Do you remember the Big Brother Takeover introduced at the start of Big Brother 17? Where did it go and what did CBS do with that whole game changing “surprise guest each week” twist?
In only its fourth week, Big Brother seems to have abandoned the Takeover twist after a slow death and removal from the game’s cycle following a strong start and actual impact on the season.
Remember that preseason CBS released a press announcement stating “This summer’s “BB Takeover” twist will feature a surprise guest each week who will appear on the show to announce a new twist into the game… each and every week.” Each week, huh? So what’s happened to that promise?
On premiere night Julie Chen introduced the “BB Takeover” to Houseguests as an opportunity to “unleash new twists in to the game throughout the summer.” Houseguests and viewers were left wondering just what that might mean.
During the season premiere’s second night we saw as Amazing Race’s host Phil Keoghan arrived as the first Takeover guest host and added two more players, Jeff Weldon and Jackie Ibarra, along with introducing the “Fast Forward” twist that send Vanessa Rousso and Da’Vonne Rogers safely in to the second Week. That’s actually impactful stuff there, even if I don’t care for the stunt casting.
Week Two we saw the return of Kathy Griffin as the new BB Takeover twist host. Griffin delivered the “Last Laugh” special power that gave one Houseguest the ability to nullify three votes from the mix and close the gap on what it’d take to stay in the game. This was pretty huge even if it didn’t change that week’s outcome.
Then in the third week we had Rob Gronkowski show up for a week of winners and parties. He abolished the Have-Nots that week, wouldn’t that have been handy for Audrey this week?, but when it came to actual twists there were none to be found.
HGs had to get together on demand and do things like crowd in the shower stall or walk a conga line. Not exactly game impacting in the least. We did see Meg win a cruise trip by drinking out of a cup in the most pitiful competition I’ve ever seen on Big Brother. Maybe it wasn’t even a comp, I couldn’t tell.
Things got real quiet in Week Four when not only was there no special guest but there wasn’t a twist either. Nothing. The Houseguests have been waiting and wondering and so have the viewers. At this point I do not expect anything to show up, no not even to save Audrey from her meltdown.
The list of former Big Brother Houseguests willing to show up and drop some fun on the BB17 cast could more than fill a season of guests, but even if they didn’t have that then you’d think CBS could pull in one of their other series’ stars. Maybe someone on a current summer series looking for a little boost? I don’t get it. There are so many options.
We’ll have to keep watching the next few days to see if something shows up for Week 5 of Big Brother. Right now this twist is on life support, but if nothing shows up for the next round then I’d say the Takeover is officially done. It’s just too bad it didn’t take the Battle of the Block with it.