Welcome to The Biggest Loser, week 9! The number of contestants is dwindling as rapidly as their fat rolls – only six Losers remain. We rejoin our contestants right after last week’s weigh-in. The contestants are nervous. Will they keep their teams with Jeff and Andrea becoming a pair? Will the game change again, making them play as individuals? Indeed, host Caroline tells them that from now on, it’s every man or woman for him or herself. She goes on to explain that each week, the two contestants with the least weight loss percentage will be “below the yellow line” and subject to elimination. So far, Matt is the weight loss leader at just over 25%, Jeff is second at 23%, Suzie is third at 21%, and Seth is fourth at slightly more than 20%. These four are above the magic yellow line. Shannon and Andrea are fifth and sixth respectively at 19 and 16%. Shannon says that although she’s disappointed to be in last, she ready to work hard to get herself into contention. Apparently, she won’t have to work very hard because Caroline tells them to disregard the standings to date – all that counts is each person’s individual weight loss that week!
Andrea is suddenly tied for first place. Well done, Andrea! The group makes their way back to the ranch house where Jillian and Bob are there to find out that Mark has left. They also tell the trainers it’s now an individual game. Of course, Jillian is heartbroken to discover that Mark is gone (instead of that B!tch, Andrea!), but she likes that the teams are gone so that she can give each of her men the individual training program they deserve. I think maybe they’re all getting a little lonely being away from home so long.To let off some steam, Jillian and Bob have put up a dunk tank. This will be today’s temptation challenge. The losers can take a shot at their favorite trainers by eating a 10 calorie M&M candy. They get one ball for each candy they eat.. Matt calculates that he can eat up to 13 M&M’s and not blow his diet. It looks like they’re peanut M&M’s. He dunks her on the third attempt. Ahh, the dunk tank! I just don’t understand the lure of dropping people into three feet of water. Maybe if it was off the side of a boat, or if it was sewer water – that would be something! Next, Bob takes the plunge and then Andrea gives it a try. She’s really getting into it, which pleases Suzy. That’s right Andrea, just three more balls. A few more M&M’s can’t hurt! Actually, she looks like she must have been a softball player at one time because she’s got quite an arm!
Later, in the house, Suzy walks upstairs with a pair of scissors in her hand, looking for Matt. Has she finally gone over the edge? No, apparently, Matt felt bad that he didn’t get his hair cut on makeover day, so Suzy has agreed to take on the task, as she’s been a hairdresser for 10 years. Snip, snip and a few minutes later, Matt’s mop top is gone. He looks younger and great! Andrea says he looks hot, then says he looks cute. C’mon Andrea, he can either be hot or cute, but not both. The women are surprised how good looking he is with good hair.
Bob wants to take the girls jogging, but Shannon is having a hard time because her foot is injured. This leads to some intense bickering back and forth, with Shannon saying Bob isn’t listening making the ultimate insult of implying Bob isn’t doing his job as a trainer. Bob is offended, saying that he’s here 7 days a week for her. I’m glad he didn’t say he was giving 200 percent!
The players are all practicing for the challenge, which will involve jumping and balance. It sounds like jump roping. My first thought is that Matt, a former wrestler, should have the advantage here as jumping rope is a common training exercise for wrestlers. The winner of this challenge will get immunity form elimination and win the amazing exercise bike that was offered for a temptation several weeks ago. The contestants must battle the ultimate jump rope - automated bars that swing automatically and go faster and faster as the game progresses. Suzy and Andrea and Jeff don’t last long. Shannon makes longer than those three, despite her hurt foot, but eventually it comes down to Seth and Matt. The two battle for a long time before Seth finally succumbs to the giant bar, and as expected, Matt wins!
Everyone is impressed with Shannon’s effort and she says she did it because she didn’t want to look like a quitter. Jillian is worried that Jeff may falter and have a plateau week after having lost double-digits for five weeks in a row. She works him out hard - the weigh-in is coming up and she’s fighting for him to stay.
Matt on the other hand is trying to keep the weight on. He’s cut back on the workouts and increased the calories. He’s confident he can lose it back next week – another wrestling phenomenon, although they usually LOSE the weight first, the put it back ON. Everyone else is working out like crazy because no one wants to go home.
The Weigh-In
Its time for this week’s weigh-in. Matt is immune so he’ll be weighed first. He thinks he’s going to gain today. Sure enough, he’s taken on 12 lbs:
Matt:
Start – 339
Previous – 254
Current – 266
Percent Loss – 4.5% gain!
He may win the game, but he’s lost my respect. I hope he goes home next week.
Andrea:
Start – 220
Previous – 184
Current – 179
Percent Loss – 2.72% Good enough to put her in the lead. Too bad she’s the first contestant.
Seth:
Start – 291
Previous – 232
Current – 219
Percent Loss – 5.60% He takes over the lead!
Suzie:
Start – 227
Previous – 180
Current – 170
Percent Loss – 5.56%. This places her second behind Seth. We learn that she hasn’t weighed 170 since the 9th grade. Then her voice gets squeaky and very high pitched. I think she says something, but I can’t hear. Strangely, eight dogs simultaneously appear wagging at her feet.
Shannon:
Start – 257
Previous – 208
Current – 200
Percent Loss – 3.85 This means Andrea is below the yellow line and will be in the bottom two.
Jeff:
Start – 370
Previous – 284
Current – 270
Percent Loss – 4.93 He moves above the yellow line and Shannon joins Andrea vulnerable to elimination. Also, he’s the first to lose 100 lbs!
Back in the ranch house, everyone is emotional. Bob tries to console Shannon telling her that what she’s accomplished is real. Andrea is sad because she thinks she’s going home. She tells Bob he changed her life and she loves him. She appreciates that he didn’t give up even when she wanted to.
At the voting ceremony, it is the three guys and Suzy who will be voting. I don’t think Suzy has had to speak at one of these in a long time. She tearfully chooses to send Shannon home. Somebody please get her a tissue. Fortunately, the stress of sending home a friend has to be helpful with the weight loss. Seth also throws a vote Shannon’s way - they are both playing to win. Jeff on the other hand isn’t as motivated by money. He votes to keep the one who pushes him more. Since that person is Shannon, he votes for Andrea. If it’s a tie, Andrea will go home with the lower weight loss. Matt will have the deciding vote. His vote is also for Shannon.
Loser Update
24 hours later, we see Shannon rejoining her family. They think she looks like a movie star. Shannon tells them she’s going to start working out tomorrow and is taking her sister with her. Today, she weighs 170, down from 257. She’s looking good, but frankly still has a lot of excess rear baggage.
Who will go home next? Will Matt shed the weight he gained? Will NBC be forced to subtitle Suzie’s dialog? Tune in next week and come here to Reality TV World for the summary by Cyndimaus!
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