The Biggest Loser, Episode 11: The 'Biggest' Finale

Kelly’s in the limousine and says she’s nervous, knowing that she is minutes away from the final weigh-in. Gary reiterates that he wants to win the money, and Ryan wishes that he had done better. Cut to a live audience. They are watching a video screen as the limousines drive up. Caroline Rhea steps out to the cheers of the crowd. She tells us what we already know – tonight someone will win $250,000 PLUS there will be another surprise.

Caroline introduces Gary first. After a brief clip of him at the first weigh-in, he steps through a paper screen, one side of which has a “before” picture of him. The crowd erupts. He looks amazing. Caroline is stunned and can hardly speak. This is live television, after all and she hasn’t seen these people in three months either. Gary’s family is in the audience, waving signs and cheering wildly. He tells Caroline that being away from his family was tough, but he would do it again in a heartbeat. She jokes that now he has a stronger heartbeat!

Now it’s Kelly’s turn. We see her first day shot, and she also bursts through the screen next to her old self. She is wearing a red halter dress with a waist. Yeah, you go girl.. She and Gary hug, and stare at each other in amazement. Caroline says, “Hello bombshell.” Kelly says that Gary looks twenty years younger. She introduces her parents and tells Caroline that, in the words of her neice, she feels like the “prettiest, prettiest princess.”

Ryan is last. He pops through the screen and nearly falls down. Wow. The difference in this man before and after is startling. Caroline can’t believe it, and Kelly and Gary are equally amazed. Caroline points out Ryan’s wife and says, “She looks like me.” A screen pulls back, and there it is, the Biggest Loser scale, live and in person.

Caroline introduces the rest of the team and asks them to stand up. She tells them not to sit down. “When you left the ranch,” she says, “you thought the game was over for you, but you were wrong.” Next week, they will all have a chance to get on the scale and whoever has lost the most weight will win $100,000. Gary, Kelly and Ryan dash into the group and everyone is hugging and cheering. Maurice looks as though he has taken off a few pounds, and Andrea is positively svelte. But Lisa, my, my, my… she looks marvelous.

Caroline tells us that the players on this show lost over 750 pounds. That’s an average of 62.5 pounds each. That is remarkable. Then she brings out Bob and Jillian. Everyone hugs, and Caroline seems overwhelmed. She is totally losing control of the show! She asks Kelly about her homecoming, and guess what? There’s a live feed from Bethlehem, PA where the school has gathered to cheer her on. I so want her to win this.

It’s time for the weigh-in. Here’s the twist. Their total loss of body fat will also be considered. They were dunked yesterday, and those results will be compared to their first body fat assessment. Because Ryan was in the lead at the end of the game, he gets to choose the order of the weigh-in. Wisely, he chooses Kelly first and then Gary. Kelly steps up, looking great in her red Biggest Loser tank top (I want one of them!). But before she is weighed, we have a chance to reminisce about Kelly’s journey. She worked so hard and I am so, very impressed. She shakes her head. Let’s get this thing started.

Kelly gets on the scale. Caroline reminds us that Kelly started at 242 pounds. Her current weight is 163. She has lost 79 pounds. She cries, I cry, and Ryan holds his head. Her total percentage is 33 percent and she has decreased her body fat by 17 percent. Her transformation total (a new little integer they’ve just tossed in here) is 50. She hugs Jillian.

This show is running long and there’s no time for any dramatic buildup. Gary is next. He bolts up to the scale, but of course, we have to have a little trip down Gary’s memory lane. I can’t get over how great he looks. Okay, Gary steps up. When he started he weighed 227 pounds. His current weight is 156. He has lost 71 pounds. Wow. His percentage of weight loss is 31% and he has decreased his body fat by 17 percent for a total of 54. Kelly is out of the game.

Now for Ryan. Again, the transformation is absolutely remarkable. Ryan started out at 330 pounds, and his current weight is 208, for a total loss of 122 pounds. Holy cow! His percentage total is 37 percent, and he decreased his body fat by 18 percent. The total number… 55. Ryan Benson is “The Biggest Loser.” He hugs Jillian, and then Gary and Kelly. Caroline calls Mariah up to the stage but there is no time for any closing thoughts.

The show is running out of time! No commercial, no interviews with the others… what a blunder. Caroline has just enough time to tell us that there is still time to apply for The Biggest Loser 2 and that next week, there will be a “reunion” weigh-in where one of the nine who didn’t make the finals will win $100,000. And that’s that. Don’t you just love live TV!

We’ll be back next week with a rundown of the runner-up’s weigh-in, and my final thoughts on this show. I’m out of time too!

Donna Reynolds is an Assistant Editor for the RealityNewsOnline family of websites and a freelance writer based in Syracuse, NY. She is also the creator of “That’s Entertainment,” a weblog on syracuse.com. Whether you agree or disagree, Donna welcomes your comments, and you can email her at foxydonna@earthlink.net.

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