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The Biggest Loser 4, October 16: Beach Party!by Brian Towers -- 10/17/2007
View Printable version of this article Last week, the competitors all went to Jamaica, where some contestants confusedly thought they were on some sort of vacation. After winning massages in a challenge, the Black Team lost the weigh-in for the first time and twin Jim was sent home. Tonight, we’ll see how brother Bill handles that situation. Tonight’s episode is 60 minutes long instead of the expected, something that wasn’t announced before I went to press last week. So with no time to waste, voiceover guy kicks things off by telling us that 653 pounds to date. Way to go, gang! 
We meet up with the Black Team working out on the lawn. Jillian knows it’s important to build team unity. Meanwhile, Kim is working her charges hard as well. And, as they fumble through a training exercise that seems to involve stacking logs improperly, Bob wonders how he can get his Blue Team to finally win a challenge. Series host Alison Sweeney opens proceedings by informing the assembled Losers that it’s already time for a challenge! As previewed, the location is indeed a nice, sandy beach. She cryptically tells everyone that the challenge focuses on perseverance, not speed, because weight loss is about perseverance, not speed. Teams have to carry heavy, bulky frames as far as they can. After the first three have gone, three new teammates are brought in to take over. There are three rounds in all, and results are combined for the trio representing each team. We learn that women carry 60% of their current body weight and men, 75%. The prize is videos from home. In the first group, Hollie excels by going more than twice as far as Amy and Nicole combined. The participants are changed and the sleds reloaded with the correct weights. For round two, Jez cannot hold the lead, and I think his left hand strap breaks. Kae puts the Blue Team in a very slight lead as the Red Team trails by rather a lot. Changing the lineup for the anchor leg, a lot of weight is added to every sled – Phil will carry 260 pounds! It soon turns into a contest between two of the most determined contestants, Bill for the Black Team and big Phil for the Reds. And sure enough, Phil makes up the difference and even extends a lead. Eventually Bill has to drop his load and the Red Team wins again. In a cameo, using a condescending tone, Julie says, “I don’t think the Red Team hasn’t won five out of six challenges, I think Phil has won five out of six challenges.” Like, is Julie the powerhouse of her Black Team? Hardly. I think we’ve found our sand crab! The next scenes are from the videos from home. It’s sweet stuff, especially when Phil’s daughter kisses the camera good night. All four are reduced to tears. Jillian pops into the kitchen to offer a cooking tip. It’s to chew lo-cal gum (five calories) while cooking. This way, you’re not going to be grazing while you work! Meanwhile, Kim is concerned about the quality of workouts her team is putting in. She is especially having trouble motivating David. David doesn’t feel he wants to be pushed, while Kim sees her job as trainer includes pushing her charges to higher levels. It leads to some short, terse words, and he ends up walking away from the team. 
Jillian shares some bad news with us – that Hollie’s mother has had a relapse with her leukemia. After breaking the bad news to Hollie, Jillian tells her that she needs to do the right thing for herself. Hollie decides to go home and spend some time with her mother. It means she has to miss the next weigh-in. At the weigh-in, Alison breaks the sad news that Hollie’s mother passed away a few hours ago. However, it is necessary to continue with the task at hand. Remember, it’s the team’s total percentage of loss that counts, not the raw pound amounts. First on the scale is the Blue Team. The Red Team is weighed second, needing a loss of more than 34 pounds to earn safety from elimination. When their turn comes up, the Black Team hear they need to lose more than 16 pounds to avoid elimination. Here are all the results:
Alison tells us that Hollie was weighed in earlier that day. Actually, everyone is weighed in earlier in the day. The big scale is just a dramatic device for TV, and the true weigh-in occurs under medical supervision. I’ve said that before; but I’m repeating it for the benefit of newer readers. Alison announces that the Blue Team wins the week, and the Red Team must face Alison in the Elimination Room. Alison informs David that as the biggest loser on the losing team, he is exempt from eviction. 1 2 Next-->View Printable version of this article
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