Do we still have an appetite for “The Biggest Loser,” or will Netflix’s new docuseries about the controversial weight-loss competition remind viewers that we’ve had our fill?
“Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser” (now streaming) provides a heaping second helping of the triumphs and missteps of NBC's 18-season 2004-16 competition series. Over three episodes, past contestants, co-creator David Broome, former host Alison Sweeney and trainer Bob Harper reflect on the series that awarded a large cash prize to the contestant who’d lost the most weight. Jillian Michaels, another fitness expert on the series, declined to be interviewed.
Though many lost weight throughout the series, the tactics at times posed a risk to participants and their esteem. Tracey Yukich suffered a near-death experience during a challenge to kick off Season 8. Joelle Gwynn, a competitor on Season 7, still harbors anger for the way Harper scolded her during a workout. And Michaels supplied some contestants with caffeine pills, though caffeine was banned by the show's physician, Robert Huizenga. Competitors were asked to participate in sometimes humiliating temptation challenges, when they were enticed with high-calorie treats or building towers made of bread using their mouths.
