Episode 3- Rise of the Tiny People

Our first Sunday show of the season! With the Battle of the Block now in affect, we lose the intrigue of the Nomination Ceremony as the peak of the end of the episode. Rather we’re forced to endure the end of a competition which just seems odd. But personal opinions aside, let’s get into the recap!

After our first official title sequence, copying last year’s splashy intros, the houseguests speculate as to what exactly Phil’s twist will be. Jason thinks he and James will have to do The Amazing Race. Silly Jason, this is a twist for Da’Vonne and Vanessa not you, you selfish boy! I have a feeling Jason is going to be grating on the house, and viewers REAL soon. As the majority of the house ponders, a new alliance begins to form. As Jace puts it, Austin is the ying to his yang. Ying and Yang immediately start to irritate the house as they develop the ridiculous bro code. It’s so ridiculous I didn’t even bother trying to write any of it down. Thankfully the edit kept bro code to a minimum and we get our first official glimpse into the Head of Household room. Like last year, the room has an extra bedroom for the two HOHs. The second room has a fish tank table. It’s actually quite cool. Everyone is pretty enamored with it. Shockingly there is not much talk about the cloud and plexi floor. I don’t know about you but that would get on my nerves real quick. Rather than going through the HOH goodies, we watch Jace plop into the bathtub and arrogantly believe he’s going to woo the ladies in with him. Are the editors setting us up for something? We’ll find out soon! James and Jason, who haven’t quite spoken much, have their first big convo discussing strategy and targets. The first names on the list are Steve and John, both of whom seem harmless as of now. Then Jace’s name is thrown out there but Jason is worried about becoming a threat if he nominates someone who is perceived as a strong player. Outside the HOH room, The Amazing Racers Jeff and Jackie contemplate their position with each other and in the game. We continue to learn that their pairing is non-romantic at this point and understand that the only way to not be lumped together is to stay distant. Will this work or are they just easy first targets?

In the bathroom, there’s an awkward pickup line contest including Steve shockingly knocking Liz off her feet in laughter. Why do we watch this? Well because it leads right into the BB Takeover with Phil! Phil reveals that Da’Vonne and Vanessa will receive a “BB Fast Forward”, where, like on his show, they will both jump ahead to the next week and cannot be nominated or evicted. Though the house already promised this, they soon learn they won’t be alone. It’s revealed that they each can select one person to also receive the BB Fast Forward. Who will it be! Vanessa and Da’Vonne have individual meetings with the houseguests to figure out who the best option is. Vanessa talks with each person and reveals she wants a strong player, someone who can be her ying I suppose. Da’Vonne plays a different game. She wants someone who will offer her something. She immediately tells her alliance of Shelli and Audrey that she won’t pick them because that reveals they are aligned. Shelli ain’t havin’ it. She also tells Steve she won’t pick him because the house views him as an Ian, which we have learned is a massive threat. When it’s finally revealed, Da’Vonne picks Liz, who offered safety, and Vanessa selects Austin, who is already a ying.

The slow week leads to some bonding. Ying and Yang are sitting by he pool playing with shells. Austin and Jace think it’s a brilliant idea to take a note from the Shane Powers playbook of crazy and use the shells as phones, calling each other. Their playtime leads to the first official alliance name. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Shelltown. Clearly paying homage to Season 2 and 7’s Chilltown, Shelltown has no shot in hell of success. Neither player is a Will Kirby and cannot manipulate the rest of the house the way he did. Nevertheless, welcome to Big Brother history Shelltown. Meanwhile, the Puma and her pray, Shelli and Clay, are flirting in the hammock room. Shelli has the hots for Clay. It’s almost sad. Though they do have a ten year age difference, they actually do look good with one another. Da’Vonne, the queen of raining on parades, is worried about Shelli kissin, touchin, and rubbin. Jealousy? Perhaps. Paranoia? Absolutely.

With the dynamics of alliances still on the slow side, it looks like the power pairs of Audrey and Da’Vonne vs. Austin and Jace will be coming into play. Audrey gets into Jason’s ear planting the evict Jace seed. Jason, already on board with this idea, is exciting but they know it will have to be a backdoor situation as Jace is too strong to get two chances to save himself. Steve approaches Da’Vonne in hopes that they could align but she is having none of it. Which will likely backfire for her down the line. With Jason on board, James agrees to backdooring Jace but they know they have to find some pawns. James recruits Jackie, who knows she must since she would have gone up anyone, while Jason gets Johnny Mac, who has to play cool. When it’s finally time for the duo to nominate, we see James’ current getup. It includes cowboy boots with shorts. Oh and a WWJD wristband. Ladies of BB, HELP THE MAN OUT IN THE WARDROBE DEPARTMENT.

It’s finally time for nominations to be revealed. Yet again, the classic Lazy Susan key box is out of play and the photo board is used. Melodramatic if you ask me. Jason nominates John and Becky due to his lack of personal connection. James nominates Steve and Jackie because he thinks they can get themselves off the block. With the secret backdoor plan in affect, Jace admits he wasn’t worried about being nominated. Cocky! Steve and Jackie chat, since they have never done o before, and are sorta confident in each other. Kids, this is a game where you need to trust your block partner! Fix it soon or this is just foreshadowing! Becky cries in he bathroom because she was blindsided. Like Steve, she’s so upset about being a pawn that she is willing to put Jason up next week. Is she strong enough to win HOH to do it? We’ll find out shortly in the BoB.

 

Becky and John vs Steve and Jackie

The Battle of the Block is construction inspired where teams must transport 26 blocks to the other side to build a tower resembling the one on the blueprints. It’s a simple challenge but the balance beams are not as easy to navigate as it seems. Jackie’s dancer balance doesn’t pan out well for him. Steve, who looks helpless, switches strategies and crawls his way across. What was once a tight race soon becomes a blowout for Becky and John, winning themselves freedom. Now that Jason is dethroned as HOH, it’s up to James and his pawns to backdoor Jace. Will it work? Find out on Wednesday!

The excitement level was pretty minimal and tv time was even more minimal for some houseguests. But this episode helped display the power players at this point. Are Audrey, Da’Vonne, and Jace playing too strong early on out? Is Becky a legitimate competitor? And what do we think of Shelltown?

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!