Biggest Loser Season 8 Premiere

The new season of The Biggest Loser started last night and I must say that they have adopted a zippier pace. For the past couple seasons, the first episode was mainly about how each of the contestants was selected and what their back stories were. This time they went straight into the exercising and sprinkled in info about the contestants here and there. It definitely made the two-hour show feel like it was flying by with very little filler. ABM usually has his finger hovering over the fast-forward button when we watch this show because he can't stand the crying and the drawn-out elimination ceremonies. Last night he only forwarded through the commercials, which is a sign that the show held his attention.

ABM is convinced that Tracey, the contestant who collapsed during the first challenge, is a drama queen. He is sure that there is nothing wrong with her other than her need to be in the spotlight. I, on the other hand, think that she genuinely passed out because she was trying to keep up with Daniel, a contestant who was on the show last season and who exercises four hours a day. Since they didn't show her at all for the rest of the episode, we have to wait and see which one of us was correct.

ABM was also struck by the amount of cursing that was on the show this time around. The network bleeped it, of course, but it was a shock to him for some reason. I've never been as sensitive to four-letter words as he is so it didn't bother me. Jillian Michaels never cursed on her radio show, but there is something about her personality that makes me think she probably does cuss a blue streak in real life.

The only thing I didn't like about the speedy editing was that the viewers didn't get much of a chance to know the eliminated contestant before she was sent packing. I've always said that this show should go through the first week without cutting anyone. That would give everyone more of a chance to develop healthy habits before going home and it would give the contestants a chance to know each other better before they are forced to vote someone out.