antone was the first to break down in tears at the realization at how far he let himself go, and I’m glad that Gentle Bob is his trainer. Becky got a phone call on Night One (at 3:15 am) from her husband to find out that her father had finally succumbed to CHF, and, not wanting to spend her first night tossing and turning, dealt with it by working out by herself. It apparently helped her, but I have a feeling that the grief will be coming out in short bursts over the season. It was certainly nice of the show to let her leave for a few days to help make arrangements. Dolvett’s main focus this week was on Patrick, who he is determined not to let give up on himself.
And now, this week’s numbers:
Black Team (Bob)
John - lost 37 pounds (37 total), 8.31%, now stands at 408.
Antone - lost 32 pounds (32 total), 7.16%, now stands at 415.
Joe - lost 22 pounds (22 total), 6.32%, now stands at 326.
Sunny - lost 16 pounds (16 total), 5.78%, now stands at 261.
Jennifer - lost 19 pounds (19 total), 5.76%, now stands at 311.
Total - 126 pounds lost (6.82%).
Red Team (Dolvett)
Courtney - lost 16 pounds (16 total), 5.93%, now stands at 254.
Jessica - lost 15 pounds (15 total), 5.91%, now stands at 239.
Patrick - lost 20 pounds (20 total), 5.17%, now stands at 367.
Vinny - lost 21 pounds (21 total), 4.93%, now stands at 405.
Ramon - lost 17 pounds (17 total), 4.79%, now stands at 338.
Total - 89 pounds lost (5.26%).
Blue Team (Anna)
Johnny - lost 17 pounds (17 total), 5.18%, now stands at 311.
Becky - lost 10 pounds (10 total), 4.20%, now stands at 228.
Mike - lost 12 pounds (12 total), 3.88%, now stands at 297.
Debbie - lost 6 pounds (6 total), 2.51%, now stands at 233.
Bonnie - lost 4 pounds (4 total), 1.57%, now stands at 250.
Total - 49 pounds lost (3.58%).
Wow. Not even close. And as much as I want to blame Anna for her team coming up well short, I can’t. She does not lack motivational skills, and from what I’ve seen, she doesn’t lack training skills (though I seriously doubt that if she did, the editors would make it obvious). The trouble is, her team is all over 50; they have slower metabolisms and more years of counterproductive conditioning to break through. I doubt even Bob could have spurred them on to victory. After this episode, I have to wonder if this “battle of the ages” has the deck stacked so severely against the seniors that they are doomed to be picked off one by one.
On a happier note, this group seems like a really great bunch of people. They’ve all bonded together already, and I have yet to see any gamesmanship from anyone. (That has to change. It will. It must. The game is set up to make it happen. Dammit.) Everyone is pushing everybody else, and while it may make for schmaltzy television, not everything has to be cutthroat.
Kudos. To Johnny, the elder statesman this season, for putting up 17 pounds at age 65 despite a horrendous first workout. To Mike, for being the first to achieve a milestone, dropping below 300 pounds (hopefully for good). To Becky, for putting up double digits despite a family tragedy and a few days off. And to John, for putting up one of the highest totals (37 pounds) of all time.
Elimination. It’s sad to see anyone go home after one week, particularly one of the older folks, but that’s the game. Debbie revealed that she did have a gym membership and a support system at home waiting for her, and then a disagreement ensued between her and Bonnie, who she backhandedly accused of repeatedly crying to curry sympathy, which, needless to say, did not fly well with Bonnie. From that moment on, it was pretty clear that Debbie had alienated herself from the rest of the group, and she was sent home by a 3-2 margin over Bonnie (whom Johnny also voted for based on lack of results).
Update. In the weeks since, Debbie has lost an additional eighteen pounds and is now down to 215. She has been hitting the gym 4-5 times a week, and has even encouraged her hefty daughter Devon to join her. She has also joined in the break-dancing class taught by her son Maurice (no, not the kind you’re thinking of), which she does with her daughter and grandkids. Her ultimate goal is to be down to 160 pounds by the finale. Good luck, Grandma Debbie!
Next week (or at some point later on this season): John pisses off his teammates. Vinny has threatening words with Jennifer. And Dr. H drops by with his initial diagnoses of the contestants.
