Confession time. I am addicted to The Biggest Loser. I love this show. Hey, I’m not too proud to admit my weaknesses. I don’t know what it is about this silly reality show that has me hooked but I just can’t stop myself. Maybe seeing desperately obese and unhealthy people see the benefits of moderate eating and exercise? Or, maybe it is watching trainers Bob and Jillian whip their butts into shape day after day? Or watching the amazing transformation over the course of the season? Check these out:
Un-freaking-believable!
However, there are some things about the show this season that are really bugging me. The show seems to be moving farther and farther away from the whole fact that losing weight IS a challenge and more toward the faux drama of "strategy" and "game play" typical of other reality shows. It bugs me enough that they vote people out each week. Shouldn’t they help everyone and then whoever sheds the highest percentage of body fat wins? But to add in all of this strategy and alliance crap takes away from the fact that these people are facing the biggest challenge of their lives – losing weight and getting healthy!
Then, on the totally grates-on-my-nerves side are the very un-subtle product placements. The latest one was for gum. Jillian, one of the trainers, tells her group "if you want to satisfy a sweet craving try this new Extra sugarfree gum!". Barf-o-rama! So contrived. Before that it was oatmeal and before that Brita water filters. It just takes away from the whole thing and I am sure I am not alone in saying that these things make it really difficult to get into the show and trust that what we are seeing is not just one big manipulation. Is this The Truman Show?? YOUR VIEWERS KNOW YOU ARE DOING THIS. And, in my opinion, it makes me actually think LESS of the brand because of how irritating and disruptive it is to the flow of the show.
Then finally, I hate to do this to you just like I HATE the fact that they do it to the contestants. NOTHING could make me strip my clothes off in front of millions of viewers each week to weigh in…especially when one has this much weight to lose. Why don’t they simply subtract the weight of their t-shirt? Is it REALLY necessary to embarass these people like this? Sometimes I actually have to turn the channel. The worst are the man-boobs. And, strangely, the only picture I could find to illustrate my point has these appropriately placed blue dots to give the guy a small piece of his dignity back. Maybe they are trying to motivate through public humiliation? I don’t know but it is sooooo not cool.
See what I mean?? Yet, I continue to watch because I absolutely love to see their successes. What about you? Do you watch The Biggest Loser? Any other less than stellar TV show addictions? Do tell in the comments below.
Eric says
Great blog, appreciate the effort put into this post! Thanks! 😀
detox foot patches says
Wow…these biggest loser pictures are amazing. However, if all you did all day long was work with trainers and dieticians…well…
Jen says
Hi guys. Great to see I am not the only one! I just watched this week’s and it was so weird. The product they were pushing this week was MILK. They could have totally integrated this one without us even noticing. WHY does it have to be such an obvious thing??? Ugh. So irritating.
But still…I LOVE IT!!
Janine says
I just joined the site and felt compelled to comment. Finally I have someone I can discuss the show with (sortof) I totally agree with all your points- and just have to reiterate- yes there is too much obvious product placement. The Gum one last week and the bottle water one was very obvious. (How many people do you know that chew gum to get rid of a chocolate craving?)
On a positive note- the show is lifechanging for the contestants but also viewers who may be struggling with weight and dont know where to start. So for that and the entertainment aspect of the show- I Love it.
Melissa Kennedy says
I too love this show, but also agree whole heartedly with your negitive points. I love the show but I can’t watch the show. Solution?? PVR – we hit the high points, fast forward through all the “game-play”, and get the drawn-out 2 hour show down to just under an hour, and it is great!
PS – have you ever just wanted to jump through the TV and hand these poor people a t-shirt that fits??
ali says
i LOVE the biggest loser…
Amreen says
those pictures are so awe-inspiring. i love before and after shots – they make such an impact. personally, i’m addicted to Entertainment Tonight – i love celebrity gossip and i find mary hart’s cheery demeanour strangely comforting. oh, and “lost” and “heroes” too.
Margot says
Going against all of my reality-tv standards, I have to say that I love this show too. Every “season” I try not to watch but get sucked in partly because there is nothing else on, & partly because at the heart of it is the change-your-life/redemption quality of this show. I have to agree with you whole- heartedly that the alliance thing degrades the show & really irritated me last season when only the “black” team was left after they picked off every other member of the other two teams. It’s the whole survivor thing coming in to play & frankly I don’t like it one bit. Vote people off because they don’t work hard, or they cheat, or something like that, but I HATE this idea of picking off the biggest competition & justifying it as “they can do this at home.”
Oh ya, & the prouct placement. The worst one for me was Nabisco (I think) 100 calorie packs. I wanted them to shove their 100 calorie packs (12 1cm x 1cm cookies) where the sun don’t shine.