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DS Article- How Annihilation Brought Excitement Back


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Old 14-07-2016, 11:43
Salv*
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http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/big-bro...citement-back/

Am I seeing things? A positive BB article?
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Old 14-07-2016, 11:47
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Article in full:

We'll admit it. When Big Brother announced its huge Annihilation week, in which the housemates would be in charge of who got sent packing, we weren't convinced.

One of the founding principles of Big Brother is that we, the viewers, get to have our say in who stays and who goes. Hell, the slogan is: "You decide." What kind of f**kery was this?

Well, we hold our hands up. We were wrong. Because Big Brother: Annihilation has been edge-of-the-seat, jaw-dropping, did-that-just-happen television – just like Big Brother in the old days.

It's not even that it's completely gone our way. When the first Annihilation eviction happened, it was Chelsea who got shown the door, and whatever you think about him, he was a classic BB character in his David Brentishness.

But while Chelsea might not have been the first housemate we'd have chosen to go home, what was fascinating was seeing the housemates sitting round the table, talking tactics and deciding who to boot out. Did they want to be honourable? Cut-throat? And how could they keep their reputation with the public intact?

Things have been even more compelling ever since. Take the housemates choosing which of Andy or Jayne – whom they had targeted, thinking they were going to get them out – should win immunity.

It looked like it was going one way – Jayne would be safe – until Jackson stepped up, protected his mate and managed to swing the votes. We're still scratching our heads about how he managed the whole thing, but we're going to be studying it for years to work out how we can be that persuasive.

That's the thing about Annihilation week: it looked like it was all too easily going to become a popularity contest but instead, it's given the underdogs repeated chances to save themselves – and God knows Big Brother fans love an underdog.

We always like seeing the outsiders get one up on the popular kids (it's practically what BB is built on) so watching Andy win his immunity made many fans cheer. And with Jason knowing that he was next for the chopping block, he had no hesitation in stealing £20,000 from the prize fund to ensure his safety, even if it meant he had to pick someone to evict.

Yep, these well-planned tasks have quietly shifted the dynamics in the house – and sometimes in a matter of hours. Jason, so close to the chopping block, suddenly found himself in a position of power and managed to remove Lateysha, one of his biggest threats in the house; something he never would have been able to do in a normal week.

And while Jackson might have been a hero when it came to Andy's immunity, he tumbled in the house's esteem after insisting in a whirl of damage control that he would have split the £20,000 if he'd hit his button fast enough – something that didn't make sense when it was thought about logically. It was down to Evelyn, a housemate flying largely under the radar until now, to step up and give him what for, another huge change in the house dynamic.

People moan that Big Brother has moved far away from its original claim of being a social experiment, but not only has this week been full of drama, it's been psychologically astonishing. Students of conformity should be watching closely, no more so than when the housemates, outraged that Jason had sent Lateysha packing, rounded on him telling him that he should have picked the easy option and sent Jayne home.

In front of Jayne.

With Jayne nodding along.

Of course, Big Brother always warns us to expect the unexpected, but at the moment we don't know what to expect from minute to minute. That's what makes this thrilling, though. With so many of the Big Brother twists and turns trailed in advance – clips, hints from the house, even knowledge of who will be a housemate – it's a completely new experience to watch it with genuinely no idea of what's going to happen.

This week, when we've known there have been evictions, speculation has gone wild. Fans have zoomed into photographs to try to spot which housemates are still there; rascals have been going rogue to incorrectly edit Wikipedia and spark fresh rumours; the odd image released by Big Brother has sparked a whole new round of investigation. And yet, Lateysha's exit last night still felt like a complete shock. We're not sure quite how BB has managed to keep things so under wraps this week, but boy, we're glad they did.

So bravo, Big Brother. It helped that you picked a brilliant bunch of housemates this year, but this week has confounded our expectations, kept us guessing, and made BB complete must-watch telly again. Would we have felt differently if things had gone another way? Probably. Does it matter? Hell no.
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Old 14-07-2016, 11:48
Dangermoose
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Well deserved too! It's the one episode of the series everyone will remember. It's got everyone jumping up and down, opinion is strong and divided. Even the most jaded of BB fans came back to life last night.

I'd like to say BB played a blinder but that honor goes entirely to Jason
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Old 14-07-2016, 11:54
Eve Elle
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You can all thank the legendary knight, Sir Jason of Burrill, who valiantly dispatched the evil queen of the bedroom bitches, scattering her leaderless minions to the four winds.

It's a fact, Jason saved BB.
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Old 14-07-2016, 11:56
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Well deserved too! It's the one episode of the series everyone will remember. It's got everyone jumping up and down, opinion is strong and divided. Even the most jaded of BB fans came back to life last night.

I'd like to say BB played a blinder but that honor goes entirely to Jason
Thank you Dangermouse. Let's call a spade a spade here. No one else would have risked the wrath of the Self-Entitlers - not even Andy i don't think and THAT is what has turned this whole thing on it's head and allowed little voices like Evelyn feel emancipated enough to speak out.
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Old 14-07-2016, 11:57
The_Ed
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You can all thank the legendary knight, Sir Jason of Burrill, who valiantly dispatched the evil queen of the bedroom bitches, scattering her leaderless minions to the four winds.

It's a fact, Jason saved BB.
Arise Sir Jason! You will be rewarded with lifelong protection from Charlie as your gift to the nation.
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Old 14-07-2016, 11:58
Salv*
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Looks like it certainly is becoming a talking point today. Tuesdays show and last night got 1.4m which is around 300k higher than the average of this series. Bet C5 are loving the fact they waited to do this when LI and the Euro's were finished.
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Old 14-07-2016, 12:01
ageappropriate
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It's shaken them all up and made them wake up and realise that BB is indeed a game and they need to start playing tactically. Jason has saved this series of BB.

Well, as long as Lateysha isn't offered a way to work her way back in of course, that would ruin it.
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Old 14-07-2016, 12:04
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Looks like it certainly is becoming a talking point today. Tuesdays show and last night got 1.4m which is around 300k higher than the average of this series. Bet C5 are loving the fact they waited to do this when LI and the Euro's were finished.
And the much desired social media buzz will have had a few champagne corks popping. When I checked it last night (shortly after you'd pointed it out yourself Salv) #BBUK was number one trending Twitter topic in the country with 211k tweets.
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Old 14-07-2016, 12:07
Eve Elle
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Arise Sir Jason! You will be rewarded with lifelong protection from Charlie as your gift to the nation.
Lol. Jason would like that I bet, immunity from medusa Charlie.

I kinda like Charlie though, she seems fun. A little crazy maybe, but then, love can make us all a little crazy sometimes.

Jason really opened up the game for everyone by challenging the tired status quo, I'm not sure his detractors get it.
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Old 14-07-2016, 12:12
Master Ozzy
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I don't get how it brought the excitement back. The whole point of the show is that the public have control and decide who leaves. The show should not even be called Big Brother anymore as the name doesn't fit with the show whatsoever...it's now simply a group of people in a house, they get contact with the outside world, the public have no say who goes, the public can't watch them 24/7. All of these things are the reason why it was given the name Big Brother in the first place, as per the George Orwell book 1984. I don't find it exciting when the housemates know everything. Come Friday night when all their names are read out, they'll know exactly who is popular and who isn't...it completely defeats the point.
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Old 14-07-2016, 12:23
gjc
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It's certainly brought this forum back to life.
The topics have been boring/static up till Annihilation week.
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Old 14-07-2016, 12:49
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Lol. Jason would like that I bet, immunity from medusa Charlie.

I kinda like Charlie though, she seems fun. A little crazy maybe, but then, love can make us all a little crazy sometimes.

Jason really opened up the game for everyone by challenging the tired status quo, I'm not sure his detractors get it.
To be fair I saw Charlie on that Snog Marry show and she seemed fun there and looked nice with her real teeth and natural face.
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Old 14-07-2016, 12:54
The_Ed
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I don't get how it brought the excitement back. The whole point of the show is that the public have control and decide who leaves. The show should not even be called Big Brother anymore as the name doesn't fit with the show whatsoever...it's now simply a group of people in a house, they get contact with the outside world, the public have no say who goes, the public can't watch them 24/7. All of these things are the reason why it was given the name Big Brother in the first place, as per the George Orwell book 1984. I don't find it exciting when the housemates know everything. Come Friday night when all their names are read out, they'll know exactly who is popular and who isn't...it completely defeats the point.
You will never enjoy it if you cannot let go after so many years and accept that the show has changed and just enjoy it for what it is today. Plus I thought the whole point of Big Brother (as you are bringing Orwell into it) is that Big Brother is in charge and can do whatever he pleases, when he pleases.
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Old 14-07-2016, 13:11
Salv*
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It's certainly brought this forum back to life.
The topics have been boring/static up till Annihilation week.
The buzz last night was huge I agree! Even today people are still discussing it.
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Old 14-07-2016, 13:13
Salv*
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I hate the no public vote but tbh I think people forget that 'Big Brother has the right to change the rules at any time' is in the rule book.
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Old 14-07-2016, 13:15
orangeballoon
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a lot of DS bb stories are positive on BB

what this week has tested is... can some of it be done "recorded" for evictions etc in the same way as the apprentice & bake off on the BBc is recorded rather than "same day"

the answer appears to be yes... especially if no leak occurs and BBOTS is used to do the interviews...

this opens up possibilities for next year... where the spare house could even be used as a waiting room to keep them out of commercial hotels and thus social media spots & "leaks"

the idea the viewer could be voting sunday - tuesday, and a diary room exit or even multiple exit where a "team" of housemates think they are going into a task together could all leave mid day to be shown the next day...

operationally this has tested the "need to be 1 day delayed" rather than 2 day delayed... the need for evictions to be "same day"
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Old 14-07-2016, 13:19
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Looks like people prefer the US version of the show where the viewers don't get involved. No eviction crowds booing/chanting names, no out-out-out shouts during eviction interviews.

I'm guessing, though, that this format is only favourable with people as long as their favourites stay in.
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Old 14-07-2016, 13:21
jeanoj
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I don't get how it brought the excitement back. The whole point of the show is that the public have control and decide who leaves. The show should not even be called Big Brother anymore as the name doesn't fit with the show whatsoever...it's now simply a group of people in a house, they get contact with the outside world, the public have no say who goes, the public can't watch them 24/7. All of these things are the reason why it was given the name Big Brother in the first place, as per the George Orwell book 1984. I don't find it exciting when the housemates know everything. Come Friday night when all their names are read out, they'll know exactly who is popular and who isn't...it completely defeats the point.
Well it certainly brought this forum back to life and social media was buzzing too. I admit I was not happy when this annihilation task was first discussed but Jason has made me forgive all that by evicting Lateysha. It was brilliant and I agree with the DS article - it was compelling viewing last night.
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Old 14-07-2016, 14:12
Master Ozzy
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You will never enjoy it if you cannot let go after so many years and accept that the show has changed and just enjoy it for what it is today. Plus I thought the whole point of Big Brother (as you are bringing Orwell into it) is that Big Brother is in charge and can do whatever he pleases, when he pleases.
I think you should read the book...
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Old 14-07-2016, 17:54
The_Ed
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I think you should read the book...
Can't. Busy watching the show and commenting on it.
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Old 14-07-2016, 19:49
Master Ozzy
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Can't. Busy watching the show and commenting on it.
Might be best not to bring up something you know nothing about then
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Old 14-07-2016, 20:58
WeeJintyMcGinty
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I can see why so many liked that ep and I think Jason totally did the right thing but I think it's set a really negative and dreary tone for the rest of the series now - it's all been reduced to being about money, not the personalities or interactions between the HMs, it's just about the money. All the conversations in the house seem to be about the money. All the threads on here seem to be about the money. It was boring in the execrable BB12 and it's just as boring now.
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Old 14-07-2016, 21:04
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I hate the no public vote but tbh I think people forget that 'Big Brother has the right to change the rules at any time' is in the rule book.
They have been taking that too far in recent times though.
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Old 14-07-2016, 21:06
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Although i really enjoyed the episode last night, it doesn't take away what they have done to this series, it's still been totally ruined by over manipulation and reducing the series length.

1 really good episode out of over 30 isn't good enough.
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