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Big Brother, USA, Summer 2022
Hopefully, I get my annual Big Brother post posted before the season ends…
[But, before I do that and finish writing this, I need to go to the Big Brother/CBS website and recall all of the players’ names…because they are slipping out of my busy brain, too quickly.]
[Right now, health concerns and family have me separated from everything internet, if that makes any sense to anyone.]
So, per my usual, I get involved late in the game. Only with maybe a quarter of seasons have I started at day one. More often, I seem to come in after a few eliminations and way too close to the start of Jury picking.
[But first…let me address my latest and possibly biggest peeve with this season, if not every season before it (if I failed to notice the pattern). It seems “free” TV has become so crappy that the segments of Big Brother shown on “regular” CBS have degraded to the worst cuts of footage. The “freeloaders” (like me) get to watch all of the pointless emotional drivel put to extra-dramatic music…but are denied seeing full competitions and interviews with the evicted houseguests. I don’t feel I should have to go looking for other outlets or spending money to get the rest of this game/show. I suppose the free bits are considered nothing more than advertising, then; it’s a tease to get people to look up/buy in to the show. I suppose saying you might as well make the show “exclusive” and taking the pointless bits off broadcast TV would decrease your chances of luring people to the pay spaces. Whatever. I’ll eventually just stop watching. Sorry, Julie. It’s been fun.]
[And, while I’m at it, I’ll say what might be my second new peeve; there seems to be an annual quest to fill certain seats in the house much the way other TV shows and movies feel a need to cast certain…types. This show seems determined to cast a certain number of “people of color” (regardless what color that may be or how mixed a person may be), one token gay person, one token muscular guy, one exceptionally model-worthy woman, one token older man, one or two married people who weep about missing their spouses, etc. It’s beginning to make every season appear like a bingo-ball or playing-card set of castaways at Gilligan’s Island. Who will win this year, the movie star or the professor? I get supporting a variety versus casting all hunks or all nerds might make sense but am not sure I like the static formula, either.]
From my first viewing, I thought this season (2022) was trying extra hard to favor black/African-American folks. Last summer had the “Cookout” alliance wiping out all other skin tones (other than black/African-American) before pecking each other apart. This year looked more apparent. I presumed “white” players were doomed (again).
From my most recent viewing, I am first taking notice of how many players wear EYEGLASSES. I think that’s the record/first for this season, the most people with obscured vision. It’s a regular Stein-Optical fest in the house. And, the ladies wear them well. [The guys look too much like male models ripped from some magazine/catalog…with the exception of the deceptively adept Michael, who could easily decimate the rest of the house and win the whole thing, though I don’t particularly like the guy all that much. But, that’s typical, too; the one person I tend to despise either from the start or at the end tends to either win or make it to the final two (and lets some other disliked person take the big prize).]
Showmances. There seem to be two this season. One was obvious from the (my) start and has been pecked at by everyone else in the house. The other seemed less obvious–until now–and remains uncertain, going forward. I’m sure both will claim to pick up where they left off outside the house; but I predict only the most obvious one will, at least, extend into some other reality-TV appearance (from what they were saying to each other today).
As usual, once I get into a season, I warm up to the crowd and find people I would like to support (as well as befriend outside the house/show).
Taylor is a somewhat icy, calculating, slightly fragile, deep-throated African-American demi-goddess (with a sort of Artemis quality) who seems to have far more to love hidden under her stony surface. [She sure knows what comfort food to cook when she’s upset; you had me at spaghetti with zesty tomato sauce.] She’s essentially the “pretty floater,” the most striking woman in the house who can’t seem to win much of anything. [But, Alyssa is a close second for the position/role.] Yet, she HAS achieved HOH and is decently strong when she wants to be.
There have been plenty of moments when I thought she would turn into some alien monster and bite the heads off the other contestants. She is the perfect candidate to play the alien queen in some “V” movie/series…or the Queen of Hearts from Alice’s Wonderland. She might actually have needles or claws hiding under her fingernails. She can be very cold and calculating.
Yet, I think she’s deeply, secretly troubled in some very human way, like a wounded porcupine. I don’t think she has much chance of winning…unless she’s put in that “do-nothing vs. strategist/villain” position in the final two. But, given the chance to get close to her and know more about what she’s about…I’d be inclined to pick her as a “ride-or-die.” She’s a lovely mystery I want to unwind.
Daniel (already eliminated the week before Jury picking began) was not exactly someone I expected to like (odd hair, nose piercing); he looked like the average guy to make me bristle, the sort of guy I’d expect to clash with and cause scenes with in the house, ultimately resulting in my elimination. Yet, right about the time he was eliminated, I saw a raw, warm human side to the guy that made me wish he had a second chance. His feelings toward the previously eliminated Nicole (who I favored from the first episode I witnessed with her in action) were the same I felt; his choice of words matched mine. So, I was willing to support him. [I’d say he sure got the lousy end of the game, being eliminated and forced to sit and listen as Julie told everyone else they were assured a Jury seat.]
[What? ‘No Battle Back to re-enter the house, this season?]
Nicole (eliminated before Daniel), as I just said, was someone I would have liked to team up with and fight to the end; she was strong and magnetic in her own exotic way; she was (slightly) like Taylor with more muscle and less icy cunning. Like Daniel, she had aspects I didn’t favor but also had something compelling to support. If nothing else, she has good friend potential.
Brittany has the most delicious long brown hair of the season. I just have to say that. She’s the “hands-off” married pretty face in the group; not “model” pretty like some of the other women in the house, but still attractive in her own way. She’s the comic relief, though I haven’t gotten my fill of her wit, yet. She’s like a stand-up comic I’m waiting to deliver some great joke…I’m just staring at her in the silent spotlight…waiting. I don’t know anything particular about her, but I’m drawn to her. I DO NOT think she has a chance of winning; nor would I feel confident in pairing up with her to reach the final two. But, she has a soft spot in my heart, like a former coworker I couldn’t help loving. She’s a teddy bear.
Considering how tired I am of venting negative thoughts and only upsetting more people, I’m not eager to go into detail about the people I DO NOT WANT TO WIN. However (considering this show is as much a “guilty pleasure” as it is a means of torturing people and making them sacrifice good morals for foul play)…
Michael. The string-bean geek you’d expect to be somewhat intelligent but weak in physical competitions. He’s VERY deceptive. [There was a similar geek with glasses in a previous season who deceived everyone with his fake tears up until the final two and managed to win AFTER I went from liking him to hating him.] I completely expect Michael to be in the final 3, if not final 2. He could be a “comp beast,” and no one would take a shot at him. [No one even seems concerned about him, right now, though he’s clearly “masterminding.”]
Kyle. The “boy next-door” every girl wants to be her puppy dog. Prince charming with curly hair and a wide range of fashionable eyewear. [What is he? The face plate of Stanton Optical?] He’s the male lead in Showmance land, paired with Alyssa. From the first time I saw him, I smelled a ringer for alpha male. He just exudes the perfect blend of looks, persuasion and deceptive gameplay. Yet, he stinks. He has an odor I cannot explain other than to say it repels me. He’s the sort of guy I’d feel small standing beside; and I’d easily clash with him over everything…except maybe his relationship with Alyssa. She’s pretty enough, but he can have her. [I prefer Taylor.]
Joseph. Well, unless some surprise is yet to be unleashed, he cannot win, anymore. His elimination was almost as tragic as Daniel’s. Just when you see him developing feelings for/with Taylor, he gets sent home in an odd week-long event that kept the two budding hearts apart. He couldn’t even say “see you later” or hug her on the way out of the house. Even for a self-proclaimed “meathead,” that’s cold. [Note: Me and meatheads don’t mix. And, Joseph, despite his sensitive side and saying a few things I would have, myself, is enough meathead for me to mind my distance.]
Terrance. Mr. DJ? Mr. 100+ tattoo punishment? The “old guy” in the house that makes you wonder what the show is thinking when they insert a “father figure” of that age into a group of horny people fresh out of their college years (if they are that old). He might be an okay guy…I mean, he acts nice, most of the time. But, I get the feeling his smile is all cover. He’s the sort who laughs off everything in your face, like he’s hosting a bad BBQ party, and upsets you when you’re not in the mood. I’d be inclined to avoid him, altogether, and vote him out as soon as possible. He’s not a “threat,” but he’s sure to become annoying. [Again, it’s the sad case of being the oldest guy in the house. That position never has a happy ending and usually endures the most crap thrown at the group.]
Turner. The hippie/surfer of the season. I’d rather picture him as some wooden mascot at a beach tavern/club than win this game. I have no reason to trust or approve of him, unless I wanted to pair up as a couple of thieves. He’s a slippery rodent. And, unless I was entirely sure I COULD trust him, I’d be smart and quick to eliminate him (lest the doofus walk away with the big prize, while I/my favorite sits next to him, feeling quite dumb…and lame).
Monte (the other ethnic Taylor). The handsome black guy of the group. Oh, he’s so handsome. But, he’s not pulling off that “swag” I expect someone like him to have; he’s no lawyer from Wisconsin (season 2021). He doesn’t have any particular skills/strengths (other than his looks). He’s falling into the shadows, letting pasty guys like Kyle and Michael run the show. If he had/has any chance of winning, he’s only going to do so by being the last-resort choice out of two unpleasant options. And, that’s not impossible. It has happened so often, already. The show prides itself on deceiving expectations. [Frankly, that gets really annoying, eventually.] Is it possible he’s a male floater??
…..So, as if it really matters (cuz I sure have lost the interest in caring, considering the odds are too often against me)…who do I predict will win?
It boils down to Kyle and Michael, if being an adequate player/survivor matters. Otherwise, Turner is the likely “upset” and just waiting to get his 15 minutes of how-I-outlast-them-all fame. No one else deserves the win. Actually, ONLY Michael deserves to win.
Kyle is a big puffy bag of smoke who does a lot of talking but cannot hold a candle next to Michael in competitions. Let Kyle walk away with Alyssa willing to date him, and leave it at that. If Kyle wins, he’s as greasy as Turner (and a reality-TV pinup for women). Kyle would be Jason Statham character, Frank, from the first Transporter film. He’d coat himself in garage waste and slip right out of elimination range before creating a scene to earn himself support.
[But, wait. Recently on BIIIIG Brotherrr…Alyssa pulled the no-no and de-valued the relationship she COULD have had. She voted against Kyle, after a huge waste of air time weeping and discussing potential racism.
Let’s take a hot minute to discuss racism on Big Brother (again). On one side, you have Kyle suspecting “people of color” might band together, as they did last season, to oust the “white” people. ‘Fair enough, I’d say. But, when he proposed all of the “white” people should band together to spare themselves from such a racial turn of events…that was dumb. Yet, is it any more questionable than what Taylor did recently (on the other side)? Taylor came right out (to the Diary Room) and said she didn’t want to be responsible for casting a vote against or evicting someone of color. Did anyone hear that? Did anyone make a fuss? Apparently not. So, let me get this straight, it’s okay for a “woman of color” to turn a blind eye to all fellow “people of color,” regardless of what those people do/say; they could be the worst person in the house, with horrible morals/intentions…yet, because they are “color,” they get a pass? How stupid is that!? About as stupid as what Kyle actually did, not what the tone of the week suggested was true (that Kyle was actually racist). If anything a “person of color” can/could/did do is better than what a “white” person did/does, then let’s just cut out all the white people from the start. Hmm? Let’s eliminate that touchy subject, right away. I’d hate to be a “white” person in the house, always feeling like my slightest move could upset the racial or gender balance of the universe so badly as to become a public spectacle and ruin my future outside the house. Shame on me for my lack of color. Isn’t that racist, too, to make “white” folks feel like monsters who need to be collared?
So…Kyle leaves the house like someone about to get his brain altered by a lab; so I guess that’s over. I was wrong. They DO NOT belong together, after all. Even if her feelings were only semi-strong for him, even if they were just on a friendly level, she should have turned her back to the gay-supportive majority and voted to evict Taylor (even though I still strangely favor Taylor). I’d say my initial prediction just got boosted to official; I see no way other than the freak upset (the screw-you-best-player vote) for Michael to lose this thing; and it would take a twisted speech by Dr. Plastic Face to make that happen.]
Meanwhile, Michael will have won every vital competition with his hands tied and layed out his plans for world domination. [Michael’s performance in the “guess the number of things” competition essentially painted this profile of him. His reactions were that annoyingly cunning; he has a certain “Jeopardy brainiac” spark I would be wise to snuff out sooner than later.] If Michael teamed up with Taylor, and if he tapped her dark side, they’d be the last two living things on the planet, standing on a burning heap of destruction. Michael would be Magneto, and Taylor would turn out like Jean Grey in the X-Men films, raw, untapped power just waiting to explode and destroy everything without proper guidance and self-control. Maybe Turner would crawl out of that heap, smoking something wrapped in white ashes, snagging his possum tail on some broken piece of outdated technology.
[But, if I was in the house, I’d be working alongside Taylor; with her I’d fight tooth and nail to ensure her or I would win, even if she started out as a cold reptile. I think she’s like Excalibur, crusted in stone; give her a good polishing, and she shines. She could defeat everyone else (and I wouldn’t mind losing to her, unless she proved to be more “arse” than endearing), but she definitely needs someone to jumpstart her heart. Of course, if I knew any of the other contestants better and felt they had a more valid reason/goal to win, I might choose my partner, differently. I’d say SCREW YOU to all alliances bigger than two people and not for a second plot to put myself up against my nemesis (in the final two). No volunteering to be pawn, either; that’s just dumb.]
[Gathering thoughts on the game, itself, I think my latest POV (which varies and gathers polish, year after year) on how to play would be to play it as a game and expect nothing more from it. Go in without a short-term/long-term strategy, avoid alliances (as I just explained), find at least one reliable friend to keep in and outside the house (if genuine friendships are not a TV illusion/fantasy and cruel joke waiting to crumble)…and just do your best at everything, never worrying about the target on your back or “blood on your hands.” Don’t disrespect your competitors by slighting their ambitions for winning. But, also don’t let anyone get inside your head and bring you down. Don’t lose sleep, even if the game does enough to rob you of sleep, privacy and respect (in general). If you get eliminated earlier than you had hoped, hopefully you still enjoyed the time you had in the house, rather than go out when you haven’t even made an effort, yet, because that was your “strategy.” Don’t wait for a moment to strike/win. Win while you can and lead the charge. If you can, become the magnet and watch as the others bow to your greatness (without boasting); they will cower and plead with you, giving you liberty to make decisions and secure your place in the finale. And, if some alliance amasses votes against you, claiming you are a threat of any kind, again, hopefully, you’ve done all you can on your own and enjoyed the game. Don’t get too angry at those who vote you out; they’re just sheep following the “alpha.” But, don’t consider them friend material, either; because true friends would vote to keep you and risk going against the majority. Don’t just walk out and give some BS interview response about how much fun you had (and how much you love the game) if you know you made a huge mistake and/or didn’t compete to the best of your ability. Confess your stupidity and/or lousy luck to Julie.]
And, if they still honor it, who gets the “best houseguest” prize? ‘Probably someone eliminated early in the game, before Jury (which means I hardly or don’t know them). Nicole had her spark (as nice Nicoles seem to do). Daniel? seemed like a decent guy. Brittany/Tiffany? is certainly loveable. But, I don’t know if she’s particularly reassuring to the majority of the house; she hasn’t quite exuded or sparked that sort of appeal. No one, this season, has shown that charismatic “good sport” side, as of yet.
I’d say, overall, the two key words for the season are “subdued” and “eyeglasses.” Yep. That about sums up BB 2022. Subdued eyeglasses. Or, obscured vision. Either way.
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