The Biggest Loser is back. Kind of. For season 15 (Second Chances 2), the show has been shrunk down to an hour a week and maybe a dozen episodes for just one run this year (it will not be back midseason as The Voice takes over its time slot because NBC sucks).
The 15 new contestants who make up The Biggest Loser Season 15 cast include the heaviest contestant this year, American Idol winner Ruben Studdard.
Bob, Jillian, and Dolvett were allowed to choose who is coming to the ranch. We start the show with a brief glimpse at the casting interviews followed by singing competition style process of elimination.
Rachel used to be a national level swimmer. Holley is a current Olympic weightlifter. Jay was a rodeo athlete (is that a thing?). Tanya gained 125 pounds while pregnant with her daughter, and her daughter was then born overweight.
David is unable to finish the first workout and is the first to be tossed out of the gym, though he probably will not be the last.
Jillian wants to get rid of Ruben’s disturbing back (and shoulder) hair.
After their initial workout, the trainers announce the teams they have picked. And they speed through it so fast with no logical order that I can’t even keep up and have to fill in all the names as the show goes by.
Jillian: Craig, Tumi, Rachel, Marie, Fernanda
Bob: Holley, Chelsea, Jay, Matt, Bobby
Dolvett: Ruben, Jennifer, Tanya, David, Hap
Speaking of speeding through things because the episodes are apparently too short, we don’t have time for a starting weigh in, so this is how things start.
Bobby: 358 pounds
Chelsea: 241 pounds
Craig: 385 pounds
David: 409 pounds
Fernanda: 250 pounds
Hap: 403 pounds
Holley: 351 pounds
Jay: 297 pounds
Jennifer: 266 pounds
Marie: 249 pounds
Matt: 356 pounds
Rachel: 260 pounds
Ruben: 462 pounds
Tanya: 262 pounds
Tumi: 319 pounds
There will be no yellow line tonight. Rather, there is a red line. Whoever has the lowest percentage of weight loss on the losing team will be eliminated.
This season’s twist is that there will be a trainer’s save. Each trainer will be allowed to save one person.
Then it’s time to rush through the weigh in. Breathe, people. You sure are making this impossible to live blog. If I didn’t have the starting weights, I’d be completely lost.
Holley: 335 pounds (-16, 4.56%)
Hap: 386 pounds (-17, 4.22%)
Chelsea: 229 pounds (-12, 4.98%)
Matt: 333 pounds (-23, 6.46%)
Bobby: 338 pounds (-20, 5.59%)
Blue Team Total: 1621 pounds (-88, 5.15%)
Ruben: 441 pounds (-21, 4.55%)
Jennifer: 255 pounds (-11, 4.14%)
Tanya: 247 pounds (-15, 5.73%)
Rachel: 239 pounds (-21, 8.08%)
David: 371 pounds (-38, 9.29%)
Red Team Total: 1552 pounds (-107, 6.45%)
Tumi: 319 pounds (-14, 4.39%)
Fernanda: 238 pounds (-12, 4.80%)
Marie: 240 pounds (-9, 3.61%)
Jay: 274 pounds (-23, 7.74%)
Craig: 372 pounds (-13, 3.38%)
White Team Total: 1429 pounds (-71, 4.73%)
The blue team didn’t do much better, but the white team ended up being dragged down by a couple of particularly bad performances. Craig has fallen below the red line, but despite her warning that she probably would not use her save, Jillian saves him. Not only does this make good strategic sense since he’s the only male on her team, but I don’t think anyone wants to see someone go home after just one week.
Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of The Biggest Loser Season 15 Episode 2, which airs Tuesday at 8/7c on NBC.