Copied from the Ch5 BB website

 

 

Day 24: The games people play

Here's a question for you:

Have we ever seen a batch of Big Brother housemates talk so openly about gameplay?

It's debatable, but no matter which way you square it, the class of 2012 seem more aware of the fact that they find themselves in what's technically a game show (but is obviously oh so much more than that) than any of their predecessors. Remember back in 2000 when the first ever BB bunch took to the House and lived like they were enjoying some kind of spiritual journey in a hippy commune? Recall how, even in recent years, the onus has always been on 'growing' from the experience and making new chums?

Well, those days are gone my friend. As the years flew by, housemates seemed increasingly to realise that there's not much point in pretending that all is peachy, 24/7. We've now reached the point where we have a Houseful who, without exception, are breathtakingly explicit about their tactical manoeuvres and not backward in coming forward when it comes to analysing the moves and manipulations of their roomies.

This may devastate the purists, but the simple fact is, Big Brother is an ever-evolving format and there are plenty of benefits to having Housemates who aren't shy of discussing their alliances, their enemies, their plans for survival and (dare we even use the word?) their Gameplan.

At the moment we have two clear teams we've dubbed The Insiders and The Outsiders and the names have stuck, primarily because they suit the two factions so thoroughly. The Insiders – core members Luke S, Ashleigh and Conor – consider themselves the cool kids and feel they’re destined to progress, whilst The Outsiders – a motley group made up mainly of Adam, Luke A and Lydia – are always in the garden, visibly trampled by the strutting of their polar opposites.

It's this rift that's powering the blatant talk about gameplay. Where The Insiders are talking in code before nominations (rather ineffectively judging by Ashleigh's actual nominations) and are uniting in their somewhat baffling fury at other housemates, The Outsiders are installed by the pool and in the smoking area, discussing the best means of avoiding their being picked off one by one. And then satellite players like Caroline and Lydia drift between the two, delivering messages and making pointed criticisms, throwing the game down all kinds of corridors until the strategy’s more confusing than the process of trying to ascertain just how much cage-fighting Arron has actually done.

It feels less like a popularity contest this year and more like an intense staring contest. It's less of a forum for personal growth and more a tactical clash of personalities. It's no longer an opportunity to make new friends. It's an opportunity to outwit fresh enemies. And it promises to get a lot more compulsively Machiavellian as the weeks press on.

Sorry Scotty .................just noticed you'd posted it in the Tweet thread

That tells me that they don't care about noms-talk despite officially banning it. They are also basically telling old-time fans that the old days are gone and this is a new, nastier BB for nastier, more competitive times. All a bit depressing really. I think I will be joining the ever-growing numbers on this forum who no longer watch BB!

Well.. the message is depressing, but i did laugh at this bit

 

the strategy’s more confusing than the process of trying to ascertain just how much cage-fighting Arron has actually done.

BB is wot Channel 5 choose it to be.

Channel 5 control wot they do - games they play, contestants they choose.

They encouraged rivalrey through allowing nom's chat

They could have encouraged cammoraderie (sp?) through team playing tasks.

 

Their attitude to BB  is very sad

 

Soozy, I'm also a BB purist and this is not the BB I love.

 

 

Q&A with Big Brother Executive Producer

 

 

To mark the quarter-point of this Big Brother run we grabbed the dulcet-toned Denis O'Connor, one of the show's Executive Producers, to talk tasks, psychology and what to expect from one of the most conflicted Houses of all time.

As we pride ourselves on being your humble servants, we canvassed Twitter and Facebook for questions to put to the eloquent exec. We're pleased to say he answered our questions unabashedly, so read on to have itchy curiosities scratched with the soothing balm of knowledge...
  

How do you think it's going so far?

It's going beyond our expectations this year in terms of the housemates being really good, which has thrown up lots of drama and intrigue. There's lots of scheming, manipulation and factions forming as well as good, old-fashioned Big Brother fun and silliness. I think it's fair to say it's one of the most divided and strategic group of housemates that we've had in quite awhile which makes for an interesting show.

The recent tasks have had a real psychological thrust. Are you interested in the human brain?

Yes, we always are at Big Brother. As well as being funny and slightly bonkers, BB tasks at their best are layered and give us insight into the way the housemates behave with each other as well as into themselves.

Last week's 'Lab Rat' task was playing on the dynamics in the House then this week's '100' task did the same. I think it's good when tasks play on individual weaknesses and temptations as well as their alliances to each other. Hopefully, ultimately, it brings them together on some levels as well. As well as fighting with each other, they’re looking out for each other.

Do you think we've seen the true characters of the housemates yet?

Without naming names, there are people who have less of a facade than others. I think that's naturally what happens in real life. Some people are naturally more open and straightforward with the way that they behave, and there are definitely people in the House that have gone in there thinking perhaps more strategically and in the longer term. It takes longer sometimes for them to unpack themselves.

The interesting thing is when they think they’re keeping their true personality from their other housemates and the audience but the audience at home thinks differently. As far as the audience is concerned they can see through that. People always try to play the game but they're being filmed 24/7 and living with lots of different people so they can't keep it up.

Can you explain the decision-making process that informed Channel 5's decision to change vote to evict to vote to save?

Vote to save came in to reposition the impetus for viewers so that they could vote for their favourite instead of who they wanted to leave the House. We changed it to draw on the fan nature of the show.

A lot of the fans have been reacting to Conor's rant about Deana and are curious to know whether Big Brother is going to take any further action.

We are confident that we dealt with Conor in the appropriate way in terms of the systems that we have in place within the show. He said something that was totally unacceptable and he was taken into the Diary Room and reminded strongly about his use of language which he took on board and accepted. Because this was out of character for any behavior he’d had prior to that it was felt that that was enough of a response but we're continuing to monitor his behavior and all the housemates’ behavior in the House.

If something were to happen again of that nature considering what has already happened would that be met with a stronger reaction?

There would be very serious consequences for Conor or for any housemate if they were to continue to use language that was unacceptable like that within the House.

Then came the public portion of the interview…
 
Paul Ryder: "Big Brother highlight? Most stressful situation they've been in on their time on the show!"

It's most stressful when the housemates want to leave. For this run, what can be challenging is just how unpredictable these housemates can be and how the factions of the House change on a daily basis. It keeps you on your toes.

A general Big Brother highlight is picking housemates at the audition stage and then seeing them exceed your expectations when they actually go in the House . You know you weren’t wrong about them…

Ed Beddall: "Why don’t they up the punishments for talking about nominations... and instead of taking hot water away, put everyone up for eviction?"

The no going back punishment is our ultimate sanction and we definitely have that in our arsenal of responses. Housemates find it incredibly difficult not to talk about nominations, even though it’s drummed into them all the time, so our job is to be fair and proportionate with dealing with them. If they keep on doing it then BB needs to get tougher and tougher and that’s a good tough one. It’s not unprecedented but it’s the big one to pull out.

David Catterall: "Can we expect any BIG twists this year in the vein of the Bedsit from BB5 or the House Next door from BB7?"

We’re a quarter of a way in now so there are lots of things up Big Brother’s sleeve still to come. Watch this space and it will be worth it.

So, you heard it from the top, watch this space. The fun and intrigue is only just getting started…

Not at all Soozy, glad you posted it here  

They've destroyed the original spirit off bb!

Exactly!  

Nearly  

Load of garbage ! They should never have promoted the show as BB if they were going to change the dynamics so much ! Talk about dumming down! As for the Connor thing , well words fail me ... At least words that wouldn't get me banned !!

Psst, everyone, click HERE 

Lol .. Ya got me Rawky

I know Baz. I was appalled at Connor, but like that thing last year,jay,he seems to be the blue eyed boy and can get away with murder. Caroline, as awful as she is was well and truly reprimanded, and given a warning over her comments about Adam. So, it seems that BB bend the rules for their favourite people.

And me  

me too, you little tinker.

I agree Sezit It's just so depressing !

why are they claiming that it's only ch5 that has given us  tactical hm's?

 

 victor in BB3 was ina  class of his own when it came to tactics.

 

 self congratulation works better if you've actually achieved  some thing, not just re written history.

 

and i wonder why both ch4 and ch5 have both chosen to sneer at their audience?

 

happened with ch4 after bb7, and  it ended with us  being here on gaga....

We are confident that we dealt with Conor in the appropriate way in terms of the systems that we have in place within the show.

 

Then your system needs a major overhaul.

Whether you dealt with him 'appropriately' or not (highly unlikey as far as I'm concerned), we, the viewers, have seen NO evidence of it.  A full-on PR assault aided by BB themselves is what we got from Conor, and it didn't and doesn't wash with the majority of us.  Your manipulated puppet may be a fool but we aren't.

 

Your ineffectual assurances that 'IF something should happen again' are pathetic, and your deflection that it was merely his language - indicating swearing rather than all out abuse and mysogyny amongst other disgusting comments, is way off beam too.  It is not solely about a few F words; it's the intent, the menace, the ignorant and arrogant attitude towards another person that is at issue here.  Why are you championing the debased & vile types from society?

 

Someone, somewhere in your organisation should read Lord Of The Flies and instead of admiring such behaviour to the point of trying to replicate it, they should be repelled and take all efforts to ensure that this kind of ugly outcome is not allowed to mimic itself in the BB house.

 

Your brand is now at below gutter level and it's interesting to note that you seem to actively encourage that it stays at such a level.

If all we have left to view is team nasty etc I'll be switching off,RIP BB.

Ditto Katty .

@ Cosi's post.

 

Katty, I agree and I'll be switching off along with you.

Great post Cosi  

Going back to the OP:

I saw the BB article on Facebook originally, and was staggered by the arrogance of it's re-writing of history.

BB1 a "hippy commune"? 

Two words: Nasty Nick. 

 

This year's HMs talking "openly about gameplay"?

Well yes: that would be because BB allowed them to. 

 

And then there's this little gem:

"Where The Insiders are talking in code before nominations (rather ineffectively judging by Ashleigh's actual nominations) and are uniting in their somewhat baffling fury at other housemates."

There you have it, dear FMs. A clear and open admission from BB that they knew HMs were talking in code - a clear rule break - but did nothing about it...

 

BBs viewing figures on C5 are continuing to fall, and are in serious danger of total collapse, and yet their response is to big themselves up and take veiled swipes at their hardcore fans. They really don't have a clue...

Great posts here, totally agree with you all.

 

It's not BB anymore, it's just people in a house. Housemates actions aren't dictated by character or personality anymore, but more 'how will this look on television' and 'what will my storyline be?' Too much awareness.