Big Brother 14 Reset: Thoughts From Former HG Matt Hoffman

Matt Hoffman (BB12) makes a special return today with his thoughts on Big Brother 14’s “Reset” event on Thursday’s live show. Matt doesn’t pull any punches with his reactions to what brought the game back to square one. Read on for Hoffman’s brutal honesty.

Matt Hoffman Big Brother 12

Quite a twisted up series of events we had in the Big Brother house last night. Julie tells us that America has voted to give the coaches the option to forego their coaching duties and enter the game as players for the $500,000. Here are the parameters of their decision options, as I understood it…

If any ONE coach hit the “reset button” in the Diary Room

  • Every coach is forced to enter the game as a player.
  • There is no eviction tonight.

If EVERY SINGLE coach passes on hitting the “reset button”

  • Coaches remain coaches.
  • Pigs fly.
  • Someone gets evicted.
  • Hell freezes over.
  • Big Brother is going to bring back houseguests that were already kicked out who are probably scorned/angry.
  • Big Brother owns the souls of the coaches’ firstborn children.
  • The coaches lose their stipend.
  • Upon exiting the house, the coaches must live the rest of their lives in captivity on Allison Grodner’s island of misfits reality slaves.

Oh no, coaches – no one made you push that button. But what coach in their right mind (I said “in their right mind”, Boogie) would opt for the whirlwind of cow dung spiraling around Option B??? Of course at least one coach will surely push that poorly-made toy buzzer. And therein is the root of my problem…

…I’m not saying that the voting was “rigged” or that America really didn’t vote in favor of the coaches getting the option to play. Maybe that did happen. I don’t know, and I don’t care. My problem is with the way this was all presented, as well as the unjust ramifications that came with the forced outcome.

If Big Brother wanted the coaches in the game, then they should just own up to their obvious set-ups and say that America voted the coaches into the game. End of story. America voted, and they’re coming in. Why does Big Brother feel the need to patronize the viewing audience with giving the coaches the insane list of parameters that allow them to allegedly “choose” to come back in, when no one behind the scenes OR in the general public can possibly be stupid enough to think that literally EVERY coach would ALL agree to the consequences of not “resetting”?

Oh wait – I know why!…It’s because if the coaches were just told to be in the game with no other parameters, then Big Brother would’ve missed the opportunity to:

1) Deny the viewers of seeing the greatest Big Brother blindside since Season 8’s Dustin.

BB8 Dustin shockedFrank was about to go home this week. Frank and Boogie were clueless. Not only were they clueless, but they were arrogant and overconfident about the entire situation. I have been anticipating the look on Boogie’s face when Julie read the voting results for the greater part of this week. The real reason that Boogie was the only one who didn’t push the button is because he wrongfully thought that Frank would be safe after the vote, and it would only make his alliance in the house stronger by eliminating one from the other side (Joe).

This point is further punctuated by the fact that the rules stated that if the coaches did NOT enter the game, then someone WOULD be evicted. But if they DID enter the game, then NO ONE would be evicted. Simple mathematics combined with remedial logic and rationality would dictate that (with the number of people left in the game and the number of weeks left until finale) it should have been the other way around! The way the twist worked, you’re either left with 7 players or with 12. If the 7 player option happened, the coaches knew that they’d be bringing back in people that they had already kicked out to fill the house. That would clearly detract them from all not hitting the button, because not everyone is going to want to face people that they have already rallied against to get out. Had the option been reversed (eviction if coaches enter, no eviction if they don’t), then no matter what the coaches chose to do, we’d be left with 12 players or with 11 players – both similarly workable/fair numbers, and MUCH more sensible….but, of course, then we wouldn’t have saved the precious Boogie/Frank 2nd-rate Chilltown alliance that was on its way out the door.

2) Waste Shane’s entire HoH week.
Shane should definitely be more pissed off than anyone about last night’s series of events. All of the work put into the plan to backdoor Frank without him or Boogie knowing (which was awesomely kept secret for the entire week somehow) was a complete waste of both time and strategy.

3) Waste the past four weeks of all of our lives.
If you told me in advance that any show that I watch (no matter how much I like it) was going to start itself over in four weeks, I’d probably just wait four weeks to start watching the show. Just sayin’…

4) Continue in the ever-growing tradition of screwing with inherent game parameters.
“Reset button”? Are you kidding me??? The only “reset button” that should be pushed is to “reset” the Big Brother game back to the early/mid 2000’s when it had some semblance of integrity.

I’m drawing the definitive line in the sand of when things started to get REALLY out of hand with Season 11’s coup d’etat. Season 12 stepped it up a bit with the Diamond Power of Veto that was just handed to me through Producer’s Pandora’s Box. Season 13 went WAY over the top with the twist near the end of the game that basically did nothing other than ensure the safety of two very specific players (Rachel and Jordan). And now we start again in Season 14 with this. I think that Season 13’s offense was a bit worse, but it’s still early this year. Once that coach’s room turns into Pandora’s Box again (like we all know it will), get ready for potential game manipulation like we’ve never seen before!

Although I, personally don’t like twists, I am of the understanding that I am probably in the vocal minority, and that most casual viewers of Big Brother probably enjoy the twists. And I am not at all against twists, in general. I am against twists that pinpoint favoritism to a specific person or group of people.

Big Brother seasons typically have “theme twists” and then “side twists”. Theme twists are the twists that are announced pre-season and that the show is based around. Coaches, Duos, Saboteur, Exes, Couples, etc. Side twists are the little unexpected twists that crop up during the game like America’s Player or Pandora’s Box or just other general surprises that Julie drops on the houseguests during the season. I am 100% all for theme twists. I think that they make each season more self-contained and definable, and it’s fun for the houseguests entering the house to know that something big is coming…

…It’s those side twists that start getting sketchy. And it never used to be that way. Each year things get more and more suspect. “Rigged” is not even the word that I would use as much as “manipulated”. Anyone who has followed me over the past couple years can attest to the fact that I have been a very strong defender of production and the fact that they are making a television show, so there needs to be some leeway granted in many situations. But I’m having a really hard time keeping my faith in the “powers that be” over in the Big Brother world. And truthfully, it makes me sad.

There’s a reason that the ratings for this season are lower than they’ve been in years…and it ain’t the Olympics. Get it together, Big Brother. You’re better than this. You’ve created some of the greatest competition-based television programming in the history of reality TV! You’re not too far down the rabbit hole, and there’s still opportunity to recover and save face. On behalf of myself and all the other fans that have dedicated over a decade of our lives watching (and, in my case, playing) the game … please come back to us, Big Brother. We miss you.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

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137 Comments

  1. Matt, You hit a grand slam home run with this post. Multiple spot on assessments of the current downfall of Big Brother’s integrity.

    • Ditto! Matt perfectly distilled the conversation my spouse and I had during and after this manipulative twist from BB. Of course America was going to say yes. Of course the coaches were going to enter – there was never any real choice. I felt sorry for Julie from having to read a litany of nonsensical qualifiers and absurd conditions which ultimately robbed Shane of his hard fought and strategically well-played game this week. What a dud of an episode and annoying tactic by producer Allison Grodin. Please put me on the BB QA team because someone is getting way too empowered to have come up with this turkey. Anyway, we used to be loyal views but we’re walking away. Shane got robbed and we got played and I don’t feel like starting over and facing more BB squirrely decisions. It’s time for someone to retire on the set. PS: to somewhat correct this awful situation, BB should announce Sunday that they goofed. Apologize. Then either allow Shane to be safe for the next two weeks OR have vote they should have had. This show was a turning point for me. Goodbye BB, you’ve lost it.

  2. I think it is messed up they get to join the game. They so need to just have player on there and leave it at that. Why keep giving the old players changes after changes.

  3. Matt, I finally agree this every thing you just said!  I don’t believe  for one moment that our votes counted.  The first four weeks was just BS &  a rip off!  I want BB back to the way it used to be.  An unpredictdable game that goes unrigged and doesn’t show favoritism, where the ‘average Joe’ can win and not some producer’s ‘Prodical son’.

  4. This season is infinitely less painful to watch than last season’s but that’s not saying much. I do feel like I’ve invested a month of watching for no reason… there goes half of my summer! At least now the players will actually have to play themselves and stop doing the coaches’ dirty work. It was getting ridick. Hopefully they turn this ship around!

    • i wont watch this season unless they bring kara back and get rid of that blonde ashley

  5. I totally agree. Tired of seeing people from previous seasons being brought in – the so-called favourites. Whose favourites? The producers? I saw so many people say they voted against the coaches coming into the game so I can’t help but question CBS’ integrity in this regard. They obviously are lacking in imagination in coming up with new twists without bringing old-timers back (love the Twins Twist). So disappointed in this season.

    • K ppl like your acting like they bring back ppl every year out of 14 seasons not including All stars this is only the second that past players were brought back stop crying about it. Yeah there not going to please everyone but I’m sure a lot of ppl are excited to see the past players come back.

      • If I remember correctly, wasn’t Jessie brought back in Big Brother 11? So 4 out of 14 seasons (including all stars)… that’s more than 25% of them.

      • Yeah but that’s one player that’s not the same as bringing back multiple players with newbies. And all stars should not count cause there were no newbies and that was the best season probably. I don’t think ppl have a problem with all veterans it just when a number of veterans been mixed with a bunch of newbies and that only happened twice in 14 years ppl need to relax.

      • That happened twice in two years. You relax. I just want the old fight it out blind big brother back. Everyone equal.

      • How many times has BOOGER been in BB, 3?  That’s 2 too many!   They jumped the shark and croaked it also. 

  6. I have to 100% agree with Matt here. Exactly my thoughts on the “reset”. Why did I watch the past few weeks? And  I am pissed that Shane made a great move and now it’s erased and possibly puts him in jeopardy because of this reset.  I hate how they manipulate this game in favor of those they want to stay in the house. It’s getting way too obvious…

  7. I like this show each year and I personally liked the twist. It makes it fun and interesting to watch even if it is predictable, but the players are not and that is what I like about it. People complain about this show every year about how it is worse than the year before but they are still watching like the rest of us. If you are not happy with the show, why would you continue to watch it? I am enjoying it, and I will always watch it.

    • CBS will get low rating for this BB 14..You Jmower,what are you thinking ,when you say don’t watch it..You will not be watching it,if we stop watching..Because BB will be dropped without proper (ratings)..Wake up and smell the roses Jmower

  8. I think that BB should tell the viewers when and what the twists are (weeks) prior to when the twist is to take place, that way the viewers know and we won’t think that the game is manipulated (which we all know that it is)..come on BB stop playing favorites and let them play the game. You are losing viewers!!!

    • To be honest, as viewers this time we knew that this twist was coming a week before it happened. Nominations weren’t made yet. The only difference is we didn’t know the exact parameters of the twist, like that an eviction wouldn’t happen.

  9. Way to go Matt! I agree thoroughly with everything you said. You concisely
    laid out the problems with this season and last season. The players no longer
    come into the house with a fair shot at the $500, 000. I am so tired of seeing
    past players come into the game and take away from the new players. They
    had their chance and either already won it, or they blew it. I have noticed
    the coaches are not very good at coaching. They have the tendency to
    tell them to not speak and listen and talk down to them like they are children.
    Diplomats they would not make. Poor Shane, really had it put to him. He
    might be out the door before he should be because of the ridiculous shenanigans
    from BB. Many I have talked to say they will not watch next season if one
    past contestant comes into the house. Someone is not thinking clearly when
    making the decisions they have made for especially the past two seasons! It
    is good to hear that someone who has played the game understands this
    so well. Thank you.

    • Shane,has been thru a lot.,has been the one to carry Dan,Britt,Danelle along with a few others thru the house,and has taken full blame for decisions they all made together.But deny they did,.Then to have production to pull the tricks to save there favorite players..So Sad,for anyone to take such abuse as has been dished out to Shane…bye bye BB

  10. I agree with you Matt. I love BB and get really excited to watch but if youre going to bring in old players why not just have an all stars. Tired of seeing the same players come back over and over. Go Will.

  11. I don’t like the new twist. I don’t like the coaches back.I wish we had all new HG’s play the game.

  12. This is coming from someone who LIED about your “dying” wife as strategy. You are not respected as a player to many people. Quite frankly, you will never get the chance to play again because of the lack of fans you have! If you think your opinion is honestly considered by Big Brother, you are sadly mistaken! This is a game.. they switch it up! Some people will like it, and some won’t. If you have watched the live feeds, you will realize Dan was never a fan of yours throught the show & you compared yourself to him! Lying about someone dying of an illness is pure disgusting! You are not respectful therefore will not be respected by me!

    • Talk about ad hominem.  You can’t counter anything he said so you go after what he did in his season.  How the hell is that relevant?

      Matt is voicing the frustration that many fans and former players are feeling right now.  Jun and James feel the exact same way about this.  Grodner has sent this show down the tube.  And don’t give that “this is a game they switch it up, crap.”  This is more than switching it up.  This is making FOUR WEEKS OF THIS GAME NOTHING BUT MEANINGLESS FILLER.

      • Last I heard, it was Her show, she can run it how she want. Hate on your own show.

      • Personally I love that the coaches are entering the game because they actually do something. I really don’t want to watch Jenn do absolutely nothing. And if you seen the feeds today it caused so much excitement I believe they saved the season. But still I completely agree that Frank shoulda been voted out and it does make me wonder that the game is fixed and Shane should get some super power that’s insanely not fair to him at all. It would of been good of they just did the eviction ad then let the coaches enter the game

    • btw–this year dan said he met matt for drinks and found that he really liked him much more than he thought he would. said he’s really a nice guy,

  13. Matt, I totally agree with everything you posted!! Where have you been your insight to this game and the sarcasm is miss and much needed to get thru this boring season. And why are you not back in the game you were one of my favorites? Missing the original BB also.

  14. Damn, I’m a blogger and I couldn’t even have said it with that much punch. Well said Matt. 

    Personally I’ve been a Big Brother fans since somewhere around season 3 (yes I remember Marcellas) and I like the twists every season, it adds a good surprise or two. However when it comes to BB14, I liked the twist of having the coaches come into the game because the coaches were really the only people playing the game and it was all about Mike Boogie, Janelle, Britney and Dan and not the newbies. 

    But I didn’t like the way it went down, there should have been an eviction first, then the coaches got the option or just Big Brother saying to the coaches, now your players, deal with it. Basically the end result was fine, but the way the twist happened sucked especially for Shane. BB just ruined good game play by Shane. 

    By the way, it wasn’t until Thursday that I realized that Mike Boogie and Frank really didn’t know that Frank was going home. Wow, they really were that out-their, damn I would have loved to have seen that look on both of there faces when Frank was evicted.

    I wonder if its time for Big Brother to come up with a new format for BB15 without former players returning? 

    • I think if their going to have returnig players make a all star season again it probably was the best season anyways to

      • They keep bringing the same old players back, no fun watching them.   If they do an all star reach back to the beginning of BB for a welcome change.

    • I don’t agree that the coaches were the only ones playing the game. The new players have been caught between a rock and a hard place. They were told to listen to their coaches and work as a team. Who ever comes on BB and is forced to work with people they may not even like? It’s not a  good twist. It wasn’t a twist at all. I knew as soon as I heard about it that it wouldn’t turn out like that anyway. BB fools no one.

      • Let’s face it, the first three weeks of BB14 were all about Willie, Dan, Mike Boogie, Janelle and Britney-Shane and I will even throw in Frank. The coaches were playing the game as the houseguests just followed their coaches.

  15. OH, Matt we miss you so much.  I was very dissapointed you would not be giving us your daily dose of honesty here.  Any time we can here from you we will take it.  The common view I got from most fans was a “NO” to Coaches in the game.  After we had the long documentary on Frank’s famous dad, it was clear which house guest CBS is really focused on keeping around. 

    •  We all know wrestling,is one of the biggest Fake-so-called-sport,..I for one knew many wrestlers here in my town,and know they are so differant away from the ring..Frank is a wantabe as his dad is..I have attended some of the wrestlers get together. Biggest Fake show of all,is in the Ring..This season of BB is the first,that so many HG were not straight sex..Not that it made a differance in how the game was played..Guest were chosen,from good,bad,& ugly and may I say so many didn’t wash their hands after going into the john..Vocabulary was worst ever,,Worst season ever BB..Hope you can find enough good parts left over.To get it together for a better BB 15…GL BB.

  16. The fact that Frank is staying is a total bs. They should have voted and that person left the game then keep the coaches. The whole week of game play was ruined.

  17. Dear DISQUS, mind telling me why you did not publish my comment.  It was according to your spec’s, and well written I know.  What, you refuse to publish honest articles.  What was the problem? I’d love to know.  Your censorship is getting as bad as the dishonest show now.

    • @facebook-1599499010:disqus : You know you’re addressing a piece of software, right? I’ll check and see if your comment triggered a filter and was sent to the moderation queue. No one is censoring you.

      •  I think this was a great idea, those coaches were blindsighted it was so special. the only one that truly got screwed was shane.  As far as bringing people back it makes a bit more interesting, but this year the players were not foaming at the mouth. Now the game becomes a game again not one coach against another, the players really have to think for themselfs.  We knew that the coaches were coming back but the real twist was the options .  All those players have been around each other and this gives them the chance to really do what they all wanted which is play the game.
         boogie with his big mouth in the begining , I wish I was playing ,
            But as far as option B we do not know what other changes were coming , they said they would bring back the first few ,but that also would change the enitre game.  what would they have done ,  I love all the twist in the BB game good or bad it makes it more interesting . If you were in there what option would you have chosen,   YOu never mentioned that.
             So if you were in there what would you have done , you cant use well my wife is dying, so they didnt ask me.
             I wish they would have brought back the evil red head, she can play a damn good game. wether you like it or not she was good.
             So happy days lets start the game and the best players win.

    • @facebook-1599499010:disqus : Your comment was caught in the filter for obscenities. Keeping comments clean helps get them through the software’s moderation system.

  18. Haha right on Matt, I bet you Rachel still believes she deserves that win last season.

  19. If these producers are to lazy to come up with a twist, just to a back to basics season. Put 14 new HG’s all newbies and all strangers. Don’t give out any Coup D’tats, Diamond Pov’s or Some other special power via America’s vote or Pandora’s Box or even at all. But If you do, at least make someone earn in through a competition like Boogie did In All-Stars.

  20. Why don’t You create a network show Matt? Share your “Genius” with America. Then when you criticize other shows, it will mean something.

      •  That’s BS Matt!  I would watch you on TV. At least you’re well spoken and have a pulse. I love how you tell it like it is. We need more of that.

  21. I agree 100% and most definitely about completely nullifying Shane’s HOH…ticked me off!

  22. Wow!!! You are a tremendous writer Matt. That was VERY well written and I completely agree with your assessments. Everything you said was spot on.Try to stop by a little more LOL (but seriously) your writing is outstanding.

    Hope to see you on BB All-Stars in the near future.

  23. Matt- I agree with everything you say. I have been a Big Brother fan in the true meaning of the word… short for “fanatic.” These manipulative twists to ensure certain outcomes may enhance the show Big Brother, but take greatly away from the true GAME of Big Brother. I would argue that most true fanatics are fans of the game more than the show. Ratings may increase, but it will be short-lived as it will be casual viewers who will change the channel the next time something new comes along. I have always wanted to play Big Brother, but unfortunately have never been that interested in being on the television show Big Brother. I know you like both aspects of it and admire your honesty here because your honesty could likely cost you a chance at ever playing again. Of course, it might not. It all depends on what production wants that week.

    • I like the distinction you made between wanting to play Big Brother and wanting to be on the reality television show Big Brother. Seems like now more than ever that those two aren’t the same thing anymore, which is a shame IMO.

      I get that its about ratings, but I personally enjoyed when it was truly about who the better Big Brother player is; whether they’re entertaining to watch or not.  

  24. Matt I couldn’t of said it better myself. If the coaches were going in the game I wish it would of happened after the eviction. I was looking forward all week to one of the greatest blindsides and the look on that smug Boogies face. What a let down!!!

  25. Matt… you hit the nail on the head!  BB is underestimating the intelligence of the fans.  We see thru the manipulation.. and don’t like it.  Thanks for your “breath of fresh air” way of talking to us.  I wish I was watching you this year!  What would you do with this mess (I mean twist) ?

  26. Good to hear from you Matt. Your thoughts are always well written. Thank you for confirming some of my frustrations trying to figure out the logic behind the coaches coming into and resetting this game from the beginning. I hate that I have to try and figure who is playing who all over again.  I also feel that bb ruined a great play by Shane that was kept secret for a week. I hope you are able to give insight again as this new game begins.

  27. I especially agree with the issue of Pandora’s Box. I find that they make the prize or the punishment most often benefit the person they want to keep in the game.

  28. Great read Matt. I was just thinking last night that the first 5 seasons were the best because they had people that wanted to play the game, desicions were strategic for the most part. What they’ve been turning out the last few years are people that want to mug for the camera, get laid and be a character. Desicions made now are personal. It’s just like any “reality” show. The first seasons are pure and later on they all turn to character driven trash.

  29. I completely agree with your assessment. They completely threw out the entire theme twist, screwed over an HOH, and made us miss seeing Boogie’s fury all in one night! And if it was all to hand Janelle a win, I really don’t think that is happening unless she gets some sort of infinite POV by “America’s vote”

    Frankly, I think I might have to pass on BB USA next year and hope that BB Canada shows way more integrity in it’s first season

  30. Completely agree with Matt. 
    Poor Shane, he worked so hard and I agree they should have had the eviction. But if anything, if Shane is as good of a player as he has appeared to be, then he will be able to get Frank out eventually. Who knows, maybe Shane will be able to convince Danielle to get Frank out. We know Frank isn’t really a threat to Danielle, but more of a threat to Shane, so if he can convince her of that (which can easily be done with a few kisses to blind her and make her all sickeningly lovely dovey with someone who could care less about her) then he has made up for last week..  Although, I am looking forward to the added drama the coaches add, it is unfair to the players, even if the game was ‘reset.’ And I also agree that I may have waited four weeks to watch the game if it were going to restart. But the thing I agree with most is that the non eviction was horrible, and that they purposely did that to save Frank, which in turn saves Boogie and their dumb alliance. What is their obsession with Boogie? I think he has turned into a creepy, old man now and that kiss with Ashley, which lasted just a bit too long to be an all in fun type kiss, proves that point. 

  31. I am in my 14th season of watching Big Brother but they are pushing things after last nights “reset” twist.  I think that was the most stupid thing that they ever decided to do.  If they keep this type of thing up they are going to lose me.  To me it seems like they really don’t have a plan they are making things up as they go along.  Shane made a great move and where did it get him??  Probably a target………Julie is starting to get to me also.  Did you notice that the house guests don’t even respond to her when she greets them on Thursday night?  I don’t blame them.

    •  I’ve been saying they’re making things up as they go along for about 4 years now. They change the game to keep favorites in. Shameful!!

  32. Matt as usual, great post.  You are missed here.  I’m part of a huge group that has been watching together since the beginning (we’re all so old now!) and this is it for most of us.  I’m glad that you still have hope but for me and many others; we are done.
    Best to you and yours,
    Foofie

  33. My only thought on why BB presented the twist as they did was to align with the contract the coaches signed. If they signed up to be coaches, how can BB say ‘America voted to put you into the game.” Instead, BB gets to let America get involved with the vote(and the $$ that comes with it), and then give the coaches the ‘option’ to enter the game. The only question I would have is for Boogie, who is still forced into the game by not having pushed the reset button.

  34. Boy, you got that right! Many of us in the Chat rooms have been saying the same things! What a damn disappointment the show is. We have been writing for years to get new producers, ones with some imagination. These people have it too easy. Boring watching people do nothing all day and the 24/7 feeds cut out on a regular basis. They need to check out the Aussie Bb, which is great!
    Still the best BB was Season 1.
    We are so happy we’ve waited a year for this boring train wreck.
    And stop bringing back old houseguests!

    •  I LOVE BBAU and BBUK. True they don’t make BBUK anymore but I’ve watched every season on You Tube. They are so much more superior. Allison Grodner is an amateur when it comes to producing. If CBS truly wants a better product then they need to get rid of the entire staff of the current BB and start over. Go back to the originality of the show. They’d get a lot of viewers back. I’m disgusted at how last nights show turned out. I can’t watch anymore and I’ve been a fan since day 1. Sigh….

  35. I could not agree more with what Matt said. His season was the last worth watching. Last seasons manipulation for Brendan and Rachel was absolutely sickening but I kept the faith that this year might be more of a return to normalcy. I was not a fan of the coaches coming into the game, but that I could live with it since they were not competing directly for the big prize; but, they went too far last night! I am now done with BB and have been a fan from the beginning. BRAVO Matt for saying so eloquently. As always, your logic and straight-forward response is why I will forever be a fan of the Hoffmeister!

  36. Watching Julie Chen announce not only the  coaches’ twist -we all knew it was coming-, but also the “BB doesn’t want Frank to leave”-twist, I felt reminded of Joe begging pityfully for votes, promising that he’d only be there for 2 more weeks, his children were about to start crying, and that he promised whoever eternal servitude. He knew the TV audience would always see him as a pathetic loser with no backbone.

    Except here, it wasn’t a desperate player, but Julie Chen and a whole franchise selling all of its integrity. I understand the need for better ratings, but Julie Chen taking her clothes off and telling America that everyone who keeps watching the show until the end gets to spend one erotic night with her is not the way to go, people just become disgusted with the desperation and loss of integrity, just like I did with Joe.

    How could any future player ever feel the urge to “attempt a big move” again, when they have to suspect that Big Brother will bend the rules for “their favorites” to remain in the game, and like what happened here, “reward” Shane for “winning HOH + POV + making a big move + successfully blindsiding Boogie and Frank” by saying all is for nothing, and hence only making his situation in the house much worse by no fault of his own.
    BB, a great concept of a game, hast sold out in a last attempt to improve ratings, and they might have just destroyed any future Big Brother for many years. Very sad. I’ll stop watching now.

  37. Can’t help but wonder what would have happened if the players got to vote out coaches with the top two leaving or being evicted? At least someone would have been evicted. The players have not been happy with their coaches for a long time, except for Frank, and even he tells everyone he is playing his own game, not Boogie’s. Ha, ha. Although Danielle is loyal to a fault to Dan, I think she is
    beginning to question HIS loyalty a little. She should. He will never really have
    her best interests at heart with him playing the game, too.
    Although I think Brittany has often made a bad situation worse with the way
    she talked to people, I think she truly is more loyal to her players than the
    other coaches.Time will tell. I still think it would have been better to have had
    four more unknown players playing, if they were dead set on having the coaches
    idea in the game, than bringing them later in the game after they have had
    an unfair advantage of knowing about all of the players and how they play
    before having to play themselves. Just saying….

  38. Great article Matt. I’m with you, BB is going too far. I knew as soon as they had these past players come in as “coaches” that they’d be able to enter the game sooner or later. For whatever reason, BB thinks that everyone loves Boogie. I admit, I definitely disliked him much more with Dr. Will than I do this year, but still. I don’t enjoy watching the smugness of Janelle who really has won NOTHING but some of the contests. She’s condescending and cold cold cold. They don’t make for good TV. Bring back the early days of BB with the exes and the twin twist. Those were innocent enough. That was fun to watch. Now it gives me too much anxiety to be any fun.

  39. Matt, you’ve taken all the words right outta my mouth.  It’s a little upsetting to see this reset happen. IMO the eviction should have still took place even if the coaches joined the game. Just make their vote not count for that eviction. I wonder what production has in store next…

    Oh and I liked the Producer’s Box comment :P. Made my day.

  40. Matt, did they offer you a chance to be a coach? You would have been a great one if you were. 

  41. I don’t understand why Booger is so upset this morning, ranting and raving that no one told him the were sending Frank home.  WTF  It’s not like he didn’t do that himself when he was playing.  Get over your bad self Booger!!  It’s part of the game, of course they are not going to tell you.

  42. Matt, I agree with everything you say. I knew they would put the coaches in the game, and I was hoping to tell them before the voting BEGAN. My wish was to shake up the newbies, vote Joe out ( a sacrafice ) and focus on getting the vets out one by one. In this Frank would have been an asset. This could bring about new alliances within the newbies. That way, with the vets out we could see some great game play. Instead, I was mad sick.

  43. I honestly believe Big Brother itself needs a change drastically. New house, new host, the works.

  44. You said it Matt…..casual viewers of BB are likely to enjoy all of the twists.
    Judging from the numbers of posters here and on other, lesser, BB sites and followers.  It would seem that we are indeed the minority when compared to the ratings that show the number of people watching.
    As the truest of Big Brother Fans,  we are subjected to the will of production as they try to please the masses, to keep ratings up.
    I will never threaten to quit watching because, I am a true fan and addict.  I am not going anywhere.

  45. Matt is just mad he sucks to much to be in a all star season! just like how canada is mad that their show will suck and only get like a 5$ prize when they win.

  46. Matt as another BB watcher from Season 1 to present I have always watched this show.  No summer was complete without it.  I agree with what you wrote.  I do feel extremely bad that all the work that went into eliminating Frank by Shane being HOH was for nothing.  I was waiting for that blind side as well.  What I watched on the Live Show was such a disappointment.  I also watch BBAD and have the live feeds.  I think of all the hours I spent watching and waiting and to have it go down the way it did was just wrong.  I would much rather have Production be honest and say so from the beginning.  I did not want the coaches in at first because I felt they already had there chance and after last season was waiting for a brand new fresh crop of people willing to play this game.  I voted no and everything I saw said no.  Just watching and hearing the coaches talking I knew it was a strong possibility so I expected it and never said I would quit watching.  While I expected the coaches to go in I did not expect to get cheated of all that took place during Shane’s HOH.  To just erase it was what upset me the most.

    I will continue watching because I always have and always will, but I am not happy with some of the changes that have been made.  I really hope that a new person can win because I still feel that the once coaches now players have been given a chance before and in some cases more than one.  After last season which you described perfectly I don’t want a repeat of that.

  47. Wish I could have articulated the manipulation aspect better myself!  Couldn’t agree more and am so over it.  I was calling Frank Jeff the night of the show….guess he’s a CBS fave, because he was handed over a spare key that evening….

  48. Im a loyal Big Brother viewer and I will always watch Big Brother no matter what but seriously the way Big Brother is handling things is just out of control. Personally the coaches should have just remained coaches. This is BB13 all over again. This twist screwed Shane over, waste of an HoH/POV. Hopefully Big Brother get it together next season. (No vets, or production manipulation)

  49. This ‘reset button’ basically gave every one of the coaches a free pass to this point…a Golden Key if you would…its crap.

  50. I agree the producers are always making plays so their favorite houseguest gets a upper hand instead of letting the game happen. They wasted Shane’s HOH and only put a target on him.  ever since Jeff and Jordon BB never allows the newbie in the house to be the stars of the show. yes America’s favorites are the veterans but only because theyhad already got to see them 2-3 times before. 

  51. I totally agree with you Matt! I haven’t talked to one person who’s happy the coaches are back in the game. What a waste of HoH for Shane.

  52. Jmower, agree totally, every year, i hear ” this is the worst season” yet , people come back to watch! , the show is what it is, theres always glass house for those who dont like the way BB is produced. zzzzzz … and  I think opinions will differ on which houseguest  benefited and who didnt, depending on who you personally like in the house.. Personally i love this show, even when i dont agree 100%,

  53. And this is why I want Matt on Big brother again :p He’s so intelligent and analytical! This post proves it. I wholeheartedly agree with Matt. BB has gone down the drain. But on a side not, Matt for BB all stars 2!

  54. This made me think. I didn’t like him as a player but now, he needs to come back for all stars. Big brother has changed a lot though and im only 17. 

  55. I would prefer the UK version they are more real and fun and fans vote HG out. Cos they see all the action.

  56. Well said Matt. And lets not forget that Willie was ejected while Frank was HOH, allowing frank to get out 2 players that week! Too many coincidences for it not to be favoritism on BB’s part….

  57. I totally agree with Matt! 
    I feel it is completely unfair to put the coaches in as player’s. That is not fair at all to this season’s new player’s. You ruined what was about to happen at last night’s eviction.Big Brother you dropped the ball with this decision. And no it is not America’s fault. It is yours!

  58. I kept reading your review & nodding my head in agreement. I have watched BB since season one and this season is, by far, the most boring & predictable. I knew the coaches would eventually roll into the game. The numbers were there. I don’t understand why BB insists on bringing back players from seasons past. Does this mean that they can’t find fresh faces to entertain us over the summer? Really sad BB. This may be the last season I watch this show.

  59. What Big Brother producers should have done is invite all 13 winners of the past
    Big Brother Seasons 1-13. A number of them have not played in the All Stars they had in Season 7 which Mike Boogie won. If all 13 were to accept, we can have a really incredibly exciting Big Brother All Stars because each winner knew how to play the game and we would have found out who among the 13 is really the best! Instead, they bring back who they deem has a fan base like Janelle and Brittney. Bring all the winners back then, we can have a really terrific Big Brother. If any of the 13 refuse the invitation, extend the invitation to the runner up for that season!

    • one slight problem with that Season 9 winner Adam is in prison for selling drugs with his winnnings

  60. A VERY well written article from a likeable former player.  It’s too bad you haven’t been brought back (yet), the house needs a sarcastic sense of humor!

  61. “If you told me in advance that any show that I watch (no matter how much I like it) was going to start itself over in four weeks, I’d probably just wait four weeks to start watching the show. Just sayin’…” Couldn’t have said it better myself. 

  62. Matt i love love love this article. after season 8 i felt big brother was going to go downhill, and boy did they ever. the show is even advertised more as a summer party show then a strategic challenge. i sadly believe with all my heart this show will be canceled within the next 3 years, and as a lifelong fan it disgusts me how much they have sold out. 

    btw the only bad thing about this article is that if cbs sees this you will never get back on that show again, which you should

    • I guarantee you that SOMEHOW this has gotten back to someone over at BB.  They monitor the internet pretty intently.  Whatever.  It’s a “reality” show…if they want “real”, then they’ll ask me back.  If not, then they can continue with their over-produced shitfest of the last few years, which I wouldn’t want to be a part of anyway, since I’d inevitably get screwed over.

    • Maybe it’s exactly what you’re saying, but BB8 was one of the worst manipulations in BB history with the America’s Player introduction. Yes, Eric was great at it, but anyone who thinks ED would have won the game on his own has either lost their mind or didn’t have one to lose to begin with.

  63. Great article, Matt. I too have been a fan of Big Brother for such a long time and was sensing last year that It was rigged so Rachel would win. This year seems rigged for Janelle or maybe now Frank. Why dont they just do a Big Brother Legends?I miss the days of old, even before Pov. This year has been sad, frustrating, and disappointing. I hope next year is either a full on all stars or all newbies, but not a mix of both.

  64. Oh, no! my computer has been down for a few days, and I find out that horse’s ass Matt Hoffman is writing for you again! So now I have to look for another way to get my Big Brother news because I swore last year I’d never again look at a site if that illiterate, pompous jerk was part of it.

    • You had me until “illiterate”.  I’m probably one of the more literate people to ever be cast.  I’m fine with being insulted…just make sure they’re valid insults, please.

  65. I agree, Matt. This season is really boring. The most entertainment I’ve had is when Willie was in the house.. and they kicked him out! Quite honestly, the only show i watch on TV is Thursdays. The rest of the info I read online.

  66. This is pretty well dead on. Personally, I think the reset button should go back to just after BB1, before the format changes began, with a season of the international format being next on the cards.. But you make a good case for keeping the format as is (besides the manipulation).

    I’ve been watching since BB1’s launch and for me, BB11’s constant nonsense was the jumping off point. That’s when I found BBUK and everything changed. The whole idea of what this show can be was changed for me. 

    I think it’d be possible to find a happy medium. Perhaps borrow elements of the UK and Australian versions. Specific ones- a single night for all competitions, a la BBAU’s Friday Night Live; a few certain twists from UK might work well here (the Big Brother Bedsit and House Next Door come to mind); and possibly changing how nominations (maybe even evictions) work. 

    It’s clear that BBUS has been doing the same thing and pulling the same kind of manipulative stupidity for way too long. If something doesn’t change in the leadup to BB15 (if CBS doesn’t cancel the show, that is), there’s going to be zero point in watching the show anymore. And honestly, it’s possible that CBS cancelling the show is the best possible outcome- if the decision is between the same kind of nonsense from Grodhan and company, or ending the show, I’d kill the show right then and there.

  67. Very perceptive article Matt! Right from the start of this season it was apparent we were in for some goofball stuff that would make the game less than a fair competition. Jodi was booted off within something like 6 hrs in the house due to basically no fault of her own. And of course Dan was put at a serious disadvantage immediately. Don’t put a team and/or individual at such a crippled disadvantage like that and expect the viewers to like it. 

    But as for how the coaches twist played out on Thursday, Matt’s article is spot on. 

    I’ve been a faithful BB watcher since BB2 and it’s very odd to me how those more straightforward years were much more exciting in the way of gameplay and manipulation than all the whistles and bells and twists have made it. Give me the days when it took gameplay skill to get to the end and not just blind luck. 

    Is it any wonder that Dr. Will is widely considered to be by far the most skillful player to have ever played the game? But truthfully, maybe that is only because players were forced to PLAY the game according to the simple and equal nature of the competition. Somehow I doubt we’ll ever again have a player like Dr. Will who practically begged to be put on the block week after week to have his skill tested. Now all the players do is whine about being put up and mope around for a week before doomsday. Yes, that’s overstating it, but it is all too typical.

  68. I agree. They should of never been given a safe pass for 4 weeks, next twist should be the others get the safe pass for 4 weeks LOL. Takes care of the coaches problem. I love BB, I watch it everywhere, its even on my phone so if I leave I still have it. However, I dont think I will be buying the applications next year. This manipulation has gone way to far this time. If go to all the BB groups that did a vote, they were all more then 55% except for one that was NOT in favor of the coaches returning. Next year I will watch on tv if nothing else is on. Ive never missed a season, but I am ok with ending my bout with BB.

  69. WELL SAID MATT!!!! I think CBS needs to pull their production heads out of the……….SAND, and wake up to the REAL reason ratings are so low. Shane got shafted!

  70. You speak for  the masses by the comments posted here. Always a treat to get your insight on all things BB. The AG team could do worse to hire you as a consultant for the show.

  71. Great post Matt, I am a long time BB watcher with live feeds, no life! My comment is if the so called coaches/players get a vote why not the players, this is also thier game. now most players (Danielle, Ian, Ashley etc) cannot cut the cord to the so called coach. Wake UP players, your played! What was Willys comment “leading the lambs to slaughter”  Bring Willy  back to play this game. more even kiel.

  72. NO not even Dick!!!   How about  some from the earlier BB’s so we can see how they are now?

  73. right on the mark again, matt. personally, i felt so robbed of getting to watch boogie’s face at frank’s eviction. thankfully the players/coaches have saved the day and the show’s rep with the veto nomination going down today. this is gonna be every bit as much fun. bless all these players’ schemin’ hearts.

    ps- miss your regular bbn posts sooo much this year.

  74. Considering that Jodi and Kara were both knocked out by the coaches twist, it only seems right that they would have been part of the reset too. The only reason Kara was targeted really was because Dan was the target. Total mess of a competition. 

  75. Bring back the Big Brother that made BB a top show. Everyone wanted to be there because of the show, not to further their career in show business. Not everyone was young. Not everyone was pretty. Just like real life. I actually love watching guests turn their lives around (lose weight, quit smoking,) with the help of their new friends. (Survivor proves don’t knock the mature and less attractive. I’m holding out for the really disabled year myself.)
    Quit bringing back previous houseguests, unless it is an allstar show. Part of the joy is watching the newbies and getting to know them. Let the games and twists be fair. Quit running them in the same order! Let the houseguests struggle more. Winning groceries brought them together in a game designed to take them apart.

  76. I feel the same, when Willie had to be removed this allowed production to move the scheduled “reset” forward when they saw their “dream” player was leaving. And really when was this first called a “reset” We heard the possibility of “returning players” but “reset”?

  77. Just wanted to add more concerning the choice between evicting Dan or Brit. (I state it this way because we all know Danille was not the target) I believe that production was the one who engineered Dan’s resurrection, got in Jen’s ear to pull him, knowing that Frank would put up Brit. All because Dan makes for a better show.

    Question is will production try to pull another rabbit out of their hat to save Frank?

    I like Ian, but he has never been on the block despite his game play. Is something afoot or has he just grown on all the players?
    Or is he the ultimate middle player?

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