Will Big Brother ever return as it was?

[Valdora]

SO BB is dead on Channel 4. Before that Big Brother was Channel 4's Golden Boy of media attention and reality TV. That added to the fact that the ratings continued to plummet after 2007 was the end of an era for many of us. So much so that Davina won't return out of principal of having said goodbye. (Makes you think that had they found a new home sooner we might have her.)

So with many people having said goodbye to the show with the channel that everyone identified it with, will it ever be able to reach its peak again? Ratings wise that was BB3 but I think we can all agree that the golden years were 2004-2006. But will the show ever get back to the heights that evaded BB on its home station for years and forced it to be canceled. Chances aren't good.

One of two things will happen. Big Brother on Channel 5 will be seen as a cheap knock off of the Channel 4 version. Orrrr BB will put Channel 5 on the map. With a paper and magazine behind them they have a good start. But I think we can all agree channel 5 is not the first channel we tune in to. Will this work?

[MaratSafinForever]

I think it will be received as a cheap knock-off. I think channel 5 is the worst channel it could have gone to, I've pretty much never watched anything on channel 5. I have absolutely no idea what runs on it.

Regardless of the channel, I don't think Big Brother will ever have the buzz about it like it once did. People warmed to it because we'd never have seen anything like it before, now it's been done over and over and I think the public have become sick of it, not least because some of the last series' have been very boring and unoriginal. Big Brother 10 was the last great series for me, last year was the worst I've ever seen.

[Marsh.]

I only watch channel 5 very rarely, and it's usually for some good movie they show on Sunday nights or something. All their other programming is tosh.

And there are a few reasons for the death of BB on channel 4, not one of them being Come Dine With Me, lol.

[RichardG]

I think it will be received as a cheap knock-off. I think channel 5 is the worst channel it could have gone to, I've pretty much never watched anything on channel 5. I have absolutely no idea what runs on it.


This is right - the comments on YouTube for the trailer proves this...

Channel 5 is where everything goes to die.
I love big brother but... channel 5?? seriously??
oh christ BB is back, god I hate that, its the biggest piece of...............oh what? channel 5? oh thank god for that

:joker: to be honest, even if the quality of the show does go back to how it was in the "golden" days (BB5-BB7) the majority of the public still won't accept it as they all have such strong opinions on the show they would refuse to believe it's good and worth watching.

The good thing about it being on Channel 4 was that many people watch C4, and so people flicking through the channels will see it and maybe give it a go. I can't remember the last time I bothered to see what was on Channel 5 though, I just skip right past it when looking through the channels, as I imagine many others do too, so now even the casual viewer probably won't be watching it.

[joeysteele]

Big Brothers ratings fell to an average 2.5 million to 3 million in the last few series on Channel 4 anyway, from 4 to 5 million previously.
That actually demonstrates that it was failed by Channel 4.

We didn't need Davina for this new series,she was really good in the first few series but quite frankly should have been replaced by BB7 or 8 at the latest.
She had gone very stale and her eviction night interviews became uninteresting and irrelevant.

Channel 5 are watched a lot, Home and Away and Neighbours still can get 1 to 1.5 million viewers,they were saved by Channel 5.
I personally don't expect Channel 5 to get more than 2 million ratings,I hope they do but that depends on BB followers,however not to watch it because it is on a different Channel is beyond understanding.

If it gets 2 million viewers average then that will only be around 500,000 less than on the last 2 series on Channel 4 so hardly a failure.
Will it ever be the same as on Channel 4? Well I certainly hope not, especially not like the last 2 series at any rate, Channel 4 allowed it to fall in the ratings and I just have a feeling they may come to regret losing it after all as I can only see it being hailed a success on Channel 5, as long as its so called followers who claim they still want it on TV watch it and participate in it.

Channel 5 have saved it, Channel 4 would have discarded it,not for a year or so but for good,we should be grateful for that determination from Channel 5 and get behind the new series.

[oathbreaker]

The most depressing thing about all this.
so many of the old Guard Remain.

totally leaving aside the live feed.the OTT housemates and the ones only in there for future work in the media.the production team lost its way,they lost touch with the fans and what makes for a good series.

Yes Pej has gone but nearly everyone that worked for him remained and hearing the now boss claim Bigbrother 11 was one of the best ones ever I suggest she looks at the show a long time ago then say that.This obsession every series of having people fall in love then cramming that relationship down the viewers throat has to stop.bigbrother should be the common enemy, then let the personality clashes be the 2nd arc of the series.

Last year lets be totally honest UBB could have started the night they gave Josie a ticket into the final everyone knew the outcome it was just who would be 2nd and 3rd that type of red carpet treatment has to stop.

[cub]

I personally think it will be a disaster. Everything about it looks cheap and knock-off. The new eye logo is a symbol of that.

If, as I suspect, the ratings are low the press will have a field day until it's dead for good.

As I've said before they should have rested it for a few years at least. I can't see the point in reviving a programme that was cancelled because the format was tired and the ratings were low.

It's a bit like cancelling Live From Studio 5 and then a couple of weeks later replace it with an identical show - OK!TV. Why??

[Jordan.]

No

[King Gizzard]

Nope

TV will never be allowed to be so un-PC again

[daniel-lewis-1985]

Nope

TV will never be allowed to be so un-PC again

BB just needs to let the situations play out without intervening.

All they need to do is put a statement at the start of every show saying "the opinions of the housemates are that of the individuals and not the opinions of the shows makers" and they can get away with anything.

[MaratSafinForever]

I think the only thing that could truly resurrect Big Brother would be to have a lengthy break and by that I mean 10 or more years. Big Brother probably reached its peak in popularity in 2002 with Series 3 (Which seems very overlooked on this forum, which is surprising as it was always seen as the best series, maybe people here are too young to have watched it) It was still strong in 2005 but then I believe there's only been one good series since.

[MaratSafinForever]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzxZK4Pn4mY&feature=related

Just watched a little BB1 on youtube, it was just so fresh and exciting.

[Marsh.]

If, as I suspect, the ratings are low the press will have a field day until it's dead for good.

No press is bad press.

But when it came to BB9-11, I think the press coverage got less and less to the point that nobody mentioned it apart from the Daily Star every now and then.

So, I just think the press in general will ignore it whilst it's tucked away on channel 5.

[Marsh.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzxZK4Pn4mY&feature=related

Just watched a little BB1 on youtube, it was just so fresh and exciting.

:spin: I do miss those eviction nights.

[MaratSafinForever]

Sorry to hijack the thread but I've just come across these videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihncm462zcw&feature=channel_video_title

I'll never forget how Craig decided to donate all of the money to the girl in need, a very selfless gesture and he definitely deserves any penny he's made after the show.

Now that was Big Brother!!! Sooo exciting.

[Valdora]

And there are a few reasons for the death of BB on channel 4, not one of them being Come Dine With Me, lol.

That was just an example of new reality shows taking over its old postion for Channel 4's top reality show. Stupid thing to put the way I did in heinsight lol.

[Valdora]

I think the solution is to change the format. I think getting rid of the "no talking about nominations" rules and having people trying to play a game in there would be a good start. Hey afterall Big Brother is still around in the US with that format. Still keep the UK style though.

But that seems unlikely from what you have all been saying. Ahhhh well at least if the quality is good we will enjoy it while it lasts.

[joeysteele]

BB just needs to let the situations play out without intervening.

All they need to do is put a statement at the start of every show saying "the opinions of the housemates are that of the individuals and not the opinions of the shows makers" and they can get away with anything.

Again,I agree with you on that.

[DigitalSid]

Doubt it.

[Lisa!]

I personally wouldnt be put off because its on a different channel, as long as they keep the show the same.. I admit that at the moment i never watch channel 5 but its the same for bb1, i find that channel very boring! but i do turn over to it every monday, tues, thurs, friday when eastenders is on!

[keithafc]

BB just needs to let the situations play out without intervening.

All they need to do is put a statement at the start of every show saying "the opinions of the housemates are that of the individuals and not the opinions of the shows makers" and they can get away with anything.
Until another race row kicks off again.

The race row of 2007 did the show some bad damage. Big Brother 9 was the best since.