Episode 2 Recap: The "Amazing" Twist

Tonight’s second part of the two-night premiere is so big there is no time for a Julie “but first”. So let’s just get on with it! We are immediately teased that the BB Takeover will begin with a guest. We all presume that involves two more houseguests but before we need to meet our next six.

(l to r): Julie Chen, Liz, Jason, John, Becky, Vanessa, Steve

The formula is the same so let’s just get the highlights of the introduction packages.
- Liz is a feisty Capricorn without a filter
- Jason believes working for minimum wage isn’t a good look
- Vanessa has 4.5 million from poker
- John rocks out… and wants money
- Becky loves the outdoors (it’s a theme…and apparently everything about her)
- Steve plays with K’Nex (like a child)
This group of six is pretty tame in their package. Vanessa tells us that love is love and how she’s now a lesbian. John hates superfans. And as Liz is packing, she’s conveniently packing in front of a mirror…but who was that packing was it Liz or a POTENTIAL TWIN NAMED JULIE. Oh and like Clay, Steve’s house has their family name plastered on the front. Maybe it’s a clue. Or just a stupid coincidence. 

After we meet our second six, Julie brings them out like she does and immediately reveals the twists to the six. I think they were smart enough to figure out the Battle of the Block the second they walked out in a group of six, but they need some drama. The BB Takeover Twist? Well John was not having that at all. Get used to it Rock Doc. Julie sends them on in to meet the first eight and what ensues is just another adorable meet and great. John is intense. Like cannot handle himself. And perpetually drunk with that slurring thing he does. When Jace and Becky meet, Jace tries to be super chill and calls her home state “Rado” which, according to Becky, no one does. I smell tension! In the Diary Room sessions, Vanessa admits she is playing. Analyzing and getting information immediately about the first HOH. But we learn that gets spilled quite soon to all. And then Liz says something with a knowing look that clearly foreshadows that she’s the Twin Twist. Editing or complete inability to make this twist last? You decide. Da’Vonne, who seems to have an opinion on everyone, does not believe John is a dentist and thinks Jason is the equivalent to Pee Wee Herman. And then James, the guy with the baby at home, is still melting for the hot girls. 

We return from break to meet our first guest Taker Over. And it’s Phil Koeghan, host of The Amazing Race, confirming what we already assumed. After showing some clips of previous BB couples on The Amazing Race, Phil reveals it’s time to throw some racers into the BB House. And we get Blind Date twist couple Jeff and Jackie. They admit they are close friends and that’s it. How will this play out? No need to wait, get them in there! They meet the rest of the house to a mix of previous knowledge and complete and utter ignorance. I mean Da’Vonne calls the show they were on Gulliver’s Travels. Let’s just keep Da’Vonne longer than she should be on the show because her DR quotes are epic. 

Jackie and Jeff of The Amazing Race

After a harmless introduction, Julie gets ready to reveal the next HOH. But first, another houseguest must sit out. This time it’s Vanessa who takes a gamble and agrees. The rest of the house agrees that they won’t put her up as well leaving the available number of houseguests to nominate to ten. THAT is a gamble. The movie joked about in the first HOH is the theme of the second HOH. The houseguests must hold onto their stake before getting sucked into the UFO. Simple enough, right? That is until alien slime is shot onto them. It was #grossnasty. And speaking of grossnasty, can we talk about the abysmal production value with the laser beams? It was embarrassing. The Post Production team should be fired. But alas, we’re here for competition and just like that, Steve is out. The others seems to be holding on well including super cocky Jason. Jason, the token gay boy, loves to run his mouth and I think this will make him a super easy target very soon. Jeff, one half of the BB Takeover Twist, decides to throw the challenge as to not make the target on his back bigger. And just like that we’re down to…nope, John’s out. And Becky. And now Liz. Making the final two Jackie and Jason, a very unlikely pair. By this point, Jackie is way up on her stake and knows time is running out. Jason wants to win so badly that he foolishly agrees to make a deal with Jackie and not nominate her. She immediately agrees and Jason wins. This makes two tiny people the HOH for the week. But wait! We still don’t know what will happen to Da’Vonne and Vanessa! I think the best twist would be to take them out of the house and make them do The Amazing Race instead. But Phil returns and teases that “sometimes with risk comes reward.” Thanks Mr. Vagueface. 

And just like that, the jam packed episode is over. We now know our official 16 houseguests. So what do you think of Jeff and Jackie being in the house? And how will the power dynamics shift with Jason and James as the HOH? Who will they nominate? We’ll find out on Sunday!

Power Rankings

So after every Thursday episode, we will do a re-ranking of the Power Rankings. This first re-rank is simple. HOH to the top and The Amazing Race to the bottom.

        1. James (7)
        2. Jason (4)
        3. Clay (1)
        4. Meg (2)
        5. Audrey (3)
        6. Da’Vonne (5)
        7. Jace (6)
        8. Steve (8)
        9. Vanessa (9)
        10. Becky (10)
        11. Liz (11)
        12. Austin (12)
        13. Shelli (13)
        14. John (14)
        15. Jackie (n/a)
        16. Jeff (n/a)

Episode 1 Recap: BB Takeover, or WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS AGAIN!

Big Brother is a beloved show. It has recent fans who’ve just started watching the past few years. It has superfans who’ve been watching since the very first season. I fall into the super superfan category. I’ve studied the show inside and out. I’ve rewatched seasons. I remember every single contestant. I remember every single twist. And as a super superfan, you have to expect the unexpected. But after tonight, the unexpected seems more like recycled crap. More on that later, for now let’s get started on the recap of our very first episode of BB17!

The show begins and our fearless leader Julie Chen sets us up for a great season. Unlike previous seasons, Julie teases us from INSIDE the house. We get our first official look at the newly designed Big Brother house, now including the glass bridge outside of the Head of Household room. As Julie gives us the walk through and into the “live” studio audience outside the BB house, we learn that we are going to get THREE twists in one night. One will be a fan favorite, one will be brand new, and one will be a secret just for us. We already know that the brand new twist will be the BB Takeover where each week will introduce a new twist that will destroy the game. Literally. Forget having a strategy because everything that could happen will likely happen. But before we get there, let’s meet our houseguests. 

It is tradition that we meet our houseguests in their natural habitat so we get a glimpse of who they really are, prior to entering the BB house. Rather than analyzing every single moment, the highlights included:
- James is a hick through and through
- Meg lives with her #gusband, or gay husband
- Jace is a born explorer (and a carbon copy of Hayden Voss)
- Audrey is a girly girl, yet athletic (and it’s all a big lead up for her big secret)
- Austin (and Judas) has a masters in Medieval Romance Literature
- Da’Vonne is a gamer with a baby
- Clay’s family farm has a beautiful fence with “The Honeycutts” on it
- Shelli is a DYIer (and very handsy)
Is the intro package ever really important? Nah? It’s mostly a throw away of fun and bubbly staged moments. BUT for those reality TV superfans, I bet you were eagle eyed into Meg’s package where one of her best friends included Survivor: Redemption Island and Survivor Caramoan castaway Andrea Boehlke! Also, did anyone else think that Da’Vonne was gonna pack her baby in her suitcase? The way she was just laying on the side I was ready for her to toss her in. 

So there are our first eight…Eight?! Last time we had people enter in two groups was in BB 16 where we had the fan-splitting Battle of the Block. Hmmm, could this recycled twist come back? We’ll just have to wait and see. So the first eight are granted entry into the house for what is to be a history making 98 days. Good luck y’all! Once the eight do their typical “ahhhs” and “omgs” and hugs and kisses, we start to some dynamics form. The edit clearly wants us to watch the Puma and the Texan get it on because Shelli wants Clay real bad. Which actually works because Clay likes animals. And I’m sure we all noticed the disproportionate combo of Austin (who hasn’t revealed Judas yet) and James. It’s hilarious. It’s hard to gage just how tall James is but next to Austin, he looks like a munchkin. As the eight were exploring, they seemed to fall in love with the glass bridge. Until they realized ladies best not wear skirts cuz the fellas can look right up! Now I wonder if production thought of that as a bad thing...

Top Row: Austin, Audrey, Jace, Clay
Bottom Row: Meg, James, Shelli, Da'Vonne

The obligatory circle of hellos and introductions continues to tease the showmance between Clay and Shelli, adding their unofficial alliance title “The Heart Murmurs” once it’s revealed that they both had heart murmurs. Shelli also reveals she has a twin brother. Oh twins, who really cares. (#foreshadow). There are an abundance of lies as the houseguests reveal their occupations including Da’Vonne (the poker dealer is now a 2nd grade teacher), Clay (the former football player is now a grad student), and Meg (oh wait, server in NYC and actress are the same thing aren't they?). Also, James thinks Meg looks like Taylor Swift. Another lie right there. But someone who isn’t lying is Audrey. As it was already spoiled all over the internet, Audrey revealed to her houseguests that she is transgender. A first for the franchise. It’s a bold move but a beautiful moment. Her seven roommates seem to welcome this with open arms. Will this play into the game at all or will this just be a blip to the story? It’s too soon to tell but with it out on the table, Audrey can play the game openly. In the diary room interviews, all the houseguests talk about Audrey but it’s James who seems to get a little confused about life. He compares him being Southern Asian to Audrey being transgender. I know there’s sentiment in the statement but it totally misses the mark. 

When we return from commercial, we get a chance to see the players in their new natural habitats. We see Shelli, Da’Vonne, and Audrey chatting in the doorless bedroom with the best bedding while Jace, Austin, and Clay are in the macho man room chatting about cookies. Is this a set up for a boys vs. girls alliance formation? It is on one side as Audrey immediately pursues Shelli and Da’Vonne for an alliance, stating that a girl has to take over and win. Well, cross your fingers you’re not a Joey sweetheart because if this catches wind, you’re outta here first! With the alliance sealed, we jump ahead to see James and Clay joining in on a discussion about “y’all”. How boring. Why would you show this? Oh, because it leads into a discussion on Audrey’s journey and her family’s acceptance. We learn that she was sent to a camp to repress her thoughts but it backfires. I think all of the houseguests are relieved to find out that Audrey is loved by her family. But throughout this story, poker dealer Da’Vonne is reading every single person and believes there’s something up with Audrey’s story. Hate to break it to ya, but don’t doubt her just yet because YOU JUST MADE AN ALLIANCE WITH HER! 

It’s the first night of Big Brother so we know we’re gonna get a little bit of competitive action. And we do! In tonight’s first twist of the season! It’s the fan favorite twist. Julie reveals that we are in fact getting another season of the stupid Battle of the Block. Was this really a fan favorite? I don’t know. Perhaps some people hated it because the BB 16 players truly didn’t understand how to utilize it. Maybe these houseguests will use it as strategy and not a throwaway tool. Before the competition can begin, Julie reveals that one contestant must sit out. Why exactly? We’ll never know. Literally, we still don’t know. But it doesn’t matter as Da’Vonne volunteers herself as long as the other seven don’t nominate her. They agree and it’s outside they go! Assuringly related to the special guests feature of the season, TV personality Kevin Frasier is the host of the competition which is set up like a red carpet for a BB movie that got bad reviews. After some awkward interactions (we’re looking at you James), the competition is underway. In this first Head of Household competitions, houseguests are perched on a ledge and must catch ten “tomatoes” in order to be crowned the first (of two) HOH of the summer. The competition gets underway and it’s not as easy as it looks. And these tomatoes are literally softballs. Just watch Meg get nailed in the boob. James seems to get the hang of it. So do Austin and Clay. But then things get dicey. The ledge begins to move and Meg falls. As does Austin, who rips down the holder, and Clay, who just revealed he’s golden. Poor pretty boy. We didn’t even get to see you get dirty. With three out, James is way in the lead with Jace slowly behind and Shelli and Audrey ball-less. Jace catches himself twice to avoid falling. Out of nowhere, Jace, Shelli, and Audrey catch up to the Asian Hillbilly but wait, the ledge is falling and down go…ALL FOUR?! Really? Julie reveals that they have to look at instant replay to determine the winner. After reviewing the tape, it’s revealed that James has won and will be the first HOH. For all those who underestimated the Asian Hillbilly, myself included, you really have to expect the unexpected. 

With a new HOH in place, it’s time for Julie to reveal the next twist to the houseguests. While it isn’t a surprise for us, the houseguests learn about BB Takeover, which includes a surf-tastic “Get Ready for a Takeover” theme song. I have a feeling it will get obnoxious real fast. What this means is that each week a new twist will be revealed. What is it? Who knows but it’s sure to shake up the game. Expect mass pandemonium. For those with a strategy, you might as well just toss it out the window because thinking moves ahead won’t work this time around. 

So that’s it, right? Nope. We have our third twist to get to! The third twist. What could it be? We’re expecting something fresh and new and game changing, right? Well get ready to scream because the third twist is titled: TWIN TWIST. Excuse me? Did I just get out of a time machine from 2004 because I could have sworn Big Brother included this twist in BB5. For those who don’t remember, BB5 was themed DNA, or Do Not Assume. The main twists revolved around familiar bonds including Cowboy and Nakomis discovering they were half siblings and Adria and Natalie playing as Adria for 4 weeks. In 2004, this twist was golden. It was completely unexpected and amazing. But this was a time where social media could not aid in discovering who this person is. Julie teased that the Twin may or may not be in the house with this first eight. But superfans seem to have already linked who the Twin is (we’ll get to that tomorrow). So now begs the question, why? If the rest of the BB Takeover twists involve previous twists, then fine, Twin Twist is fine. But to reboot an iconic moment from the classic season is just unfair to us. It worked in the moment. 

It may not have been a super eventful evening but a lot sure did happen! What are your thoughts on the first eight? And are you Team Twin Twist? Sound off and get ready for night two of the two night premiere tomorrow on CBS! 

Big Brother 17 Official Cast Portraits

CBS has released the official Big Brother 17 cast portraits! Thank goodness because those selfies were not doing it. What do you think of the cast?

...

Big Brother 17 Houseguests Predictions and Pre-Season Power Rankings

The Big Brother 17 cast list has been released which means, summer is here! To get us ready for next week's big two night premiere, let's get to know a little about our 14 new houseguests vying for that half million prize and make some first impression predictions! At the end, you'll find my, the Reality Ace's Pre-Season Power Rankings. Let's see how accurate I am! My pick was number 2 last year!

The Houseguests

Audrey Middleton

Age: 25

Hometown: Villa Rica, Georgia

Current City: Villa Rica, Georgia

Occupation: Digital media consultant

Audrey is a first. She is the first transgender contestant in Big Brother history. This could be impactful. But with the wrong group of people, they will hold it against her. On the surface she would have been forgotten, but with a story, be prepared for Audrey to be in for the long haul if she hooks up with the right people. You may be an early jury boot but she won’t be lost in Big Brother oblivion.

PREDICTION: Jury

Austin Matelson

Age: 30

Hometown: Woodland Hills, California

Current City: Woodland Hills, California

Occupation: Professional wrestler

Big personalities are a killer in this game. Austin certainly has a big personality. By looks alone, this former WWE wrestler is the odd man out this season. But unlike last season's Donny, Austin may not be as likeable due to his brazenness. And top hat. And split personality. On the flip side, he could use his “celebrity” to wow. Austin is the epitome of wildcard. But for me, he's a goner. Sorry pal, you're expendable.

PREDICTION: Pre-jury

Becky Burgess

Age: 26

Hometown: Denver, Colorado

Current City: Denver, Colorado

Occupation: Retail manager

Becky is the generic pretty girl. She's more of a Jessie than an Aaryn and could get lost in the fold. She seems completely harmless which could work in her favor. That being said, she will get used and abused in her alliance because she's so sweet. Finding the right people to work with will be Becky's key to success. But unless she has some tricks hidden up her sleeve, Becky will receive the fate of those like her who got mid season boots.

PREDICTION: Pre-jury

Clay Honeycutt

Age: 23

Hometown: Dickinson, Texas

Current City: College Station, Texas

Occupation: Graduate student at Texas A&M

Well someone's got a pretty face! Clay looks like he'll be the object of every lady's (and maybe some guys) affection. Clay has that million-dollar smile with that appealing southern charm. Clay seems to be a genuine good guy, like a Cody from BB16. Will he experience the same fate and only be worthy of the nice guy number 2 prize? Clay is athletic, which is always important in the Big Brother house. Don't be shocked if he gets approached by nearly everyone in the house for an alliance. This could be something good or hurt him right off the bat if the ones he doesn't pick get wind, and numbers.  Clay will go far. Finals or close to it.

PREDICTION: Finals

Da'Vonne Rogers

Age: 27

Hometown: Inglewood, California

Current City: Los Angeles

Occupation: Poker dealer

Da'Vonne has fight in her. She has a poker background, but unlike Vanessa, she's on the other side of the table, thought she claims that she is a great poker player. She's a strategist and knows it. She could fly under the radar if she is smart but if she’s loud, she’s lost. As long as she is read right, she will go pretty far. See her in the jury house and bitter about it.

PREDICTION: Jury

Jace Agolli

Age: 23

Hometown: Dunwoody, Georgia

Current City: Venice Beach

Occupation: Personal trainor

Filling the double Hayden quota (and the Jase quota for that matter), Jace is chill and fun and a complete non-threat. He seems the physical edge that others do not with a hidden smart side with a way with words. He seems like he'll be a blast and win over the house instantly. If he plays it cool, he’s good until the end. But I don’t see that happening. He seems like a player from the start and that could be bad move.

PREDICTION: Jury

James Huling

Age: 31

Hometown: Sumter, South Carolina

Current City: Wichita Falls, Texas

Occupation: Retail associate

James seems to have shopped around Donny's closet before entering the Big Brother house. His story is intriguing. And he is not a stereotype whatsoever. If he plays his cards right, he'll garner some love and sympathy. He also has potential to rub certain people the wrong way with his Southern ways if he boasts about it. As long as James finds the right people to align with, James has a real shot. Physically not a threat, James needs to blend in. And he has the camo to do so.

PREDICTION: Jury

Jason Roy

Age: 25

Hometown: Fall River, Massachusetts

Current City: Swansea, Massachusetts

Occupation: Supermarket cashier

Oh Jason. You are a goofball. I have a feeling he'll bring the entertainment of the season. Jason is certainly a charmer with a high-pitched Massachusetts accent and I see him buddying up to the ladies. But thinking he can lead an all-girls alliance is quite hilarious. He knows the game inside and out but he lacks the physical aspect to bring him far. Jason will suffer the Zach-effect. Be brought along for entertainment but cut short (pun intended) when the numbers start dwindling.

PREDICTION: Jury

John McGuire

Age: 27

Hometown: Scranton, Pennsylvania

Current City: Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania 

Occupation: Dentist

John, a superfan, is a dentist. Unless you're also a dentist, no one likes you. John is a self-proclaimed king of nicknames, which proves his ego. And let’s not start on that laugh. He has aura of a Jeremy or Nick from 15. If he gets loud and obnoxious, he will be out of the house faster than he can belt the chorus of "Dentist" (That's a Little Shop of Horrors reference). He seems like he might be athletic, but ego looks like his downfall. He could go far if he’s quiet, but I don't see that happening, so he’s a likely early boot.

PREDICTION: Pre-jury

Liz Nolan

Age: 23

Hometown: Miami

Current City: Miami

Occupation: Marketing coordinator

Meet your Season 17 Victoria. To put it nicely, Liz looks clueless but claims she's a brainiac. She looks like a ticking time bomb of emotion. If she finds a group to bond with, she'll float pretty far. If she has a mental breakdown because she can't handle the stress and rigor of the game, she's a goner. I think she'll be liked to a point before she's thrown to the hounds. She's either being tossed right before or after the jury sessions. Unless she flirts her way to the top.

PREDICTION: Pre-jury

Meg Maley

Age: 25

Hometown: Collingswood, New Jersey

Current City: New York City

Occupation: Server

Meg is a server in NYC which is code for Meg is an actress. This could work in her favor. Put that BFA to the test! Meg is extremely likeable and has the ability to be a chameleon, blending into the character others need her to be. While this is a strong strategy, some may view this as floating and we all know the fate of floaters in the Big Brother house! Oh wait, never mind, the floater theory was debunked last season (cough cough Victoria). Bearing she allows some of the bigger personalities take the early fall, Meg can definitely make it to jury. Beyond that, she'll be a target because she could be tough to vote against in the finals.

PREDICITON: Finals

Shelli Poole

Age: 33

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

Current City: Atlanta

Occupation: Interior designer

In this group, Shelli is the cougar. She seems to be someone searching for love rather than having her eye on the prize. Being a couch fan is different than actually playing the game. How will she fair? I don't see her going far at all. I can see her being out early and instantly forgotten.

PREDICTION: Pre-jury

Steve Moses

Age: 22

Hometown: Gouverneur, New York

Current City: Gouverneur, New York

Occupation: College Student

Aww the innocent straight edge college kid! He may say he's a smart guy, but Steve looks like he'll be easy to manipulate. He'll likely be strung along to an alliance to be the resident smart kid, but once his use is over, he'll be the first to be disposed. If he gets in the numbers, he'll make it to jury. After that, see him in the jury house early. He wants to avoid being the next Ian Terry, but taking after a winner is always a good strategy.

PREDICTION: Jury

Vanessa Rousso

Age: 32

Hometown: Las Vegas

Current City: Las Vegas

Occupation: Professional poker player 

Vanessa is a poker player. And a good one at that. She'll be strategizing from the start. Whether or not she knows the hand of Big Brother is a whole other story. As long as she lets the wind blow at the start and not over think, Vanessa could be sitting pretty. But if she goes balls out from the start, she's a major threat to be an early eviction. The other key for Vanessa is not revealing her profession and net worth. If the players find out she's already a millionaire, there is no way in hell Vanessa goes far. Keep quiet and she's golden. Early jury is a logical place for her.

PREDICTION: Jury

Preseason Power Rankings

Going off of interviews, pictures, and bios alone, here are my official Big Brother 17 Power Rankings:

        1. Clay

        2. Meg

        3. Audrey

        4. Jason

        5. Da’Vonne

        6. Jace

        7. James

        8. Steve

        9. Vanessa

        10. Becky

        11. Liz

        12. Austin

        13. Shelli

        14. John

Check back weekly once the game is underway to see how the power shifts in the house and in the rankings!