47 replies to this topic

[PowerOfK]

Hopefully this goes here (otherwise, move it)...

I think this season would've been better if it were a "Big Brother International All-Stars" instead of just US All-Stars. I know there'd be a lot of stuff to untangle, but, Big Brother is EXTREMELY popular in UK and Australia, and has versions in over 70 countries. Of course, the versions in other countries are more like BB1, but with much more controversial people making up the casts. (BB1's biggest problems were (a) a casting problem and (b) having the number a 900 number (this severly impaired public voting) not necessarily a format problem). Because of this, the format would have to be tweaked slightly so that it wouldn't seriously favor people from one country over another.

Main rule change: HoH, nominations, and Veto as normal in US, however, early evictions (until sequester) done by phone vote (make it a TOLL FREE NUMBER). Also, phone vote decides final two contestants from the final three.

Also, the best part of the foriegn "Big Brother" series is the fact that the producers and fans get to REALLY mess with the heads of the contestants... not by telling them lies, but by making them do whatever they want WHENEVER they want, even in the middle of the night. This needs to be implemented here. Sure, we had the "waking up every 15 minutes" deal, but that was primarily a twist for the veto competition. What if, like in the middle of the night, we decided to wake up, oh, Marcellas, and have him have to dance the Hokey Pokey for us all or risk a penalty nomination? Or say Will and Boogie are plotting strategy when all of a sudden we have them in a boxing match against each other, with the HoH being required to nominate the loser... but only the HoH knows that the loser must be nominated?

You get my point

[eholder]

Here's my thoughts:
I think the season should start in June instead of July, or else have less people so we don't have this rush at the end like this year.

Go back to what they did in season four where the jury members did not do a live vote. They voted then were forced to watch all of the tv episodes together and then could confront each other about the stuff they did.

Have at least a two hour finale. It was ridiculous last year where they announced Maggie as the winner at like 9:59 with the credits rolling. Now I don't really care for Maggie or Ivette, but they at least deserved more of an interview.

[The Pez]

I want actual strangers in a house together who have never met anymore. No ex's, no twins, no pairs, no All-Stars - let's get back to the basics.

Haha, here's a stupid idea, but y'know how in s6 the house was basically split? Why don't we take that idea further and have two houses with eight in each. The first four weeks are as usual, but we have two nominations, vetoes, evictions, etc. for both houses. And once there's eight houseguests in total, put them all in one house and have some fucked up dynamics.

[PowerOfK]

They've actually done something similar to that in other countries (notably, the Netherlands, where Big Brother started). Apparently, according to wikipedia, BB3 Netherlands was termed "The Battle" where there was a "luxury" house and a "poor" house, and there were competitions each week to determine who ended up at which house.

[SweetMisery]

I dunno if this would work, but it would certainly be interesting: each week, the person not evicted automatically becomes the new HoH (the very first HoH would still be decided by some sort of competition).

It would screw with people's plans like whoa and make for good TV.

[pablito]

I want to see a season with 2 gay men (and not exes). I would also like to see some bisexual men on the show. If BB is so desperate for "showmances", then let's see something different.

Just the fact that there would be two gay men doesn't necessarily lead to a gay relationship. You'd have to make sure they would both be attracted to each other. Or just go with the bisexual people and maybe there'll be more opportunities.

Go back to what they did in season four where the jury members did not do a live vote. They voted then were forced to watch all of the tv episodes together and then could confront each other about the stuff they did.

I like this ideas as well. It may be better for the houseguests psychologically to see these things while they're there in sequester anyway. Plus then we don't have to rehash all these things in the final interviews and wasting finale minutes.

I would like to see the rich house poor house aspect as well. The supposed theme of good vs. evil isn't too far from rich house poor house. So it's not a stretch to do it next year. Perhaps an upstairs/downstairs thing.

I would like to see public voting for the entire series come back (ie: international rules). Too much of the game is based on personal vendettas and attacking others. The only time when the strategy has been worthwhile is when Dr. Will is in the house. And these competitions are so poorly produced anyway. The houseguests know what to expect for competitions so the most dedicated ones are those who end up winning these.

The people in the house are already famewhores, I think they'd like it even better if they can just simply play up to the home viewers for votes. People like James and Danielle focused so much on strategy and votes that they were downers while watching feeds. I'd rather have the houseguests just live their lives in there the best that they can fake and watch voyeuristically. I don't want to see James whine all the time, but I'd rather have seen him get drunk and talk.

Then that person gives a key to the person of their choice. This continues until there are no keys left and whomever is left without a key at the end of ceremony is automatically nominated.

This was the elimination process in the despicable CBS show "The Will". It was fairly obvious who was going based on who won the option to select first. It's fairly anticlimatic and it forces tight-based alliances. And anything that brings back "The Will" is not good.

[Roy]

Every time someone makes a decision to keep an alliance together that they know exists, a big Italian mofo named Legs comes out and breaks theirs.

But, seriously...

No one allowed in the HoH suite except the HoH.

[percolata]

I've been wondering what BB is going to do next season without their glamorous star. I was thinking they might want to take a tip from the American Kennel Club's Best of Breed competitions. They could get a certain distance along in the game and then bring Janelle back in as their big blonde champion to beat.

[percolata]

Oooo, EarthMomma, I like the way you think.

Hamsters who have been voted out of the game should continue to live in the house.

While wearing only black or gray clothing.

[memememe76]

Hamsters who have been voted out of the game should continue to live in the house.

The only problem is that it would probably confuse viewers and contestants like Chicken George. Imagine:

Chenbot: George, you have won the Head of Household. Now, you have to nominate two people for elimination immediately.
George: Alright, Julie. I nominate Jase and Nakomis.
Jase: I'm already eliminated, shithead.
Nakomis: Yeah, dildohead.
George: Oh, right. I forgot. Kaysar and Diane.
Kaysar: Whaddup!
Diane: George, I'm wearing all black!
Chenbot: George, we need your nominations.
George: Okay, Julie. I nominate Erika and...Marcellas.
Marcellas: Oh, my goodness!

[Ananayel]

They should definitely move in earlier, I'm thinking at least first of June rather than first of July. Dragging a "summer" show into September is crap.

I liked the twist they tried to do with the veto one season where there were some competitions where it was possible that the veto couldn't be won, like a minimum time or point score isn't achieved.

Do the Coup d'Etat much earlier in the season, where it actually has a greater possibility to shake things up.

Make a random selection of HOHs do instant noms, like George had to. Don't tell them until after the HOH is decided.

Actually follow through on penalty noms for a change. Get some more sensitive microphones so they can't get away with the whispering BS. I'm paying to hear them, dammit!

Mess with them. A lot. Losing cots and hot water was a start. Make stuff like that be totally random.

And the most important thing - cast for interesting people, not pretty people. I co-sign the no partners, exes, relatives, etc.

[PowerOfK]

Mess with them. A lot. Losing cots and hot water was a start. Make stuff like that be totally random.

Or, better yet - while the live feeds are running, have a chat room devoted just to messing with the houseguests, with producers randomly selecting two suggestions per hour to mess with them. It'd drive the houseguests nuts.

And the most important thing - cast for interesting people, not pretty people. I co-sign the no partners, exes, relatives, etc.

I agree whole-heartedly. Suspended reality shows seem to think that people tune in to see pretty people. Nah... Janelle and Will aren't fun to watch cuz they're pretty (though they both are attractive people)... they're fun to watch because of Will's manipulation and Janelle just being Janelle. So-called twists for partners, exes, relatives don't work because there ends up being people on the show that don't want to be there, while people who do want to be there (you'd have to be nuts to want to be on BB anyway) don't get a chance to be on. Even worse, the players introduced due to the twist are usually bad players (except for Nakomis... of course, in her case, the person that she was the twist for was the worst player to ever reach the final two)

[MarchingOcelot]

I've said it elsewhere, but:

Asexuals. A cast full of them, if possible.

[Roy]

I agree whole-heartedly. Suspended reality shows seem to think that people tune in to see pretty people. Nah... Janelle and Will aren't fun to watch cuz they're pretty (though they both are attractive people)... they're fun to watch because of Will's manipulation and Janelle just being Janelle.

I think another reason is because in most cases, prettiness tends to fade due to familiarity. After a couple weeks, you don't even really pay attention to how someone looks.

[pablito]

Actually follow through on penalty noms for a change. Get some more sensitive microphones so they can't get away with the whispering BS. I'm paying to hear them, dammit!

Or do what some international BBs have done before. Subtract money from the jackpot for every single infraction made. "Erika put on your microphone, that's another $50 taken from the jackpot." It'll keep them in line and it will make others a bit angrier at people who keep breaking the rules. Then they can also start with a higher jackpot without actually raising the budget.

[Ananayel]

Or, better yet - while the live feeds are running, have a chat room devoted just to messing with the houseguests, with producers randomly selecting two suggestions per hour to mess with them. It'd drive the houseguests nuts.

Oh, excellent!

BB should be in control of all light fixtures in the house. They shouldn't have to announce that the lights should remain on during the day. Run them from the control room.

At random times, and on random nights, have the audience-created wake-up calls played, where they all have to run to the living room or outside and complete a task before being allowed to go back to sleep. BB should allow them to go back to sleep after each one (i.e. not have them every 15 or 30 minutes,) so no more trying to beat the system by drinking red bull and staying up.

Set up a "solitary" room, either as a punishment for BB infractions such as singing, talking about non-release-signers, talking about splitting the money, damaging items, etc. or as a punishment for coming in last in a competition.

Also: mimes.

Edited by Ananayel, Sep 6, 2006 @ 8:50 PM.

[pablito]

Considering how completely unsatisfying to the viewing public the last 5 season finales (plus the first) have been - the game needs to be radically changed. I say that the F3 50/50 guess the quote game is the first thing to go, but I think the voting system needs to go as well. Either go to international rules, or at the least let America be an extra vote each week. Putting the game back into the hands of the viewers will allow more satisfying results.

I'll second the motion for more mimes.

[MarchingOcelot]

Since it appears that there actually will be another season, I think some of these should be put into place immediately.

Replace the food competition with something else. If I have to hear the hamsters complain and weep for a whole 'nother summer, I want it to be about something. Possibly beds filled with sea urchins if they lose the competition?

[Ananayel]

They need to tinker with the schedule so that it gets down to F2 on Tuesday, and the winner is declared on Thursday. Or Sunday/Tuesday. Five days of two bored people who may or may not be likeable, entertaining, or interesting with nothing to do but sleep and rehash is just pointless.

Beds filled with sea urchins is good. Maybe for a food competition, each person "wins" a card with only one food on it, some good some bad (unknown which until it's over,) and can only eat that food for a day. And they should quit making them win or beg for alcohol. Drunk hammies is the main reason for having the feeds.

ETA: Also, I'm kind of hacked off that they didn't start the jury questioning until very late east coast time yesterday, so the only way east coasters could watch the aftermath was to stay up all night. They can definitely do that much earlier in the day, since that's the only blasted reason to keep the feeds before the finale.

Maybe a giant wish would be for them to move the BB house to NY, so that east coasters can feed-watch more easily and with less schedule disruption. West coasters will be three hours ahead, rather than behind, so it will be easier on them. I'll bet more people would subscribe to the feeds if they knew they could see the good stuff without losing sleep or disrupting their lives work and school related. I have to be at work at 8am, so I really don't feel like I got my money's worth out of the feeds.

Edited by Ananayel, Sep 10, 2006 @ 11:45 AM.

[Seesea]

What I would change about BB would be to make the prize bigger, the stakes higher. Seriously, 500K isn't a large enough bounty for being in the BB house for 3 months.

Disappear the food comps and make the HOH, Veto comps tough as nails. PB&J...slop..... who cares.

The trivia competions are a joke. Get rid of them. Make all competitions both physical and mental and wean out the weaker players.

All Stars was not all stars. CBS needs to get some balls and not cave in to the demands of their 'big viewer player demands". If CBS had really played ALL Stars do you think Mike Booogie would have been in there? I am sure they are crapping their pants because the worst players went F2 and not many people gave a crap.

I agree with other posters that speeding up of veto/hoh is better. Two days a week would be better.

[Petunia]

I'd like to see some random competitions, where anyone can win, based purely on luck, and I'd like to see some instant nominations, penalty nominations, and on-the-spot nominations and evictions. The houseguests shouldn't always know what's coming next.

[BK1978]

I understand that the HOH comps have to be quick because it is a live show and thus they have to fit them in within the last few minutes of the show (with the exception of the endurance challenge which happens midway in every season).

My suggestion is to do away with having the HOH decided within the last few minutes of the eviction show. Have it carry over to the next show (much like they do with the midseason endurance challege). That way the non feed viewers would have to wait and see who won the HOH and there would be at least a little suspense. Then they could get rid of the stupid trivia HOH comps. Expand the backyard so they can set up more Survivor like HOH comps (There is a good chance that might not be possible being that they film on a studio lot).

Also, bring back the luxury comps. Have them once every week. However, have them mean something. Every season they have the houseguests move into the house in groups of four (I believe that to be true someone correct me if I am wrong) and they decide which room they will live in. To mess with them have only one room besides the HOH room have beds in them. Have one room with just cots and another with no beds at all. They have to sleep on the floor in sleeping bags. And the people in the cot room and the no bed room have to take part in a luxury comp with the prize being beds.

As it has been said previously, make the veto something that can not always be won (like that one season that the did it).

[paganstar]

Disappear the food comps and make the HOH, Veto comps tough as nails. PB&J...slop..... who cares.

I second this. Slop, please it's disgustingly bland, lumpy oatmeal with out any flavor and everyone has probably figured it out by now. Ditch the food crap, its run its course.

[dantsea]

I'd love to see some of the tactics borrowed from International versions, especially Australia. This year, they started the show by telling houseguests the grand prize was a big fat nothing. Zero. The actual amount of prize money would be determined by tasks the HGs complete successfully. And as Big Brother giveth, Big Brother would taketh away for penalties as described previously.

And then there was the psychological warfare:

First they kicked all the HGs out of the house and forced them to live in the yard for four or five days. Primitive food and living conditions, with only a bucket of water for washup.

While this was going on, BB selected HGs to go to the "Ice Room," making a big production of getting them dressed up in heavy coats and other severe weather gear and then vanishing to do some repetitive task for a couple of hours every day. In reality, the Ice Room was a luxury room with games, catered food, etc. -- and they weren't allowed to tell the other HGs what was really going on, had to keep up the illusion.

And then one day while the selected hamsters are in the Ice Room the outside monitors come to life, showing the HGs huddled in the yard exactly what was going on, with BB telling them if they keep quiet, they'll win their own luxury prize.

Maybe it all was anti-climactic, I don't know. I had to go home before finding out what happened. But damn, there was more activity and imagination put into this one scenario than used in all BBUS competitions last year! I'd love to see them mess with the HGs heads like this at least once or twice this year.

[teeracey]

1) DO NOT LET AMERICA INTERVENE. In no shape or form. This AP thing is INCREDIBLY unfair to Eric and his gameplay. Plus, we vote for his eviction vote, and if it's close, it can get someone evicted who is playing a great game, but is hated by America. BB is not a popularity contest for America. We decide their post BB fame, the houseguests decide their popularity in the house by their actions/personality. Leave it that way.
2) Four feeds on the internet. There is never more than 2 different conversations at a time, despite having 4 feeds to watch.
3) Punish them when they break the rules. On the feeds they cut away, as there are many thing HG cannot say. This makes it incredibly har dto watch if they continually sing, or talk about people who did not sign waivers.
4) Leave more time for HOH competitions so it is not a "who can guess they best in the time granted."
5) TAKE AWAY SLOP/PBJ. Oh haha it's so terrible yada yada yada. Yes, we get it. Feed watchers do not enjoy slovenly HG laying around sleeping/complaining. Make food comps like this week's, they play for which food items they win.
6) Unlimited booze. Seriously. They usually only give enough for each person to have about 2 beers. How is there supposed to be drunken drama?
7) Less flashback. It's on 3 times a week, I didn't forget. There are HOURS of hilarious/intense footage that could be used.