Big Brother 18: Week 3 Power Rankings

No one said this game was easy! Ya think you're in the majority but when people get antsy to play, rumors start spreading, threats start emerging, and new targets appear. The 8 Pack got their target, Victor, out of the house. Would Bronte be next? Not if Bridgette, the new HOH, has any say! In a two nominee season, this would be a crucial week but with the Roadkill competition, this HOH could be for nothing. With some new sub alliances forming, here is how the power ranking shapes up going into Week 3. 

#1) Nicole (1)

Nicole stays on top simply with her ability to allow the other vets to place targets on others and using her in their numbers. Nicole has a number two in Corey. They are working with Paulie and Zakiyah who have Da'Vonne. She has also James in one corner and Frank in another. When the time comes, Nicole will get to chose who the right end game is with. But for now, being wanted by all is the way to the top.

#2) Da’Vonne (2)

The theme with Da'Vonne, for the second straight season, is she is so antsy to make a big move that she is getting in people's ears far too early. The girl can't sit back and wait! She has her eyes on Tiffany and Frank and wants to be able to take credit if that move gets made. But she doesn't realize that if she takes the credit, it makes her a solid target. Da'Vonne needs to cool off, and quick.

#3) James (5)

It's hard to say if James realizes he's back to play Big Brother and not Punk'd. James is getting wooed by the false hope of a romance with Natalie, which could be detrimental should her name be up for Roadkill. But like Nicole, the less game he's playing, the less reason to target him now.

#4) Zakiyah (7)

Zakiyah is playing a phenomenal game. She has a solid bond with Da'Vonne. She is working Paulie quite well. And she is letting people play and be the mouthpiece of chaos. She hasn't proven herself a competitor yet and that may be to her benefit. If she can turn it out when the time is right, keeping her around too long will be the rest of the house's demise.

#5) Michelle (6)

Like Zakiyah, Michelle picked the right side of the house to align with from the start. And that is going to get her far. Unlike Zakiyah, she doesn't seem to have a viable number two. Michelle will be used for a number and will likely flip her way around to get better positioning. But that could come back to haunt her when it comes to loyalty. For now, she's doing what she's told.

#6) Corey (8)

Corey is a player on this season of Big Brother. Has he done anything? Absolutely not. And that's working to his advantage. But does he have a shot of winning this game? Absolutely not. Corey is being played by Nicole and will be her meat shield. And until he smartens up, he has zero percent chance of winning this game.

#7) Paulie (9)

Paulie is making a very strong case for being a better player than one of my favorite players ever, his brother. Paulie had a great HOH and did what he wanted to do. Which is what the 8 Pack wanted. With that, he was granted intel on the alliance. He smartly didn't blow up. Paulie is on the rise but he's not higher simply because he's technically an outlier. But watch this kid make a strong showing if he continues to win or be safe through association.

#8) Frank (3)

It's good to be the alpha male. Until it's not. He's a challenge threat and a complete idiot when it comes to talking game to too many people. He has become a giant target for nearly everyone. Thanks to the team twist, Frank gets a free pass. And he has no idea that he was a target. Will someone have the balls to get him out next week or will he win his to victory? Frank needs to win the next HOH or he's done.

#9) Tiffany (4)

Tiffany and her sister Vanessa have a paranoia gene. When players saw it for the first time in Vanessa, it was passed off as just ridiculous and allowed her to get pretty damn far. Tiffany doesn't have that advantage and will likely be punished for it. She is a target for people on both sides of the house and could be a casualty of paranoia.

#10) Paul (12)

Paul's positioning fluctuates. He could have been higher and then he voted against Victor. Call it friendship if you'd like. I call it stupid. He has a social game that is uncanny. Somehow he is getting in with the right people at the right time. And that's dangerous. But with a majority alliance with veterans knowing that he could do damage down the road, Paul could still see an early exit.

#11) Natalie (10)

The spy girls have the power! But the spy girls won't have all the power. There is little chance, Natalie, Bronte, or Bridgette will win the Roadkill causing Natalie or Bronte to be put up. If that nominee comes down through veto, it's likely the other will go up. And then it's a battle of deciding who has a better shot of advancing. And that person is Natalie. Simply because she has the heart of James. 

#12) Bridgette (11)

How do you win HOH and still drop a place? It's because she is in Frank's back pocket and Frank is a giant target. Bridgette is not smart enough to win her way into the power alliance and will put up people who she thinks are against the spy girls. And that's a waste because neither of her picks will go home. 

#13) Bronte (13)

Bronte is just bad at Big Brother. She is the target of the majority and will be going home if her alliance doesn't win Roadkill. This will likely be the end of Bronte. 

Big Brother 18: Week 2 Power Rankings

The first official two weeks of Big Brother 18 has come and gone and we lost two along the way! Glenn got Jodi'd and knocked out without being voted out and the delusional messiah Jozea got "blindsided" by the majority in the first official eviction. But don't fret, Glenn or Jozea could come back with the new twist, the Battle Back! And it's just like Redemption Island and I LOVE IT! Will this affect the game? We'll find out in a couple weeks after the fifth eviction. But let's just say that this season is belonging to the vets. Is there a chance that a newbie could win? Let's find out! 

#1) Nicole

The reigning HOH set a precedence in the BB18 house. During her time, 8Pack was formed and the targets are the six moronic newbies. Simply being a vet, Nicole's influence is what helps her secure the power in the alliance. Where she needs to be careful is not being able to place a bigger target on her allies should 8Pack lose HOH and Roadkill. 

#2) Da'Vonne

Mama Day is doing better than last year! But not by much. Da'Vonne wants to play but it's too soon to play the aggressive game she's itching for. That's what got her in trouble last time. She has a solid ally in Zakiyah as well as having Vet status. She has influence. As long as she stays cool and not play a game of paranoia, Da'Vonne will hit jury. 

#3) Frank

Call it sexist but being a physical threat is what knocks him from having a top spot. Frank learned from Boogie. Whether you like his game or not, he's a winner. Frank is starting to put his hands in a couple of different pots. If anything will be his downfall it'll be his wavering allegiance should anyone compare notes. 

#4) Tiffany

The comparisons to Vanessa is terrifying. Tiffany doesn't have the control yet but her game is one of constant fear if anyone tells her that her name came up in conversation. What Tiffany needs to do is play it cool and do everything in her power to not be a target. If she does become a target expect her game to go off the rails. 

#5) James

James is playing the same game as last season. And that's a game of pranks and flirting. And that is going to get him kicked out early. He's starting to annoy people inside the house. Sure America may love watching the pranks but he's wasting food and ruining people's beauty regiments. Unless he finds power, Janes is an easy target. 

#6) Michelle

Michelle is dangerous. Like really dangerous. She knows way too much about how to play with the vets and align herself well. But because she's so unassuming, she will fly so far under the radar that it'll be too late to evict her before she ms a threat to win. 

#7) Zakiyah

Like Michelle, Zakiyah knows how to butter up the right people. She has a final two in place with Da'Vonne which couldn't be any better positioning at this time. What will be her downfall is the flirting with Paulie. If Day thinks Paulie is taking her place, she'll just cut Zakiyah. 

#8) Corey

The thing about Corey is that he's so oblivious to what he's doing right and wrong that should he ever get HOH, he'll likely mess it up. The relationship he has with Nicole is great but when people want to break them up, he will be a casualty and not even realize it. 

#9) Paulie

Paulie treads right in the middle as he's not fully set in a specific alliance. That could be good but once he needs to make a choice, someone will be pissed. He has no idea that he's not even in 8 Pack and will likely just end up doing their bidding and get no benefit from it aside from getting blood on his hands. 

#10) Natalie

Natalie knows. She knows she picked the wrong people to align with. And she is gonna fight to get into the majority or at least disassociate with the newbies. Her way in? James. Blind him with flirting and he will wrongly protect her. 

#11) Bridgette

I think she was completely shocked that she became a target. Then again the renom selections were limited. She has the spy girls but after the royal mess up Bronte made, she will be a target yet again. She needs to just sit down and let the bullets fly over head if she has any hope of remaining in this game. 

#12) Paul

He said he would go bananas if his bro Jozea was evicted. He was and he didn't. Could he see the writing on the wall or is he trying to flip to save his butt? Paul clearly has no clue about what the game he's playing is and he better find someone who does. 

#13) Bronte 

The voice combined with the horrendous game play is proving Bronte is one of the most unbearable players ever. She was so blind to the situation she destroyed Bridgette's placement. She also has a short fuse that will get her in trouble. If a girl's gotta go, Bronte is it. 

#14) Victor

Victor was lucky last week only because he was immune. Now that public enemy number one is gone and Paul is shifting, expect Victor to take Jozea's target. Unless he gets a veto victory, Victor will only have a chance in the Battle Back. 

Episode 7 Recap- Mama Demon and the Week From Hell

It’s been an eventful week 2! Players are getting played and targeted early as Shelli and Becky had obvious targets. So with Shelli wanting Day out, how will she secure it? Let’s find out!

We begin with the aftermath of the Battle of the Block. Things are going well for the official HoH Shelli. Becky barely got time to enjoy being the head of household. Becky thinks Shelli will do her dirty work but homegirl is gonna be shocked soon! Mama Day is still shocked she’s a target and thinks her awful strategy is the reason they lost. Nope! To celebrate not doing anything, John hugs Clay and Shelli and nows he’s golden in the Cougar and Golden Boy’s eyes. The way Shelli and Clay treat John is like a mob boss. Oh, and then they cuddle in bed and it’s weird. In the Have Not Room from Hell, Jason, James, and Meg chat about what could happen with the current chopping block. This is the Big Brother house and the walls are thin and Audrey is lurking, listening in. She hears the trios plans of hoping she gets backdoored. Cue the chaos! And then it’s time for the Twin Twist. Rather than sharing information, they FIGHT! Idiots. With the swap in action, New Liz is grossed out by the kitchen. And I would be too. Jason catches her but is too sleepy to notice who it is. We move into the Veto selection. Shelli draws Houseguests Choice and picks Clay. John selects Meg while Da’Vonne grabs Steve and not her ride or die Jason. If looks could kill! She pissed! Jackie is selected as host because she does absolutely nothing in this house. #floater Audrey corners Clay in the bathroom to discuss their allegiance. Thunderbuns reassures her that Da’Vonne is the target. James, who hates the Have Not room, is wearing his sunglasses and listening to Da’Vonne whine about her position, blaming everyone and everything for her demise. 

Twin Swap! 

It’s Veto Comp time and it’s another movie set. The players are forced to be interns and go head to head to collect Kathy’s assistant’s missing item. First up it’s John vs Da’Vonne, who is pissed. Kathy’s voice appears begging for items (including a framed picture of Jodi of BB14). Da'Vonne picks the wrong item, runs back for the right one as John finally figures out he needs to unicycle. John beats Da’Vonne, securing her demise. Steve battles Clay next. Clay, like a football player, secures the rubber ducky beating Steve. Meg chooses to battle Shelli because she wants to throw it. Shelli picks wrong and Meg is stuck to play again. John picks Meg and easily wins after grabbing the corn starch. It’s the Rock Doc vs Golden Boy. Who will prevail? It’s Johnny Mac! By winning, he’ll definitely take himself off. Mama Day thinks Audrey should go up. Shelli now has to find a replacement nominee. And the right one at that. 

Johnny Mac and his Veto

Shelli is now scrambling to figure out a way to get Da’Vonne out. Clay thinks John should save the veto. And while talking to him, the camera pans to John who looks like a 12 year old boy. Clay and Shelli pull Becky up to tell her she’s not picking Audrey. Becky is nervous about keeping Audrey because she’s unpredictable. They try to strike a deal so she’s not pissed. And it works! James, Jason, and Mama Demon are sad but the demon has been unleashed! They think Audrey has to go or it will be war. Vanessa, worried she may be a replacement, tries to ensure she’s not going up. Vanessa knows it has to be a girl to go up and they go through the list. Until the Rock Doc appears. Shelli proposes not using the veto to which he thinks is ridiculous. Clay tries to sway him but Johnny Mac becomes smart and says no. Austin makes a rare post-Jace appearance to also ensure he and Liz are safe. Shelli thinks Liz could be an option. Liz is terrified because she knows the stakes of the Twin Twist. Liz reluctantly agrees to be a pawn. Austin needs to ensure this doesn’t actually happen. 

It’s night time and the blowup giraffe is in the house. Oh and there is boy talk in Meg’s bed. Austin hears this 5 am pillow talk and uses it to his advantage. He convinces Vanessa to talk to Shelli about switching her pawn from Liz to Meg. Vanessa does his dirty work by twisting the truth. Shelli buys it and now realizes that a Meg vs Da’Vonne battle would ensure Day leaving. Audrey, alone in bed, talks to Clay and begins to backtrack into a near fight. It’s so ridiculous. #entitlement Clay tattles on Audrey to Shelli just so there’s some suspense. But alas there won’t be. John does his Veto ritual. He puts on the necklace. He looks at the memory wall. With the obvious about to come, it’s a matter of who will be John’s replacement. Will it be Liz? Or Audrey? Or Meg? Or a blindside edit? Nah. It’s totally Meg. Da’Vonne has the knowing look of defeat. Meg knew a pawn was necessary but she’s bummed it’s her. Shelly’s ultimate plan will follow through and she’s thrilled. The poker dealer claims you should always be team day because she’s gonna try to stay. 

The live episode is upon us and the last laugh twist will be determined. Who’s going to get it and will it have any sway on saving Da’Vonne? And who will be the next head on the chopping block? Will Audrey be next or will it all be determined by a random HOH twist? 

Episode 6 Recap- The Newfound Diva Rivalry

Happy Fifth of July and the fifth episode of the season! After two unlikely houseguests won HOH, it’s anyone’s guess how this week will shake up. Shelli is shocked she’s HOH and that she’s on a game show to win money. Becky on the other hand is excited to be HOH with Shelli. Clay is stoked Shelli won because he sees himself as safe. Day is not happy because they are both question marks in her book. Vanessa knows Audrey is the target this week. Oh and then Audrey tries to tell Vanessa that she’s associated with the all girl clique rumor. Backtracking much? Vanessa, with the fates on her side, calls out Audrey and Day about the rumor. Day is so excited to rally the troops and call a house meeting about Audrey’s big lie. Audrey is shocked that anyone would call her out? Girl! Have you never seen this show before? This house meeting is epic. The 8 person alliance is officially no more as Audrey is at the forefront of at the mistrust. Da’Vonne and Audrey are officially the biggest rivalry in the house. Audrey is also the worst salesperson ever. Can’t even play dead and sell it! With everyone gunning for Audrey, it’s a matter of who will target her first. Shelli isn’t officially done with Audrey so with the right persuasion, Audrey could convince her to target her rival instead. 

Diva Smackdown! Da'Vonne vs Audrey

It’s time for the lady HOH room reveal and James is the happiest. Baby pictures of Shelli make Clay melt. Ew. Becky’s letter is very sweet. Shelli’s is equally. Except for when her mom and dad make a winky face at her new “friendship” with her younger boy. Ew. Shelli and Becky have their first convo to find out where they stand. Audrey is the elephant in the house. Becky reveals that Audrey is the backdoor with four pawns. Clay is automatically safe with Steve as a obvious nominee. Becky has storage room meetings where she spills the Audrey beans as the target to Jason and James. Is she playing or just being a puppet? And then it’s Johnny Mac’s turn who seems so clueless. Becky continues her tour of destroying Audrey by telling Steve to focus on Audrey. Clay then throws a wrench in the situation by throwing Day’s name to Jeff and Meg. Audrey appears and immediately fights for her safety by subtly throwing out Day. Clay, so manipulative, agrees. Clay works Shelli to focus on Day and it seems to work. Clay, like a moron, wants her to put him up and finally Shelli has some smarts. Shelli wants John to throw the BoB. Poor Rock Doc. He’s like a deer in headlights. He has no choice but to agree. 

Outside, Becky tells her story about how she was hit by a train a year earlier which is why her lip is all messed up. Jason thinks the story is insane and that she is superhuman. Becky’s story is appealing and can work to her advantage or destroy her because she’s a “trainwreck.” In the bathroom, Steve reveals he’s sharing a bed with Liz. And he is absolutely terrified that there will be a girl in his bed. So cute. But no time for that. It’s nomination time! Will it be a Audrey backdoor or is it Da’Vonne to get the boot. The houseguests gather around to find out who’s on the block. Shelli nominates Johnny Mac and Da’Vonne as protection for herself. Becky nominates Jason and Steve as retaliation for being on the block and because Steve hasn’t talked game with her. Audrey is pleased to be off the block but is weary of the backdoor plan. With Becky and Shelli on complete opposite pages, this Battle of the Block is bigger than ever. 

Da’Vonne, James, and Jason are shocked Audrey isn’t nominated and believe she won’t be backdoored. They both plan on playing for BoB. Becky tries to calm Jason and Steve by telling them Audrey the squirrel is truly the target. Shelli and Clay are in bed quite close and Audrey interrupts. Audrey is paranoid about if Steve and Jason throwing the competition so Shelli immediately deflects so she doesn’t get in trouble. Rock Doc and Da’Vonne have what appears to be their first conversation. Johnny Mac tries to cheer up Day knowing that he’s gonna give her the worst dental ejection ever. Ejection from the house! OOOH! 

Becky's nominees Jason and Steve

In what seems to be a trend, the BoB is a takeoff of the tv set theme. Audrey plays the director of Ginger Fever where the nominees will be camera operators. When Audrey yells shot list, the teams must follow the shot list and get all nine shots. The catch, you don’t know what prop is attached to what camera. Oh the other catch is they have to wear a pair t-shirt and move together as one. Steve and Jason have the idea of going two by two with the cameras. Da’Vonne decides to turn them all on and do a lot of running. Well, you just lost it for yourself sweetheart. It’s not that eventful as Steve and Jason win easily. To dethrone Becky, she gets powdered. Wah wah. And to make maters worse, Becky thinks Shelli will agree to toss out Audrey. Da’Vonne, knowing she’s a goner, is fighting for veto hard. 

Power Rankings 

Here are the latest Power Rankings! As you can see, with Audrey and Da'Vonne blowing up at each other, they have made themselves easy targets with Da'Vonne a likely goner. Meg is playing an incredible game, being loved by all and staying quiet in the majority. Vanessa moves up due to the majority finding out she can be trusted, so plan on seeing her being used quite often. Clay, though he is clearly running Shelli's HOH, is still in a power position though he is a likely target if Audrey gets another pass. And John, well he just does what he needs to do to get by. And it's working. 

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

Episode 4- Cue the Paranoia

For those live feeders, SHIT IS GETTIN’ CRA! I’ll keep those spoilers away from the recaps but if you want some good drama in the early stages of the game, get thee to the feeds! Anyway, the night begins with Steve bummed he lost BoB. The Rock Doc, who calls it the Bob Competition, is thrilled he’s safe and not going home. James and Jason do some math to figure out how many votes it will take to backdoor Jace. They need 7 votes to secure him leaving. James goes to Meg-lor Swift to vote Jace out. He then goes to country boy Clay, looking fine in a cowboy hat, to join Team Jace ouster. The new alliance of James, Jason, Clay, Meg, Audrey, and Da’Vonne meet in the HOH room to discuss their new plan to oust Jace. After the meeting, Clay helps Steve lift weights while Jace goes…streaking. No laughs. Mortification. Austin is pissed because he’s associated with the Jac-ass. Austin is on the pulse of Jace being the target. Jace goes up to James, with lurking Audrey, to find out where his head’s at. Austin arrives to try tell him a big move is a bad idea. And then Audrey starts stirring the shit. She throws out the idea of backdooring the other HOH, deflecting all drama from her. They sell him what he wants to hear which is that they are now in a clearly fake alliance called Cloudtown. Jace, enough with the towns! No one should be allowed to be any town in the BB house! 

It’s time to pick players for the Veto comp. Six players play. The HOH, the 2 nominees, and whoever gets drawn out of the bag. James picks Becky’s chip. Jackie picks John’s chip. Steve picks Houseguests choice and picks Jason. Why? Because he thinks it will help him in the future. Austin is selected to be the host…and of course Jace makes it about himself. Da’Vonne lurks around the house counting everything she can count knowing there will be a counting competition at some point. Jeff gets weirded out Da’Vonne walks into his “room”, or creeping as we call it. Da’Vonne is mad at Jeff and Clay only by association. Mama Da and Jeff have a conversation that should be damage control but leads to her basically calling out Clay. And then Jeff, of course, goes to Clay. Clay is now pissed at Da’Vonne. Who knows how long time has passed before Clay approaches Da’Vonne. And we get our first big blowup of the season! It’s quite silly actually but proves neither can trust each other. And already an alliance is crumbling. Da’Vonne then goes off on Clay to Audrey, who sits there smiling like the Cheshire Cat. Audrey, now joining Team Paranoia, thinks Da’Vonne is a liability. Audrey convinces Clay to apologize to Da. And rather than letting them talking on their own, Audrey lurks, again. When the hug it out, Da’Vonne gives a sinister look to the camera. Bitch be playin! Now she’s pissed at Audrey! Loose cannon time! 

#shade

It’s time for the HOH to pick the first four have-nots of the summer. So who’s getting slop, cold showers, and a bad bed? The four safe ones. Liz, Austin, Vanessa, and Da’Vonne get the punishment. They enter the Have Not room to discover it looks like a Dentist’s office. It’s terrifying. Even Johnny Mac hates it! Good luck! Austin pops out of the Diary Room to get ready for the Veto comp. The backyard looks like the great outdoors. In “Nose-ascotia”, the houseguests must dig for gold nuggets and spell a word with the letters on their nuggets. They have 10 minutes to find the nuggets and lock in a word. The word with the highest value wins POV. It’s a dirty comp indeed with so many gold diggers. Get it? It’s a nose pun. Steve rips off his bandaids which reminds Meg of the community pool. And we get to see Meg and her acting skills. John locks in first followed by James. With a minute left, Steve locks in with Becky, James, and Jackie following suite. James spells Lifeguards for 8 points. Becky spells closest for 7 points. Jason spells zones for 6 points. Jackie spells judge for 6 points. Steve spells trombonists for 12 points. The Rock Doc spells boogers for 7 points. BOOGERS?! How fitting. Well, Steve wins and it’s certain he’ll take himself off the block allowing the backdoor plan to happen. 

Steve's "people" leads to his winning POV word

Steve, still going on about how trombonists are his people, is excited and finally in game mode, hyperventilating in the storage room. It’s nighttime and Audrey is paranoid about the alliance. She pulls Shelli from bed to drag her into the alliance. Comparing herself to the sandman, she snags Jeff next, taking him away from pillow talk with Meg. At 5 in the morning this all takes place. I repeat, these people are awake at 5 in the morning. Jeff is not thrilled about this little charade questioning what the point of this is to which James quotes Keith Nale by saying “stick to the plan.” It makes sense. Hillbilly talk. Meg and Clay get pulled out of bed, clearly too tired for this stupid club. Audrey must not be able to sleep because she is perky compared to everyone else. With everyone now wearly of Audrey, James puts her name on the chopping block. 

With paranoia all over the place, with the exception of the only one who should be paranoid, it’s Steve’s turn to have power. Knowing Steve will pull himself off, will James stick to the plan? Or will Audrey find herself blindsided. Steve does in fact use the veto on himself. James has to name a new houseguest to replace Steve. James tries to make it appear that he came up with the decision on his own, he nominates Jace, saving the alliance. Jace is PISSED, as is Austin. Jackie is thrilled because she knows she’s still a pawn. 

Who will be evicted from the Big Brother House? Plus who the fuck is the twin? #lizjulie Oh, and who’s ready for Kathy Griffin and whatever takeover she could possibly have? This will be good! 

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?

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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!