jillian michaels

And we're back for the tenth season of 'The Biggest Loser' (Tues., 8PM ET on NBC). In general, Americans are getting more and more obese, and so it could be argued that this reality series serves an actual valuable function -- by reminding us of the importance of weight loss and exercise. Or, it could be argued that the show is just voyeuristic exploitation, pure and simple.

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The premiere episode of the new season seemed to err on the side of "exploitation." At the very least, it contained a somewhat disturbing moment. For the new contestants to make it onto the show, they had to complete one of two challenges -- they had to either run a mile, or do 500 "step-ups."

If anyone, anywhere is overweight, then Jillian Michaels is on the case. She's like a modern-day Batman of sorts. She swoops in, solves the problem, and then, before you can turn around -- she's gone!

On the latest episode of 'Losing It With Jillian' (Tue., 8PM ET on NBC), Jillian travels to Florida to help out the Alvarez family. 10-year-old David Alvarez is pre-diabetic and overweight. But with Jillian's help, he manages to lose 25 pounds. When David comes out for his final "reveal," Jillian says this: "Buddy, you look like a different kid." " ... I am," David replies.

David is so inspired by Jillian's weight-loss program that he promises to start an after-school exercise program, to help out the other kids that he knows. Excellent job, everyone! Let's hope that David stays on track, once Jillian is no longer there. David seems very hopeful and confident, and we wish him all the best.

This week on 'Losing It With Jillian,' (Tue., 8PM ET on NBC), the personal trainer shows up to help a family in Michigan. Jillian Michaels typically has to deal with some dysfunctional families. And on the current episode, she gets involved with Todd and Amy Franklin.

Wife Amy had gastric bypass surgery a few years ago -- but she has still managed to gain weight once again. Husband Todd can't manage to lose weight either. Jillian enters the family house and finds -- jars of candy, cigarette butts, and lots of diet books.

Michaels puts the couple in a boxing ring -- in an effort to help them "work out" their problems. Todd and Amy end up doing a lot of punching and some bickering.

At this point, we have to ask ... is putting a couple with relationship issues in a boxing ring really a good idea? Will the Franklins finally manage to figure some stuff out?

On 'Losing It With Jillian' (Tue.,8PM ET on NBC), personal trainer Jillian Michaels travels to Arizona to help out an overweight Native American family. While meeting the family, who are of the Yavapai-Apache Nation tribe, Jillian learns a lot about local customs, which seem to involve eating a lot of "fry bread" -- dough that is deep-fried in lard. Not particularly healthy.

Eventually, while hanging out during a Native American gathering, Jillian can't really take it anymore. "Looking around, everybody's obese," she says. So she grabs the "fry bread" and tries to throw it out. Unfortunately, she's intercepted by a couple of kids, who want their delicious (but unhealthy) bread back. One of the kids still has some bread left, and his level of annoyance is so high that he throws it in her face.

"You're an idiot," the child says, after hitting Jillian with the foodstuff. He doesn't get to eat the bread, though, since he threw it away. "Well, maybe you'll live longer, kid," is Jillian's reply.

There are always potential dangers to exercise. You could pull a hamstring, or strain an arm muscle. Or ... you could fall off a treadmill. The last example is the one that takes place on the current 'Losing It With Jillian' (Tue., 8PM ET on NBC).

Jillian Michaels is in Tennessee to help out the Vivio family. Every member of the family is over six feet tall and overweight, so Jillian comes to town in order to assist them. But while she's having mom Laverne Vivio exercise on a treadmill in the gym, Laverne takes a tumble, collapses on the machine, slides off the machine, and then falls onto the floor.

To her credit, Laverne wants to get right back up and work out some more. And to her credit, Jillian is afraid that the mom is injured, and will not let her do it.

As it turns out, Laverne's never-say-die attitude pays off in the end. She loses 31 pounds, and at her big "reveal," she walks across a rope bridge to join her delighted family, who greet her with joyous yells. And she doesn't slip or fall while walking across that bridge. Not even once.

'Losing It With Jillian' (Tue., 8PM ET on NBC) is the show where trainer Jillian Michaels travels to different parts of the country, in order to assist various troubled families. On the latest episode, Jillian shows up in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, where she meets the Northern family.

Father Patrick Northern has lost his job -- and as a result, the family has spiraled into a pattern of overeating, depression, and inactivity. But now, Michaels is there to help.

And her healthy program seems to work. After leaving Tennessee for eight weeks, Jillian returns to see how everyone is doing -- and gets a big reveal that surpasses her expectations. Both Patrick and his wife Kim actually end up exceeding their weight loss goals. Kim loses 41 pounds and drops four dress sizes. Patrick ends up losing 61 pounds.

To show his appreciation, Patrick does a step dance routine for Jillian. It's pretty excellent. Check it out.

Another week, another single mother on 'Losing It With Jillian' (Tue., 8PM ET on NBC). This week, Jillian Michaels visits the May family in Bakersfield, California. Ruth May is a single mom who has lost her husband to divorce. Now, Ruth is overweight, stuck with a messy house, and is trying to raise three kids on her own.

Hmm. This sounds remarkably similar to last week's show, which also featured a single mom and a messy house. But as long as Jillian is helping people, that's the important thing -- even if it gets a little repetitive for the audience.

Jillian gets the mom to drop 74 pounds, and weens her two daughters off of their fast food-based diet. In the end, the mom and one of her daughters break down in tears, and Ruth thanks Jillian for "saving our lives." Aw.

Joy and Regis Philbin work out with Jillian Michaels on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated), but the session goes a bit awry when the couple fails to follow the trainer's instructions.

On 'Losing It With Jillian' (Tue., 10PM ET on NBC), trainer Jillian Michaels visits the Jones family in Massachusetts. The family has lost father and husband Gary Jones, and so Jillian takes it upon herself to snap them back into shape. Although widow Deb Jones is obese, the kids in the family look perfectly fine to us. ... Which makes it a little weird that Michaels forces them into a canoe in order to work out.

Jillian hollers through a megaphone, telling the kids to "Stroke, stroke!" ... Okay, okay. Naturally, the canoe inevitably falls over and everyone gets very wet. Of course this is what happens. The whole incident reminds us of this old saying: "If there's a canoe, then it's gonna tip over." All right, that's not actually a saying. But it sounds like it could be one, which is basically good enough.

(S01E01) The Jillian Michaels empire continues to expand. Do you think Bob Harper is getting jealous? He's started yelling more on 'The Biggest Loser,' so that might help.

The little trainer with the big mouth from NBC's most popular reality franchise, 'The Biggest Loser,' set off on her own with this "sister series." Instead of bringing overweight people to the Biggest Loser Ranch, Michaels is bringing herself to them.

More specifically, she's moving in for a week, during which she will subject her "victims" to the Jillian Micheals brand of beatings and abuse, coupled with heart-to-heart talks and a real chance to get to the root of their issues.

Jillian Michaels is a well-known hard-ass. But on her new show 'Losing It With Jillian' (Tue., 10PM ET on NBC), she gets to show a slightly more tender side.

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It's time to pick a champion on 'The Biggest Loser' (Tue., 8PM ET on NBC). And the winner may be the biggest loser of all time.

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This week on 'The Biggest Loser' (Tue., 8PM ET on NBC), the four remaining contestants returned home. But would going back to their comfortable old surroundings mean slipping back into their former ways?

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It must be hard to have come so far -- and still have so far to go. Contestant Michael Ventrella has lost 192 pounds on 'The Biggest Loser' (Tue., 8PM ET on NBC). But he's still the fattest contestant on the show, and he's having a little trouble handing this fact.

[Spoiler alert.]

Can two people find love on a reality weight-loss show? That's what happens on 'The Biggest Loser' (Tue., 8PM ET on NBC). Contestant Sam loses the least amount of weight, and is kicked off the show, but finds perhaps the greatest prize of all.

After Sam is ejected from the game, the show's cameras go to catch up with him -- and reveal that he is now dating fellow contestant Stephanie. The pair are now living together in Los Angeles. Sam has reached his goal weight, and is no longer trying to shed pounds. The couple seem very happy together. In fact, Sam seems really happy.

Sam has this to say about his new romance: "I come home to my at-home prize every day." Stephanie says this about her boyfriend: "I have a case of the Sams." Aw.