Big Brother 16 - The Most Twisted Summer Ever! Part I

All right people, it's the  moment we've all been waiting for (and by we I mean me and I'm good with that)...Big Brother is here!  This is the 16th season and it promises to be "the most twisted summer ever"!  It is already fulfilling that promise.  There are so many twists and turns it almost feels like a brand new game! First, let's get to the important stuff.  The stuff without whom Big Brother wouldn't be possible...the people. Big Brother has its biggest cast ever and they've split them up into two groups...I shall do the same.

Group 1: #TheCrazy8s

• Paola - A DJ from New York.  Not much impressed me about her.  She's a diva and believes she can get whatever and whomever she wants.  She "tells it like it is" and I think that may cause her some problems down the road.
• Donny - A school system groundskeeper from North Carolina.  He's a sweet 'aw shucks' kind of country boy.  He wants to and will most definitely be a Floater this year.
• Cody - Former professional soccer player from New Jersey.  To me, he is the quintessential All American Guy.  He's cute, he's athletic, and very close to his family.  He seems like he could be a competitor, but he's very middle-of-the-road for me.  No strong feelings one way or the other.  Don't want to label him a Floater just yet, but he's just kind of meh right now.
• Frankie - A Broadway chorus boy from New York.  He is also Ariana Grande's brother.  I really like him.  He's got a great personality and seems like he'd be great to hang around and work with in this game.  He is keeping his sister's identity a secret and I think that's a good move.  No need for the other Houseguests to jump on the "oh he must be rich and doesn't need the money" bandwagon that rolls through the house every season.
• Amber - An esthetician from Tennessee.  She also said she was a model, which I can definitely see.  I think she's beautiful.  She's very athletic and seems like a competitor.
• Nicole - A small-town nursing graduate from Michigan.  Naive doesn't BEGIN to describe this girl.  She has the same 'aw shucks' attitude as Donny. She's afraid of ghosts.  I don't think she's ever left home and she's going to be in for a rude awakening.  She reminds me of Jordan...sorry Jordan!! MAJOR FLOATER.
• Devin - Former MLB player and single father from Texas.  He is a charmer, without a doubt.  He's very athletic and I see him using his good looks and charm to overshadow the fact that he's a major competitor and try and keep the target off of his back.
• Joey - Make-up artist from Washington.  She's a firecracker for sure.  She's a wild child and she and her blue hair don't give a damn what you think about her.  I think that's refreshing.  She also says she is as liberal as liberal gets.  I see some heated debates in her future.  She also looks like the average woman body-wise, which I absolutely LOVE.

OK, now that we've got the first half of the cast out of the way, the game can begin.  Julie immediately announces that there are 8 more people coming into the house, but not before the first 8 compete in a Head of Household competition.  She also announces that even though you win HoH, for the first time in BB history it does NOT guarantee your safety.  This even makes me anxious.  

The first HoH competition is Go Fly A Kite, which is all about coordination and endurance.  The Houseguests stand on a rotating log holding a kite string.  In front of them are kites hovering over sand castles.  They have to keep their balance on the rotating log and hold on to their string.  If they fall, their kite falls, smashing their sand castle and eliminating them from the competition.  One by one, contestants are eliminated and the final two standing are Amber and Frankie.  The pressure gets to Amber and because she knows the HoH is not ultimately safe, she decided to throw the comp, leaving Frankie the victor.

Once the comp and celebration are over, Julie announces that not only are another 8 Houseguests entering the house, they will be competing to crown a second HoH, also a BB first.

In true BB fashion, panic starts to ensue.  The HGs decide that they were together first and should therefore stick together, dubbing themselves The Crazy 8s.  It's a good idea at the time, but everything in that house is until it isn't.  I see that strategy falling apart fairly quickly.  Not sure if it'll last as long as last year's Moving Company (which lasted for MAYBE a couple of weeks, for those of you just joining the party.  It was the worst alliance in BB history, IMO).

Also in true BB fashion, side alliances are also formed within the main alliance.  Devin decided to approach Donny, because "it's an alliance no one would suspect".  Ain't that the truth. You've got the Rock (whom Devin has been told he favors) and Donny (who looks like he just stepped off of the set of Duck Dynasty) and a more unique pair you couldn't imagine.  It can be pulled off as long as they're both smart about it.  One of my favorite alliances was Danielle and Jason from BB 3.  They formed a secret alliance day one and they kept it well hidden from EVERYONE.

The ladies in the house are all about Girl Power! this season, but aren't they all every season?  Paola, Amber, Nicole and Joey have decided that they need to stick together and take the girls far this season.  They dub themselves #ElCuatro and Nicole has no idea what that means (see naive comment above).  I am all about girl power and the women sticking together and going far in this game.  The only problem with that is the women!  This is a house completely cut off from the outside world and tensions and emotions run HIGHER than anywhere else.  The women become catty and fight amongst themselves.  Until the ladies can get their emotions under control, it ain't gonna happen.  This is the most twisted season ever though so never say never.

Now, for some observations:

• It seems like everyone is down for a Showmance (I feel like I should contact Dr. Will and see if I have to use the TM symbol after I say that).  They can get you far, and they can backfire horribly.  It'll be interesting to see who hooks up with whom.
• I see potential for a love triangle between Devin, Joey and Amber.  Right of the bat Amber states that Devin is EXACTLY her type in the Diary Room.  Meanwhile Devin states that Joey is EXACTLY his type during his DR confessional.  I see Amber fawning over Devin, Devin flirting with Joey and Amber getting jealous of Joey.
• I wish being on TV wasn't so much about how you look.  This may be the bitter, tried out for umpteen seasons and never got a callback version of me talking, but the only average woman on there so far is Joey.  Please don't take average in a negative light.  She is a very pretty girl.  She's got some curves to her and as a curvy girl  think that's wonderful m'self, but I also think it's one of the reasons I've never been given a second glance by the casting people.  Men are not held by the same standards.  Take Donny for example.  I'm sure he's as sweet as apple pie, but he seriously looks like he is a member of the Duck Dynasty family.  They would NEVER have a woman on the show comparable to him.  I think that's wrong.  [/end rant]

This year also brings another twist...Team America. The public will vote for three weeks for the HG with whom they would like to form an alliance.  The three HGs with the highest votes every week will become a part of a secret alliance controlled by said public.  This is gonna get hairy.  You have three people essentially forced to work together to carry out "missions" given by America.  If it's three people that have other alliances, they're gonna have to be quick on their feet and good at keeping secrets.  You'd think being in the BB house those would be pre-requisites, but you'd be surprised at how many can't pull it off.  I just hope the tasks set before them are a mix of fun and meaningful...not just mundane.

CBS and BB have really turned the game on its ear this season.  Usually they introduce one or two twists into a season.  This year it seems every facet of the game has a new element and it's all being introduced at once.  It definitely changes the game.  Everyone walks into that house with a strategy and this year that's all out the window.  Needless to say, I'm in.

Well, g'nite folks.  It's late and I've still got a full time job to try and get some sleep for.  If you've lasted this long, THANK YOU!  Please share with others and comment.  I'll watch the 2nd night of the BB premiere and blog about that tomorrow.  'Til then...expect the unexpected!