[Stu xxx]

I have totally loved this series of Big Brother and I truly believe it has not been as boring as the press has dumbed everyone inot believing. I look back on it and try and remember the best bits but in my opinion there are actually two many!

Think of the fantastic tasks we have seen this year with some really fun nights with the housemates dressing in totally crazy costumes - there has been the fantastic American Diner, Opera, Horse Task, 60's Room, The Irish Pub and it goes on...

We had new arrival Lisa who created somewhat of a stir! And for me gave much better entertainment than Claire, Josh, Sophie or Tim.

The romance levels where also a lot higher than BB3 i mean hand on heart was anyone really bothered about Adele and Alex?? And don't get me started on PJ and Jade! This year I have been watching Cameron and Steph getting closer and closer and even though I knew they wouldn't be getting together I still had hope which is the most important thing of all. Plus we had Scott and Nush factor which was very interesting to watch.

Yes Big Brother may have had a lot of surprises this year although we thought it was going to be a back to basis BB but the way the housemates reacted to them was fantastic! Gaetano and the Pig - i mean Tania and don't forget the experience of being able to watch some of Africa Big Brother. The first eviction was harsh but the first nominations made for fantastic Television - they way Big Brother made each contestant starting with the doomed Anouska keep quiet around the table was truly nail biting and I was waiting for someone to spill the beans!

and then to top it all the viewers are given back who they call there "favourite housemate of all time." Now I didn't particully like Jon when he was in the BB house but putting him of all people back into the Big Brother house was one of the best possible plans ever, because as promised he stirred things up for a bit and the night he re entered the house was one of the most exciting nights of television!

There are sooo many more moments that i could go on about but I have to stop - Big Brother has been a fantastic experience for me this year and how anyone can call it boring is beyond me and I have found my self shedding a little tear already this evening...

So all I can say is...

Roll on Big Brother 5!!!

[Amy]

SPOT ON STU!!!!!!!!!

[dustmite]

I can think of only two words to reply with:

I agree.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Stu xxx
So all I can say is...

Roll on Big Brother 5!!!

You're kidding right ?

Endemol in dispute with C4 about housemate selection ?

Idiots who leave items in the wrong place causing a security alert ?

Gimmicks that back fire badly

Before BB2, they said that it would be time to move on.

Law of Diminishing returns, does that mean anything to anyone ?

[Amy]

Originally posted by Sticks

You're kidding right ?

Endemol in dispute with C4 about housemate selection ?

Idiots who leave items in the wrong place causing a security alert ?

Gimmicks that back fire badly

Before BB2, they said that it would be time to move on.

Law of Diminishing returns, does that mean anything to anyone ?

Sticks this Endemol talk is getting boring now you either like BB or you don't it doesn't always have to be political if i wanted politics i'd be watching the house of commons live each night and not bb

[Stu xxx]

Well I believe it is the best thing I have seen on Television for a long time x And everyone has their own opinion x

[Sticks]

It's my job to put the alternative viewpoint

I take the job of Advocatus Diaboli very seriously

[Boris]

Doom and gloom, gloom and doom !


Roll on next year and let's see if sticks 'lightens up ' LOL

[Kaz]

Well said, Stu

Now that I've had a chance to catch up on the weeks that I missed of BB4 while I was on holiday, I have to completely agree with you. It was a great BB . . . . . . possibly not as good as BB2, but in my opinion definitely the second best BB so far.

We had potential budding romance, tears, tantrums, arguments and bitching a-plenty. Like you, I'm NOT a Mr Tickle fan, but he did play his part well and it wouldn't have been the same without him.

After last year's fiasco (in my opinion!!), this year's BB was definitely a vast improvement . . . . and I echo your sentiments in saying Roll on BB5!!!

[Sticks]

Roll on Rickets, Typhoid, collapsing stockmarket, riots ...

At least I will get some earlier nights from now and I will not have to monitor that Graham Norton

[Stu xxx]

I don't care what they say!

and too be honest Sticks I don't really care what you say either xx

[steve_o]

I'm with Sticks on this one, I hope there is another bb5, but this year has really been a total for me. Too many people were self aware and were wise up to the cameras. So Cameron won I'd have rather Ray won it, as he was always himself weather you liked it or not. I hope Cameron is genuine, maybe he is, I don't know, the press will no doubt be on his tail now, looking for him to put a foot wrong. People last year said they never liked last years bb, well I know how you feel because this year I've felt the same, I didn't like the bars last year, but the contestents had more going for them last year than this years. last year contestants were more exciting not knowing what they might do next, it's what I like, "temperamental".

It's just my opinion and I know everyone else likes different things. But the one thing everyone is pretty united on on this board is bb2. But I would like to see another bb come close too, or top that myself one day. BB2 hasn't got a monoply over everything. If it had Helen would have won with Paul coming second. I'm sure there's the perfect bb out there somewhere. Something like that, is what, would be my perfect Big Brother. I wish everyone from this years bb though all the best and hope they can get as much as they can from it. Maybe money wise, but also for the once in a lifetime experience they've had. Well done!! your all stars for having the bottle and the confidence to go for it!!

[liliacqueen]

i liked this big brother and i carnt wait for the next one

[radiohead]

This big brother was very good and i really did like it ROLL ON BB5 sad to see this one go!!!

[AndyJK]

Judging from the comments in support of this series, I'm beginning to wonder if I've been watching the same show!

I appreciate it's a question of taste and what you class as entertainment, but in my opinion this series has been a huge disappointment. There were at least 4 contestants who should never have been put in the house, and a few others who just about qualify were never strong or spontaneous characters. The first eviction should not have been introduced until at least 2 or 3 weeks into the show, and a double-eviction should never have been implemented. The best HM's were Jon, Anouska, Lisa and Fed, who were all evicted far to early in proceedings.

I will say the the intro puppets, tasks and the reward room were inventive ideas.

Kaz: We had potential budding romance, tears, tantrums, arguments and bitching a-plenty.

I have to disagree with you Kaz. There was never any chance of romance in the house, not even on a remote scale and Nush always made it clear there was no chance of anything more than friendship. Scott was just feeling the frustration of any bloke locked up in a house for 9 weeks. And anyone that thinks that Cam and Steph will get together are living in the realms of a Mills & Boon novel.

The only arguments that occured was during Lisa's brief time in the house, very few tantrums mainly from Ray and Tania, and no way near the amount of bitching we would expect from HM's.

Stu: We had new arrival Lisa who created somewhat of a stir! And for me gave much better entertainment than Claire, Josh, Sophie or Tim.

And as a reward the public comprehensively voted her out and booed her uncontrollably. Another aspect that has made this series unenjoyable due to HM's paranoia of being booed upon their release, and trying desperately hard to be on their best behaviour.

Stu: There are sooo many more moments that i could go on about but I have to stop

[LEE]

I am half way between these two opinions really. I definitely preferred this years BB to last years, which I hated with a vengence, but it was certainly very dull at times.

This is the first year when I just haven't bothered to switch it on in the background when I have been in most days, and even though I did prefer this years housemates, and I do agree that there has been some interesting things (such as Cameron's trip to Africa which was wonderful) it has been generally uninspiring.

I'm still looking forward to BB5 though

[Sticks]

Originally posted by LEE
I'm still looking forward to BB5 though

Why ?

The Law of Diminishing returns will mean that BB5 will be worse than BB4.

Everything has a shelf - life
Big Brother is no exception.

[AndyJK]

Originally posted by Sticks

Why ?

The Law of Diminishing returns will mean that BB5 will be worse than BB4.

Everything has a shelf - life
Big Brother is no exception.

I disagree Sticks, even though I have been critical of BB4, I sincerely hope there's a BB5 and many more series after that. And if anything BB5 will be an improvement as the producers will have learned mistakes from the past.

[BusyBee]

I'm sure there's the perfect bb out there somewhere

I can see all sides of the argument. For me the worst BB of all has been BB3 - I hated it with a vengeance - the housemates, the bars, the stupid amounts of money they had to spend, the playing up to cameras etc. etc.

This year for me the return to basics has worked. So they could have had perhaps a better mix of housemates, but the concept was good - the return of the weekly task brought them together, the continuation of the Saturday night task and the reward room great, much friendlier style to the house, some clever ideas ie. the housemate swap, bringing back Jon (even though I never really liked him) and the introduction of a late housemate (which personally I thought wasnt fair on Lisa no-one can go in that late and be given a fair chance).

So for me this year only comes second to BB2 (the best by far) as far as all the series are concerned.

There is the perfect BB out there, but everyone's perception of what makes it is different.

All I can say is that this year I have actually videod parts of the series and they will join my collection. Unlike last year when I just couldnt be bothered at all. So to sum up BB4 7.5 out of 10 for me. Could do better but not a bad effort.

[kaphc]

IMHO what worked on BB4:

- weekly tasks, they were great to do and interesting to watch and hard enough that it meant they had to put some effort in (yes and that meant you too Fed!)
- Saturday night challenges, were interesting to watch and seeing the reward room change every week was great
- selecting Cameron, Ray, Scott, Steph, Nush, Tania, Anouska, Federico and Jon as housemates
- the design of the house was lovely and it looked so much nicer than last year's
- the head of house thing was quite good and made for interesting viewing
- the Christmas party on Thursday was a joy to watch
- bringing Jon back in kept up some interest into the final week
- BBLB - sometimes it was more interesting than the main show!

What didn't work:
- selecting Justine, Sissy and Gos as housemates - what were the point of them??
- introducing Lisa at such a late stage. If she was coming in, it should have been straight after the double eviction, but unfortuanately the BB Africa swap prevented that
- having the double eviction in the first place, what was the point of that?
- having a imbalance of relatively bland but sound boys versus a group of emotional girls full of personality that were easy targets to nominate and vote off
- the Friday night eviction interviews. Sorry Davina, it just isn't working for me now. Too many interruptions and leading questions!
- in the end, one gimmick after another which just became too much to take in

In another respect, I think BB4 was a bit of a hangover from BB3 in the sense that the public ended up seeing Jade do so well from being such a loud, annoying bitchy character. Anyone remotely like that was bound to be voted off early on (i.e. Anouska) which then encouraged the rest of the housemates to keep their heads down a bit.

[AndyJK]

Kaphc: What didn't work:
- selecting Justine, Sissy and Gos as housemates - what were the point of them??

I actually agreed with Sissy's selection in the house. The HMs which I believe should not have been chosen are: Gos, Justine, Steph, Scott & Cameron.

Overall, there just wasn't enough strong personalities in this series to maintain my interest. And I think some of them may have been holding back. For example Gos and Justine have amused me with their appearances on RI:SE over the past 2 weeks, even though they were in my opinion the quietest of the HMs this series. If only they'd been the same while in the house.

Ok, we've had a nice, tranquil BB to compensate for those that found BB 3 to loud. Now it's time to go back to the correct format for BB5 by selecting contestants that will be spontaneous, opinionated, loud, funny and nutty i.e. 1 Jade, 1 Tim, 1 Alex, 1 Helen, 1 Stuart, 1 Jon, 1 Federico, 1 Brian, 1 Amma, 1 'Nasty' Nick, 1 Bubble, 1 Lisa.

[bananarama]

Ok, we've had a nice, tranquil BB to compensate for those that found BB 3 to loud. Now it's time to go back to the correct format for BB5 by selecting contestants that will be spontaneous, opinionated, loud, funny and nutty i.e. 1 Jade, 1 Tim, 1 Alex, 1 Helen, 1 Stuart, 1 Jon, 1 Federico, 1 Brian, 1 Amma, 1 'Nasty' Nick, 1 Bubble, 1 Lisa

Sorry folk but i just have to agree with that also. When BB3 was running i was not that happy with it. But when I watched my recordings of it just before BB4 started i was glued to the TV. Like a good book I couldn't put it down until finished. Believe me no one was more surprised than me that i would have had the patience to see one episode let alone all.

So yes. let's have a BB5 that's got some personality meat to it and not a bunch of wimps to afraid to say and behave as per normal.......Sorry......

[James]

To be really good I think Big Brother needs a running storyline, and the only one in this series was the Africa trip which was organised by the producers, and not as a result of the housemates actions.

Overall the HMs this year didn't really want to act themselves because it is the fourth series and they were afraid to be booed.

But I have to say that I enjoyed a lot of the show and there were a few good characters. It's just a pity the public always vote them off first.

The producers panicked with the first eviction and the double eviction later on and the series would have been better without those innovations.

[Romantic Old Bird]

I have, overall, liked BB4.

Like Lee, I felt BB3 was an abomination. They messed too much with the format, which is based on slow boil resentment, affection, rivalry, and most of all, institutionalisation.

Once you lose the normal horizons and exposure to the challenges of life, you withdraw into your own small universe.

People you initially thought were quirky and funny become hugely annoying, those you may have thought big headed and gobby may become someone who makes your body go Ch- Ching!

There is a great element of chance on who goes when, and as to who becomes an ally and who becomes your best friend.

This is the beauty of BB, and despite it's simplicity, it still sets it above all the other reality knock out competitions. Human nature in all it's facets is exposed slowly over weeks.

Quite apart from the mind-blowing publicity which follows for most, and the lasting fame that follows for some, it MUST have a cathartic effect on them all.

I don't think it is at all far-fetched to say that housemates went in for the experience. They must learn so much about themselves and other people. What an experience!

BB4 has largely left a group of new friends, and I think the same can be said for BB1 and BB2.

BB3 housemates have formed into small growling groups, as illustrated by what Kate said on RI:SE the other morning: Only she and Alison turned up to the wrap-up party.

The real stories that emerge have done so without major interference from BB -apart perhaps from strategic access to booze:

Nasty Nick
Drunken body painting
Rows
and, of course falling in Love

Nothing massive happened on BB4, but it might have. There were 'twists' but the boat stayed steady. Hopefully it will next year too.