....

If Ch5 on a low budget can change opinions thanks to editing, isn't it showing what is possible with more money and power?

This used to be a game show. Now it appears to be a reflection on what can be done and is being done in politics, the media, advertising etc.

And the jokes on us because it's a game show that has shown us how the viewing public can be swayed day by day.

This is 1984, this is Big Brother. And we are the pawns.

The reality is there is no reality I want the red pill

You've got it.

What did Emma ask her audience tonight on BBOTS?

"Would you like it if you didn't know who was the Power House Mate?"

They almost did that with the "public" vote of Ashleigh for PHM. Many heard about it but it wasn't announced. The PHM will be app chosen and the viewing public won't know until after. Emma said - "like a murder mystery".

I see BB becoming more Interactive, more scripted and more 'performed'.

The joke has always been on us, all the way back from 1984 book and the start of Big Brother.

The Big Brother experiment is as much as playing on the emotions of the viewers as it is the housemates. It's had to adapt with the times through the years, but it's always been about unpredictability, and the reality is that we never face this unpredictability of putting our lives under the control of someone like Big Brother.

If you can control the housemates and viewers into second guessing and buying what you are selling, you have a very powerful product and vehicle to exploit human emotion at getting emotionally involved in a show that is designed for that purpose.

Practically everything you see and hear on that piece of 16x9 has an agenda to bend collective thought towards accepting evil as good and rejecting good as evil.

It was written a very long time ago.

In a clip provided by BB of Pav and Winston in the tub room - Pav says - having the power was very difficult. In normal life your decisions don't change other people's lives but in BB a decision can do it.
Winston pipes up - "you could kill them…"
Thankfully Pav dismisses that as "not usual."

There is something there about BB having the power to change people's lives.

Indeed.

I always thought that Bb was about how the characters coped and how they managed to get through intact whatever BB threw at them - it was about how we the viewing public could see that many HMs had integrity to get them through.

Now the starting point appears to be....CH5 have a nasty person and a few nice people....let's see if we can change viewers opinions on this.

BUT the essential difference between then and now is that the 2 types don't change, only the opinions of them thanks to editing.

It almost seems immoral taking money from people when you are the company doing this and provoking irrational hatred (never love)

Actually I think that's up there as one of the greatest scenes from BB

Or it could just be that it ties in with the theme..powertrip but BB is making sure the housemates realise BB is the only real power in the house?
On the wider point I think every series of BB has been manipulated..without storylines the show wouldnt work..even BB1 had the Nick storyline which was manipulated to get the most drama.

But Nick was breaking the rules. The PHMs are obeying the rules and then getting punished for it.

Do you never think why didnt BB throw Nick out as soon as they knew he was cheating?
Surely nobody believes they did not know,with all the cameras,mics,and editing that has to be done they certainly knew he was cheating but they decided to manipulate the situation rather than just kick him out without the drama.
The PHMs thought they were in control but the reality is BB is in control at all times..housemates never ever have control..if you look at everyone that was PHM you will see its always a curse.
It damaged everyone who has had the power in some way or another.
Power corrupts and BB is the only one to have the real power..its actually very Orwellian.
I see this series as a very dark look at experimenting with power trips and taking delight showing the downfalls of powertrips.
As a series of BB Im not a fan of this series but its a fascinating social study of housemates,far more so than any since BB5.

Don't get me start on politics!!

I'm not happy watching it as I have been with other series. However, I agree it is fascinating. And my fascination is rather more to do with how CH5 are manipulating the viewers, especially the voting ones.

From a personal point of view, I love Chris as lone rational voice (could call him Winston but might fudge the point). but overall I'm pretty dispassionate about the HMs - even Helen who it's obvious will have good qualities, we all do.

I suppose I think it's become more apparent this series how it can be compared to how the government etc are doing the exact same thing but we don't care do we? We have TV, food, clothes, let's not look into how we are being guided and lied to constantly. And if we do look into it, well, look what happens, you get picked on too. Evicted even. Best stay quiet and put up with the status quo. Which is what most of the HMs are doing and getting pasted on here for keeping their heads down.