Category Archives: This & That

Big Brother Canada 5: Week Three

April 3, 2017

Filed Under : Reality TV - This & That


Source: Global TV

As predicted, Cassandra, the season 4 returnee, was in a lot of hot water this week. Although her manipulative strategy worked quite well last season, she had little to no success this time around. So, how did Cassandra meet her demise this week? Check out the full summary below.

Eviction Rewind

Source: Global TV

During last week’s live eviction, Dallas was the second houseguest to be evicted from BBCAN 5. In a unanimous decision, the houseguests had zero regrets sending him packing. The only person that seemed remotely concerned was Cassandra, who was using Dallas to further her game. Now that she is fully exposed, Cassandra needs to find regroup and find a new form of protection.

Head of Household


Source: Global TV

Once again, the HoH is up for grabs. For this challenge, “And Scene,” the houseguests put their memorization skills to the test as they recall information from their fake soap opera skit, performed earlier in the week. The last remaining hosueguest will be crowned as the new Head of Household for the week. Round after round, the houseguests were eliminated one by one, leaving Gary, Kevin, and Neda to face off in the bonus round. With the best answer, Neda walked away victorious, securing her title as the HoH.

Nominations

During the earlier weeks in the house, Neda was informed by Gary that Cassandra was throwing her name around as a potential backdoor option. Since then, Cassandra has been on Neda’s radar, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attach. Adding more fuel to fire, Ika and Neda told Jackie about Cassandra’s manipulative dealings. If you recall, Jackie is one of Cassandra’s closest allies. As a result, Cassandra must now fend for herself in the game. During the nomination ceremony, it came to no surprise that Cassandra found herself in the hot seat. Originally, Neda considered nominating Dillon and Gary against Cassandra. Since Jackie is very close to Cassandra, it was better for Neda’s game to use Jackie as a pawn.

Power of Veto Competition

Source: Global TV

The players selected for the “Runway to Veto” competition included Neda, Cassandra, Jackie, Emily, Ika, and William. Each round, the competing pairs will memorize and recreate outfits worn by participating houseguests on the Big Brother Fashion Week runway. The winner of the final round wins the Power of Veto. One by one, the houseguests were eliminated, leaving Emily and William to face-off. With the most points, William won the power of veto.

Power of Veto Ceremony

Cassandra used the sympathy card on William to use the power of veto on her. Unfortunately, that plan did not go as planned. In the event that the power of veto is used on Cassandra, William knew that Neda would retaliate and nominate Dre in her place, who is William’s closest ally. Gary also feeling like a potential replacement nominee, convinced William to keep nominations the same. During the power of veto ceremony, William followed his gut feeling, and kept the nominations the same.

Live Eviction


Source: Global TV

Cassandra with her back against the wall, fought until the bare end. Desperate for six votes, Cassandra tries to sway Ika with no luck. She also meets with Gary and William to discuss the eviction votes. They mutually agree that Neda is felling a little entitled based on her status and reputation, and a flip needs to happen in the near future. Gary fearing the house will come after him if Cassandra goes, is down with the plan. Jackie on the other hand, is feeling rather insecure, and doesn’t know where she stands with the other houseguests. She confronts Dre on her relationship with Cassandra, since she is socializing more with Cassandra than anyone else. Truth be told, behind the scenes, Dre and Gary have been campaigning for Cassandra to stay. Jackie and a few others have picked up on it.

In the end, the houseguests stuck together and sent the Persian Princess out the door on a unanimous vote. Cassandra took the news quite well, and only hugged her supportive friends before heading out the door.

Backwards Week


Source: Global TV

The latest shockwave to flip the BBCAN Odyssey upside down is Backwards Week. For seven days, the game will be played backwards. The week will be started with a live nomination vote, followed by the power of veto, then a Hoh challenge. In a strange turn of events, the HoH will be the sole eviction vote for the week. Interesting, right?

Predictions


Source: Global TV

Backwards Week throws a huge wrench in the game. I’m not sure how this will go. Since there is a major alliance of six consisting of Bruno, Demetres, Ika, Kevin, Neda, and Sindy, I’m sure they will control the nominations for the week. Although the houseguests on the outskirts including William, Gary, Jackie, Dre, Karen, Dillon, and Emily have the numbers to stay, they are not unified. I predict Dillon and Emily or Dre and William going up on the block as a pair.

What do you think? Feel free to share in the comments section below.

Adios,

-Bryce Lennon

Big Brother Canada 5: Week Two

March 27, 2017

Filed Under : Reality TV - This & That

Source: Global TV

Week two in the Big Brother house has been an emotional roller-coaster. As the newbies continue to flesh out their strategies, the veterans are turning against one another. So, how did it all go down this week? Find out below!

Last Week’s Live Eviction Rewind


Source: Global TV

Before we continue, let’s discuss the chain of events that went down right before Mark’s early departure. Twenty minutes before the vote, some of the veterans discuss the possibility of flipping their votes in Mark’s favor. Bruno and Neda believe that Mark would be a better shield to keep around than Demetres, who is working exclusively with Cassandra. Mark told Bruno about a conversation he had with Cassandra (Apparently, Cassandra told Mark that Ika and Gary were the main people targeting him). When Ika heard the story from Bruno, she immediately defended herself to Mark, with Gary in the room. Gary, enraged by Cassandra’s “accusations,” goes in full attack mode. He calls a mini house meeting to call Cassandra out, and the truth is eventually unraveled. We find out that Mark up the entire story in a last minute effort to stay in the game. Gary and Cassandra eventually call a trues, and everything goes as planned. Mark becomes the first houseguest evicted.

Head of Household


Source: Global TV

Now that the smoke has cleared, the houseguests prepare for their next Head of Household competition, Balls to the Wall. Here is how the competition works. In pairs, each houseguest will kick their “Space Balls” at numbered targets. The player with the highest score will advance to the final round, sending their partner out of the competition (Making them a Have-Not for the week). In the final round, everyone will kick again. The houseguest with the highest score will win HoH for the week. After a series of rounds, the final two came down to Neda and Demetres. With a low score of seven, Neda was knocked out by Demetres winning score of seventeen.

Nominations

For a second week in a row, a newbie has full control over the house. Last week, Demetres had his eyes set on targeting Dillon, and doesn’t plan on drifting away from that plan. In a desperate attempt to keep the veterans safe, Ika did some damage control in regards to the votes casted towards Demetres during last week’s eviction (Regarding Bruno and Kevin). Demetres listened, and wants to put up a pawn next to Dillon. He plans on nominating a rookie (One that voted against him last week). Since Emily has a close relationship with Dillon and Dallas, she was an easy target. Demetres executed his plan and nominated Dillon and Emily together.

Power of Veto Competition

Demetres, Dillion, Emily, Dre, Neda, and Karen were selected to participate in the “Milkin’ It” power of veto competition. During this competition, each houseguest will run and dunk themselves in a tub of milk, where they attempt to soak up and absorb as much milk as possible. They will then head back to their platforms and squeeze out every last drop of milk in to their glass. The first houseguest to fill up their glass of milk and pull out their ping pong ball will win the Power of Veto for the week. After a close race, the competition came down to the current HoH, Demetres, and his nominee, Dillon. In the end, Dillon took home the win, saving himself from eviction.

Power of Veto Ceremony

After a brief conversation with Cassandra, Dallas feels like a potential new target based on his friendship with Dillon and Emily. He tries to convince Demetres to put up Bruno as the replacement nominee. Since the conversation with Demetres didn’t go as planned, Dallas continues to scramble for safety. He tries to bring the veterans back together, with little to no luck. At the power of veto ceremony, Dallas interrupts Dillon (Before he can take himself of the block) with a jaw dropping speech. The veteran throws his best friend, Dillon, completely under the bus. If allowed to stay, Dallas claims to target his former ally next week. With no choice, Dillon uses the power of veto on himself, and Demetres nominates Dallas in his place.

Live Eviction

Source: Global TV

Emily and Dallas make separate attempts to save themselves before the live vote. Emily uses the same strategy as Dallas. If given power, she will target powerful players like Ika and Sindy. On the flipside, Dallas declares his loyalty to the newbies. He wants the newbies to work with him to take out the veterans.


Source: Global TV

Before the live vote, Dallas tries to throw his former veteran ally Sindy under the bus. Unfortunately, no one cared. After thirteen days, a unanimous decision was finally made, sending Dallas out the door.

Honestly, I knew Dallas wouldn’t do well this time around. I doubt he could improve from his game play last season. Plus, I felt like he was trying too hard to be a character, rather than a player. So, he had to go.

Predictions

The playing field is completely even, with seven veterans and seven newbies. So far, we have lost two men, and I can see the women going after each other this week. From the newbies, I see Jackie and Karen in danger. At this point, Jackie is very disposable. She doesn’t have any loyal allies, and continues to butt heads with Karen. Speaking of Karen, the houseguests will never forget her winning the first HoH this year. I can see that being an excuse to nominate her. Plus, her social game is really good. The whole “Mom” thing works for her quite well. She has the word “Target” written across her forehead. For the veterans, Cassandra and Ika are in hot water. Cassandra’s loyalty has been questioned since the beginning of the game. With her reputation from last season, I can see her being an easy target. For Ika, she has most of the veterans wrapped around her finger. However, she is a threat to some of the newbies. Depending on who has power in the house, I can see Ika being nominated for some catty reasoning.

What do you think? Feel free to share in the comments section below.

Thanks for reading,

-Bryce Lennon

Big Brother Canada 5: Week One

March 20, 2017

Filed Under : Reality TV - This & That


Source: Global TV

The BBCAN Odyssey has officially launched into deep space. For three months, our houseguests will compete in a series of competitions to win the ultimate grand prize. Before we dive in to the premiere, take a look at my cast assessment if you haven’t done so already.

The House


Source: Global TV

Before the first group of houseguest enter, host Arisa Cox is back with our live audience to show off the newly renovated Big Brother house. The house itself looks straight out of a science fiction movie, equipped with space and time related furniture. For instance, our houseguests are sleeping in a hibernation pod, with a solar system theme. Sounds trippy, right?

The Newbies Enter


Source: Global TV

After the house tour, Arisa introduces us to the first group of houseguests. Dillon, Dre, Mark, and Jackie are up first. Without any hesitation, the four houseguests enter the house like a flock of birds, ready to embark on their new journey.


Source: Global TV

The second group, consisting of Emily, Karen, Demetri, and William follow shortly after.

The Veterans Enter


Source: Global TV

Before the newbies, get too acquainted with each other, they interrupted by a new houseguest entering every couple of minutes. Ika Wong from Season 2 makes her way into the BBCAN Odyssey first. With fear in their eyes, the new houseguests greet Ika with joyful cheers. Shortly after, the houseguests are greeted by other returning players including Kevin (Season 3), Dallas (Season 4), and Neda (Season 2). As Neda enters, you can tell she is ready to play the game right away, especially with her warm greeting from Ika. The next group of veterans to enter the BBCAN Odyssey includes Sindy (Season 3), Bruno (Season 3), and Cassandra (Season 4).


Source: Global TV

Of course they save the best for last (not literally) with Gary closing out for the veterans. As expected, Gary enters the house like he owns it, greeting each houseguest. I found it really interesting that he whispered to Sindy that he wanted to work with her right away. Based on her lukewarm response, you would think Sindy would be the last person anyone wants to put up with.

Head of Household

The houseguests are paired up randomly (The newbies were paired up with a veteran) for the HoH challenge. This was an endurance style competition where the paired houseguests hold on to each other (One houseguest is harnessed by a cable while the other is holding on to his or her partner), while being suspended above the ground. As time goes on, the cable is extended more. When one person drops, both members of that team are eliminated. The last team standing wins. The Pairs are as follows: Ika and Dre, Neda and William, Kevin and Demetres, Karen and Sindy, Dallas and Mark, Bruno and Dillon, Emily and Gary, Jackie and Cassandra.

One by one, each pair begins to drop like flies, leaving Ika and Dre to face off against Karen and SIndy. After a few minutes of deal making, Ika and Dre drop, allowing Karen and Sindy to take home the win. The pair decide and let Karen take the complete reign of HoH for the week. Karen as HoH means trouble for some of our big threats in the game.

Nominations

As a newbie, you would think Karen would immediately go after two of the veterans. Luckily, she is not biased with her power. Karen has her eyes set on physical threats, regardless of newbie or veteran status. She has her eyes set on nominating Kevin, Mark, Dillon, and Demetres. After conversing with Sindy, Karen nominates Demetres and Mark for eviction, keeping the veterans safe for the time being. As expected, the newbies are questioning Karen’s true motives by not putting up any veterans.

Power of Veto Competition

Karen, Mark, Demetres along with Bruno, Ika, and Kevin were selected to participate in this week’s veto challenge. Remember, the winner of the power of veto can alter the Head of Household’s nominations, by taking one person off the chopping block.

For this week’s challenge entitled, “We Want Veto,” the six houseguest will race through a tar pit to collect tiles of historic emojis to match the paintings found on their cave walls. Once the matching tiles is brought back, each houseguest will use the letters to solve the mystery phrase. The first houseguest used to solve the phrase will win the power of veto. After a close race with Mark, Bruno won the power of veto.

Power of Veto Ceremony

Since Bruno was in no real danger this week, he decided not use the power of veto. This solidified Demetres and Mark as the final nominees for the week.

Live Eviction


Source: Global TV

In a seven to six vote, Mark was the first houseguest evicted this season. Based on the vote, the houseguests were very conflicted with their decision. Although Mark is all around a nice guy, he is a huge threat. If he would have stayed longer, Mark would have been a shoo-in for a potential showmance and final four deal. So, I can see why he was targeted early targeted.

Shockwave Time Wrap


Source: Global TV

Before closing out, Arisa introduced Canada’s Time Warp twist. For twenty fours, viewers have been voting for to transport one houseguest into the “future.” This houseguest will be safe until jury and can’t be nominated until the jury begins. However, this houseguest is allowed to compete in competitions. The houseguest that Canada decided to keep safe until jury was, Neda! No brainer there! Neda, by far, is one of the most popular housegeusts to play BBCAN to date. So, it’s no surprise that the viewers would want to keep her safe. I’m really excited to see how this twist plays out, especially since Neda is a huge gamer.

Predictions


Source: Global TV

Depending on who wins HoH this week, I think another newbie will bite the dust. Out of the seven left in the game, I can see Dillon, Jackie, Emily, or Bruno getting taken out. Votes aside, Demetres is on the good side of many veterans. Since he has this random beef with Dillon, I can see him projecting his opinions on everyone else. Jackie and Emily will only go home if they are in a bad pawn scenario. Pawns are equally disposable in Big Brother, and I can see the house voting to evict one of these ladies if they are sitting next to a more social houseguest. Bruno is the only vet I am worried about this week. He hasn’t done anything too major, but I can see why someone would want to get him out early. I honestly don’t see a veteran leaving the house until week three or four though.

What did you think about the premiere? Please let me know in the comments section below.

Thanks for reading!

-Bryce Lennon

Big Brother Canada 5: Cast Reveal

March 14, 2017

Filed Under : Reality TV - This & That

After a year hiatus, Big Brother Canada is back for another season of romance, strategy, and of course, drama. Premiering March 15th on Global TV, the series follows its traditional format, with a twist! Eight former houseguests are playing the game with eight newbies. Interesting, right? Yes, but we have seen this particular twist executed on the United States version more than once. So, let’s see if the Canadian houseguest will rise to the occasion.

The Series

Since the Canadian series premiered in 2012, I’ve had a new international version to commit to outside of the United States.

Big Brother Canada is a television reality game show based on the original Dutch TV series of the same name, created by producer John de Mol in 1997. The show is titled Big Brother Canada to differentiate from the American version of the franchise, which airs in Canada during the summer. The series follows a group of contestants, known as HouseGuests, living together in a custom-built home under constant surveillance, while completely isolated from the outside world. The contestants are competing for a $100,000 grand prize, with weekly competitions and evictions determining who will win the show.

So, why Big Brother? Since the tender age of twelve, Big Brother has been a guilty pleasure of mine over the last two decades. It takes me back to the days where my family would sit around and watch Big Brother over a full course meal, yelling at the television during every live eviction. Two hundred thirty six houseguests and eighteen seasons later, the competition based reality show is still one of my favorites.

The Houseguests

As mentioned above, Big Brother Canada 5 follows the United States format, with a major casting twist. Eight houseguests from previous seasons will compete against eight newbies.

Based on my current knowledge, I have speculated predictions for each houseguest below, separated by  status (Newbie and Veteran).

The Newbies

Jackie

On Big Brother Canada, a female has gone home first every season, and I think Jackie fills the redshirt archetype. Based on her looks and personality, the females would be easily intimidated, and plot her demise. In order for her to survive in the game, Jackie needs a potential male partner or be in a male dominated alliance early. Otherwise, she will be sent packing on early.

William

Raul 2.0? William is seems like a game player, but his mouth may get him into trouble. I’m not too sure how he will handle himself socially, but William does seem like the type to actually play the game. Hopefully, he doesn’t check out the BBCAN house too early. There is potential for drama in every direction. If he can find the right alliance to join, I can see William making it far into the game. I wouldn’t be surprised if the veterans take him out early.

Dillon

Meat heads are a hit or miss in the Big Brother house. Dillon may also fall victim of playing hard too early. I’m not sure how I feel about this professional boxer just yet. However, he seems like a perjury boot. Dillon may be too good at physical challenges to keep around.

Demetres

The leader or assistance of a bro-alliance, Demetres is going to be all about his boys. I could defiantly see him forming an alliance with both veterans and rookies. Depending on his actual strategy, I could see Demetres going far in this game. Once the alliance is targeted though, I can also see him becoming the first casualty.

Karen

The motherly figure of the house rarely makes it to the jury BBCAN. However, I see potential in Karen. If she can lay low and play a great social game, I can see her sliding into the final four. With so many targets around her, Karen has to sit back and watch the other houseguests rip each other apart. On the flipside, Karen could serve as the season pawn, sitting on the block every single week.

Dre

On the surface, Dre is a pocket full of sunshine. I’m not sure how this will play out in the house though. If she can take it down a notch, Dre will be the next social mastermind. I see her getting along with both sides of the house. Her downfall? That mouth! We already have Ika, and I’m not sure if the house can handle two opinionated minds.

Emily

Sweet as button, Emily is the typical girl next door. This particular type of houseguest is either the first eliminated or sitting in the final three. Depending on who she aligns with, Emily’s fate will be determined early. I can see her as a forgetting houseguest during the early weeks of the game. Once the newbies start getting picked off, she will start playing the game.

Mark

The hearthrob that is going to be a part of a showmance, guaranteed! He seems like a very level headed guy, but I can see him making a few moves in the game. Whether they are good moves, is a different conversation. Hopefully, Mark can win enough challenges to keep himself safe in the game. He may be considered an early target though.

The Veterans

Gary

“Glitter” Gary is back again! During his stunt on season one, “Glitter” Gary was evicted, returned, and became the accidental runner-up (Thanks Topaz). So, he has quite the reputation. Beyond media success after leaving BBCAN, Gary may feel a little entitled with his major accomplishments. Since his personality is already over the top, a little bit of cockiness may due him a huge disservice.

Cassandra

I’m claiming it, Cassandra will be out first or win the game. A deadly combination of Allison (BBUSA 4) and Rachel (BBUSA12), with a hint of Victoria (BB16), Cassandra has to work on her social game to keep the females off her back. Her manipulation skills came in handy on her season, and we expect her to rise to the occasion this time around.

Dallas

Dallas was a little too vocal his first time around last season. I can see him making the same mistake twice. Dallas is already considered a competition beast, and should work on his social game. I can see him getting in a situation where he becomes expendable on both sides. If Dallas can make it to jury, I will be thoroughly surprised.

Ika

Fan favorite Ika is back after shredding letters on season two. This time, she plans on taking it down a notch. If she stays focused, Ika has the potential to go very far. She is very social, good at challenges, and knows how to speak up for herself. Now, if Ika can actually tone down her personality in the house, she can easily fly under the radar. Unfortunately, I know someone will tick her off during the first week in the house. Sad to say, she will be an early jury member.

Sindy

I have a good feeling about Sindy with an “S” this time around. We already know she’s not afraid to make big game moves, which is always plus. In addition, she is not a real threat. With that being said, I can see Sindy being the complete wildcard this season. I actually think she will be one houseguest to turn on the veterans first. Good luck!

Bruno

Although Bruno wasn’t the most entertaining, I respect his gameplay. Like Kevin, Bruno was in a good position until he was evicted by a twist. That particular week, he did a poor job at keeping his enemies close. For this season, I see Bruno being an early target. With all these young people, I can see him becoming a social outcast. He better hold on to the veterans tight.

Neda

Regarded as one of the best female houseguests to play BBCAN, the queen herself is back. This time around, Neda has something to prove. After losing out to her partner in crime in the final three, Neda has her eye on the prize.  I can see the newbies feeling a little star struck and wanting to work with her instantly. Her established relationships with some of the other veterans will take her far as well.

Kevin

During season three, Kevin was sitting in a good position. I thought he was going to win. When the triple eviction went down, all bets were off. This time, Kevin should follow his original strategy to lay low, win challenges, and find a cuddling partner. I can see him taking it to the end. Hopefully, BBCAN keeps the number of twists down to a minimum.

Big Brother Canada Premieres Tomorrow, March 15th!

It sounds like were in store for a great season. Be on the look out for Big Brother Canada tomorrow! Not sure how I plan to watch it in the states, but I’ll figure out a way.

See ya,

-Bryce Lennon