The Biggest Loser: Special Edition – A Preview

NBC has announced some of the details of The Biggest Loser: Special Edition. This is the special mini-version of the traditional show announced near the end of The Biggest Loser 2, and being run for five consecutive weeks starting on January 4th. The teams will be smaller, and have some kind of connection rather than simply being a collection of contestants.

Yes, the show is being relocated from its traditional Monday slot to Wednesdays, and it’s also moving from 8 PM to 9 PM (Eastern). However, that’s when we’re all used to watching The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, so the disruption to our viewing schedules ought to be minimal.

Essentially, each story line will be aired over two hours. In the first hour, we will meet the contestants at The Biggest Loser ranch and watch them learn new habits from trainers Bob and Jillian. After covering ten days of activities, the first hour will end with a weigh-in and a prize will be awarded. Then, the teams will be sent home. In part two, we will see how the contestants fared in “the real world.” Will they be able to apply their new-found skills, or slide back into familiar but unhealthy behaviors that got them on this show in the first place? The second part will end with another weigh-in, and the team that has lost the greater percentage of weight will win a prize of $50,000.

The series will feature all the familiar faces we’ve grown used to. Trainers Bob and Jillian will put the teams through their paces, and our favorite hostess Caroline Rhea, will be on hand to maintain continuity. Here’s the exact schedule, with details. Why not print it and out it on the fridge?

On Wednesday, January 4th (8-10 p.m. ET), both parts will be run back-to-back as a single two-hour episode. Billed as the “Family vs. Family” challenge, we will meet The Muha family of Tampa, Florida, and The Samuel family, from Atlanta, Georgia. One challenge will be a healthy food pop quiz. I’m dying to see how I recap that one myself!

On January 11th, the show reverts to the 9-10 p.m. ET timeslot that will be maintained for all subsequent episodes. We will see part 1 of “The Engaged Couples,” as Steve and Sarah of Allentown, Pennsylvania, go up against Edwin and Rasha from Portland, Oregon. The couples are trying to lose weight before their upcoming weddings. Trust me, you want to look good in those pictures!

Part two of “The Engaged Couples” airs the following week, on January 18th. The winning couple will win a dream wedding worth $50,000.

On February 1st, it’s part 1 of what they are calling “The Little Italy Family” vs. “The 1950s Diner Family.” The Sapienza family, from Bronx, New York, will compete against the Senti family from Peoria, Illinois. Their point of commonality is that both families run restaurants. They will partake in a treadmill challenge.

The conclusion of “Italy versus Diner” will be shown on February 8th, when we will see them try to win a family vacation.

There was at least one other competition previewed back in Biggest Loser 2, namely, teams of four military spouses. There has been no announcement of what happened to the spouses!

We’ll see if this shorter format can deliver some of the inspiration and emotional impact of the longer series. Join me here at RealityNewsOnline each Thursday for a recap of all the action, sprinkled with my own reactions and opinions!

Brian lives in Toronto where he can be reached at uncle_bto@rogers.com. He’d like to hear your opinions and promises to respond to all serious email.

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