Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Sadly, Big Brother 16 is neither of those. In perhaps the most frustrating episode of the season, there’s a whole lot of talk about making a huge move, one that I suspect many if not all fans would enjoy a great deal. But instead, like always, the Bomb Squad sticks together and takes the easy path. And we have Derrick to blame. Much like with Global Thermonuclear War, these HGs believe that the only winning move is not to play.
To pad the hour, we also get Cody as a dinosaur and a lot of gloating from Derrick and Frankie, but for completely different reasons.
The Target
There’s a whole lot of scheming with Derrick wanting Christine to be evicted, but none of this matters for this week. Once again, we realize that Derrick isn’t as good as he thinks he is because he’s concocting schemes (like Caleb throwing the Battle of the Block to take out Frankie in week 7, getting Christine to throw the Battle of the Block against Donny in week 8 and evicting Christine this week) that just don’t pan out.
Caleb is deadset on going to the Final 4 with Frankie, Derrick and Cody. This is stupid, but Derrick is fine with that because he fluffs Caleb’s ego to ensure that Caleb would take him to the end. Derrick is getting way too cocky, but when you’re in a house full of morons, it’s understandable.
The Power of Veto Competition
Like always, Frankie isn’t picked to play, meaning he’s the only person sitting out of this competition. He acts like a spoiled brat about it and throws a total hissyfit. He’s becoming a catty bitch, talking about wanting an anvil to fall on Nicole’s head.
The competition is like a Warner Bros. cartoon with Acme TNT and bombs. In each round, the HGs see a video with wires and must then cut the correct one to defuse a paint bomb. The last person left standing wins the game. Also, the first person out will have to dress like a dinosaur for the week.
Caleb boasts about taking out Christine because he is the coyote and she is the road runner. Um…does he not understand how those cartoons work? The delightful irony is that his metaphor is quite apt, he just doesn’t realize it.
Cody gets blown up in the first round, meaning he’ll be a dinosaur for the week. Caleb is out second, followed by Victoria. After just four rounds, half of the competitors are out.
In round six, Nicole loses and Derrick throws it so he doesn’t have to make a decision. Christine wins the Power of Veto! As soon as it’s done, Frankie starts gloating about how he would’ve won if he got to play. He mocks Caleb for being colorblind and Cody for getting eliminated first.
The Replacement Debate
After the Power of Veto competition, Caleb is suspicious of Frankie. He starts talking about possibly backdooring Frankie because he’s being sneaky and whispering to Christine. Cody wants to use this as an opportunity to finally get rid of Frankie, something he’s been itching to do for a few weeks now.
Cody gets into Caleb’s ear about how Frankie is too paranoid and how Frankie won’t be able to beat Caleb, Cody or Derrick in the finale, so he’s probably going to turn on them next week and keep Christine or Victoria.
Caleb takes this to Derrick and Christine. Christine tells us that she wants to evict Frankie and Derrick sits on the fence, which is where he lives. Derrick talks to Cody about it and they agree that Nicole is a worse competitor than Frankie. Derrick says he’ll do whatever Cody wants this week, which is to take out Frankie.
Nicole respects the fact that Derrick is playing the best game in the house, and she makes the mistake of telling him this and comparing him to Dan Gheesling. This worries Derrick because he doesn’t want ANYONE to know how good his game is.
For the first time this season, I feel like Derrick is being honest with us in the diary room when he says that Nicole’s confession made him realize that she needs to go and Frankie needs to stay. He goes to Cody and Caleb and proceeds to plant seeds of doubt that Frankie isn’t that dangerous. As much as Cody and Caleb want Frankie to go, Derrick’s seeds of doubt are successful.
I’m torn. On the one hand, I respect how Derrick can actually convince Caleb and Cody to back away from a big move they both really want to do. On the other hand, I HATE that he’s constantly making this season so freaking boring by putting an end to any potential excitement. He’s the best player, but the worst entertainment.
The Power of Veto Ceremony
Christine uses the Power of Veto to save herself. Caleb nominates Victoria. In his speech, Caleb says that Victoria is completely safe and that everyone knows that Nicole is the main target this week. That’s just cruel and Nicole looks like Caleb just stabbed a puppy in front of her.
Derrick boasts some more about how brilliant his strategic game is because he’s never been nominated and that Donny and Nicole had to go because they were catching on. Wow, I appreciate this newfound honesty Derrick has in the diary room, but he’s starting to feel way too comfortable.
Tomorrow night on Big Brother 16: It’s a double eviction, meaning Nicole and probably Victoria, Christine or Frankie will be evicted.
(Image courtesy of CBS)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
