Let me pitch you a show.
It’s a reality television program in which strangers from all walks of life live together in a house, totally cut off from the outside world, competing to win a cash prize.
The houseguests must vote to evict one another weekly, while competing in various challenges and relying on their social skills to navigate relationships and avoid eviction each week.
Oh! And they do all of this while under surveillance 24/7 for the enjoyment of the public.
Is that something that would be of interest to you?
If so, then you’ll love the earlier seasons of Big Brother.
Back in the day, Big Brother was a social game first and foremost, with competitions playing a role, of course, but they were never placed above the most critical aspect of the game, which is seeing people maneuver their way through the game using their words and actions.
The competitions on Big Brother are notable for granting houseguests power, but all power in Big Brother is fleeting.
A competition win will have you feeling like you’re on top of the world, but in the next instance, a power shift could have you sinking to the bottom of the food chain, hence where that social game comes into play.
Lately, and especially as we’re seeing Big Brother 27 with the addition of the blockbuster twist, competitions have felt more vital to the game than ever before.
Those put on the block at the beginning of each week now have two opportunities to remove themselves, via the traditional veto or during the BB Blockbuster, which has lessened the need in some ways for people to campaign in the conventional sense.
One of the most interesting and exciting parts of the show has always been the time between the veto being played and the live eviction, during which the two people on the block must wheel and deal their way around the house to maintain their safety.
You get some of that here, surely, but knowing that one of the THREE people on the block won’t be there when it’s time to vote, lessens a lot of the intrigue and also dampens the way in which the houseguests can approach their campaigns.
The game never needed more competitions, especially the ones that Big Brother employs, which often feel like they could be found at an upscale carnival.
You know the large-scale carnivals, not the ones that pop up in your local abandoned mall’s parking lot.
There are plenty of competition shows out there to watch and digest, but that’s never been what Big Brother was all about.
The games only added to the drama, but at its core, it was about the houseguests finding avenues to plant seeds and often scheme their way into another week when the ball didn’t bounce their way or their memory failed them during a crucial HOH.
Look no further than Rachel Reilly’s most recent eviction, which saw the former winner exit due to a competition twist. The twist unceremoniously sent her home without her getting a chance to fight for her life.
That isn’t the Big Brother show most people signed up to watch.
No one wants to see parlor games that result in the eviction of someone playing arguably the best game of the summer.
Longtime fans of the show can remember veto speeches and explosive blowups by heart, but most will not be able to tell you the ins and outs of the vetoes every season.
By throwing all these strangers into a game that pits them against one another, you’re looking to see who can strategize their way to the end, and while that may involve racking up competition wins, that has never truly been the staple of a Big Brother winner.
The series continues to lose sight of what once made it one of the best reality television series on air.
Competitions alone will never create the same depth and drama that a 2 A.M. Thursday morning house flips bring when you know none of the players on the block have the chance to escape it.
Don’t bottle these houseguests up into becoming versions of The Challenge players because that isn’t the show they chose to be on.
Perhaps I’m way off base, but as a longtime viewer, each season the series seems to drift further and further away from the aspects I’ve always loved.
How do you feel about the way the show incorporates competitions?
Do you feel that the show is straying from its roots?
Or do you like the increased competition and lessened social aspects?
Please share your thoughts in the comments so we can discuss further.
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