Big Brother 26, Week 2 Review- The Bitter, the Glitter, and the (Near) Quitter

I expected the season's second week to bring chiller energy as the houseguests tried ingratiating themselves into the game. Instead, the fireworks continued with big blowups. Unfortunately, most of it wasn't seen as the feeds cut in and out like a stiff breeze. Still, this week brought plenty of drama as new houseguests earned power and tried to create a power structure that wasn't formed during the first week.

The House Starts Taking Shape...Kinda

Alliance began to form during the first week, but it wasn't until this week that things really started to take shape. No large majority alliance has formed, though several splinter groups are becoming very strong. The 3 Cs (Chelsie, Cedric, and Cam) were one of the noteworthy groups, but Chelsie's disdain for Cam trying to flirt with Leah has soured her thoughts toward her stablemate. While they aren't as strong now, The Pentagon (The 3 Cs + Quinn and Brooklyn) is one of the larger alliances in numbers, though Quinn and Brooklyn are well aware that they're at the bottom of the group. Quinn has his hands in another pool, teaming with T'kor and Kimo as The Visionaries and The Andersons, featuring the Week 1 Have-Nots. There are so many more side alliances and connections that naming them all would be counterproductive.

The Plight of Angela, Lisa, and Kenney

The main characters through two weeks are Angela, Lisa, and Kenney. This cast has other notable characters, but these three garner the most headlines. The casual audience got a small glimpse into the growing feud between Angela and Lisa. While it got air time on Wednesday and Thursday, it stems from last week. The two were thick as thieves for a few days, but Lisa confronted Angela in the backyard and told her that Angela was "bad" for her life inside and outside the game. This spurred a strong disdain between the two, culminating with Angela mocking Lisa's walk and calling her a "twit." Lisa took great offense to all of this, breaking down in the Storage Room. That both were on the block this week likely didn't help keep the temperature down. 

Meanwhile, Kenney wants to leave the house every other day. At one point, Kenney claims that the $750k isn't worth it, to which many in the house called him out. He said that AFTER he won the veto competition. Kenney has also scolded the house for keeping him up like he did on Wednesday night as the house celebrated the Have-Not's feast. I've called Kenney "Old Man Yells at Cloud" personified. I hate quitters, but I hate people who talk about quitting even more. He threatens to leave unless he wins. If this is going to be the norm for him, get him out of the house immediately.

Chelsie's HOH Week

If HOH weeks were judged by whether the HOH's intended target left, Chelsie's HOH should be deemed successful. However, this week was a mixed bag for the woman in power. Chelsie entered the HOH Room in a house without a solidified power structure. Instead of taking advantage of a fluid house, Chelsie nearly put up Cam because he likes Leah, had Cedric volunteering to go up as a pawn, and got saved by Tucker volunteering after Kenney won the veto. She had all the opportunities to make her place in the game concrete. Despite this, Chelsie doesn't appear to be in imminent danger. She's still well placed in the house, so she's unlikely to be immediately targeted next week.

Eviction Thoughts

I would've been okay with either Angela or Lisa to leave this week. I had them in the bottom two to begin the season, so seeing them on the block was more than acceptable for me. While Angela has been harsh toward some houseguests, Lisa has milked the "bullying" angle. Several in the house have taken exception to things Lisa has done, like putting oils on people's pillows or glitter on everything. Lisa didn't provide much substance to the game. The look on her face after Julie read the vote and the entire aura she projected during her interview with Julie was pure astonishment. Even with this being Lisa's moment, Angela took every opportunity to make it about her. She sobbed loudly after Lisa was evicted. She addressed her subjects before Lisa's interview with Julie and promised to never go back on her word again. I'm not buying anything she's selling.

Week 3 Preview (WITH HOH SPOILERS)

Writing this on Friday afternoon before the nominations, Cedric is in for a tough week if he's too scared to make decisions. Just from the first 18 hours of his reign, he's already a mess. Angela and Kenney remain easy choices to hit the block, but Cedric's concern about angering someone might get him into more trouble. He's too worried about keeping everyone happy. Eventually, someone needs to make a move. At this point, get Kenney out of the game. I'm so tired of hearing him talk about quitting that I think he needs to just leave. I'll deal with another week of Angela if it means Kenney is gone. Tucker has volunteered himself again, which could start to backfire. I think the best move is to flush out Makensy's power by either nominating Leah or Makensy next to Angela and Kenney. Get the power out of the house and work to evict the two social pariahs.