Big Brother Shenanigans: BB15 Shenanigans Redux

Saturday, August 24, 2013

BB15 Shenanigans Redux

Yeah. Yeah. I know. I said I was over this season, but who knew that Elissa, the beast, would come out and win HoH? The 2nd HoH of the season. You're probably thinking "WTF Genie? It's week 9." That may be so but it's the first time Amanda has not been the real HoH, from taking over the nominations to commandeering the HoH room. And it shows. She's losing it.

This video says it all.

Elissa, finally free of Helen's well-meaning but completely misguided decisions and shenanigans, is able to play her own game. Helen refused to listen to Elissa who urged her to help get Amanda evicted the two weeks she was on the block by Fan MVP nominations. Instead, Helen was instrumental in voting out her own allies. That's why Helen is in jury right now.

Elissa showed her independent thinking by MVP nominating who she wanted gone even if Amanda did not agree which was highlighted the week she put up Jeremy instead of Howard. The fact that all three of her MVP nominations were voted out, says a lot about her insight into the game.

Now, she found herself alone in the house with her allies and support-group gone. But, using her HoH, she has been successful in getting the newly returned Judd on her side, taming the beast in GM and having her eating out of Elissa's hands, and more suprsingly, this...

Making a deal with Aaryn.

Who would have guessed this turn of events? Elissa told Aaryn that they need to put the past behind them because "this isn't high school" and work together to take out Amanda first, followed by the rest of her allies (McCrae and Andy). She added that Aaryn needs to win PoV but she would prefer if she herself wins it to take her off the block, proving to Aaryn her intention to work with her. She urged Aaryn to talk to Judd and Spencer and get their support.

Surprisingly, Aaryn stuck to the script and said nothing to Amanda, McCrae or Andy who is in the dark about what's really happening for the first time this season. This has been one of Aaryn's smartest moves. Despite the fact that she's been in power 4 times, her nominations have not been her own, becoming Amanda's hired gun. However, she has been successful in keeping herself safe and longer in the game. If she does stick with Elissa, GM and Judd, Aaryn's chances of making it to F2 have grown exponentially. But I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.

Today, is the PoV competition with Elissa, Aaryn, McCrae, GM, Judd and Amanda playing. The worst case scenario for Aaryn is that Amanda wins the PoV and takes McCrae off the block. In the event that happens, Elissa is planning on replacing him with Andy. I will, for the first time this season, be updating the whole process this week.

Why? Because, finally, they are playing Big Brother not Big Amanda.

Update: Amanda won PoV. Of course. Andy will probably go on the block. Do we say goodbye to Aaryn or Andy?

Stay tuned!

P.S. For my more snarky updates, follow me on twitter :D

Big Brother Lexicon

There are certain terms that have been used in the course of this show that should be clarified. Here is a list:

Team America: Yet Another tool for production to manipulate the game. Three players will be placed in alliance by "America" and will be given tasks that apparently will change the game. So far, it didn't change Joey's game, first member of Team America slated to be evicted first.

Battle of the Block: The 2 nominees of each of the 2 HoHs will battle each other. The winner duo save themselves and dethrone the HoH who nominated them, throwing them back out of power at risk of being a renom.

AGP: Allison Grodner of Fly on the Wall Productions which is the company that has been hired by CBS to produce the show.

PoV: Power of Veto. This allows the holder to save one of the nominations for eviction. The last PoV of the game is the most powerful, as it determines who will be evicted.

HoH: Head of Household. Along with getting a primo suite, a letter from home, pictures and treats, this person decides who will be nominated and renominated should the veto be used.

Floater: This term is often misused. A "floaters" strategy is legitimate way to get through and win the game. A prime example of this is Jun Song (BB4). This strategy allows the player to switch alliances when necessary, win when necessary, but always work under the wire. It doesn't mean just going with the power in the house (let's call those floppers). It means manipulating the house, ergo having the power. In later years, the term has been misused for players who do not make any moves in the game but work for whoever has the power.

Backdoor: This strategy is used when the true target for eviction is not initially nominated, does not get a chance to play PoV, is subsequently nominated and evicted.

Blindside: When a player is evicted without even suspecting that he/she is the target.

Pawn: This is a person who is nominated but is part of the HoH's alliance and is used as a decoy, to ensure that the other person nominated gets evicted. It has often happened that the pawn has been blindsided.

America's Player: This is a player in the game, chosen by the viewing public, who is told how to act and vote in the house. They do this for a separate monetary reward.

Fast Forward: When there are two evictions in one week. Typically they tape an eviction on Tuesday followed by a quickie HoH. They have nominations later that night, followed by a PoV competition and PoV ceremony the next day. The second eviction and HoH comp for that week happens live on Thursday.

Double Eviction: On the live show on Thursday, there is an eviction (sometimes pre-taped), followed by a quick HoH comp, immediate nominations, a PoV competition, PoV Ceremony, followed by another Eviction, culminating in the second HoH comp which is usually a physical skill or Endurance.