It’s Season 16 of Big Brother and I knew it was on but I always ignored it – until now. The first episode that I watched, which was in the middle of this season, was very confusing but I caught on quick. I’m so glad that I gave it a try because this show was made for me. I love Survivor and I knew it was similar to Survivor with players voting one another out of the game but Big Brother is so much better than I expected. 

First of all, it’s played in real time, so the “house guests” are currently playing the game as I’m typing this. Yet the show is still edited week-to-week like Survivor with intriguing story lines to keep it from becoming boring. 

Second, there are live feeds to watch the game at any time of the day. You can look into the house and see who is talking to who at any time during the day or night. Just as Ray Bradbury intended. 

Thirdly, it’s on 3 days a week with live episodes mixed in with the edited programs throughout the week. It’s such a cool dynamic to be able to watch the season play out and get live commentary from the players involved. 

Finally, there are three types of competitions. There are competitions to become the head of household and then the heads of households must nominate players to go “on the block.” The nominated players compete in pairs with the losers being eligible for elimination. But there is also a power of veto competition in which the players on the blocks can save themselves. Of course, alliances come into play and then each Thursday, there is a live vote for eviction where the house guests must choose between one of two players up for elimination. It’s definitely confusing but it calls for superior social strategy and physical ability. 

The competitors are completely disconnected from the real world so while they are on TV, they have no idea how they are being received by the viewers. It’s a cast of good-looking, young, pretty goofy people that are cooped up in a ridiculous house playing a game for $500,000. Brilliant. 

I love Survivor and nothing was surpass that as my favorite reality show, but I can’t believe that I just discovered Big Brother. The voting and alliances aspect would have been enough to draw me in but the real-time twist puts it over the top. America even votes on missions for the house guests to complete. I’m completely hooked now – time to go check out a live feed.