The sixteen contestants for season 8 are introduced. The theme for the season is having a second chance, which brings with it a lot of baggage for most, if not all, contestants. The second chance applies to the show with one contestant, back from a previous season, and has been allowed to continue with his weight loss journey. Before the contestants even have a chance to do a workout, weigh-in or meet the trainers, they are subjected to their first challenge, a 1-mile race, the winner to have immunity from elimination. As with previous seasons, all the contestants will be paired up, the winner of the race also having the choice of his/her partner. The race proves to be too much for two of the contestants. At the first official weigh-in, there are five people over 400 pounds apiece - the largest number ever for the show, and the heaviest single person ever on the show. At their first workout, the contestants learn that both Bob and Jillian will be jointly training them all. Each ... Written by Huggo

Immediately after Alexandra is the first person voted off campus, Alison tells the remaining contestants that every person will stay on campus for an extra week if they work together to lose a collective 150 pounds by the next weigh-in. If they don't, the reward turns into a punishment where two people will be voted off. Bob and Jillian know the contestants have an almost impossible task because of the historic curse of week 2, but do their best to help the contestants realize the goal. The contestants place added pressure and stress on themselves and the other contestants, especially those who they feel are not working hard enough. Much of the animosity is directed toward Julio, who many felt should have been voted off the previous week. Celebrity chef Curtis Stone also assists the contestants in learning about healthy eating. They better be paying attention as a reward challenge is based on his lecture, the reward being a collective 15 pound advantage at the weigh-in. The ... Written by Huggo

Because the contestants met the challenge of losing a collective 150 pounds between them the previous week - even without needing the 35 extra pounds they won - no one was voted off campus last week. One contestant learns of a medical issue which may altar her training. Before the start of this week, Alison offers one team a weight advantage at the next weigh-in in exchange for no access to the trainers, that weight advantage starting at 2 pounds and going up by 2 pounds until one team decides to take it. The individual that ultimately makes the unilateral decision to take the weight advantage does not have the emotional support of their partner or of the trainers. Alison offers yet a second advantage, this one available to only one person. That person will decide which person from each team will represent the team in the next weigh-in. The winner of that advantage has to eat the most food placed in front of them, each person not being able to see the amount eaten by any of the ... Written by Huggo

After the last weigh-in, Sean and Antoine sacrificed themselves for Shay's sake and requested that they be voted off the campus, to which the other contestants complied. The actions by Tracey the last week were not well received by the others, which may make her a target. She also receives some news from Dr. Huizenga about her medical situation. The week long challenge the contestants face is no access to the kitchen, meaning that they have to order in all their meals. Bob and Jillian know that they have to make the workouts that much more difficult to compensate for the probable bad food the contestants are eating, but they also assist the contestants by taking them all out for one meal to teach them how to order. Also concerning food, the contestants have a reward challenge on making the smartest food choice among three different chicken meals. For immunity, they have a strength endurance test. The result breaks a mental barrier for one. After the weigh-in, the voting process is a ... Written by Huggo

With Julio voted off campus after the latest weigh-in, all the remaining participants are now in paired off in their original pairs. Or are they? The first game, one purely of luck, offers the winner the power to rearrange the groupings. The participants will now be split into two teams - one training with Jillian, one training with Bob - with the winner of the game assigning who will train with who and who will be on which team. The game has some other possible windfalls, but also some large potential costs. The winner of the game is the one person who most of the other participants least wanted it, that person who makes some unpopular decisions. Some are unable to cope without the partner they've had since day one of being on campus. The reward challenge is one of each person figuratively and literally carrying their team, the winning team to get a video letter from home. Some on the winning team show their support for their former partners. When the deliberation for the vote off ... Written by Huggo

Following the last weigh-in when Coach Mo was voted off, the black team is surprised that Tracey was not the one voted off. She can see their reaction, by which she feels hurt. The first challenge of the week is digging for keys in the sand to unlock a treasure chest. All Alison tells them about the reward is that it will definitely determine who will stay on campus and who will go home. After the challenge, the teams find out that the reward is a double edged sword with a down side. Ultimately, the winning team has the ability to give the reward away to the losing team if they so choose. The team that ultimately gets the reward do appreciate the positives about it, but also find that the down side will be difficult to overcome, which may affect their next weigh-in. Written by Huggo

After the latest weigh-in when Dina was voted off the campus, the two teams are matched five black team members against five blue team members. As such, the next weigh-in will be an individual one-on-one battle, the team winning at least three of the five match-ups will win the week. The reward challenge - one of speed and agility - will allow the winning team to determine who will be matched up against whom at the weigh-in. The following challenge will provide both a reward - a Curtis Stone cooked lunch - and a 2-pound advantage at the weigh-in to use as they see fit. The challenge itself is inspired by campus guest Derek Jeter. During the workouts, Abby, Amanda and Shay speak openly and emotionally about their challenges and fears with Jillian. At the weigh-in, beyond the actual one against one match-ups, one contestant hits a milestone. Written by Huggo

After Abby is voted off campus following the latest weigh-in, the remaining nine contestants are no longer in teams, but are back to being individuals. They are also off to Washington, D.C. to make a difference in the public health of America. They are recruiting people to participate in a mass workout held by Bob and Jillian in front of the Washington Monument. The contestant who recruits the most people gets an advantage at the week's main challenge. That challenge is a four stage race, the bottom contestants who will be dropped from the race after each stage. The winner of the challenge will receive immunity at this week's weigh-in. Also during their stay in the national capital, the contestants meet with federal politicians to discuss the epidemic of obesity in the United States, and meet with White House chefs. Instead of heading back to campus, they hold this week's weigh-in in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Written by Huggo

Tensions rise when contestants learn from host Alison Sweeney that two players will be eliminated this week - so only six of the eight remaining players will still be in the game after the weigh-in. With the stakes so high, players are more determined than ever to stay above the yellow line. First, there's a tennis ball pop challenge that rewards the winner with an advantage at weigh-in. Then the contestants have to jump through hoops - literally - when they head to the circus for a lively challenge with the coveted prize of immunity for whoever wins. Later, contestants are led by trainer Bob Harper through a wild, trapeze-swinging last chance workout, only to return to the ranch and find trainer Jillian Michaels ready to put them through a second, grueling last chance workout. Then a dramatic weigh-in leads to heartbreaking eliminations as the contestants say goodbye to two more players. Written by NBC Publicity

At the last weigh-in, Daniel fell below the red line and was immediately evicted from campus, and Shay was voted off, leaving six contestants. Those six are told that they are going to give a motivational speech to an eager crowd. But before they give their speech, they get a make-over to match their new slimmer bodies. Tabatha Coffey provides them with new hair styles, and Tim Gunn provides a general wardrobe and style makeover. Back with the contest, the contestants compete in a reward challenge in the spirit of making over. One contestant has an anxiety attack over the challenge. And because of the makeover, the contestants have missed a week's worth of workouts. So their last chance workout is an all day affair. Before that workout, Bob takes Allen aside to discuss some matters. And Jillian speaks to Rudy about a disclosure he made during his motivational speech. Written by Huggo

With Rebecca voted off campus after the last weigh-in, there are five contestants left in the running for the Biggest Loser. Amanda in particular is feeling vulnerable as she realizes that if she falls below the yellow line, she will be voted off. Regardless, this week will be the last week on campus for all five. They are visited by financial expert Suze Orman who relays stories of the financial individual cost of obesity. With this information, the contestants are given a quiz while running on a treadmill, with wrong answers making their treadmill experience more difficult, and correct answers increasing their financial well being. As a reward challenge, the contestants are visited by NFL Hall of Famer Rod Woodson. The contestants' football related challenge not only involves shedding the amount of weight they've lost thus far all over again, but has an added incentive of the winner being able to choose how to do some good for the youth of America. At the weigh-in, the contestants ... Written by Huggo

Allen, the latest contestant voted off campus, is not the only contestant going home. The final four contestants are also going home to resume their weight loss while getting on with their regular day-to-day lives, including all the outside pressures involved. For some, they are returning to some problems that they left, while others are returning to what they see as a renewal of life. But some family members admit to the return being a difficult transition. Danny receives his reward for winning the latest weigh-in: chef Curtis Stone teaching him and his family how to cook healthily. Each of the four contestants also receives a package from the trainers, including information on what their next challenge will be: to train for and run a full marathon. By the time their training is over, and they're at the start line, they are all feeling that they can accomplish this task. Alison tells them of a reward for the winner of the race. Along the course, the contestants are provided ... Written by Huggo