On Sunday’s episode of Big Brother 17, we saw the creation of Dark Moon and a plan to backdoor Austin that eight people shook hands on. In this episode, it all falls apart, the Sixth Sense sticks together and someone else gets blindsided. Like Zach Rance last year, maybe Jason should’ve just volunteered to throw the BoB in the first place.
Besides watching a multi-millionaire pro poker player crush the dreams of a grocery store clerk who makes minimum wage and lives in his mom’s basement, this episode also has unwanted sexual advances, a showmance between a boy and a video camera and sexy squirr-els.
The Dark Moon Falls
After the Battle of the Block, Shelli is super sad that her boy toy is still on the block and Vanessa says she’s still on board with the plan to backdoor Austin. Everyone is just disappointed that the plan failed and James makes sure everyone knows he did his best to throw it. John hilariously has zero sympathy for Clay since this is the exact same position he’s been in for the last three weeks in a row. Seriously, Jackie, Steve, John, James and Jason have all lost the BoB, so quit whining.
The Liztin Nomance
Austin and Liz figure out that James threw the BoB and want to tell Vanessa because they think maybe the other side was targeting Liz all along. Vanessa does damage control with Austin, but calls him Judas behind his back.
In bed, Austin cuddles Liz and tries to kiss her. She tells us that she likes him as a person but she isn’t romantically interested in him at all. She’s even disgusted by his “sneak attack” kiss, but he thinks it was magical. The show treats it like this is all silly, but it’s borderline sexual assault at this point since he’s making unwanted advances.
An actual showmance blossoms between Steve and a camera as it follows him around. It’s very silly, just like the ironing board fight from last week.
The Power of Veto Competition
John, Liz and Shelli are picked to play. Vanessa is worried about Liz and isn’t sure when to tell her about the plan because she might blow it up to Austin.
The six players are dressed like squirrels (or as Jason pronounces it, squirr-els) and must run back and forth, rolling a ball up and down a pair of inclined planes 250 times without dropping it. It’s a classic game that requires athleticism and endurance, but absolutely no brain power. In other words, it’s perfect for Clay.
It’s an extremely boring competition to watch, but what is interesting is that Clay seems to be attracted to Shelli in her squirrel costume, especially the tail. Is he a closet furry?
Everyone keeps dropping their nuts except for Clay. John and Becky start to catch up, but Clay is ahead from the start. Becky drops her nut after she’s close to 150 and Steve absolutely LOVES watching her look so miserable. Wait, where did that come from? When did Steve turn into an evil super villain?
Clay wins the Power of Veto!
Becky is very disappointed in herself, Clay is undeservedly cocky after one win and Vanessa claims the plan to backdoor Austin is still in full motion.
Austin Begs for His Life
After the PoV competition, Vanessa decides to tell Liz about the plan. Vanessa and Shelli talk to Liz and she defends him, thinking Austin telling Jason about the twins was foolish, but he did it with good intentions. Shelli is offended that she’s defending him. Liz says that he’s still an alliance member, so maybe they shouldn’t backdoor him.
Vanessa doesn’t want to blindside Austin, so she talks to him. He tries to defend himself for making a dumb, emotional move. Vanessa cries about how he betrayed her and that she might have to nominate him. He begs her not to do it, explaining that he will always be a number for her and never go against her.
She’s conflicted because she gave her word to the entire house that she’d backdoor him. She tells him to try and get Shelli and Clay on board with keeping him and then she might consider it.
Austin pleads his case to Clay and Shelli, telling that he’s falling in love with Liz and he’s angry at Jason for blabbing about the conversation. He says he doesn’t care about the money or the game, just his love for Liz.
This works, because Shelli suddenly agrees with Austin and wants to keep him because “the other side” is rallying against them. Vanessa doesn’t want to make herself a target by going back on her word, but she’ll do it if Clay and Shelli are willing to take the hit with her.
Vanessa decides that she won’t backdoor the dethroned HoH Jackie, Meg is too much of a pawn and James is just into girls. Jason is the only smart, strategic player who’s NOT in the Sixth Sense, which makes him a threat. He’s the only alternative to Austin.
The Power of Veto Ceremony
Clay, of course, saves himself. Vanessa gives a speech about how much she adores this person, but she has to nominate Jason. He’s totally shocked, as are Meg, Jackie and James.
Austin gloats about how Jason manipulated and humiliated him (which is such utter nonsense that I won’t even bother explaining why it’s wrong). Vanessa is sad about having to make hard decisions, but Jason just calls her a “scumbag bitch” who acts like she’s an honest straight-shooter. He’s not wrong. She may have made a smart game move, but she can’t claim to be honest and trustworthy anymore after going back on her word.
(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.
