Hello everyone! My name is Kyle (@kylegamboni) and I will be helping out this summer recapping and live blogging Big Brother 16! As a huge fan of the show and MJ’s blog, I’m very excited to be contributing as we once again launch into what will inevitably be the most “twisted” season in BB history!
I’ve never been a huge live feeds or spoiler person and I plan on sticking with that this summer. There’s something exciting about experiencing the show without knowing where everything is headed. With that, I’ve watched the first two episodes and have a few thoughts I figured I’d share before we jump into tonight’s episode. Here’s my tweet-sized snap judgement on each of the houseguests so far.
Amber: Token hot girl. She’ll either be bait for elimination in the first two weeks or somehow float by to the top 4 without anyone really caring about her.
Brittany: I find Brittany intriguing. Would love to see a parents alliance form. She seems likeable and smart enough to make it far.
Caleb: Self-described as a “metrosexual” but I didn’t see much of that on display. Sure, he’s cocky. But it seems like he can back it up at least. Only a matter of time before his bigoted nature rises to the surface.
Christine: Seems like a funny, albeit awkward girl. If she can keep her social quirks from alienating herself from the house I think she could be a very interesting player.
Cody: I’m struggling to get past his vomit-inducing description of his ideal woman. We’ll see.
Derrick: So often people come into reality shows with the intent of concealing their true identity and it inevitably falls to pieces within minutes. It’s exciting to finally have someone who might be able to actually pull it off.
Devin: Ooof he is one good looking dude. I like his instinct to align with an unlikely partner. Hope he doesn’t fall into a typical meathead role as time progresses.
Donny: I’m already impressed at his ability to overcome his obvious role as cannon-fodder by carving out a social niche for himself with the houseguests. I could see him being very valuable to a power alliance down the line.
Frankie: However exhausting and narcissistic he comes across (anyone with a feature on their YouTube channel called “Topless Tuesday” is hardly a vision of humility), he seems like a nice guy with a solid head on his shoulders. I think paranoia will ultimately get the best of him.
Hayden: I honestly don’t remember a single thing about Hayden. Maybe that will work in his favor?
Jocosta: I’m mostly interested to observe the dynamic between her and the other houseguests once the honeymoon stage wears off. Time will tell if she has what it takes to be a legitimate threat in the game.
Joey: I’m with America on this one! Of all the houseguests, I most want to go grab drinks with Joey. Hopefully her cool-girl status will not start to rub any houseguests the wrong way.
Nicole: I have a striking feeling that Nicole is the dark horse to win BB16. She’s not abrasive enough to offend anyone but has the knowledge of the game on her side. With the right allies she could really kill it this season as long as she doesn’t let the more dominant personalities bulldoze her chances.
Paola: Sure thinks highly of herself, doesn’t she? I’m actually kind of digging her brash confidence, a trait BB usually reserves for it’s alpha male contestants. Her girl-power strategy sounds like a great change of pace…FINALLY.
Victoria: I’ve known many-a-girl like Victoria in my day. She will unravel at the drop of the hat and it will be her undoing. I give her 3 weeks tops.
Zach: His shtick of not caring about anyone is so put on. I found his mildly homophobic interaction with Frankie to be quite telling. He’s going to ruffle feathers but in a backhanded cowardly way. The sooner he’s gone, the better if BB wants to avoid another summer of terrible headlines.
We’ll see if these first impressions stand strong. I’m sure there’s bound to be more than a few curve balls thrown our way!
Tonight’s show starts with a splashy new opening credits package that lends itself well to HD. I’m definitely not mad that Devin is shirtless. And how topical of CBS to toss a soccer ball into the mix. It’s nice to have a new look to the opening after all these years.
First up is the reveal of the new HoH room. I’m secretly hoping that there’s only one bed that Frankie and Caleb will be forced to share. Or at least bunk beds. Instead, there are two joining rooms in the HoH suite, one of which features a giant creepy bird’s nest bed. The obligatory care packages from home are waiting for Caleb and Frankie. Caleb celebrates his acquisition of a Rascal Flatts CD and beef jerky which isn’t doing much to establish his self-assigned “metrosexual” label. Victoria is obsessed with her “connection” with Frankie and talks about it non-stop while Frankie fails to really remember that they are alleged BFFs. This can’t end well for her.
Outside, Christine and Nicole are lying together in the hammock. Before I even hear what they are talking about I am struck by the thought that this could be the beginning of the most adorable alliance EVER. They bond over their glasses, their nerdy reputations, and their awe over the hotness of the rest of the cast. Between their charm and knowledge of the game, these girls could be deadly. As the two of them forge a new friendship the rest of the houseguests appear to be wheelbarrow racing in the backyard? To each their own, I guess.
Meanwhile in the HoH room, Caleb and Frankie are quick to align which snowballs into an all guys alliance annoyingly labeled the “Bomb Squad” (which I will affectionately refer to as BS from this point forward). Comprised of Devin, Cody, Frankie, Caleb, Zach, and Derrick this motley crew is sure to follow in the footsteps of so many meathead gangs before them which means I give them until the end of this episode to disband. The only person who seems to be benefiting in any logical way from this is Frankie who will be in a keen position to own both sides of the house. I didn’t appreciate the implication that the women are only engaging frivolously while the men are dominating the strategic game. It’s been like a DAY. If anything, the men are the one’s coming off as clueless and silly in this poor man’s staging of the Godfather when nothing has actually even happened yet. Also–the grass isn’t real??? These are type of things we should be discovering this early in the game!
We find out that nominations are happening today and the house starts buzzing with anticipation. Nicole and Christine lock in their allegiance to each other. I hope they can find a solid third to round out their group (DONNY!). Devin starts to show his true colors by completely playing Donny for a fool and pretending to cry for no good reason. Any credibility this guy had for forward strategic thinking is completely out the window. Did anyone else notice the lipstick print tattoo on his bicep? UGH gross. Was that in honor of your daughter too? Just lose the shirt and stop talking, please.
In the HoH room Frankie and Caleb discuss nominations. They hilariously imitate Brittany’s disingenuous smile and I’m actually quite charmed by their interaction. Given what I know about Caleb’s derogatory past, I’m nervous as to what could come of this but for now I am cautiously optimistic. They seem to agree on nominating a mix of guys and girls as the best way to protect the BS alliance and I agree this seems like their best move. Frankie even throws around Victoria’s name which sounds like a sign of drama to come.
The guys draw to see who will make their nominations first. Caleb makes his selections and then passes the box of keys to Frankie. In the dining room, there’s a new fancy screen that will reveal the photos of the nominated houseguests. A sign of the HD times, no doubt, but a part of me misses the old school lazy-Susan nomination ceremonies.
Both Caleb and Frankie use the logic of nominating the first two people that fell in the HoH competitions in an effort to keep blood off their hands.
Caleb nominates Donny and Paola (who I refuse to recognize as PaoPao) for eviction.
Frankie nominates Victoria and Brittany for eviction.
Victoria is predictably devastated by Frankie’s betrayal and Frankie does a rather poor job covering his tracks. While I find Victoria to be insufferable, I’m having a hard time understanding Frankie’s reasoning here. Regardless of how she’s perceived in the house, why would you opt to burn someone who has your back this early on? He could have easily put up a number of other people (HAYDEN) without disturbing the peace in the house and keeping an ally firmly in his corner. He seems more preoccupied with making a decision that will please the popular kids which will not pan out well for him long term.
In the aftermath of the nominations, Devin literally loses his mind and goes AWOL on the BS alliance, inviting Christine and Amber to join their all-male group in a random 4:30am pow-wow (not to be confused with PaoPao). They both play along, but Christine in particular is smarter than this fool and is prepared to use this against the guys as she plans on staying loyal to her new bestie Nicole. As members of BS (which now is comprised of 50% of the house) catch wind of their new members, several individuals indicate growing discomfort with Devin’s unpredictable gameplay. Devin also grows annoyed that Donny seems to be making friends in the house. How could it be? A non-pretty person with social skills? As a result Devin’s paranoia spews all over the HoH room, prompting Frankie, Cody, and Derrick to seriously reconsider their decision to join forces with this basket case.
We wrap up tonight’s show with a Great Gatsby inspired “Battle of the Block” competition called “The Pouring 20’s” (see what they did there!?). The pairs of nominees are stationed facing each other on swings and have to transfer liquid from one side of the yard to the other while swinging and pouring what they can into a giant champagne flute filled with painted ping-pong balls they are calling “berries”. The first team to get their glass filled enough for a berry to fall out is saved from the block. Paola is pretty much a hot mess for the duration of the challenge and despite a minor resurgence, Victoria and Brittany win quite handily and are no longer nominated for eviction, dethroning Frankie as HoH.
With Caleb as the sole HoH, Donny and Paola are left on the block to fend for themselves in the PowPow of Veto competition. If the BS alliance, or anyone else in the house for that matter, knows what’s good for them, they will be hatching a plan to back door Devin ASAP!
So what did you think of tonight’s show? Are you as obsessed with Christine and Nicole as I am? Does anyone besides them or Donny have a shot at making Team America? What do you think of Caleb and Frankie’s strategy as joint HoHs? Sound off in the comments section! I’ll be back on Thursday to live blog the first live eviction–until then!
The Bomb Squad
Blowing Up the Bomb Squad
Deceptive Donny
The First Four Nominations
Swing into Action (Battle of the Block Competition)
