Bravo's "Thintervention"
Episode Two: "Who Is Leaving Early Tonight?"
(Cast photos and video clips are courtesy of BravoTV.com)
Sorry for the lateness of this recap but yesterday got completely away from me. You know how that is...you create a "to-do" list and the next thing you know the day just slips away and slides right into cocktail hour. (I have yet to drink and Blog!)
I have to say though-- this was a good thing as it made me watch the episode more closely during a second viewing last night.
This was such a good episode that my friend Carmen (who is all piss and vinegar when it comes to commenting on reality shows) e-mailed me after Thintervention the other night to say "Dude, I hate personal trainer workout shows but I LOVE Jackie Warner." Trust me; this is very high praise.
So let's dive in shall we?
So we come to week two and our contestants are warned by our superior host Jackie "Mother F***in'" Warner that the workout intensity will be increasing and that they will be paired into teams.
I have to say the moves she asks them to do in 30-second bursts seem pretty damn easy to me but oh boy the moaning that happens when they have to work out...Sheesh! Really people; wear your big boy and big girls pants already!
Anyhoo, after contesteant Stacy fakes an asthma attack and Nikki faked the need to vomit--we learn who the teams will be to inspire one another this week. And they are:
- Stacy & Shannon (Because 20-somethings are known for being tough on each other?)
- Jeana & Mandy (Seems like a nice fit as they both are moms but Jeana seems very confused to meet Mandy' sweet, thoughtful husband and son. Jeana-date and parent better!)
- Kim & Bryan (She kicks his ass and he lerves it.)
- Joe & Nikki (Both seem to exist to give soundbites that are just lazy, harsh, and unfunny IMHO.)
The pairs bicker, coddle, push, joke and overall seem to help one another tremendously. Well, except for the 20-somethings Stacy and Shannon who came in last during the end of week final race. (Lame!)
All teams were literally tied together with bands which was the genius move in getting the pairs to really drop the bull shit and work together as a team.
In the end we learn they all lost weight but mostly in the 1-3 pound range which left most of them with the sads. Jackie let them know she will be working even harder to get them to reach their goals. Bring on the bursts of crying!
Oh, and I almost forgot! Jackie introduces her team to her magic potion; "Jackie's Surprise Shake" to get them through their workouts. It looked like a lot of work to me and also kind of reminded me of Ruth Gordon forcing Mia Farrow to drink the "tonic" in Rosemary's Baby.
But in case you are curious, here is the video of the real deal. Tell me who many plastic bins of stuff I will have to buy at GNC to copy the recipe. I lost count!
Finally, we learn at the end of the show that Kim has a medical condition that will prevent her from staying on the program. Very sad news as she seems like a smart lady who would give her daughter (Shannon) a run for her money. But maybe this will finally inspire Shannon to get her ass in gear. Maybe? We shall see this season.
Below I will give you my personal notes about each cast member written in a both sober and not-so-sober state of mind. Enjoy!
Jackie "Mother F***in'" Warner:
Really showcased some great initiatives with the cast and take-aways for the TV audience about working muscles until you fatigue to get into shape quickly. I also loved how she and Craig cooked a healthy dinner for winner of the week Bryan. Either the woman is a brilliant actress or she truly has empathy for these people. Such a nice departure from her last reality show which focused more on her dating life. (Thank you Bravo TV!)
Mandy:
Still cute and I liked how she tried to share her vulnerability over personal health issues with Jeana. Mandy's liver is not as healthy as it should be due to her diet and weight and not from alcoholuse/abuse. Loved Jeana's response when Mandy said she never drinks. "Oh, really?" (Surprised/confused) My sentiments exactly. Who are these people who never drink?
Jeana:
Jeana is open enough to appear on camera with barely any makeup on but when Mandy tried sharing a moment with her about real personal issues--she went straight into talking about wanting to be in a bikini all summer. Maybe starring on Real Housewives of Orange County all of those years taught Jeana not to trust other women on camera? I hope she makes it as she seems in dire need of a breakthrough.
Joe:
Joe, Joe, Joe. You really want to be the cast douche don't ya? From the sexist comments about Nikki ("Orca" and "The Michelin Woman") to the overall smart ass behavior--you make it really hard to root for you Dude.
Loved it when Kim said she at first thought Bryan was straight and Joe was gay. Ha! Over compensating much?
BUT, he was cool about the boxing date with Nikki and he turned out to be the perfect partner for her in the final race so maybe he will grow up a bit? Let's hope so.
Kim & Shannon:
(Kim)
(Shannon)
After this week we will no longer see Kim, boo! Shannon seems like a nice kid but has some lazy bones on her. I hope she gets the message after seeing her mom struggle with bad health. We hope!
Nikki:
Ugh! Shows up hungover to her workout and complains non-stop. This will not win you fans Nikki.
But then she had to go and get personal in the group therapy session and we learn she was basically left to raise herself due to absent parenting. Makes sense that she would make herself big and loud in order to garner attention. She's smart and has some kindness in her heart. Please bring that out more often Nikki!
Bryan:
I can't help but love this guy. He is sweet but not a wimp. He works hard but still gets cranky over small food choices. We also learn that Bryan was a victim of childhood sexual abuse which probably explains his problems with weight and self-image. You need a hug Bryan? I am always available!
Stacy:
Whoo boy. Stacy complains quite a bit about how hard the workouts are and even fakes an asthma attack to get a break. (Yes, I am calling bull shit on the asthma. She probably had that pain in her side thing from running and decided to quit. There, I said and I am glad I said it!)
Stacy really needs to move her ass and work harder to make me care more about her journey. I am strongly suspecting she is using this to get on Last Comic Standing next season. Please prove me wrong Stacy!
And now from team Jackie we have:
Dr. Ravani
Dr. Ravani rocks my world! She talks like an educated professional unlike most "TV shrinks" we see on these types of shows. She is strong, kind and thoughtful and I am positive she will really be able to help these people. Woman needs a book deal people!
And Craig Ramsey:
Oh Craig, there you are! Last week you barely registered with me and this week you brought the adorable to 11. Yeah Craig! You are tough when you need to be and will wear footie pajamas for fun. What isn't there to love about you? Let's meet for frozen Cosmopolitans one of these days!
One last thing about Craig. I am taking a poll. Who do you think he resembles more:
"Jacob" from Lost:
Or "Gary" from Thirtysomething?
Anyhoo, that's all for me this week. Let me know what you think. Are you into the show yet? Who are you rooting for? Let me know! I am eager to meet other Thintervention fans.
In the meantime, I leave you with this clip from last night's show. Cheers Everybody!
(Thanks to BravoTV.com for providing the clips.)
Until next time...
BFC
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-20751029-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
