Biggest Loser 5: Couples, Episode 2 – One Big Happy Family

Last time, we met the ten two-member teams that are identified by a myriad of colored jerseys. Although the Blue and Black Teams showed well in both challenges, several other teams struggled. In the end, after daughter Jenni dropped the lowest percentage of weight, her father Lynn threw himself on his sword and the Green Team were the first ones sent home.

These are the surviving teams. I see that although they’ve been married for three years now, the White Team is being referred to as “The Newlyweds” so there aren’t two “Married” teams… not that we couldn’t tell them apart!

The week’s action begins with the teams marching past a series of banners with their goals printed on them and into the gym. Everyone is happy to still be here, especially the also-nominated members of the Purple Team. The trainers arrive, pleased that everyone is working out already. Or maybe, is it because they have a surprise for everyone? Bob announces that the trainers have also decided to become a duo. This means they will unite to train all the couples as one team. That really belittles the first challenge when they competed for choice of trainer, doesn’t it?

The different training styles of the two trainers are revisited next. Jillian calls Bob “Mr. Yoga,” and adds matter-of-factly, “I’m a screamer.” Bob adds (while safely alone), “She’s the craziest person I ever met!

Most competitors soon note that the intensity of the workouts has increased. Yellow Team ex-wife Kelly comments, “Their idea of fun and mine is a lot different.” At one point Pink Team mother Bette-Sue loses concentration and falls hard on the treadmill, getting her hand caught underneath somehow. But, trooper that she is, after a second to orient herself and count her fingers, they help her up and she’s raring to go some more!

Host Alison is back to help the competitors confront some hard facts in “The Hall Of Truth.” No one knows what to expect. Alison warns them that until they are able to realize how bad things were, they will be unable to move forward.

It turns out to be a series of video presentations, one for each team, presenting some scary statistics to each team about their diet patterns. The usual suspects of soda pop, bread, candy, fried food, and more are targeted. For example, Neill and Amanda hear that he consumes over 400 pounds of sugar a year from soda pop alone. The numbers are overwhelming.

Probably the most heavily affected is the married Brown Team. Mallory is reduced to tears, which is probably the correct response to hearing that eating Curtis’s favorite meal of fried chicken strips at every meal would deliver over 890,000 calories a year. Their total diet equates to over 70 pounds of fat and almost 120 pounds of sugar, annually. Curtis moans, “We’re killing ourselves. We are literally killing ourselves. We can’t do this any more!” He later tells us he is embarrassed and disgusted by the proud and joyous way he discussed his diet in the pre-show video. As their presentation mercifully ends, they vow to keep each other alive. Big hug time for the Brown Team!

In the gym, the Orange Team shares a couple of chuckles over the White Team. Although Amanda is working like a demon, Neill is working at a far more relaxed pace and is not visibly sweating. Neill says he always takes things easy, and at work, people sometimes think he isn’t busy. However, he also announces that he doesn’t plan to burn himself out and we see him taking a break while Amanda soldiers on. Amanda thinks Neill doesn’t take extra breaks, but admits she might be a biased judge.

Timing is everything, because he’s standing on the side rails of the treadmill with his head down when Jillian enters the gym. Several times she asks him if he’s quitting. She tells him he needs to resume his workout now and adds, “I don’t care if you’re dying. You need to die to be born again.” She further promises him an hour of treadmill time if he doesn’t start working, adding that no one will leave the gym until he’s done.

Wishing to get back to the dorm in the foreseeable future, several competitors start to encourage Neill. But in a cameo, Black Team brother Jay is frustrated that Neill is not more motivated.

Jillian asks Neill why he’s here. He says it’s to get thin, but she wants a deeper reason. He can’t come up with one. The website suggest his goal is “To play hockey again,” so that might have worked, but he’s got nothing for her. Finally, Neill starts walking.

Series host Alison Sweeney greets the nine teams in the twilight. I’m not sure if that was the plan, or it took Neill that long to walk for a continuous hour without stopping.

This time, they’re going to be challenged by big see-saws! These are definitely industrial-sized teeter-totters, built out of sturdy metal pieces that look maybe thirty feet long. Alison tells them the first team to go up and down 100 times will be the winner. The prize is a pair of phone cards and a chance to phone home.