Big Brother 25 (Week 2)- Settling Into the Norm

The Big Brother house was all over the place this week, making it a stressful week for those of us on the outside. Plans were made, then canceled, then made again, only to be canceled again. We were taken on a rollercoaster ride that ended up being disappointing in the end. We got an HOH reigns that became increasingly unhinged as the week progressed, leading us all to grow frustrated. There's plenty to discuss, so let's break down the second week in the BB house. 

The Veto Competition

A week doesn't go by without the Big Brother producers catching flack for something they've done wrong. This week's controversy stems from the veto competition we saw on Wednesday night's episode. Before the episode, there was an article released by Entertainment Weekly talking about how the show accommodated Matt due to his hearing disability. The article touts all of the changes the show made to prepare for Matt's arrival, including new audio equipment, allowing him to preview the house blindfolded to make sure the speakers and other equipment were satisfactory for him, and a voice-to-text monitor to read from, among other changes. It was tested during the veto competition as the houseguests had to spin three discs to decipher clues, leading to the competitors completing the task. 

The show's edit made it look like Matt did well in the competition. It's safe to say that wasn't the case. Much evidence suggests that Matt struggled, from how the scores were presented on the episode and live feeds. First, they only showed the top three times from the competition, likely to hide how poor Matt's time was. The live feeds were also off for about 19 hours over the weekend. That's something that usually doesn't happen. The feeds tend to kick back on once the veto competition has been played on Saturday. Instead, we had to wait until Sunday morning to find out who won the veto competition. This led to speculation that the houseguests talked about the competition and how much Matt struggled. Several conversations have alluded to Matt being unable to hear in the house, making the timing of this article suspect. 

I've never been a fan of the producers touting their changes to make themselves look better, and this instance is no different. Bog Brother never fails to do something good, only to turn it around and do something stupid. Matt is clearly having a tough time in the house, and as much as the producers think they're helping, the opposite is the case. Don't talk about how good you are. Prove it to all of us. 

Flipping and Flopping Around

The plans for eviction night were in the air for most of the week, and it was so entertaining. With Reilly and Cameron on the block, Hisam wanted Reilly out of the house, and he made it known from the jump. The rest of the house seriously considered flipping the vote. For about 24 hours, Reilly appeared to be safe. Then, the house just gave up on the idea. They "big-brained" it and got concerned about Hisam coming for their souls if they voted to keep her. From the time the nominations were made, every 24 hours, the tide would change. It wasn't until Thursday afternoon that the plan was cemented for Reilly to be sent packing. 

Hisam's Reign as HOH

All the good things I said about Hisam last week have gone away. He showed his true colors during his week as HOH, which weren't flattering. Everything he accused Reilly of doing last week, he did this week. To make it worse, he did it condescendingly, making him look like a dictator. None of that was more evident than when The Professors got together, and he answered all his questions as he talked over everyone in his alliance. The only big positives I can give him are that he dominated the competitions this week and executed his plan by getting his intended target out of the house. There was a better way for him to go about doing it. Now, he's in trouble. 

Thoughts on the Eviction

Reilly grew on me considerably throughout her 16 days in the house. She came across as a genuine person that wouldn't make any enemies. In her defense, she really didn't. Hisam took one piece of information about her and ran with it, causing her to be in his crosshairs. Once Hisam became the 2nd HOH, her time was up. There were small glimpses of hope that we'd see a flip, but it never came to fruition. I was initially surprised by the unanimous vote, and I suppose I still am, but she clarified that she didn't want her allies blowing up their game by giving her a vote, which I respect. I expected at least Matt, Jag, and Blue would vote for her to stay. 

I'm not a fan of unanimous votes to appease the HOH. Last week, the 13-0 vote felt slightly different because Kirsten had played a sloppy game. This week, it felt like it was for self-preservation that Reilly was ousted 12-0. The only solace I took in the unanimous vote is that now Hisam doesn't have anything concrete to use when he wants to target someone else. No one went against his wishes. Assuming he makes it past this week, he'll have to think of something wild to base his irrationalities on. 

What Could Happen Next Week

The beauty of a crapshoot competition is that anything can happen. For Week 3, the Head of Household is Miss Felicia. I'm not 100% certain about the competition, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the 1,000 mini-golf variants we've seen. The competition appeared to take place in the Humili-verse, so I'm expecting a lot of slime on Sunday's episode. Also, Hisam ended up with a wig, so prizes and punishments may be involved, though that is usually left for the veto. 

As for Felicia's targets, I think the women are safe this week. After the first two players evicted were women, I think a man is going home this week. She has proper cause to have Cameron and Jag on the block, but Hisam is the one that needs to go. The smart strategy would be to keep him off the block with the initial nominations and hope he isn't picked to play in the veto competition. The worst-case scenarios are that he's chosen to play in the veto and wins, or one of his few allies wins and doesn't use it, keeping your initial nominees on the block. Given his ongoing streak, there is no reason to give him a free ride to play in the veto without being selected. 

Updated Ranking for America's Favorite Houseguest

17. Luke- He doubled down this week, calling the producers' decision to eject him "harsh."

16. Hisam- There is no telling how screwed he could be under the right circumstances this week.

15. Bowie- I've not seen much from her through two weeks. 

14. Cameron- He survived one week on the block, but he's likely going back up this week. 

13. Kirsten- I find it odd that she didn't do any press following her eviction, but that's not on her.

12. Red- The Chill Billy is floating right now and doesn't appear to have a clear direction. 

11. Izzy- There is a stark difference between Izzy on the feeds and the edited episode. 

10. Mecole- She had a nice rant this week in the storage room and is starting to come alive. 

9. Jared- He felt like a prominent force against Reilly staying, and I don't understand why. 

8. Cory- As long as he controls himself around Cirie, he's in a good spot in the house. 

7. America- She's another person slowly starting to get on my radar for the long run. 

6. Cirie- My only concern is that she's not pacing herself for a longer game than Survivor. 

5. Jag- He continues to be a day late and a dollar short, which could get him on the block this week. 

4. Felicia- If you don't like an underdog, I don't like you because I'm stoked that she's the HOH. 

3. Reilly- She gave it her all to stay this week, and I applaud her for that.  

2. Blue- She isn't in the best position to win the game but brings the personality daily. 

1. Matt- Outside of Reilly, no one had a more challenging week than Matt, and I hate it for him.