They didn't call this season of The Biggest Loser the biggest for nothing.

Sure, we've mentioned it already: this season features the heaviest contestant the show has ever seen--that'd be Shay, who starts at 476 pounds--and, generally, the biggest contestants in the show.  So big, in fact, that Dr. Huizenga decided to have them undergo additional tests for obesity studies.  

Oh, and a boatload of sob stories, tying in perfectly with the "second chances" theme.  You've heard about Abby, who is still reeling from the death of her husband and her two kids in a car accident two years ago.  (I'm actually skipping the details.)  There's Sean, whose weight problems had serious implications--he isn't even aware that his body's 49 years old according to the checkups!  There's Dina, who wants to have a second child but can't because of her weight.  Shay had to go to foster home after foster home since her mom was a heroin addict.

And, of course, there's Daniel, who showed up last season as the heaviest contestant and will continue his weight loss this time.  There's some sort of poetic justice in the show, it seems, when Dan finished first on the contestants' first challenge--even before they hit the ranch, at that!--but still acknowledging that he's got a long way to go.

The challenge was also a bit poetic: the contestants have to run the last mile in the marathon that last season's finalists ran.  Obviously most struggled through this, but a couple of them had an extra hard time.  Mo had to be sent to the hospital after complaining of dizziness.  Tracey--now her situation's a scary one.  She vowed to beat Dan, but she fell to the ground barely a hundred yards to the finish line.  Everybody else helped her across, since she couldn't get up--only to see her lose consciousness when she did cross the line.  She was also brought to the hospital.  Mo eventually had to weigh in by himself since his partner, Tracey, was still confined.  Fortunately he lose enough weight to stay safe.

The one thing I was waiting for was Bob and Jillian finally joining forces to train everyone.  Finally, because the competition factor between the trainers did, admit it or not, get in the way sometimes.  Put these two together, though, and things won't be any easier for the contestants.  Shay, in fact, decided to quit during the very first session, only to get some verbal lashing from Jillian--well, duh!--when she decided to return.  And that's why you do not walk out on the first try.

Since Dan won the challenge, he won immunity and was safe for the vote.  Shay also took immunity, since Dan picked her as his partner for the rest of the season.  The weigh-ins boiled down to college student Alexandra and loan officer Julio, who found themselves up for elimination.  Alexandra eventually got the boot--four votes to three--because they think she could do it better on her own, and that Julio deserved staying more.  Since her elimination, she has shed sixty pounds.

And now, the scorecard, teams, weights and all:

Orange: Daniel lost 12 lbs, Shay lost 17 lbs
Pink: Amanda lost 6 lbs, Rebecca lost 18 lbs
Blue: Ruby lost 28 lbs, Dina lost 8 lbs
Red: Antoine lost 18 lbs, Sean lost 22 lbs
Brown: Liz lost 10 lbs, Danny lost 24 lbs
Green: Allen lost 19 lbs, Abby lost 15 lbs
Black: Alexandra lost 13 lbs, Julio lost 13 lbs
Purple: Mo lost 19 lbs, Tracey can't attend the weigh-in





- Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of NBC)