BB16: Murderous Thoughts and Brainless Wonders

Reality TV is more about TV than reality. That goes without saying, but Big Brother is plagued by a casting formula that makes this show almost painful to watch. Thousands of people audition for BB every year, yet every year their choices are based on looks not willingness or ability to play the game. This season is gorged with recruits taken mostly from a pool of people who want TV exposure, fame and a life in the limelight. This has nothing to do with Big Brother. Coupled with that, they've chosen people who look like nerds, say they're superfans, look like they are "misfits" or "interesting". Then they choose the brother of a popular singer whose followers will bring in ratings.

BB casting is solely based on stereotypes, choosing people on their good looks or their quirky looks. The problem is, looks do not determine how someone will play the game or interact with others. Just because someone wears glasses and is a "super fan' does not make them intelligent or great gamers. Just because someone looks handsome does not mean he won't be a crazy or spineless person. Just because someone says he is like Dr. Will does mean that he isn't an erratic and self-destructive player. Just because someone looks like a happy-go-lucky beach bum does mean he isn't one of the most vile people to be in this season.

The producers could give two effs about the actual game. They care about the show's ratings. This was painfully obvious last season when they glossed over the outrageous and rampant racism, choosing Aaryn to take the fall but ignoring Amanda, Gina Marie and Spencer's huge transgressions, saying it didn't "drive the story". Because of those trolls, Candice, Howard, Helen and Elissa had little chance of making it far in the game. Instead BB15 crowned one of the most despicable character's as its winner. Many called him a good player, but that's saying nothing in a train wreck of a season.

Back to this season. It is clearly being dominated by a clutch of men supported by idiot girls. It's not that the men are playing great games individually; it's that they have stuck by each other with the exception of Devin whose only claim to fame is that he has a daughter and his game blew busted balloons. The dudes are riding easy, while the likes of Nicole, Christine and Victoria continue to blow up their own chances at half a million.

The women who dare to go against this man-brood are immediately targeted and sent packing. Joey went home because her pitch lacked finesse and timing. Brittany will be going home, most likely, because of her inability to choose correct alliances and to trust the right people. Her ego has shot her game. Her intentions have been easily read and those she trusted have betrayed her. Amber is the house punching bag, largely because Caleb has been speaking for her, pining dementedly over her, and throwing her under the longest bus of betrayal, all in an ongoing and tirelessly psychotic attempt to control and win her over.

So today, Donny will replace Victoria on the block. The Veto was given to her by Caleb who chose the money over safety. In seasons with better players, that would have been enough to ensure that he be put on the block and sent home. But this season, all the big bad boys are scared to death of Brittany, like she will wield this magic weapon and eradicate all of them with one HoH which she hasn't won yet. Zach was the only "voice of reason" last night telling Cody to do what's best for his game - nominate Caleb- not what the others want him to do. The two dissenting voices of Frankie and Derrick won over the spineless Cody.

Now, I'm no fan of Zach's game. He stirs up shit just for his own enjoyment. He is a wild card and unpredictable. He's arrogant and a liability to his own alliance. The fact that he pitched himself as a replacement candidate, simply because he was bored, says it all. He's not a mastermind. He's not Dr Will. He's just a punk riding on his own high and the misplaced confidence that everyone has his back.

Derrick is the real HoH and will continue to be as long as one of his many minions are in power. He is the idiot-whisperer as is Frankie. The only difference between the two is that many have Frankie's number and only Donny has Derrick's. Donny is very aware that he is the odd man out in the ridiculous Team America twist. The other two do not have his back and he's onto them. The problem is that Donny has zero power in the game. He thinks that Zach and Hayden have his back but they don't.

This brings us to Hayden who is climbing on the most despicable list. Last night he stated about Amber, "I'd love to fucking throw that bitch off the balcony and watch her splat! She knows everyone hates her." That level of hatred is psychotic and has nothing to do with game. He is as obsessed with Amber as Caleb is and both of them have irreparably damaged this woman's game. The fact that she has nothing but good things to say about everyone, makes this even harder to witness. This makes his BB16 girlfriend, Nicole, very happy because she also hates Amber with a passion.

It's true Amber has zero allies or friends in the house. They have all said nasty things about her and rightfully see her as a threat because she is a competition beast. This is not surprising given the inevitable misogyny that this show engenders. Every year, there's a female punching bag in the house and among the viewers, whether they have engendered those emotions with their words/actions or not. Most of the men in the house have shown one form of misogyny or the other, the worst being Caleb whose attitude towards women is astoundingly condescending and inappropriate. But the guys and most of the women left would prefer to keep them in the house than Brittany who has zero power and only a couple of allies.

Stay tuned! :)