‘The Biggest Loser’ recap: Blindsided?

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My, my. Ten seasons of knife sharpening has come to this: Has there ever been a more coldly calculated, double-crossing plot than this?

And do you think Rick ever saw it coming?

It completely overshadowed Anna’s decision to give up immunity just so -- get this! -- she could work out with Jillian Michaels. In retrospect, was this a ‘crazy-like-a-fox’ decision? Or did Anna luck out big time?

So many questions! And the biggest of all: Did Brendan throw that weigh-in?

Contestants who were shut out of the competition in the season opener had a chance to battle their way back, based upon who lost the most weight on their own. My first reaction was, can’t we just give it to Shanna -- the deserving cancer victim -- and call it a day? But upon closer look, they were all deserving, including Anna who piled on the pounds after suffering the loss of her young child to cancer, a loss she somehow blames on herself. (That chat between Anna and Jillian was a BL three-hankie moment if ever there was one.) The next part was a blur: Anna made it back into the house and was awarded immunity AND the power to choose teams as the game switched to black-and-blue.

Sanity would suggest that Anna would take immunity for herself. (In the past, those who make their way back into the house have trouble in their first week weigh-in, it’s like their body has trouble adjusting to the ranch and counterintuitively hangs on to the weight.) But Anna gave immunity to Patrick and put herself on the black team. Patrick -- a prize himself, given his ability to lose weight -- would then join whichever team lost a player at the weigh-in.

A stupefied Jillian asked her why she would give away the most precious prize that there is at the ranch: immunity.

‘I didn’t want to run the risk of not getting you,’ she said.

‘You fool!’ Jillian responded (although she was clearly flattered).

Jesse and Brendan set the stage for a weigh-in showdown, ridiculing Anna’s decision. ‘The funny thing is she seems like an intelligent woman. And that is just a stupid move. Nobody here has a lick of loyalty to her so far. I mean, who’s she counting on saving her?’ Jesse said. Brendan called it ‘the dumbest decision ever in ‘Biggest Loser’ [history].’

Was it really?

When the black team fell below the yellow line, it seemed like they would all turn on Anna, get Patrick on their side and glide to victory. But in what may just be the craftiest elimination decision ever, Brendan, Frado, Elizabeth and Ada turned on Rick. Brilliant move. Rick had put up monster weight-loss numbers, making him a threat in the finale. Frado and Brendan clearly figured they had an opportunity to get rid of a threat, and keep some protection (Elizabeth and Anna) around for a few more weeks. Do you think Rick ever saw it coming? (I’ll chat with Rick on Wednesday’s NBC conference call with the media, so let me know if you have any other questions for him.)

Frankly, I think it might have been better to keep Rick around for at least another weigh-in or two. But maybe you have to seize opportunity when it presents itself.

What did you think? Were you as shocked as I was by the turn of events? Was Anna an idiot or very, very lucky? And did Brendan throw the weigh-in? Or do you believe him when he swore on seemingly everyone’s life that he did indeed only lose 2 pounds. (If I were the parents of his goddaughter, I think I’d be, um, peeved.)

Random observation: Dang, is Ada cold. Probably because of how cold her parents were to her. But still!

Rick, you are a sweetie, so sorry to see you go. But good luck in your amazing weight loss so far. Thank you, grandpa, for proving that it’s never too late, and see you at the finale.

-- Rene Lynch
Twitter/renelynch