TVSquad

(S03E05) The episode title says it all, when the producers take the players' gym equipment away, in another "surprise" twist. Since they've already spent other weeks working out with driftwood and sand buckets at a beach, and using alternate gym facilities on a cruise ship, this is really more of the same.

So far, the teams have lost 496 lbs going into this challenge. Players are starting to feel and notice changes for the better in their bodies. Kim, the Red Team trainer, echoes that observation, and the Red's begin tonight still buddy-buddy after last week's emotional encounters.So the workout is running and exercising on the grass, using resistance bands, humping furniture, and so on. The players are not exactly left on their own -- they still have their trainers, and all day to exercise, so what's the big deal?

On the Blue Team the focus turns to Amy, their sole female member remaining. Bob tells her she will have to work out "like a man" whatever that means, though it sounds borderline insulting, especially the way the rest of the episode plays out. And, If anyone needs to change what he's doing, it's Erik, whose shown being coached and exercised individually by Bob, who's really concerned about Erik's continued struggles.

The product placement is a trip to a chain Mexican restaurant where its "customizable healthful menu" is featured in a segment. Still, the product placements are remarkably restrained this year by current TV standards.

The reward challenge features another version of contact with family members as a motivation. Segment producers are really at at loss to come up with variety in rewards and pathos this season. I rooted for the Blue Team tonight, just because it's so grueling seeing the same team lose just about every single week. However, as usual, the Red Team is more fun to watch, while they bicker and register their disgust with one another. Pam is accused of wanting the throw Ken "under the bus " -- which she does want to do, of course. The Red team's attitude issues actually cost them the win this time. But even as Ken quits, claiming back pain, Pam and Kai tough it out, and finish the challenge. I didn't see either of the men on the Red Team cross the finish line. Bob's not their coach, but when he told Amy earlier she had to "workout like a man" maybe he meant she should sit down and give up.

The weigh-in: no one on the either team loses double digits, but Red come up with a total of 25 lbs lost (2.14%) to win the weigh-in a second week in a row. They slightly edge out the Blue Team which fails by a mere 3 lbs. Overall, I'd say weight loss has been steady and consistent this year. Good for the contestants but hardly drama-inducing. That's never stopped them from dragging out the weigh-ins through multiple commercial breaks -- and it doesn't stop them tonight either.

Bobby and Amy have an age-old elimination debate: is this the point where you start thinking about yourself and vote to ax the player most likely to win overall -- or do you continue putting the team first and eliminate the player holding your team/group/tribe back? Pam argues for putting the team's interests first. Erik has consistently had the lowest percentage weight reduction, which would mean voting him off seems to me. Pam's good sense should win out; clearly it's too early to think about the individual game, especially since Blue has basically sucked wind from the get-go.

But it is not to be.The Blue team makes a ridiculous decision and votes off Amy, who has lost over 40 lbs -- the most of any woman on either team. Host Caroline Rhea actually says something unscripted for once (well, seemingly unscripted anyway). She doesn't buy that the Blues gave their real reason for voting off Amy.

But the boys stick to their stories, claiming they believe that Amy has less weight left to lose, so her percentages would have gone down sooner or later and hurt the team. We'll see, but it doesn't look good for the Blues -- Erik (Mister 1% weight loss a week) will have to step it up -- and sooner, not later.

In the closing update we saw Pam has lost 88 lbs by now, and looks incredible. Take that Blue boys!