Netflix's Biggest Loser loser • Project Runway setup • BB27 feeds • and more!
Dear newsletter friends,
I’ve become more aware in recent years that I have time blindness, which for me means I’m not able to judge how long something will take—from driving to an appointment to working on a task.
For example, take Netflix’s new Biggest Loser doc, which is out today; I published my review last night.
It’s three episodes and just over two hours total. So I thought I could watch it and write about it in maybe an hour. 😂
Okay, not that bad, but I did not expect it to take two days.
I watched, took notes, wrote an intro, pulled some photos. Then I rewrote the intro, did some research, and did more research, and wrote, and revised. I’d guess it was seven or eight hours over two days, coming back to it at various points.
I actually don’t know how long it took, even though I have an app for that—Llama Life, which both tracks time and reminds me to stay focused—but of course I forgot to start the timer. 🫠
Oh well! I did it, I’m happy with it, and next time maybe I’ll allot two hours to a similar task. 🙂
🏋🏻 Reviews
Netflix:
Netflix’s Fit for TV is as big a failure as The Biggest Loser
Bonus! My previous coverage of the show:
The Biggest Loser says it’s changed. But it’s still focused on the wrong things.
Hulu:
True crime:
😵💫 Recaps
Project Runway
Below Deck
Episode 11: Below Deck S12 finally resolved its biggest mystery
Big Brother:
What you missed on BB27’s live feeds: creepy Rylie, paranoid Morgan, and more
Also:
Vince refuses to help Zach shave his balls and the live feeds cut 🤨
🗓️ Reality TV premieres
🚨 Survivor Australia v The World starts Sunday on Network 10 in Australia. If I have to fly there to see it, I will, so look for my coverage next week! 😀
This week’s reality premieres include the return of Chef Grudge Match, without the word “Super” and with new host Laila Ali; Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale and Love is Blind: UK; and A Sorority Mom’s Guide to Rush, which follows two mother-daughter pairs during rush. (Do mothers join sororities now too? Or is this lawnmower parenting?)
Among this week’s documentaries and unscripted specials are The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Summer, featuring Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Andrew Rannells, June Diane Raphael, and Yara Shahidi; and an “innovative documentary/visual album composed by JJ’88, a musician incarcerated at 15 and serving a life sentence”.
💬 Comments of the week
On my review of The Biggest Loser doc, the show’s creator Dave Broome wrote:
Obviously, I didn’t make the doc – but there are a lot of things in your overview of Biggest Loser that aren’t really right. I haven’t seen the documentary yet- so, I’m not sure what I said over nearly 7 hours in an interview chair that was cut out – but I certainly said that there were many things we would change – but the show (behind the scenes) was ALWAYS concerned first and foremost with health and safety. One thing you need to know – MANY of the contestants on the show had (almost literally) one foot in the grave. Biggest Loser wasn’t their first choice. It was their last hope. We had many, many calls with network legal in order to get these contestants approved- because that’s how dire of a situation they were facing. LASTLY – I don’t think you (nor the audience) has any idea how many local weigh-loss competitions and challenges took place all over the country (and world) because the show inspired so many people – I’m talking schools, libraries, entire towns, etc… This show had an affect on the public LIKE NO OTHER REALITY SHOW EVER (IMO). And I will always be incredibly proud of the inspiration we provided.
On our discussion of Andy Cohen, SJU wrote:
I make sure I record the later version of a Bravo show so I won’t have to have Andy Cohen’s half hour. If there isn’t a later one, I can create an hour long recording. That also eliminates that final half hour.
He is so in love with himself it’s nauseating. I can’t watch him.
🗞️ Reality TV news
Show news:
The Traitors US is expanding and following the UK’s lead, woo hoo!
The Traitors Ireland kicks off Aug. 31 on RTE (watch its trailer), while The Traitors NZ is returning for a third season—without, however, host Paul Henry, who now works for another company.
Remember Last Comic Standing? Netflix’s new Kevin Hart show sounds very familiar!
People news:
Real Housewives of Orange County’s Jennifer Pedranti is insisting "I'm not racist" despite posting a racist video in which she and Gretchen Rossi are "pretending to fight, squinting their eyes and making Asian faces to Asian sounds," as their RHOC co-star Katie Ginella described it. "It’s very hurtful and inappropriate. It’s 2025 and I think we should read the room."
Former Survivor: Exile Island player Shane Powers told EW's Dalton Ross he "lost the right to be considered for that show because I have been mean and grumpy and nasty with the guy who created… or didn't create the show, but that's his baby."
There's also his substance abuse problem. When he was in finals casting for a previous season, Shane said, "I peed like a 0.28 to the physical and took the psych test drunk with Dr. Liza."
Survivor players Colton Cumbie and Bill Powers are now friends, despite Colton’s racist bullying during the show. Bill told Dalton Ross “I genuinely at that time chalked it up to the fact that he was 20 years old. I thought him more as an idiot kid than I did this lifelong racist, hating person with irredeemable qualities. I just didn't think he was that type of a human being.” Colton later reached out and, Bill said, “gave the most sincere apology you could have ever imagined.”
🤩 I recommend
Dingo’s recaps of the BB27 live feeds, which had so much more than we saw on the episodes this week!
This movie—and this episode about the making of the movie. The film is basically just real life, with Tippi Hedren, her daughter Melanie Griffith, and her then-husband and his kids hanging around dozens of big cats—animals that horrifically maimed more than half the crew.
Just skip ahead in the film to any part and watch for a few minutes and you’ll get the idea. It’s absolutely bonkers!Using this fun site to browse Wikipedia like it’s TikTok!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is issue 431 of reality blurred’s weekly newsletter, first sent on 15 August 2025, and it’s losing patience with the new Project Runway