Biggest Loser 5: Couples, Episode 3 – Calling Dr. Phil!

Last time: to mimic the players, trainers Bob and Jillian also united into a team of two, and then put the contestants through their toughest workout yet. White Team husband Neill struggled with differing aspects of the process, but Jillian took him aside for a successful motivational chat. In a challenge involving oversized seesaws, the Black Team again prevailed, winning phone calls home for four teams. Later, three individuals yielded in a temptation, but only Black Team’s Mark won cash. The weigh-in generated a lot of disappointing results, but the Orange Team prevailed for the second time to win an unrevealed prize. The elimination vote was close, and although the Yellow Team was also at risk, the highly likable Brown Team was sent home.

As a refresher, these are the eight surviving teams.

The week, action begins with the trainers returning to hear the results of the last elimination. Trainer Bob admits off-camera that at first he’s surprised by the elimination, then he figures the teams saw the Brown Team as a threat to win. Trainer Jillian confesses to us that with their new set-up of being a training team of two, she is invested in both elimination nominees and has mixed feelings over the results. She also thinks it’s now “Game On!”

As if to confirm Jillian’s thoughts, members of the Black and Orange Team teams confess in cameos that although they are here to lose weight, they are also here to play the game and win the money.

This discussion continues as most teams head to the gym. But not all – it’s finally time for the Orange Team to get their prize for winning the last weigh-in.

Series host Alison meets them on a different lawn and tells them that to earn their reward, they have to hike to the top of a big, steep hill. There are three envelopes there, labeled “Luxury,” “Family,” and “Gameplay,” and they must choose one. As they walk up the hill, mom and son discuss their options. Mom wants to take “Gameplay.” Dan is interested in luxury, but mom can’t understand why he’d even consider that. To us, Jackie expresses a desire to see her husband, but when Dan lets her make the choice, Jackie opts for “Gameplay.” It’s a good choice, and they win the right to cast TWO votes at the next elimination!

Deciding to see if they made a wise choice, they open the other two envelopes. In “Family,” it says that the family member of their choice may visit for 24 hours. In the “Luxury” envelope is free massages for them and another team, for a week. The team decides they are happy with the prize they got.

When they return to the gym, son Dan announces their prize to the other contestants. Elder brother Mark knows that his challenge-winning Black Team needs to stay above the yellow line this week or they are in big trouble.

The next footage is of some intense training, with a wide variety of people being pushed past their limits. As they work out, the trainers address them regarding last week’s weak results. Bob explains, essentially, that if they work out hard, the numbers will take care of themselves. Jillian adds that the secret is to out-work their neighbors. Too bad their neighbors heard that!

As we go to commercial, there are several preview clips of what’s to come. Ridiculously, they include shots of the teams filing into the elimination ceremony, where a quick eye can pick out the two teams at the front that aren’t carrying trays (and are therefore the ones up for elimination). For the purposes of this recap, I’ll keep it a secret for now. However – brilliant work, editors!

Bob comes upon the four ladies of the Pink and Purple Teams. He speaks to them about snacking and forces Jenn to admit how many Cheezies she used to eat (she ate them by the bag). It turns into a low-cal gum commercial, though, so let’s move along.

In the gym, Bette-Sue of the Pink Team resents that she’s lifting as much weight as the young ones. In fact, she comes very, very, close to upchucking, and for her restraint, I am appreciative! Instead, Bob sends her on a walk with 20 pounds to carry. She moans and pouts most of the way through it, but then takes heart that those 20 pounds are equivalent to weight that used to be on her body.

A visit with the White Team, mostly in cameos, shows that Neill is still looking for shortcuts. Even his soft-spoken spouse Amanda knows that despite what he thinks, he’s not fooling anyone. This segues to a scene of trainer Bob loosing his patience with Neill.

After repeated warnings, Bob gets tired of telling Neill to stop using the hand-rests on the treadmill and passes him a pair of weights to hold on to instead. Sure enough, the next shot shows Neill standing astride (but not on) the treadmill, holding the weights at his side. Amusingly, wife Amanda can be seen as she sprints on the treadmill behind him.

Pink Team’s Ali (the daughter) gets some time with trainer Jillian next. Jillian later explains that if Ali doesn’t face the reason she’s heavy, the weight will just creep back on when she gets home. It turns out Ali uses her fat as a defense mechanism, and that she’s felt alone ever since her mom’s divorce. She adds that there are topics she can’t talk over with mom.

Really? Me too! And I’m older than 32! However, I’m fine with it.

Jillian says this is “an opportunity to dig this up and embrace (the feelings).” In a later aside, Ali indicates isn’t sure Jillian can see her as a person separate from the role as her mother’s daughter.

The scene changes again. Series host Alison Sweeney greets the teams outside. It’s time for a challenge! A big muddy pond it is in evidence, right in the middle of what looks like start and end lines that are about 75 yards apart. Alison tells them that this challenge will test their friendships and their alliances.

The challenge will work like this. One member of each team must race to get a medicine ball at the far end of the course, then carry it back to the starting end and place it in the rack of another team. Each lap, of course, takes them through the pond, which turns out to be high-thigh deep. The way in and out is muddy and slippery, too.

When a team’s rack is filled up with eight balls, they are eliminated. One player must do all the running and carrying, while the other just hangs by the rack and offers potentially helpful advice that is probably not all that welcome.

They are playing for immunity. Sweet!