“Big Brother, filmed on the CBS lot, follows up to 16 houseguests as they socially and strategically maneuver through a game while isolated in a house. The winner takes home $750,000. However, fans can get every second of the action by watching the live feeds.
This season, we ventured into Hotel Mystere, and a summer of mystery unfolded. The “Evil Mastermind” came in to torment the houseguests. On day one, we were surprised when BB legend Rachel Reilly joined the cast after the mastermind’s accomplice pulled a lever on a wall.
Rachel Reilly is best known for her fiery personality and constantly getting into arguments.
The normal format starts with one houseguest becoming Head of Household and nominating two other houseguests for eviction. The Power of Veto competition is played with these three and three random houseguests.
The winner has the power to remove a nominee and force the HoH to name a replacement. At the end of the week, an eviction vote takes place. Starting in BB26, there were three nominees, and they would compete in the AI Arena right before the eviction. The winner is safe from eviction. The twist ended at the final nine.
Prior to the season, producer Allison Grodner confirmed the arena was back, under a new name that makes more sense without an AI-themed house: the Blockbuster. Fans rejoiced; there was potential for more legendary moments. The AI Arena gave us Tucker really liking puzzles and the reaction GIF that comes up when you search “Angela Murray” on Tenor.
The twist came back in full swing at the start. House target Kelley Jorgensen kept herself weeks one and three. Rylie Jeffries and Zach Cornell destroyed their games in memorable failures. When we reached the final nine, everyone assumed that the Blockbuster was over and we would go back to the standard format.
The live feeds were turned off. We were told that the houseguests would be checking into the copyright-avoidant “White Locust Hotel,” but someone wouldn’t be checking out.
At midnight on Saturday, the feeds returned. We saw Ashley. And Will, then Ava. Kelley is here too somehow. Vince, Morgan, Keanu, Lauren…
…Rachel Reilly is gone.
Three people were still nominated. Ava dropped the bomb that Blockbuster was still active until Final 6. But that was salt in the wound that Rachel is gone with zero nominations and zero votes to evict.
We learned the aftermath on Tuesday, where Rachel became the first houseguest evicted in BB history because she lost a competition. A complete antithesis to the “Big Brother” game that completely ruins strategy because one person couldn’t finish a maze in a hamster wheel.
“Big Brother 27” had been riding such an intense high of chaos and entertaining moments, only for it to disappoint with the White Locust and continued use of Blockbuster so far into the season. Rachel’s absence from the house is felt severely as the season lost its soul.
Fans and houseguests alike are dreading the rest of the Evil Mastermind’s “Month of Mayhem.” As Hotel Mystere approaches the closing of its doors, fans will be left talking about this season for a long time. Hopefully, production has learned from their mistakes and knows to keep Blockbuster temporary.
For now, fans wait with bated breath as the rest of the season finishes. Will Kelley take the crown after volunteering for the block seven times in a row? Will the final vote be close or a blowout? And the most important question of all: how long until “Survivor 49”?
The post Stan Column first appeared on The Good 5¢ Cigar.
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