Next Time Is Now
by Drew, the Big Brother Cynic

If you’re looking for my thoughts on Brendon returning to the house, scroll down a few paragraphs. But I’ll try really hard
to make this first part will be worth reading too.

It’s Friday, which means that the most useless Head of Household week in Big Brother history is finally over. To summarize, Kalia
nominated the two people she wanted and then had the PoV won by the person she wanted to win it and used exactly how she wanted it
used… and she still managed to accomplish nothing. Actually, if you throw in the twist, she found a way to take a couple of giant
steps backward in her week as HoH.

But Kalia’s problem wasn’t Dani in her ear, or Jeff intimidating her or an impending twist. Kalia’s problem was that – halfway through
the game – she was still playing for “next time”. For the first few weeks of Big Brother, being the Head of Household is a fairly nuanced
endeavor. It’s all about making sure that anybody you turn into a target is evicted, while keeping the remaining houseguests on your
good side. But at this point in the game, being Head of Household is about making moves, and Kalia played scared. She made a big move
by nominating Jeff and Rachel and then backpedaled for five days. And the problem with the backpedalling, of course, is that you can’t
see where you’re going.

Obviously, Kalia (and the others) were only playing with cursory knowledge of the twist. She only knew that this week’s evicted houseguest
might come back – not that any of the five had a shot at returning. But fortune often favors the bold, and Kalia is getting exactly what
she deserves for not sending Rachel out of the house.

And Somewhere, Jessie Is Crying…

If there’s one thing you have probably picked up from this blog over the last two seasons (other than the fact that I really need to
relax sometimes), it’s that I really can’t stand when the Powers That Be take control of the game. This latest twist – a production
decision presented as America’s Vote – was so clearly designed to put a veteran back in the house that it makes me a little bit sick.

It’s true that the twist was devised as soon as Dick left if not sooner, but production was well aware of two facts: (a.) odds were pretty
good that at least one of the four in the Vets alliance (B/R/J/J) would be evicted by now, and (b.) a veteran was obviously going to win
America’s Vote.

If last season was The Summer of Sabotage (good job with that, everybody), then this season is shaping up to be The Summer of Grodner.

Looking Forward

Speaking of the Summer of Sabotage, I love it when a twist falls flat. So, strictly for personal reasons, it would make me so happy
if Me&Brendon were nominated again. There’s something to be said for nominating a couple of floaters (Adam & Shelly) with intentions of
backdooring Brendon or Rachel, but with Dani as HoH, it’s so obvious who her targets are that it may be counterproductive to do anything
other than nominate them from the get-go.

That’s it for me this week. My lady and I are finally finished with wedding plans and have settled into our new apartment, so I should have
time to contribute my 500 (or so) words every week for the remainder of the season.

-Drew