[MrsJim]

Stream of my unconciousness...

7:59 pm flashbacks...good thing for me since I missed last week!)
2 girls/2 guys left (remember everyone thought the guys would smoke the girls...looks pretty even to me tho' I wish it were Dr. Jeff there instead of Andrea...)
Suzy looks GREAT! So different after only missing one week.
8:02 - Andrea is happy to be in the final four...who will be eliminated this week...
Bob comes by for breakfast - I see this is a HUGE PLUG for our sponsor, Quaker Oatmeal and their new Weight Control instant oatmeal which I have yet to see in my store. Good point Bob - lots of overweight/obese folks skip breakfast and end up pigging out the rest of the day - ESPECIALLY at night. Boy have I ever been there.

(I might have to keep an eye open for that Weight Control oatmeal...might be good to keep at work!)

Jillian is outside playing with the boys; we see flashbacks from day 1 where they could barely walk up the hill at the ranch. SO different now - they're running, not out of breath.
Seth talks about the joy of feeling HEALTHY after so many years being fat and sick and out of shape.
I can totally relate...I hope that everyone who is obese has the opportunity to transform themselves, whether it be on their own or with the help of a program such as this.

Meanwhile Bob is reminicing with the 2 girls...the same memories of barely making it up the hill, now look at them...no problemo!
Oh how I know that feeling...it's a priceless, AWESOME feeling.

8:10 - Matt has a surprise visitor - his old school wrestling coach - wait make that TWO visitors - his old wrestling bud from back in the day - Aaron. They do some wrestling moves, flashing back and forth from videos of Matt in his old days and now. He's getting his moves back - you can see the determination, the STRENGTH in his face. Being with his old coach, his mentor, has filled him with even more power and courage and hope - Matt says it's the best thing that has yet happened to him on the ranch

8:13 - challenge - oh yeah - heard about this in the previews, the quarters thing.
Each person has to lug a buttload of quarters equivilant to the weight they've lost thus far. Whoever wins the challenge...gets to keep the change (that would pay for a LOT of visits to the laundromat!!!)

So they need to climb UP a wall 60 ft with their backpacks. YOWSA! Lookit Matt just hightailing it up there - made it in like 42 seconds, with Matt following, then Suzy, then Andrea.
Hold it just a cottonpickin' minute though - Carolyn says that's not it...to WIN they have to take OFF the packs, then climb again and whoever has the greatest diff between the first time and the second wins the quarters. (didn't they do something similar last year...?)
Matt's like ...wow... because 42 seconds even WITHOUT the quarters is like lightening anyway! There they go...everyone MUCH faster (I just can't get over Suzy!!!) Although Andrea is the last one up, she wins the challenge and $880 in quarters.

The challenge reminds them that 'just because you LOSE the weight doesn't mean you can't REGAIN the weight' - something to never, ever, ever forget.

8:24 the last chance workout...both trainers are workin' 'em hard. Damn those are some TOUGH workouts...yeeeoow!

8:29 the FINAL WEIGH IN AT THE RANCH!!!!! EEEK!

Andrea steps up first...is now 173 with a 3 lb/ 1.70% loss (47 lb total)
Then Seth...gets a 7 pound loss and is now at 204 (3.32% lost) total of 87 pounds
(matt looks a bit worried...)
Suzy gets ready to step on the scale and Carolyn remarks on something that has been obvious this week - the 'cute glasses' are GONE! Suzy says yup - she doesn't have to hide behind them anymore GOOD FOR YOU SUZY!!!!
Up on the scale she goes and Suzy has lost a big FIVE pounds, bringing her down to 161 for a total of 66 pounds lost and 3.01% for the week! Yay Suzy!!! She is SO CLOSE TO GOAL!

I can tell a commercial is coming by the cresendo of music as Matt steps up on the scale and sure nuff...a word from our sponsor...before the break Carolyn says that Matt must lose more than 7 lbs to stay above the yellow line...
8:38 pm back to our program. MATT MATT MATT!!!
ALLLLLRRRRIIIGHT DUDE HE LOST TEN POUNDS!!!
He's at 230 pounds and has lost 4.17% this week which makes him #1!!

OMG I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy for him...although I am bummed for Suzy as she is below the yellow line.
Matt has lost One Hundred Nine Pounds at the ranch!!! He is ELATED! (can ya blame him??)

Man I hope that since they are leaving the ranch the guys stop thinking about STRATEGY and vote Andrea off...Suzy has worked HARD consistently throughout the time at the ranch and has EARNED one of those final spots while Andrea pigged out on NINE brownies last week...not that she hasn't worked hard but consistently? Was her heart always in it? I don't think so personally...the only reason she is still there at all is because of strategy and that she wasn't considered a threat. I would have rather seen Dr. Jeff as one of the four, personally...oh well...

8:41 pm Elimination time...let's see what happens...
Matt...says what I was thinking that the time for strategy is over and it's time to vote for the person who DESERVES to be one of the finalists and eliminates ANDREA.
Ditto for Seth...Totally made the RIGHT decision IMO.

Andrea STARTS to leave with a little grace and dignity - she hugs Suzy who tells her NOT TO GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS. But then Andrea totally SNUBS THE GUYS. Doesn't say goodbye to them...damn...she should know better. SUZY DESERVED TO BE ONE OF THE FINALISTS more than she did...Andrea could have left with some class but CHOSE not to. I just lost a TON of respect for her.

And to see her currently we are directed to the NBC website (I'm betting it's not up yet since the show has yet to be viewed in Hawaii) Hmmm is it because she was so classless when she left that we didn't get that 'goodbye interview' or just because of timing?

Anyway...
8:49 all three finalists get to meet with their respective trainers individually before leaving where they come face-to-face with a life-size cutout of them as they looked the first day at the ranch. I CAN'T GET OVER THE DIFFERENCE!

Suzy looks GORGEOUS...Seth and Matt look so HANDSOME. They have truly transformed inside and out. Bob says that Suzy will "blow everyone's socks off" at the final weigh in and I BELIEVE him...she is SO close to goal. Like Bob said...if any woman can win the big prize...it will be Suzy.

Time for everyone to go home - Seth lives in Salinas, not that far from the ranch (I know the area pretty well). The finalists are shown getting out of their cars and walking to their homes for the big homecomings...and DAMN we don't get to see it until next week's big TWO HOUR show...eeeeeek!!!

This was SUCH A GREAT EPISODE! WooHAH!

Well next week I'll be staying up past my bed time but once in awhile ya just gotta do it...

[Jen415]

Thanks for this MrsJim....not surprised that Andrea was eliminated. Sounds like she showed her true colors....

[srmb60]

I've never been an Andrea fan either. I thought she looked smug, week after week, knowing she wouldn't be eliminated because she was no threat. But that's all off for the final three, huh? Must go see what happened after she left the ranch. It's very interesting that they didn't show it.
I adore Suzie. She's just so darned cute! I have a bit of a soft spot for Seth as well. He seems so nice.

[angel-eyes]

Everyone has their moments, but its interesting how the editors portrayed the contestants. Suzy was often viewed as the 'whiny crying one"....Seth "just under the radar".....Matt "as the brooding moody one"...Dr.Jeff "always thinking of others" and Andrea "the deserving determined one" I would aggree with some of these portrayals, but I didn't really like Andrea. I was shocked when she just walked out with not so much as a wave to the guys!! I thought that was just in poor taste. Can't wait for the finale next week...woohoo....2 HOURS!!!

[srmb60]

Does anyone have a link to more info about Jillian? My husband swears that last year they talked about how she used to be big.

[barbygirl43]

SusanB--check out the questions for jillian thread. She talks about it there and posted a couple of pics.

That was a great episode and thanks Karen for the recap. I had to go and check on the kiddos just before that last segment and was afraid I had missed Andrea's homecoming. I too have to wonder why they didn't show it.

I do have one question that has been bugging me the past few weeks and I hope they answer it next week. Do they have to bring skinny clothes with them or are the provided with new clothes. Each week you see them styling in clothes that look like they fit and I'm thinking there is no way they could keep safety pinning those clothes up.

I really hope Suzy wins. I would be happy with Matt or Seth winning too but it would be nice to have a woman take it all.

So out of those booted, who do you think will win the $100,000? I'm guessing Pete.

[SouthCajunGal]

New in this forum! This am I bought me Quaker Oatmeal Weight control.. banana bread.. It tasted good! I got it at Walmart. They have Cinammon too!

I agreed, Suzy looks so great! Different on a week? Wow. I hope Suzy would win!

[chick_in_the_hat]

I'm proud of the boys for voting their conscience and keeping Suzy....I like that Matt's thought was that he needed to extra incentive of the threat of Suzy to keep him motivated at home. I think Andrea is a great competitor - (the stairs and the standing on the hanging tube challenges come to mind) but I was not impressed that she snubbed the guys. She even said earlier not to keep her as a pawn. (Which she would have been if they had kept her).

What great symbolism the challenge with the quarters was....it really brings home what the extra weight is doing to us. But thank god I don't have to climb 60 feet up with one of those packs...

I think all the hits on the Biggest Loser site brought the NBC servers to their knees last night....I managed to see the after video of Andrea - but right after 9PM pacific the whole site went down...oops. It wasn't me- I swear! It seems fine now...here's a link if you want to check it out. It doesn't look like Gary's comments are up yet.

[iwmonn]

I was also happy to see Andrea go. She did have that smug look about her, knowing stratagy would keep her in. Unfortunatly, the guys voted for who truley deserved the place instead of stratagy. Good for them. It's the part of the game I have always disagreed with. (The true Biggest Loser was probably voted off some time ago because he/she was working their program to it's fullest.) I do have to say, however, (if memory serves me right-) the comments the guys made while revealing their votes kinda had a sly almost passive/aggressive tone regarding Andrea. While the complete and obvious snub she did to them was unnecessary, so too were their comments. (of course maybe she (and I) read more into what they were saying than they really meant lol... Anyways, can't wait for next week! And no, dh will not have access to the remote for that 2 hours!

[ApplBride]

My vote is for Matt. He has really changed and I am sure that he will push himself even harder for the month at home! Looking forward to season end! Can't wait for season 3!
-Christine

Nov 1 - 220.0
Nov 23 - 209.8
Goal - 185

[sapphire9]

Well, they made the right choice when they voted off Andrea. I can't get video on my computer so will have to wait until next week to see what she's done. She was never very likeable and I didn't like the way she snubbed the guys. Glad they kept Suzy. She worked hard and looks fantastic. Re the smaller clothes. I think they either took them on a trip to the mall or had personal shoppers choose some outfits. Loved Suzy in the dress. Verry femmy. Sort of miss her glasses though.
By the way, there is a before and after picture of Dr. Jeff in this week's people (the Beautiful People issue). I cut it out and put it on my refrigerator for inspiration.

[chick_in_the_hat]

Is it just me or is Seth looking more and more like Opie (Ron Howard as a child from the old Andy Griffith show for those of you young whippersnappers)? So cute...

[Jen415]

I agree Gina...what an "apple pie face"!!

[luflic]

Man you recapped this fantastic! I too am glad Suzi is still in it! Matt cries way too much for me. And I am a cry baby.

Blessed Thanksgiving !

[MrsJim]

I actually emailed Gary to ask (among other things) how he did his 'blog'. He explained to me that he gets a copy of the show on Monday (the day before airing) from the producers so he has an opportunity to watch and re-watch it in order to write his commentary...then he sends it in and it is usually edited prior to being posted.

On Andrea - I really think that she thought she was a shoo-in to be one of the final three - saw that SMUG look on her face during the elimination before the guys revealed their choices. I was pretty sure that Seth would vote for Andrea - since he and Suzy were very close and a team; and I really believe that Matt wants to do the right thing (along with staying in the running of course) and that both guys would realize that at this point (the last elimination) it's not a matter of strategy but WHO of the two girls truly deserved to be one of the finalists. From the beginning, Suzy has worked her butt off, while Andrea has slacked off (actually overall among the women, I would say at least HALF of them did not put the maximum effort in their workouts that they COULD have done...not Bob's fault because he can only push, they have to do the work!). Bottom line is that Suzy deserved to be one of the top 3 and Andrea didn't. (IMO of course...)