The Biggest Loser - 17 ª Season

Bob Harper, who takes over hosting duties after sixteen seasons of being one of the show's trainers, announces the many other changes to the show this season, including the house, the gym, and even the weigh-in room. This season is comprised of eight couples - sixteen contestants - including spouses, friends, family members, and one unusual couple who have never met but have a connection each as an "NBC reality show" family member. The theme for the season is to help the contestants deal with everyday temptations, such as they would face at home. Jen and Dolvett are back as trainers, who will each choose their team of eight after viewing contestant videos. Bob issues a temptation to the contestants even before they enter the gym for the first time and before they are even assigned to teams, which could jeopardize continuing a weight loss journey at the ranch. Jen and Dolvett get to know their team members during their first workout, while the contestants discuss the issues that contributed to their weight problems and their feelings toward their respective trainer. The contestants also find that they have no where to hide in the gym as their workouts are continually monitored electronically so that the trainers, their teammates and the viewing public can see just how hard they are working. The first reward challenge of the season, which entails moving weights and a "power couple" from each team scaling a wall, has an unknown reward at the end, that reward which will be a choice for the winning power couple, one of the choices being a temptation. At the weigh-in, the contestants see the changes to the weigh-in room, but learn as usual that one person will be eliminated after the weigh-in from the two who fall below the yellow line from the team losing the weigh-in.

Team Dolvett is the first to lose a player as Britney is voted off the ranch after the first competitive weigh-in. This week is all about food temptations. A team reward challenge tests the contestants' knowledge about bad foods, with the losing team members not only having to eat the bad foods - the trainers who are able to fall on the team sword once during the challenge - but the winning team able to choose one person on either team to sit out this week's weigh-in. The contestants collectively meet with Dr. Huizenga, who illustrates graphically the consequences of their bad food choices not only on their weight but on their lives holistically. At the weigh-in, the results lead to the losing team not only losing a player, but them needing to have a heart-to-heart with their trainer about issues negatively pervading their mentality. In the second week for this episode, the teams embark on another food related reward challenge. They compete in a race to pull three food trucks, with the losing team eating the unhealthy food from the trucks, and the winning team getting a crash healthy cooking course from celebrity chef Lorena Garcia. For the first time in Biggest Loser history, a last chance workout is used as a reward challenge, as four members from each team compete in a 2000m rowing relay, with the winning team getting a two pound advantage at the next weigh-in. That weigh-in will in part see if the heart-to-heart of the troubled team has had any effect.

With Whitney and Hope respectively being eliminated after the last two weigh-ins, thirteen contestants remain at the ranch. In the first of the two weeks, the temptation dangled in front of the contestants is the distraction of electronics, as they have been unplugged since arriving on the ranch. Bob informs them that most Americans spend eleven hours a day in front of some sort of electronic device, some of that time which could be spent instead on leading a healthier life, such as working out. The first team challenge reflects the plugged in nature of the world, which they must overcome, to win. The electronic nature of the challenge is combined with a relay obstacle course. The winning team has the option of having access to electronics for the week, including video chats with their loved ones at home, or exclusive use of the gym for the week. The decision is made even more difficult with additional information Bob gives the contestants just before the winning team must choose. That decision not only affects both teams in the most obvious ways, but in ways they probably did not expect. Bob throws the teams for a loop at the weigh-in when he announces that there will be no yellow line, but a red line, meaning that the person with the lowest percentage of weight lost on the losing team is automatically eliminated. In the second of the two weeks, Bob announces another upheaval after the remaining twelve contestants feel like they have achieved some footing and normalcy in their day-to-day ranch lives. This upheaval is the type of situation that they would have to face in the real world, and which they must learn to deal with not to fall into the trap that may lead to bad habits resulting in their weight gain. This upheaval will also affect the trainers, who have no idea what is coming until it happens. The first team challenge for the week is a race to move puzzle pieces stacked on top of a structure made of shipping containers to the top of another similar structure, where they must piece together the puzzle to reveal the prize. Later, they embark on another last chance team challenge of a medley relay, which may either increase or somewhat negate the reward from the first challenge. At the second week weigh-in, at which there will again be a red line, many contestants tell of the difficulties they have had adjusting to life at the ranch after that upheaval, which may be negatively reflected on the scale.

With Richard and Sarah respectively being eliminated after the last two weigh-ins, eleven contestants remain at the ranch. In the first of the two weeks, the temptation dangled in front of the contestants is the distraction of luxury, which may take them away from the want to lead a healthy lifestyle, although the two need not be mutually exclusive. Bob holds an auction for the contestants who have the opportunity with a set amount of "Biggest Loser Bucks" to buy items, some which are health related - such as a one-on-one training session with Bob at his house - some which are "game" related, some which are truly luxury items to be used this week which will take them away from the focus of losing weight, and one mystery item. Bob issues another last chance team challenge in a combination strength/cardio relay for three members per team, with the winning team getting a one pound advantage at the weigh-in. That weigh-in will show whether the "game" auction items purchased will have been good investments, and whether the luxury items will have had a negative effect in the game of the weight loss. In the second of the two weeks, the teams are thrown into the deep end with a water related team challenge of pulling buoys out of the ocean and rowing out to a waiting yacht. The winning team has the option of a day on the yacht with letters from home waiting for them there, or exclusive use of the gym for the day, with the losing team getting what the winning team does not choose. Bob holds a group counseling session with all the remaining contestants to help them address somewhat global issues which brought them to the ranch. At the weigh-in, Erin, who is teetering on "one"derland, vows to sing an inspirational song she wrote if she does indeed make it below 200 pounds at this weigh-in. That moment may be bittersweet for her.

With Toy and Vicki respectively being eliminated after the last two weigh-ins, nine contestants remain at the ranch. In the first of the two weeks, Bob announces that the team challenge - which entails throwing ten pound medicine balls in a net held up by the opposing team, the winner who either reaches a certain number of "baskets" or the opposing team dropping their net - may be the most important as the reward is that the winning team gets to choose one person from each team to go home for the week with no trainer, and with those two contestants being the only ones whose weight will count at the weekly weigh-in. Who the winning team chooses may surprise. Bob's assertion that they will have no trainers may not be totally accurate. The contestants who remain at the ranch feel somewhat helpless in that their fates are in the hands of two people, over who they have no control, and as Bob further announces that there will be a red line at the weigh-in, meaning no deliberation on who will be going home post-weigh-in. In the second of two weeks, the remaining eight contestants learn that they will be now competing as singles. Their temptation for the week is the real world, where they will have no access to their own gym for the week, and are given choices in what they want to do between working out with a trainer or going on some exciting and potentially weight gaining adventure. During the week, the contestants naturally fall into two camps, which is highlighted by a comment made following the first singles challenge of the season. The challenge is an obstacle course which requires speed, endurance, strength, agility and puzzle solving to win. Those two camps both set out a strategy they hope will take their side into the final four. The weigh-in, in which there will be a yellow line, will test the strength of each alliance.