           Are you looking for a new series to get into? Possibly even binge? Well, I’ve got just the show for you! A competition show that puts its contestants into a series of unknown and slightly questionable events. It’s full of competition, social strategy, drama, and even some romance. Oh – and did I mention that there are hundreds of cameras and microphones on them 24/7? Yeah! They lose complete contact with the outside world and 100% of their privacy while dealing with the emotional and physical stresses of the game.
           Big Brother started its American adaptation in 2000 after its Dutch originator started in 1997. Although the rules and setup of the game have changed over the years, as of the latest season (Big Brother 25, 2023), there are two weekly challenges and a weekly eviction. At the start of each season, there are 16 houseguests, all ready to compete for a whopping $750,000 prize. At the start of each week, there is the Head of Household (HOH) competition. The winner of the HOH competition holds the power to determine how the week goes. Aside from the perks of a private room, snacks, family photos, and a letter from home, they also put two of their fellow houseguests on the block to go home. After the nomination ceremony, there is the Power of Veto (POV) Competition, which is made up of the two nominees, the HOH, and three others decided by random draw. The winner of the POV gets the ability to veto one of the nominees and save them from elimination, while also making themselves safe from being put up as a replacement nomination. On eviction night there is an anonymous vote for who to send home, the nominees do not vote, and the HOH votes in the event of a tied vote. Then, it starts all over the next week.
           You may be asking, “How do they win?” Once the houseguests have made the final 11 they are put into the jury house. The eliminated houseguests must then form the jury that votes on which finalist should be the winner. This is why having a good social game is so important. If you don’t it may come back to bite you, as it’s not unheard of to have a bitter jury. And as my roommate has said – If you liked Total Drama as a kid, you’ll love Big Brother.
            So, if that sounds like something you’d like to watch I highly suggest you try it out. I never would have thought to watch a show like this; I watched a single episode and was hooked! Now, 10 seasons later, I am still just as hooked as I was the first time. Interested? Watch the current season of Big Brother on CBS, or on Paramount + (Where you can binge the previous 24 seasons!).