The Biggest Loser 4, October 30: Losing Focus?

Hollie knows that she’s a target now, but Jillian tells her team not to pout or sulk, because there’s no other choice but to do their best. Jillian tells us in a cameo, “We have our integrity, and that’s what counts.” It’s notable that Red Team Amy, who now trains with Jillian, sits about five yards apart from the others and is clearly not a part of this rally.

Jillian says, “My team has been functioning with integrity,” which is a swell segue to a separate discussion between former Red Team member Amy and her new trainer Jillian. Amy, overwhelmed with guilt, admits to Jillian that she was pressured by Neil to avoid losing weight last week, and that she capitulated to the pressure. Jeez-zus, get a spine!

Amy further confesses (confirms?) that it’s a Red and Blue Team alliance against the Black Team. I think Jillian figured that out last week, except Jillian likes to call recent voting “assassination.”

Further, Amy reveals that the back-up plan to Neil drinking Lake Huron was for Amy to also tank the weigh-in. If her team had lost, Black Team’s Bill would have been the one voted out. A tearful Amy now wishes she had done her best.

Jillian implores Amy to focus on her own self, and says, “I need you to be as dedicated to you as I am!” Jillian should be proud that, however uncomfortable it was, Amy knew that confession was the right thing for her to do.

Back in the gym, Bob has Neil in his sights. He tells him in a “no uncertain terms” tone, “You do know that I’m going to be riding you really hard, right? And you’re going to take everything, right? This is definitely not the week to ask me one question, all right?” It’s pretty obvious that Neil is going to be feeling the pain this week.

Meeting in the kitchen, Hollie asks Jillian if she can reduce her caloric intake. As the camera cuts back, we see Isabeau eagerly awaiting the response as well. Jillian tells them both that they need to make every calorie count, and drinking calcium-rich milk is no mistake.

Series host Alison Sweeney finally makes an appearance, perhaps coming on-screen later than on any previous episode. She’s here with an endurance challenge. Simply stated, each team must suspend an amount of weight equal to their team’s weight. The last team still holding their support ropes wins.

Alison is coy about the prize, telling the contestants only that it will change the course of the game.

This is one tough, physical challenge. Gotta say, the ability to enter a Bob-ish Zen trance might be an advantage. The dueling duo of Isabeau and Neil are first out, and then the team of Bill-Amy-Julie falter scant seconds later.

Kae is determined her team must stay strong, but in time, the squad of Bryan, Nicole, and Ryan persevere. “Two Blues won!’ shouts Nicole excitedly. I must say, given how sensitive everyone is, it may have been a poor time to emphasize the color of your jerseys.

The prize is indeed a worthy one. Instead of a single team vote, team members will get to cast their own vote at the next elimination. The one rule is, this team needs to insure they are not the ones below the yellow line. What a great prize!

It’s cute that Bob is so happy that the Blue Team (or a subset thereof) has finally won a challenge. When Bob hears the prize, he knows the importance of keeping his team safe so the prize is not lost. He rewards the gleeful, smiling faces that are facing him with the promise of extra workouts. Those lucky dogs!

It’s time for a break from all the drama, as Kim shows David how to steam fish in a microwave. Nifty! As it’s really an ad, you’ll need to go to the NBC site for the details. Suffice to say, David is impressed with his salmon!

But let’s shift the scene again, out to the yard. While doing yoga, Bob tries to re-inspire Kae by telling her he’s proud of what she’s accomplished so far. Bob seems to think she’s feeling pressure about maintaining the pace of her impressive weight losses, but I suspect she’s really more concerned that game play has not completely left The Biggest Loser Campus! As the scene ends, Amy confesses to us that she trusts Bob deeply. A big hug follows, and Amy seems ready to face the game ahead.

At the last-chance workouts, I see a whole lot of people doing things I cannot do. Kim is pushing her troupes hard, and David is sure he’s put in sufficient effort. Neil is still feeling Bob’s wrath, so we know he’s appropriately sweaty. Bob says, “Neil totally disrespected the scale, and it’s all about him getting back on the scale’s good side.” Some may laugh at that, but I know my own scale is especially moody on Mondays.

In a last minute cameo, Neil says that he wants to have a good weight loss to show that he can be trusted again, that he’s not here to throw another weigh-in, and that he’s not here to keep playing games. Readers, how do you think that will that work out?

At the weigh-in, Alison reminds us once again that teams will be ranked by the percentage of weight lost. There is a Yellow Line on the results chart, with room for three results above it and one below. The members of team that falls below that dreaded Yellow Line are up for elimination. Here are all the results:

No one responds when Neil loses 33 pounds. It was almost eerie how deafening the silence is. Hostess Alison tells him he has the distinction of being the biggest loser in one week, and also the biggest gainer. Neil smiles. Neil smiles alone.