Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Big Brother 08 - Week 5 Recap

Week 5 in the Big Brother house started with a bang as two Housemate Hand Grenades were lobbed into the house.

Nathan made Travis the early bird, meaning Travis had to rise first every morning and make BB breakfast.

At the other end of the day, David's grenade fell on Bianca who became nightwatchman (nightwatchwoman?). She has to take BB a glass of milk and a snack every night, ask him how his day was, and tell him a story if he wants one.

On with the highlights of one dog of a week:

  • Early on Monday morning (Day 29), the HMs were woken by the sound of barking dogs. They were told this week's task involved them each staying in their own dog house for as long as possible.
  • Nobbi didn't even try the task. Party pooper.
  • Rory was disqualified and then he and Nobbi began terrorising the other HMs by spraying the hose on them, among other things.
  • It was an amusing task though, and one that the BBUK house did a few years ago with surprising success.
  • Ultimately, after 11½ hours, Ben quit the task making Alice the winner.
  • Alice then met her reward, a Seeing Eye puppy she had to care for and train. After checking his mouth like any good vet, Alice named him Ollie.
  • Bianca had her first, but by no means loudest, fight of the week when Malibu told Bianca she had a split personality.
  • Ollie became the first dog to push the Diary Room button (This was a caption during the Daily Show. I have to say I do, mostly, like the funny captions the producers add during the shows).
  • Rory poured cordial on the floor and told Terri it was dog pee she had to clean up.
  • Dixie threatened to leave because she was sick of washing.
  • BB called all the HMs to the Diary Room and told them that had BB been imposing fines for breaking HM guidelines, they would have amassed $82,000. They are told the fines would count from now on.
  • We finally got to see the vending machine the HoH has been selecting goodies from each week. Alice declined to choose Malibu's shoes and instead chose Ben's personal photos as well as the obligatory chocolate.
  • Nobbi gave Travis the world's worst haircut. And Travis liked it!! What is wrong with that boy?
  • Ollie became house counsellor.
  • On Day 31, Knobbi got his "K" back by reverting to his nasty ways and telling Travis he has no sex appeal.
  • The hypnotism special aired between the Day 31 and Day 32 Daily Shows but (without being nasty - and oh I am so tempted) that type of television doesn't appeal to me so I didn't bother watching it.
  • On Day 32, Lords of the Manor Knobbi and Rory pontificated about yet another HM: Alice.
  • Ollie is very cute.
  • As punishment for his filthy mouth, Knobbi had to clean all the windows in the backyard. In pouring rain.
  • The kombi sprang multiple leaks, forcing Knobbi to evacuate and finally spend a night inside the house, though not in the bed with the others but on the floor between the doors and the shutter. BB is so evil to Knobbi. It's fantastic because Knobbi deserves every bit of it.
  • Bullying in the BB house reached new heights on Friday when Ben, Knobbi and Rory teamed up to mislead Travis into thinking Alice hated him. Then, to add injury to insult, they later burst in on Travis while he was on the toilet and sprayed him with shower gel. Seeing this bullying go on unpunished is incredibly frustrating, especially given the rumours that it might have been shower cleaner, not shower gel.
  • Some of the "shower gel" got into Travis' eye, and he later left the house during Friday Night Live.
  • On the subject of FNL, the theme for this week was A Day at the Races. After watching a boring race on TV, the HMs played soccer while wearing binoculars the wrong way round. Amusement was had by all.
  • Renee was declared champion after weighing herself down with as many clothes as possible, and she took Dixie to the strategy room.
  • BB updated the HMs on Travis' condition and told them he was being treated at a medical facility.
  • Ben cried with remorse over what he had done to Travis. Sympathy for Ben? Only from those morons Knobbi and Rory. Pathetic weasels all of them.
  • Rory and Alice had a joint birthday party involving another pash-fest in the spa.
  • Alice and Ollie passed their dog task, allowing Ollie to stay on indefinitely.
  • Knobbi set out to prove he really was top dog by pranking Rory by putting pegs on Rory's hair while he was sleeping.

    Finally we reached Eviction Show #4. Mike Goldman hosted with Jackie O in place of Kyle who apparently was unwell, though speculation was rife that Kyle's commitments to Idol auditions on the same weekend were really what was keeping him away.

    I've heard and read a number of sources saying that Mike Goldman should replace Kyle permanently. I disagree. Kyle may not be everyone's favourite, but his acerbic wit on the eviction shows is just what the show needs to pep it up.

    During the eviction show we were introduced to the three intruders entering the house.

    Rhianna (25) is a single mum (she has a 6 year old daughter); Cherry (his real name apparently) is a 22 year old student/surfer; while 51 year old Terrence is a loud, brash auctioneer.

    On to the eviction voting. The bottom 3 HMs this week were Dixie, Bianca and Alice. Renee saved Alice, and her seat was taken by Knobbi. Oh please let Knobbi be evicted came the cry from The Giggling One and me! Alas, it was not to be. The voting turned out like this:

     DixieBiancaNobbi
    Ben21 
    Brigitte12 
    Terri12 
    Rory21 
    Alice 21
    Travis2 1
    Nobbi21 
    Renee 24
    Bianca2 1
    Dixie21 
    TOTAL14127

    Yes, we have another kamikaze. Just like Rebecca two weeks ago, Dixie voted for herself and was evicted. I guess it goes to show how great a place to be the house is this year.

    Rhianna, Cherry and Terrence then entered the house. Knobbi, semmingly insecure about his position in charge of the house, called a meeting of his homies Ben and Rory, and reassured them they were still his boys. It never ceases to amuse me how predictable the HM's reactions to intruders are year after year.

    The big event of the night was not the entry of the intruders, though. Instead, it was the rowdy heated argument between Bianca, Renee and Alice. Bianca, ever sensitive about her boobs, had a yell-fest with the other two girls - particularly Renee - after they suggested she get a breast reduction.

    The argument spilled out from the kombi to the backyard where Bianca and Renee had to be held back from each other.

    Ultimately, Renee came away from the argument as the loser. Not only did she pick up a second strike from Big Brother (she had earlier been given a strike (along with Ben, Knobbi and Rory) for discussing nominations) but she has plummeted from favourite to win the series to favourite to be evicted next weekend. Her uncouth behaviour and unwarranted attack on Bianca may well see her leave sooner than anyone thought.

    While we're on the subject of evictions, the producers have decided to return to the old ways and give the ultimate power of eviction back to the people. Starting from this week, the HMs will nominate and the public will evict.

    One can speculate why they changed the format. Perhaps the public have got over the novelty of the new voting system and just aren't voting in the numbers they were before, thus reducing the money it pulls in. Alternatively, and more cynically, the current system isn't kicking out the housemates the producers wish to leave the house. I'm not sold on the latter view. I think the former is more likely.

    But I won't care soon. Only one more day before BBUK starts. Can't wait!
     
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