Biggest Loser S13E01 - No Excuse Zone

A new season of Biggest Loser has begun and this time things are going to be slightly different. But I'll get into that in a bit. The show begins and we are given a quick preview of what to expect this season, as well as a bit of foreshadowing to a rivalry between Bob and Dolvett.

This year the teams are:
Purple: Kimmy, 48 / Megan, 21 (Mother & Daughter)
Gray: Chism, 19 / Mark, 43 (Son and Father)
Red: Christin, 42 / Roy, 62 (Married)
Blue: Joe, 38 / Mike, 40 (Brothers)
Brown: Buddy, 41 / Ben, 34 (Brothers)
Aqua: Daphne, 36 / Adrian, 34 (Sister & Brother)
Orange: Nancy, 63 / Cassandra, 25 (Grandmother & Granddaughter)
Green: Jeremy, 22 / Conda, 23 (Brother & Sister)
Pink: Kim, 38 / Emily, 29 (Strangers and Former Athletes)
Yellow: Gail, 57 / Lauren, 26 (Mother & Daughter)

Alison greets the teams and they discus what has been their biggest excuse for gaining so much weight. Mark from the Gray team says he's just gotten lazy. Jeremy from the Green team says his family has always been heavy and it's just easy to go along with that. Emily from the Pink team says her excuse is no time. Time seems to be a factor for almost everyone as everyone agrees, including Ben from the Brown team, who has nine kids (with one on the way) and Orange team member Nancy who has 13 kids and 54 grand-kids. Kimmy from the Purple team says life was always hard on the farm and Chism's (Gray Team) excuse is an accident he had when he was ten. Mike of the Blue team claims he's a food addict and Christine from the Red team says she's an emotional eater. Buddy of the Brown team is always put things off for tomorrow. He says his daughter passed away 5 years ago, and he wants to start living again. No more waiting for tomorrow.

When the introductions are over and excuses have been aired, Alison announces a challenge before they even get into the Biggest Loser ranch. The team to finish last, will be sent home. Alison explains they will be pushed like never before and now have no excuses. Its going to take strength, smarts and sheer determination to become the Biggest Loser; and that's what the first challenge is about. The first part of the challenge is a sprint. One member from each team is going to run a 40 yard sprint. The first four to cross will automatically move into the gym. The remaining six teams will have to compete again. The race begins, but Mark from the Gray team pulls a hamstring and falls over. The race is won by the Blue, Orange, Brown and Yellow teams.

The next heat is also a 40 yard dash, with a twist. They will have to solve a puzzle before they can continue. When complete, the wood puzzle will look like a key. Four of the remaining six teams move on, the final two will have to challenge each other. The next four to move on are the Gray, Red, Purple and Green teams.

The final challenge will be between the Pink and Aqua teams. It's almost a 'Survivor' themed challenge. Both team members will participate, standing on a platform. The last team standing on the platform will move into the Biggest Loser Ranch. Being strangers, Kim and Emily are worried the Aqua, brother and sister team, will beat them. Determination sets in and the Pink team are able to outlast the Aqua team.

Alison welcomes the teams into the ranch with the exception of the Aqua team. However, she informs them they will be welcome back to the ranch in one month if they are able to lose 50 pounds as a team. If they really want to be on the Biggest Loser Ranch, they are going to have to earn it.

In the morning, Alison greets the teams and tells them it's time to meet their trainers. Cue the helicopter and motorcycle. Dolvett repels onto the ranch via a helicopter as Bob speeds onto the ranch via motorcycle. Bob thinks it's funny how excited all the contestants are to see him, he's hoping to put them through hell. For the next two hours, the teams will get to work with both Dolvett and Bob, then they will get to pick their trainers.

The contestants spend the next two hours with the trainer till some start puking (and fake puking), Roy from the Red team collapses and Ben from the Brown team starts suffering from fatigue, not remembering his or Bobs name. During this time, we also get to see more of the other contestants, sometimes even more than we really want to see. Finally, Alison arrives to announce a special twist. Each couple will now choose which trainer they want to work with. That is to say, each person on the team must choose a different trainer. This is going to be a season of no excuses and no partners.

Each team is given time to decide which one will work with what trainer. They use various methods; Rock-Paper-Scissors and flipping a coin (weight) are two methods used. Finally each team must decide. Teams are decided like so:

Green Team: Jeremy, Bob - Conda, Dolvett
Pink Team: Kim, Bob - Emily, Dolvett
Blue Team: Joe, Bob - Mike, Dolvett
Red Team: Chris, Bob - Roy, Dolvett
Orange Team: Cassandra, Bob - Nancy, Dolvett
Brown Team: Buddy, Bob - Ben, Dolvett
Purple Team: Megan, Bob - Kimmy, Dolvett
Gray Team: Chism, Bob - Mark, Dolvett
Yellow Team: Gail, Bob - Lauren, Dolvett

Divided, the teams work with their trainers once more before the weigh in. During this time we get to know the contestants a little better. For example Emily tells Dolvett how she broke her back professional wrestling, and still finished the match because she hates losing. Later, when Dolvett doesn't think his team is working as hard as they could be, i.e. stopping to rest or take potty breaks, he gives them a motivational speech. Dolvett refuses to be the 'Bad News Bears' this year.

On The Scale:
Gail 322 / 313 -9 "I worked harder this week than I ever have my entire life."
Chism 361 / 349 -12
Megan 259 / 252 - 7 "Seven pounds, I mean that's awesome."
Chris 240 / 232 -8
Jeremy 389 / 376 -13 "I'm one of the biggest guys on the team, so there is a huge responsibility on me to put up a huge number this week. So to put up 13 pounds sucks."
Joe 357 / 342 -15
Ben 396 / 381 -15 "I'll take 15, it's a step in the right direction... But I'm missing my wife and kids."
Emily 264 / 254 -10 "A week and ten pounds, that's good."
Cassandra 239 / 225 -14
Black Team Total 103 3.64%

Roy 306 / 292 -14 "Ho ho ho, that made me happy."
Conda 294 / 285 -9
Mike 358 / 345 -13
Kimmy 219 / 210 -9 "I want to say thank you to Dolvett"
Lauren 246 / 237 -9
Mark 291 / 282 -9 "I don't think I was much help this week with the injury."
Nancy 217 / 212 -5 "That's crazy. I think they did something." (referring to the scale)
Kim 252 / 239 -13 "I'm really happy to see this number."
Buddy 403 / 381 -22 Gives Alison a fist bump.
Red Team Total 103 3.98%

With Dolvett's first win, he's ecstatic, but Bob says he's going to be damned if he lets it happen again. Black team must now decide who to send home, with the exception of Cassandra who is the Biggest Loser of the week. As the black team is deliberating, Megan pleads to stay, stating how much she hates herself more each day. Meanwhile Gail says she has nothing to go home for and needs to be on the ranch. Ben says he does have something to go home for, his wife and kids are his life. He misses them too much. He asks the others to send him home. Some of the contestants don't agree and consider sending Megan home instead, but when the team meets with Alison, they honor Ben's request and send him home.

At home:
Ben 396 / 346 -50 "Ben wants to prove his dedication by losing 150 pounds by the Finale despite being sent home Week One.