I've been a fan of American Big Brother since it started Summer of 2000. I'm still in love with Brittany, the nose-ring wearing, pink-haired virgin from Minnesota that first season. Here are my observations for how BBUSA could incorporate the best aspects of the current setup with the best of the original Dutch version.

BB1USA had the same sort of evictions as other countries: crowds, long walk to the studio accompanied by family, etc., but they seemed to lack much excitement.

The producers got rid of the public voting and eviction crowds the following year, but I don't think the format itself was to blame. They made a few critical mistakes which could have been easily corrected.

1) They got greedy when it came to charging for voting. Votes were charged a dollar apiece, about 3 times what they charge in the UK or Australia. Since then, shows like American Idol and Last Comic Standing have been big hits with free voting. Does Pop Idol charge for voting?

2) The crowds may not have been that big, but the way they were arranged didn't help things. There was a chain link fence radiating about 50 feet from the house, and the crowd stood against the fence on either side of the gate, in a plane perpendicular to the walk of shame, so the evictee was walking through the crowd for about 2 paces. By setting barriers and having the crowd parallel to the walk of shame, the crowd would look much bigger and much more excited.

3) CBS's refusal to ditch Julie Chen is inexcusable. When she started BB, she was a news anchor and to this day she treats it as such. She interviews the hamsters as if they're the Emir of Yemen instead of someone enjoying 15 minutes of fame. While Julie's day job has shifted from news anchor of The Early Show to its co-host (to use a RI:SE analogy, she went from being Zora to Kate). What's most frustrating is that when she talks to her co-hosts in the morning about the hamsters, or interviews the evictees the day after, she's much more animated and asks better questions then.

I'd fix BBUSA by doing the following:
1) Bring back public voting with a few changes. I'd make it like week 1 of BB3UK, where the public nominates and the house votes. They would bear more direct responsibility for voting each other out, and would still allow for the political machinations to continue in the house, while giving the public a stake in the outcome. It would prevent the mutual appreciation societies that marred the end of BB1USA and BB4UK. Voting would be free, and would only happen in the hour following the prior eviction show, in each time zone, 1 call per phone number. Internet voting would also be a possibility, 1 vote allowed from each IP address. The results would be announced the following show, after which we have a live POV competition, where if the winner chooses to exercise the POV, he or she would choose the replacement nominee. The POV winner would have a day or 2 to mull it over and the decision would be announced the following show, when we'd also see a food/reward competition. The following show would show us the scheming/voting among the hamsters and would be the next eviction. There would be no Head of Household, because immunity is gained through the POV.

2) Bring back the crowds, but with a set design that would actually make them look like a crowd. The UK one is good, but the Australian one is better. The eviction doors open into the back of a van, which takes the evictee to a studio. During the ride, the evictee sees some of his or her footage on a TV screen. The van doors open to a bridge going through the audience onto the stage. The house and studio are on the grounds of a theme park, where it would be easy to get audience members.

3) For God's sake, get a new host. Julie Chen is 2 years younger than Davina, but she acts like she's much older. Get someone with a flashy personality and who is willing to ask questions that challenge the hamsters on their choices in the house. Using Davina as a template, a former MTV VJ would be ideal. Martha Quinn would be good, so would Tabitha Soren or Karen Duffy. Another choice would be BB2 winner Will Kirby who exudes charisma, has hosted a reality show before (albeit a low budget, best forgotten one, called "Love Shack"). He's wacky, quick-witted and has no problem making fun of people to their faces.

4) Evictee Interviews could be longer because there's no HOH competition.

So what do you think?

-Hank

Oh, and one other thing: I'd have the public vote be to KEEP people and the 2 lowest vote-getters would be on the block. Sailing under the radar is not allowed in my game.

I've not seen earlier BB USA but compared to the UK version which is starting to tire, I think it is brilliant. The lack of public voting is a bit of a shame but it's still great entertainment. even when I know what's already happened I am glued to the screen watching the E4 repeats of the live shows.

yes. hwitrz they do charge for calls to Pop Idol (and also Fame Academy which is a BBC version) but there is also much less of a culture here of toll free numbers for businesses - most are either charged at the local rate or national rate. So paying 10p or 25p isn't particularly a problem here.

UK BB wasn't the best this year by a long chalk, and I am very much enjoying BB USA. They are both good and bad in different ways.

I like the UK evictions, the fact that there is a faceless Big Brother and that no communication with the outside world is permitted. Erika's birthday greeting would not have been allowed in the UK. I suppose in a way the UK version interprets the Orwellian Big Brother in a more literal sense. No interaction with Davina, and much more detail in the diary room.

The US version has some great plusses. The challenges are far better and well thought out. The POV is an excellent idea, and your house(guests)mates are WAY better looking than ours! The house is amazing and the X factor was an inspiration. Maybe UK should think of head hunting a bit? Hmm, I wonder how that would be received here.

For sure, the biggest mistake BBUK made this year was the first impressions nomination. Anouska would have been a very entertaining housemate had she been allowed to stay.

I just think each BB should learn from each other - and I hope each and every production crew is reading these pages. I didn't see BB AUS, but I did watch BB Africa and I can only dream for the day they all get their heads together and do a global Anglophone BB!!

I think the public should vote for the veto use only. I didnt care for BB 1, the hamsters were fake. They tried not to stir the pot and loose votes. Now with the other years, at any given time all hell could and does break loose.
Maybe if you get the veto and use it, you get to pick who goes on the block.

That's part of my plan. I quote above: "we have a live POV competition, where if the winner chooses to exercise the POV, he or she would choose the replacement nominee. The POV winner would have a day or 2 to mull it over and the decision would be announced the following show"

i'll add my 2p's worth later hwirtz.

I was waiting with bated breath. No thread is complete without the wisdom of Coljj.

hwirtz I'm lovin' your work! I truly hope that the producers of BB5 UK get to see your post and 'borrow' some of your ideas. I don't know how much of this forum you've read but many, many people are seriously p*ssed off at everyone involved in the making of BB4 Uk. Even the tasks and challenges were shite.

The media too have slated the show so let's hope the producers pull their fingers out and create a BB5 UK worth watching!

People should get off this 'waaaaaaaaaah' theres no phone vote rubbish.

Take it for what it is BBUSA do their thing - BBUK **** up their thing.

The two shows are not the same.

I'm not suggesting the phone vote for the sake of the viewers, I'm saying it would benfit the ratings. Shows with free public voting have been all the rage in the US in the last year (American Idol, Star Search, Fame, Last Comic Standing).

Public voting in BBUS failed for 2 reasons: it was too expensive, and it got rid of the interesting people. The shows I listed above have viewers vote in the affirmative, rather than the negative, so the boring people are the first to go. I think BB's ratings could benefit from a similar approach.

The way i see it - is the the whole game functions and draws its energy from the internal 'control' of the housemates. If thats taken out of their hands, then it woudl ruin the basic dynamic - and people would be left playing to the cameras (yet again) - to ingratiate themselves with the public.

Typhoid-X pretty much nailed it there. Obviously Channel 4 is going to steal US ideas for next year, im just wondering what they will leave the public. Also playing 2 games, one with to the actual houseguests will only clue them up more how to play the audience.

They talk abuot making strategic moves in the game and trying not to base it on personal emotions, having the public involved would be yet another consideration.


There is a even better way for the public to get invloved than actual voting. I dont know why CBS ever got rid of it because it was absolutely awesome. Who can guess what it is?

You mean the lame-ass America's Choice question? Being charged a buck for that is even worse than a buck for voting.

And I think that to a certain extent, playing to the cameras is an integral part of the game. Otherwise, it's just Survivor in a house.

I think hes talking about the airplane banners.

Wish we could have had a version of them in the UK house this year....

my version would be

Messages wrapped in arrows, fired over the wall

sharp arrows

that are on fire

with rusty bits

did i mention the sharpness

(i'm eeeeeeeeeevvvvvviiiiiill )

==== SRY HWZ - HOW CUD U FORGET? COLJJ ====

D'oh!

I'm not sure what CBS could have done to get rid of them, though, except buy off the local small aviation companies. and go to FOTH/lockdown the hamsters when one flew over.

Granted, the added paranoia was good.

well done T-X .

I've never got why the UK public have really tried to do stuff like this. What good is "Tania is a cow" or whatever someone tries to get over.

I think an average of 3 banners a day went over. For example a banner would have flown in the last hour telling Ali to nominate Justin.

BB2 USA had the perfect lalance of rules and not public but hardcore fanbase involvement.

It was a great way to break up the day too. That really gave the fans a proper say.

coljj - Dunno if banners are even possible over BBUK - london airspace is pretty packed, might not be possible for a light aircraft to flyover the house if its in the heathrow corridor.

hwritz - From what i've read thats exactly what CBS did, buy up all the local banner companies.

As a long term watcher of Both BBUK and BBUSA (Tv shows included) - However didnt see BBUK4 on TV only net feeds. IMO BBUSA's system is much better. It's a totally different game with the public voting, people tend to behave differently. If BBUSA went back to public voting and crowds I would not watch it again.

Didnt BBUK used to send banners? I seem to remember banners from 'the sun' in BBUK1

Iv watched all the UK BB's and im loving BB4 USA. I much prefer the fact that in BB USA there is no public voting because in the UK versions, people either play up to the camera's or keep their head down so they dont get nominated and so we dont evict them out, although they should go as they are Boring!
BB5 UK next year shouldnt have the public voting every week, make the housemates play the game like the US Houseguests do, that is what is really entertaining!
I think half way through BB5 UK there should be a public vote so that Everyone is up and we choose who we want out, and also we choose the winner.

BB4 USA has great tasks compared to this year UK ones and the housemates are more intesting, probably because we know they are all playing a game and back-stabbing each other, thats what we need in the UK!

The only thing wrong with BBUSA is the fact they have crappy evictions. Apart from that I'd love to see your version over here!

The first house we had was on the other side of London so it was possible to get messages sent over. You're right that the Sun did do that..I can't remember why though....