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 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)

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!