Blue Team Down One

It had to happen - for the first time I can remember, the numbers on the scale on The Biggest Loser were "normal." No 15 pound weeks...just lots of 2s and 3s...the type of weight-loss a normal person would have in a week. And for some reason, I'm happy. I've always really liked the show, partly because they are showing that you can (and should) lose weight through diet and exercise instead of gimmicks and surgery. But it was always a little disheartening that they expected so much in such a short period of time. Now, we may see huge numbers again next week. But I'm not sure. There has been talk that there was so much criticism last season about contestants taking extreme measures to win (namely dehydration and not eating) that they might be monitoring them closer this season. I have also read that there are several players with health conditions that are not being shared on-screen. But I am a fan of healthy numbers all around.

The episode itself was good. I loved the challenges. Any challenge like the reward challenge where it is more mental than physical rocks. And Patty messed up the strategy - such good tv to watch. I also found it interesting that she would have been the biggest loser on her team regardless of the 3-pound pass. Makes you think that having those extra calories (which sped up her metabolism) might have been a good thing after all. I also loved the second challenge, where they raced against kids. How funny was it to see a kindergartener dash by them? Classic.

Lots of people online are upset that Jerry was voted off. But not me. I think it was a good move. He clearly had the ability to lose the rest of the weight at home. He got hurt, and couldn't compete in the challenge (and would likely be unable to work out as hard for awhile). And he showed the ability to pull a huge number. Get rid of him while you have the chance. Yes, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. But this guilt that he "chose" them? Come on...as it turned out, everyone got chosen. So he put a blue shirt on you...it's still a game, and it's a game you want to win.

Dancing With the Stars

It took two nights, but the premiere of Dancing With the Stars was well worth it. It's a good group this season - I'm even more excited now than I was while I was waiting for the show to start. And how fun is it that Drew is filling in for Samantha...every time Tom looks over at him, you definitely get the idea that he's wondering just how long he will be stuck without her.

The girls danced the first night, and, for the most part, the level of dancing was much better than in previous seasons. My early favorites are Sabrina (the Cheetah girl, whatever that is), Mel B (Scary Spice) and Jennie. All three delivered solid dances (I think that Jennie's scores were lower because she went first), and I think they'll be around for awhile. The middle of the pack for the girls were Marie and Jane. They were good, but I think they are getting a bit of a handicap because of their ages (I just didn't think they were nearly as good as their scores reflected). And, sadly, at the bottom was Josie. I loved how her partner said she was "deceptively unfit." How do you think the models are so thin? They don't eat and have no muscles! Dancing takes a lot of physical strength, and I like that people are starting to realize that. She's definitely at danger to go home this week.

The men had a big act to follow, and they were equally entertaining. I think that it's harder to separate the men, since so many of them were really fun to watch, even if they didn't have the best technique. I think that the top men would be Helio, Albert, and Cameron. I also love Mark, but that has a lot more to do with the fact that I'm a big fan of Mark Cuban than anything else (he runs the Mavs the way I would if I owned a sports team). He wasn't bad, and I think the longer he's in the competition, the better he will get. Floyd was also a mid-range dancer - very entertaining, but not so great with the dancing (he really needed to stand up straight!). And even though Wayne is a great entertainer, he's definitely not a great dancer. He has a legion of fans, so he might be sticking around just based on viewers votes.

Should be an interesting results show...

The Hottest Bachelor Ever!

Ok, does anyone but me think that when voice-over-guy says this at the beginning of each new season that there are former bachelors at home yelling at their tvs? I just picture Andrew Firestone saying "HEY!". Ok, maybe it's just me...

So, last night kicked off another season of The Bachelor, and it looks like it's going to be a good one. Any time the bachelor mentions the fact that he is going to find his wife more than once, you know you've got a live one. And Brad seems like he is nice enough as well (and certainly good to look at).

It's hard to tell with the girls so far. There were a few standouts, and thankfully Brad showed some semblance of smarts when he let go Juli (the human pretzel) and Morgan (who thought that showing off her webbed toes was perfect cocktail party conversation). Of course, he's also carrying on the proud tradition of so many Bachelors by giving Mallory (who decided that a bikini was the perfect choice) a rose as well. I was also glad that Jenni got the first rose, even though that hasn't worked out well for the girls in the past (has anyone who got the first impression rose ever lasted to the hometown dates?).

Trashy tv? Of course. And I love every minute of it.

Chicken Joins the "First Out" Club

Wow. I’m not so sure what to think about the premiere of Survivor: China, other than wow.

First, you should know that I am extremely biased about the location this season. My husband and I are adopting from China, and the China adoption community has been abuzz about this season since it was announced last spring. I love looking at the scenery, culture, and customs, and thinking that this is where my little girl is from. But I think that even without that bias, I would love the location. It’s just so different than the past few seasons.

I liked how the season started with the ritual at the temple. It was so unique, and a really moving start. Of course, the start also gave me my favorite moment of the episode – Leslie saying that she’s not religious, she just has a personal relationship with Jesus. Um, you’re a Christian radio show host who has a personal relationship with Jesus. If that isn’t religious, well, I don’t know what is. I also loved that Jaime announced that she couldn’t possibly start right away because she didn’t have on a bra. After this many seasons of Survivor, there simply is no excuse for going anywhere without appropriate clothing on. For those of you who don’t know, the contestants are sequestered for a week or two before the game starts, told that the game can start at any time, and the game does, in fact, start without warning. The first couple of times they marooned them with only the clothes on their backs, they were told that they were going for pictures/interviews. So you could see where they would be dressed to impressed. But after that? Well, you should really know better. I heard that some contestants the past two seasons would put on layers of clothes any time they were told to go anywhere, just in case. That’s a smart move, one that would have served them all well. But I guess if you’re dumb enough to be wearing a dress, heels, and no bra, then you get what you deserve.

I also noticed that they are giving them a lot more amenities this season. There is rice, and the losing tribe was given flint at tribal (which almost never happens). I think that it has more to do with the location than anything else. It’s been awhile since Survivor was at a location where food was not plentiful. But in locations like Guatemala and Africa, where they really couldn’t fend for themselves that well, they were given some basic rations to survive. I’ve also heard that this is a more “back-to-basics” season as well, which may explain the rations, no “exile island,” and starting with 16 castaways. It could also just be setting us up for something much much bigger.

My early favorites? I really like Todd, the flight attendant. I don’t know, but something about him is just so likeable. I also like James, the gravedigger. And, of course, I’m rooting for lunch lady Denise who hails from my mom’s hometown of Revere, Massachusetts. Most annoying? Chicken, Ashley, and Courtney. I’m curious about why they never subtitled Chicken (a lot of seasons where contestants mumbled or spoke with a thick accent they were subtitled)…my only thought is that CBS couldn’t understand a word he said either. And I can’t possibly be the only one who was distracted by the number of fake boobs this season. I guess that’s one way to boost their male viewership!

Overall, a good episode with a good result (I hated that Chicken wouldn’t voice an opinion…man up!). Can’t wait for next week!

Kid Nation

Ok, so after all the talk of Kid Nation, I had to watch it for myself. And while I haven't decided it once was enough (or if it will even make it long enough to show all the episodes on tv), I definitely have some thoughts on the show.

First, who are the producers at CBS that thought that this was a good idea? Can you imagine the pitch meeting on this one? "We're going to put 40 kids in a ghost town, then put them into a class system, then see what happens. Oh yeah, we're going to have some Survivor-type challenges, not let them talk to their parents, and give out big gold stars." Wow.

But even more disturbing than the pitch meeting are the parents who signed their kids up for this nonsense. At least with the producers, you know that their goal is to make a television show that will make money. (and I don't think they did that, considering how few commercials were on last night's show) But the parents? Shouldn't their goal be to protect their children? Even in the best situation (which this show clearly is not), they are sending their children off to be unsupervised for 40 days. But they are also sending their children off to live in unsanitary and potentially unsafe conditions (for example, for at least the first few days, there was one outhouse for 40 children). Most of the kids are clearly spoiled brats (just look at their reaction to the possibility of having a television), and are clearly unequipped for the challenges ahead. And little kids, like poor Jimmy, who are far too young for this are encouraged to "stick it out" rather than go home. These people should be ashamed of themselves.

That all being said, I can see where it is interesting television. I don't want to talk a lot about the kids themselves, mostly because I don't think it's right to criticize children. Of course, who knows what will come...

Survivor: China Starts Tonight!

That's right - just when I was bummed about Big Brother being over, Survivor: China begins. While I love nearly all of the reality shows, Survivor is far and away my favorite. And I'm really excited about this season being in China, as we are currently in the process to adopt our daughter from China.

Some thoughts before the season starts. First, we're starting out with 16 castaways this season. There haven't been 16 since before All Stars, which means that we're in for a twist somewhere along the way. The other possibility is that they have eliminated the double tribal council week and gone back to a final two. But I think that there is something coming.

I'm also not sure who to root for yet. I always like to make a prediction before the first episode airs. I will be rooting for Denise, as she's from the same city outside of Boston as my mom (even went to the same high school). I don't know how long she'll last though...my husband has all sorts of not-so-nice things to say about the accent from there - she may just drive her fellow tribemates crazy! :) I think that Frosti, James,Sherea, and Aaron will be strong players. I would watch out for John Robert as well - he's a professional poker player, and just might be able to play each and every one of his tribemates. The first one out? That's a toughie, since a lot depends on how the tribes break out, but I think that Courtney and Chicken should watch out.

Jillian is Back

Well, it's "finally" time for the black team and Jillian to return to the Biggest Loser campus. And while I still think that the black team twist was mean, I'm glad they're back. First, I'm not such a fan of Kim. Aside from the fact that she didn't seem to work her team very hard this week, she also wasn't such a great coach to Lezlye & Amy. You could also tell a lot about her relationship with Bob when Bob greeted Jillian. Anyways, no surprise that the red team lost again this week, and another one of the whiny girls got sent home. My prediction? They'll be absorbed by the blue & black teams in the next two weeks.

Dick Crowned Winner of BB8

In a much wider margin than I would ever have imagined, Dick was crowned the winner of Big Brother 8. I can't believe it. I don't even know what there is to say - there were no good choices, and I suppose that the jury recognized that even though Danielle was the brains of the operation, Dick did the grunt work. Go figure.

The finale itself was pretty good. I liked that Amber called out Danielle about cheating on her boyfriend with Nick, and it was clear that her relationship with him (her boyfriend) is over when she hugged Nick when she got out (with no boyfriend to be seen). And supposedly they are going on a trip to Europe together. I guess she knew it was over when her HoH letter was from Nick, not her boyfriend. And the reaction of the players to learning about the America's Player twist was good too.

So that's it for BB8. I already miss it...

A New Season of The Biggest Loser

Well, another season of The Biggest Loser is upon us. That's right, the original "fat people on scales" show is back. And even though I'm not so sure about the twists, I'm glad it's back.

It's still too early to rate the contestants this season, but there's no question that they're fatter than ever. It's strange to think that some of the female contestants this season have goal weights that are close to the starting weights of some of the female contestants from season 1. Really. They're also trying to find bigger sob stories as well, like the woman who lost everything to Katrina. And this is where I start to doubt the twist of the black team. These are clearly people who have already been though a lot, beyond their weight and health problems. So why add insult to injury? There were more than a few brief minutes where they thought they had been cast off again. So while I think that the black team twist might be good, the contestants on that team need to be treated like people.

I'm also not sure about the new host as well. I like Allison so far, and she seems to be much more suited for the role. I guess I just wish I knew why they got rid of Caroline.

So in a few hours we'll see the arrival of the black team on the BL campus (not the ranch this year...not sure why they got rid of the ranch...). Can't wait.

Summer of the Donatos

I know it's been awhile since I've blogged about Big Brother, and now that I have the time I'm just too annoyed to do it. Grrrr...

The "America's Player" twist this summer changed the entire game. I can't imagine that if Eric was acting on his own he would have let Dick & Danielle make it so far in the game. In fact, I don't even think that Dick would have made it to the jury house if Eric had had his way. It's such a bummer. I really liked Eric, Jessica, and Dustin, and they got screwed by the twist. I really hope that they let Eric come back next season to play again on his own. I also love that the love between Jessica and Eric seems to be real (and didn't you just love Dustin's comment about the thin walls in the jury house on Thursday?).

I'm also really dismayed at how some of the events of the summer were handled. The worst, to me, were the anti-semetic comments made by Amber. Those, though, I understand why they couldn't do anything about (other than not show it again on CBS). But Dick's constant attacks (especially against Jen) were absurd. The producer said that they didn't punish Dick for dumping iced tea on Jen because of Jen's reaction - so, apparently, because Jen put up a brave face each time she was attacked, Dick received no punishment. How ridiculous. I felt the same way about the fight between Jen & Dick that involved Dick's cigarettes and Jen eating. No question that Jen needed to receive a penalty for eating while she was on slop (though maybe it's a signal to the producers that they need to bring back PB&Js next summer...in fact, did they even have any more food competitions after that?). But destroying Dick's cigarettes? CBS directed Eric to destroy Jen's property earlier in the season. I also question the "enemy" twist, since Danielle & Dick have had an alliance all summer - CBS clearly thought that this would be a good story.

So, now we're left with Dick and Danielle in the final two. I don't know how the jury can even choose. Dick spent the summer being truly ugly to everyone on the jury. And Danielle was crafty beyond belief. She betrayed each and every one of her alliances, and cheated on her boyfriend on national television. And she did it while saying that she didn't lie to anyone. There's no question that she's a fierce competitor, but I have to wonder if she would have done as well if her dad hadn't been in the house to deflect the heat off of her. She'll likely win by default. All I know is that when Eric reveals the AP twist, it will be the highlight of the season.

Season Finale of Fat March

I cannot believe I wasted so much time watching fat people walk. Which is worse - that they made the show or that I watched it? It was so poorly done...it could have been interesting if it had been done better. It does seem like an interesting concept. But it was a good idea gone wrong. First, it was annoying to me that thy clearly weren't walking in a straight line, and I don't believe they even marched from place to place. (mostly because I have lived my whole life on the east coast, recognized some of the places they were at, then they started somewhere completely different). The worst was at the end of stage 5...they ended in Baltimore (at the World Trade Center...where, coincidentally, my sister got married), which is a 30 mile drive from DC. But instead, they started them on the other side of the state to get their miles in. Very annoying. I also have to question how safe the program was that so many people got injured. And finally, what was the story with Jamie Lyn - is she married? Anyways, I'm not sad to see it end...and if it comes back for another season I think I'll give it a miss.

Back from a Summer Hiatus

Yes, even though my favorite dancer won So You Think You Can Dance? and this is turning into a pretty good season after all of Big Brother, "confessions of a reality tv addict" took a summer hiatus. Oh well. But I'm back...for now... :)