Getting into the US version.... some questions.

[BrooklynFan]

I'm just starting to get 'in' to BB USA. watching season 10, it's pretty good. I do have a few comments & quesitons - I love the house design, there's lots more privacy, they can read, the HoHs get music and stuff, there are games to play, no one sits around bored and starts rows. It's so much cleaner and more mature than the UK verrsion, and there's no cursing which I love. However, the gameplay thing is so confusing. doesnt that mean that the weakest player ends up winning since everyone always seems to put up the strongest most compeitive players to get rid of them? secondly, how could you look the HoH in the fact once he's put you up, and the faces of your HGs who voted for you? the pressure must be so much worse inside the US house because of everyone voting and nominating everyone else. everyone only seems to be backstabbing and gameplaying the whole time, it's not like the UK version where youre in for the "experience", it's totally a game through and through.

One thing that the americans seem to have down pat is that there is no big brother overkill. there are only 3 episodes a week and the focus is on the nominations, evictions, and 2-3 weekly tasks. they dont focus on the interpersonal relationships and petty arguments so much. it's not so boring.

Howver, the UK version has much more fan involvement obviously, with the public voting out. I wonder how the US version makes money without all those votes!

[iRyan]

I'm just starting to get 'in' to BB USA. watching season 10, it's pretty good. I do have a few comments & quesitons - I love the house design, there's lots more privacy, they can read, the HoHs get music and stuff, there are games to play, no one sits around bored and starts rows. It's so much cleaner and more mature than the UK verrsion, and there's no cursing which I love. However, the gameplay thing is so confusing. doesnt that mean that the weakest player ends up winning since everyone always seems to put up the strongest most compeitive players to get rid of them? secondly, how could you look the HoH in the fact once he's put you up, and the faces of your HGs who voted for you? the pressure must be so much worse inside the US house because of everyone voting and nominating everyone else. everyone only seems to be backstabbing and gameplaying the whole time, it's not like the UK version where youre in for the "experience", it's totally a game through and through.

One thing that the americans seem to have down pat is that there is no big brother overkill. there are only 3 episodes a week and the focus is on the nominations, evictions, and 2-3 weekly tasks. they dont focus on the interpersonal relationships and petty arguments so much. it's not so boring.

Howver, the UK version has much more fan involvement obviously, with the public voting out. I wonder how the US version makes money without all those votes!

The weakest person does not always win. It has happened on some occasions, but usually the jury votes for the winner based on how good of a game they played. I haven't seen all seasons but Will, Mike Boogie, Dick, and Dan have all been very deserving winners.

The US version still has fan involvment. At the end of each season the fans vote for their favorite and the person who gets the most goes is deemed 'Fan Favorite' and wins a big cash prize (It might be 50,000 or 100,000 but I don't remember). There has also been things like 'America's Player' where a houseguest is given a secret task that last the whole show in which America votes on certain things that the America's Player houseguest has to do (ex. kiss a fellow houseguest, yell at a fellow houseguest, etc). There is also 'America's Choice' where America can vote for their favorite houseguest to win a special prize or letter from home. They also use the Coup D'etat twist often where America votes for one houseguest to receice a special secret power to void the HOH's nomination choices and replace them with two houseguests of their choice to be nominated.

And yeah, the US BB has ALOT of alliances and backstabbing. Usually there isn't that much bad blood after nominations because it's usually someone from one alliances nominating people from another alliance so it's expected. Alliances constantly change though (except for in BB6, where there were two alliances battling it out back and forth the entire season).

BTW - Where are you from?

[BrooklynFan]

I'm from Brooklyn, NY :) Dont have a TV so never watched BB.
I do like that they dont have excessive twists, no new HGs put in midway, people dont walk or get ejected yearly like in UKBB. However they never show the HGs just having random made-their-own fun, which is a pity.

[iRyan]

Yeah, the only thing I don't like about the US version is that on TV they don't show all the fun moments, they really only show the backstabbing and gameplay. But that's why I watch the feeds and it makes the "Big Brother Experience" 10x better.

[Chilltown]

The US version, definitely is not more mature than the UK version, from what I can tell. BB10, minus a few arguments here and there, was a pretty uneventful season. I'd actually suggest you check out either Big Brother 2, which also isn't as dramatic (but does have some drama) and some may argue is the best season. BB7 is full of strategic gameplay and compromise. It was fantastic, but do not watch it unless you've watched the first 6 already. Big Brother 8 and 9 were the most manic and crazy seasons to watch. Both provided a sheer amount of entertainment, but as a whole Big Brother 8 is A LOT better than Big Brother 9.

[ILoveTRW]

You should watch the Real World, much better
bsa6DGB_frs

[BrooklynFan]

I have anothe rquestion about BB - the whole Jury House thing. So after week 4 whoever is evicted doesnt even get to go home ot their families but have to remain in 'jail' watching 3 hours of a week of big brother? isnt that crazy? someone like Libra who has five month old twins couldnt even go home but had to stay in that house for another six weeks? (In general I was shocked how she was able to leave them. I wouldve been crying like a baby every day missing my babies if I left infant twins at home.)

I do like how the show really focuses on the houseguests and not so much on the fans, and how the first thing the winner/runner up do after hugging their significant other is get hugged by the ex houseguests.

[iRyan]

The US version, definitely is not more mature than the UK version, from what I can tell. BB10, minus a few arguments here and there, was a pretty uneventful season. I'd actually suggest you check out either Big Brother 2, which also isn't as dramatic (but does have some drama) and some may argue is the best season. BB7 is full of strategic gameplay and compromise. It was fantastic, but do not watch it unless you've watched the first 6 already. Big Brother 8 and 9 were the most manic and crazy seasons to watch. Both provided a sheer amount of entertainment, but as a whole Big Brother 8 is A LOT better than Big Brother 9.

No, BB10 is amazing and FAR from uneventful.

BB9 sucks. Do not watch it.

[BrooklynFan]

I have to say that the US tasks are WAY BETTER and much more professionally set up than the BB Uk's tasks. I love watching them. every houseguest gives it their all, and theyre such brilliant tasks. In general, being that the house is so roomy, nicely decorated, such a beautiful garden and kitchen etc., fosters a lot more happiness, you dont see the HGs in the diary room bitching that they want to go home. no one gets claustrophic and crazy.

i do miss hearing them interact with 'big brother' though. You dont get to see what BB asks the Hgs, and no announcements of 'this is big brother, please come to the diary rom.' they present a story more than just showing what goes on in the house.

i think the fact that there's only 3 episodes a week and only the important bits are shown, makes it so popular int he US. In the UK it's overkill. some of the HL shows are just drawn out.

[LemonJam]

BBUS > BBUK

Can't wait for Season 12 =D

[BrooklynFan]

I also love that Julie asks them questions on eviction nights. theyre still cut off from the outside world, but they discover that they are indeed being watched. Davina should really ask them questions liek that! BBUK can improve if they incorporate some of BBUS's positives.

[Brekkie]

Re: how they make money - the old fashioned way, advertising. Plus some blatant product placement and subscriptions to the web feeds, but the vast amount of cash would come from advertising.

[iRyan]

If you watch the feeds, you can hear 'Big Brother' but unfortunetly they don't show it on the show. It's a very monotone robotic voice which makes it cool.