The finale of CBS’s reality television show Big Brother will be on Wednesday, September 14th, when one of the remaining contestants will be awarded the grand prize of $500,000. In one of the craziest seasons in the history of the show, the numbers slowly dwindled over the course of the summer and now, only three are left with a potential shot to win. Past seasons have provided America with memorable personalities, dirty slanders, and numerous surprises, and season 13 is no exception to the madness. When the winner is chosen on finale night, it will be a bittersweet end to a season that was both frustrating and entertaining.
The show centered around numerous contestants isolated in the ‘Big Brother House’-yet, to stay alive, they have to compete in various competitions and align themselves with the right people. A game of tremendous skill and ability, many found themselves making mistakes that cost them their spot, and only a few made it to the end, sometimes out of sheer luck. While there are many possible strategies, the most frustrating to watch are those who take the ‘laying low’ approach-basically, an excuse for doing nothing in the house. Amazingly, there are always a few of these who make it to the last few evictions. Despite these painful contenders, the competitions, the drama, and the people that drive you crazy (which there are never a lack of) are addictive enough to keep you watching.
Right as the season started, it was obvious it would be one to remember. Not that Big Brother is ever forgettable-one of the most significant factors pointing to its success- but this year mixed things up even more than usual. Right away, a majority of the contestants were automatically given a lower hand, when three famous duos from Big Brothers’ past graced the house with their presence for another season. With the line drawn in the sand between the ‘newbies’ and the ‘veterans,’ many scrambled for alliances to secure themselves. While adding veterans to the mix gave a sense of familiarity to Big Brother super fans, it made the newbies seem weak in comparison-although some of them really were. And based on the eight new contestants this season, it would’ve been a really bland one if the vets weren’t in the house.
Throughout the season there was a power struggle, and many contestants began to fall in the shadows of power players who liked to get their hands dirty. The main target in the veterans was engaged couple Brendon and Rachel, and poor Brendon-he probably wouldn’t have been as big a target if his fiancé had a smaller mouth. Brendon and fellow veteran Daniele were sent packing back to back, and many contestants struggled to fix their alliances. But nothing was ever permanent after that-even in finale week, alliances could switch at any given point.
The competitions may be some of the most ridiculous on reality television, but they were my favorite part of the show. Most competitions required contestants to dress up, sometimes as Greek gods, or maybe space cows. There are three categories: quiz, which gives the less physically gifted (a.k.a the ones who sleep all day) contestants a chance to win; skill, like for this season, getting a ball farthest along a wooden snake; or endurance, involving hanging on to something the longest-like life size bananas, as contestants this year had to do. And as far as endurance, the last episode of Big Brother left viewers with the image of the final three hanging on to the beaters of a large mixing bowl. Competitions offer up plenty of chances to win power…as well as make a fool of yourself on national television.
The final three is quite disappointing, with two of the weakest competitors the season had, newbies Porsche and Adam, and veteran Rachel. Many were upset that all American couple Jordan and Jeff did not last until the finals. Jordan, known for her southern charm and stupid remarks, was definitely one of the more entertaining ones, while Jeff advocated his strategy of never lying…and a soul patch. Jeff was a good player, and very easy on the eyes, but really-it’s a game. If one doesn’t lie, cheat, and stab backs, they’ll never going to make it very far in the game. So it makes sense that manipulative, catty Rachel is in the final three. Hearing her whiny, high pitched annoying voice every episode definitely was not the highlight of the show, but at least she could win some competitions. On the other hand, watching Adam in a competition was excruciatingly painful, especially an endurance one. Like he wisely pointed out, maybe he should have spent more time on the Big Brother exercise machinery; instead, he obsessed over Tori Spelling and bacon, and followed Jeff and Jordan around like a puppy. And while Porsche has won some competitions, she mostly just napped, and hardly had a set strategy for game play. Who to choose: the loudmouth redhead, the 90210 metal head, or the pro-napper? Out of the slim pickings, Rachel deserves the money: she had a target on her back the entire game and somehow beat the odds to make it to the end. She might even have the upper hand if she makes it to the final two, since her fiancé and two of her alliance members are in the jury house making the vote to choose the winner. Besides, Adam already had his dream come true when Tori Spelling visited the house, and Porsche is a VIP Cocktail Waitress from Florida. My vote is for Rachel on this one.
Season 13 of Big Brother was a nail biter, and the constant game changes caused even more suspense. The season could definitely be pegged as slightly disappointing- many Americans were frustrated that their favorites just kept losing power and getting evicted, and many contestants were just downright terrible game players who brought nothing to the show. Having two floaters in the final three is a shame; despite this, the show was still worth the watch, and is the most interesting reality television show out there. And when the winner is announced, it will be the final episode to an outrageous season of entertainment. Whether it is Rachel, Adam, or Porsche who wins the money, the season was a distinguished one. Even though the contestants might not have been the most exciting or the most dynamic, Big Brother made up for it with richer levels of variety that made season 13 a win.
