Big Brother Week Two -- Maybe my final week

[LindaM]

Big Brother – Letter to CBS, Week 2

Dear CBS:

Not sure what is going on with this year’s season of Big Brother, but this season (24) has already lost me as a viewer.  Look, I’ve recapped this show for years and always made it to near the end.  I must admit that by the time we are at “only four left, who will win” I’m begging my editor to let me stop since the season that saw the second coming of Nicole.  Up until then, I found the show enjoyable.  I found the competitions fair.  I found contestants I could care about with true back stories.  I didn’t see nearly as many wanting to make it big in California or who appeared to have come on the show hunting for a “big break” or movie contract.  I will admit that Big Brother 23 was a dream.  The cast, stories, and strategy made you want to pull for the group as a whole and as “The Cookout.”  It was what I had been waiting for since the early seasons and a joy to recap.  In fact, there was concern on whether Big Brother would be over before my season show, Riverdale, came on.  Now, I could care less about this season or guests for this year.

Let me start by saying this.  It isn’t only me who could care less. Let’s start with the long-term fans, many who are casual viewers.  A few of them have asked why I’m not covering Big Brother this year and I said “Riverdale.”  Then they drop their bombshell.  They don’t care about the show.  They hate the “house guests.”  They don’t think anyone at CBS cares for what the long-term fans want.  Even the discussion groups I belong to on FaceBook (or Meta) do not have posts going to it.  Since I recap, I do NOT post there.  The reaction I am seeing on discussion boards for the show, FaceBook and Twitter seems to be the same.  One message I got via Messenger today said one friend thought the show was dying because CBS didn’t need it and soon will be no more.  She will not be finishing the season.

I must admit, I watched both Sunday and Wednesday show in 20 minutes Thursday afternoon and often looked for a way to fast forward not only the commercials but also the ‘blah, blah, blah – we must get Taylor out.” This seemed to be the only theme.  No strategy – just get the girl out.  Now having seen the same thing on week one live feeds, I know who (and what) is behind this.  I won’t speak of the person because I promised I wouldn’t talk negatively about a contestant who was no longer on the show.  As long as they are on the show, I find them somewhat fair game as they could change their actions.  Only thing is, evidently the training sessions on sensitivity and awareness didn’t have an impact on this bunch.  They are socially unaware and often come across to casual viewers as bullies. 

Let me name a few problems.  The first is the “Mean Girls’ Club.”  I can’t call it the “Bad Girls Club” because at least those women stuck together.  These girls don’t mind deciding that someone who appears different needs to go.  There’s no “chance” for them.  Case in point is Taylor.  From the casual viewer’s point of view, all Taylor did was model her “last show” dress because the others had asked her to do so.  That’s when they started shutting her out.  If they didn’t want to see her dress, they shouldn’t have asked.  Taylor can’t help that she was a beauty contestant with years of training on how to present herself.  We’re not even sure if she wanted to show her dress or not (apparently from what I saw in live feeds, the answer is no).  She may not have even wanted that lifestyle but her family did.  Have any in the Mean Girls’ Club” actually gotten to know Taylor.  No!  They too busy trying to get her out of the house.

Problem Two:  gimmick casting.  I’m not sure who came up with the casting list this year but there are real problems.  One guy looks like a reject from Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  Did his casting line read:  a surfer dude?  One tries to talk Southern but it is not your typical Southern style.  Granted, my region is mid-Atlantic (North  Carolina) but even this has its own accents. I have been to the Crystal Coast, Outer Banks, Appalachian Mountains here.  I have traveled to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.  I’ve even been to London and, after a week, was asked which Lake District area I was from.  So, when I heard the accent one contestant was using, I couldn’t identify the region. When I was told the South, I went what!  I have friends from the Deep South and they don’t sound like that.  And, at no time or in any region, have I heard the term “something butterbeans” used.  Whoever dreamed that up needs to visit the South.

Problem Three (and I’ll stop here for this week).  While the girls have a Mean Girls’ Club, the boys are acting like they are in a movie football locker room where they trash talk the girls all the time.  They make Taylor seem like they have seen her information on the back of the bathroom door.  The guys, like the girls, have zeroed in on what they see as negative (getting the week one person out due to their friend who left).  While I am sure the girls’ opinion has caused their views, they don’t even seem to want to get to know her or to find out who she is.  I am honestly getting tired of the bad mouthing that occurs as soon as they can open up.  It’s getting tiring and fans are tuning out.

Thus, CBS, I have two more weeks of Riverdale which I am not going to miss so Sunday will not see me watching.  I have the Below Deck series I am enjoying (for the scenery mostly).  My question to you is why should I watch Big Brother when I have objections to the antics of the house guests.  I know you can’t do anything but at least get in there and train these people about people’s feelings and their actions.  I’ll catch the show when I can and read the live feeds but my letters to you may not be weekly anymore.  I’m sure Big Brother production won’t care!

[Snowbird]

I always watch the show and sometimes during the first few weeks I find the cast not so likable.  However, I have always ended up with people I like and can pull for.

As for the bullying, I don't recall many seasons when there wasn't some sort of bullying.  It is the way the game works.  I don't like it but I think the cast sign up for it, make good money while there, and know (or should know)  what they are in for.   I did not like the way some of my favorites were treated but I watched the show anyway in hopes that it would end up in a way I liked.  I remember when Amanda was so mean to Rachel's sister why wasn't there an outcry of that treatment.  Is it alright to bully if you bully the same race?

I don't think the way Taylor has been treated is as bad as many others before her.  I don't believe she was bullied, if that is what  it was, because of her race.  I saw how she used her looks to get attention from the men and why did she bring her beauty queen dresses in the house in the first place if not to show them off.  I think she rubbed people the wrong way and they have zeroed in on getting her out because she didn't fit in because of HER actions.  She didn't come in the house and try to get to know the other girls first but gravitated toward  the men while they were playing pool.  The group from last year were so quick to cry racism and I think it ended up hurting Paloma more than it did Taylor.  She was told by production about the group from last year's reaction toward her and it really got to her mentally. I hope she is doing okay. 

Some seasons fall short but I will watch till the end. 

[ponytail]

I appreciate anything and everything you put up, Linda! I am just a casual viewer, but I will watch it to the end and maybe, as Snowbird says, there will be a contestant or two I can get behind. We are all getting jaded I think! I remember when we used to complain about former hgs returning and longing for all new castmates! Now we have all new ones and are longing for former ones!
I have been enjoying Challenge: USA a lot. Former competitors from Survivor, Big Brother, Amazing Race and Love Island are pitted against each other. Quite entertaining, and fun to see all these people again. Anyone else watching?

[LindaM]

Well, let's just say that the live feeders are upset on Twitter.  Seems Daniel went off on Taylor right before the POV and it was embarrassing.  There was a wall yeller we won't see who said "We love you Taylor."  My problem is that the gang up was too tough this year.  And has gotten out of hand.  They will not even talk to Taylor but as of noon the boys planned to keep her safe and use her for their own purposes.  Kyle, Michael, and some others put pieces together at 6:00 AM.

[bacali]

I feel the same way as Snowbird and ponytail. I will watch it to the end and somewhere along the line I will decide the ones I like or don't like as much.
As for the bullying of Taylor, come on. Did you see the way she played pool by sitting on the edge of the pool table in the skimpy outfit? I don't even thing there was enough material to call it a bathing suit.
Sure the other ladies didn't like this...her flaunting herself around the men. They are only human. Taylor, in my opinion set herself up to be disliked by the other females.
I happened to like Paloma. I only watched the aired shows but, I don't see, as Snowbird has pointed out how anything she did could be  considered any worse than other hgs of former years.
I will never forget Rachel's sister locking herself in the HOH room while Amanda banged pots and pans and yelled criticisms at her.
Yes, they may not all be "nice" but, this is the game they signed up to play and it usually does get better as the summer progresses. 
I still would like people of various ages. ..not just one token older person whom I consider to be Terrence this season.
But, you will see the house changing, I'm sure and alliances broken... and I being a "fan"atic will watch till the finale night . Which again, I wish they would do like the end of Survivor.

[LindaM]

From what I've heard, Grodner wanted her out and used the best edit to do so.  Live feeders told why she did the pool table (it was a joke)) and the edit caused it to come across wrong.  Plus that is the night she model her dress from the time stamps I saw.