The Biggest Loser 4, September 25 – Are You Faster Than A Fifth Grader?

The show begins with a self-promoting video. Instead, I’ll tell you that last week, the feature event was the return of the Black Team and trainer Jillian Michaels. The Red Team sent Lezlye home, ostensibly because she wasn’t big enough. How’s that for irony?

Let’s get into tonight’s action. After hearing the inspirational strains of theme song “Proud,” we learn 375 pounds have been lost by our competitors already. I think that’s great!

Back at the Campus, series host Alison Sweeney greets the Red and Blue teams. She attempts to generate negative feelings toward the Black Team, but that goes “THUD.” These folks are too focused on their own goals to worry about such distractions.

Alison persists, and a couple of seemingly innocuous questions cleverly segue into the first Temptation Challenge. There’s a nasty mess of food downstairs in the kitchen, all stuff not on their diet, and we learn that it represents the total weight loss of the three biggest losers so far (Jerry, Phil, and Bill), combined. That’s 400,000 calories – ick!

The challenge runs like this – each person will be confined in the kitchen for four minutes, unobserved. The person who consumes the most calories wins a three-pound pass at the next weigh-in.

First up is “B,” (the Weightloss Artist Formerly Known As “Bryan”), who likes what he sees and even picks up an enticing hot wing. But Kudos to B, he admits to slight temptation, yet doesn’t eat a thing! In another cameo, he confirms that to eat right and to exercise is the only way to achieve his true objective of a healthier lifestyle.

Kae enters the room next and whispers to the Chocolate God, “Oh my God, that smells so good!” But she stays strong and does not eat. Then, Black Team member Jez is seen eating a piece of pizza – boo! He bounces as he eats. Is it a celebration, or a wildly ineffective attempt to start burning those 200 calories? But, he’s the early leader!

The contestants continue to be tested. Most (correctly) say, ‘Nix!” The best one is, after sniffing some pizza deeply, young Julie puts a bit of frosting on her lip – but doesn’t eat it. It was just her trick on her teammates, so they would think she had swayed. Way to go, Julie!

This brings us to Neil of the Blue Team. He tells us the team told him to eat so they would win. He chows down big time and as he leaves the room with a very self-satisfied smile, he thinks he’s consumed about 1700 calories.

Somehow, Patty mistakes his happy lips for ones that have not tasted the food, so she decides she needs to take one for the team herself. I have to say that she embraces the task at hand with great fervor and is even dancing while she grazes. “It’s hog heaven,” she says joyfully!

If viewing those two attack the table of ugly food doesn’t change your future eating plans, I don’t know what would.

But let us resume. Hostess Alison announces the results. Patty “wins,” if that’s the right word, after consuming an incredible 1,930 calories in four minutes. Neil is shocked, and Captain Jerry is not pleased.

Trainer Kim is proud that no one on her Red Team fell prey to the temptation. However, we can hear Neil being plenty upset in a nearby room over the fact that he ate all that food for no reason. Even trainer Bob takes shots at Patty.

Kae gets weepy over the fact that any of them had so little faith that they felt the need to win the pass. Patty later refers to the situation as “a train wreck,” but she weepily apologizes to Neil and the others. Bob says, “We’ve come a long way, but man… we’ve got a long way to go.”

Back with the group, he tells them that now is the time to talk about this, and then, “It gets talked about no more.” The scene ends with hugs all around, and it seems Patty has been forgiven. Yet in the gym, Bob is working those who yielded to temptation the hardest of all.

It’s time to prepare for the next challenge. All the trainers know about it is that sprinting is involved. Kim is giving her team starting tips as though they were real sprinters. I’m thinking this is a little advanced for where the contestants are currently at, physically.

Trainer Bob gets the idea that he wants his team to sprint across the gym with a teammate riding on their back like a jockey. We’ve seen the Black Team doing this already, but the Blue Team thinks Bob is nuts.

First Nicole carries Kae, and then we see everyone taking part. Even Bob gets a ride! But when Ryan trips and passenger Jerry falls hard to the floor, it gets serious very quickly. It seems Jerry might have hyper-extended his left knee, potentially taking him out of the challenge.

At the challenge, Alison is on hand to tell the competitors that they will be running a hundred-yard dash against a new team, the Yellow Team. No one is sure how to take this news. May I mention how cute Alison looks in her pink top and beige coveralls?

The scene shifts to footage of “Trainer Tips,” from Bob. He recommends trying to do your normal routine while standing on an irregular surface, like a physio ball or while standing on one leg. He suggests this is a good way to develop a six-pack. That’s a fine tip, but what an odd moment in the show this was to present it!

Back at the challenge, the Yellow Team is revealed, and it’s three young kids. Our Losers are in SO much trouble now! Jim describes them as “Three monsters who made us shiver in our shoes!”