Big Brother Reindeer Games is a delightful Christmas surprise. I, and many, didn’t have high expectations for this new show. But, it has delivered so much entertainment and enthusiasm in a few episodes. I haven’t been this happy to watch Big Brother episodes in years. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am a Big Brother purist. I don’t think Big Brother Reindeer Games should replace the original format. We need the Live Feeds. However, I do think this special spin-off series could teach Big Brother 26 a few tricks.
It’s not too early for the Big Brother 26 team to start mapping out the season. And Big Brother Reindeer Games is a good place to start for ideas and tweaks to the show. The new series could help improve things for Big Brother 26. And having Santa Claus hanging around isn't one of these improvements.
Use More Equitable Competitions
Big Brother 25 caused me a lot of headaches as a fan, especially because most of the challenges didn’t account for the fact that Cirie Fields and Felicia Cannon are in their 50s and 60s. This made it hard for the former Big Brother friends to protect themselves with competition wins. These comps favored 20 and 30-something male contestants (and Bowie Jane occasionally). It almost felt like the Big Brother production team didn’t know how to make more competitions fair and equal for all ages and physicalities.
Then Reindeer Games happened and made it clear that the Big Brother production team had many competition ideas that leveled the game. From what we've seen so far, it seems like anyone can win the Reindeer Games competitions. This has led to very unpredictable results. It also increased the tension and made Big Brother suspenseful again. Big Brother 25 became very predictable because you could just assume Jag Bains would win at least one of the competitions that week. Reindeer Games has a few contestants who won a lot of competitions during their seasons, but because the competitions are more equal, past competition domination means nothing.
Refresh Preexisting Competitions
It’s been 25 seasons, it’s time for some competition makeovers. If Big Brother wants to keep some of the annual ones and classic comps, then change things up. A reinvention of past competitions not only makes the experience more entertaining from a viewer’s perspective but it stops the houseguests from preplanning. This leads to more unpredictable outcomes.
Reindeer Games doesn’t necessarily have new competitions. They’re usually reworked and reinvented older ones, or ones seen on other reality TV shows, but they feel new and exciting. That’s what matters. The show’s ability to revamp things adds more energy to the season. It would make us more excited to watch them play out, live or on the episodes.
Find A Dynamic Cast
Since CBS committed to more ethnic and racial diversity (the 50 percent rule), the casts have been refreshing. However, the casting team still seems to lack an abundance of dynamic personalities. The best part about Big Brother Reindeer Games is the cast full of Big Brother former contestants who have personalities. They deliver entertainment.
Even Big Brother contestants I didn’t love during their initial season (or repeat returns), I am enjoying on Reindeer Games. They know their roles. Additionally, some contestants enter with baggage from previous seasons and real-life drama. It adds a layer of high stakes. It also makes me miss when Big Brother had casting twists such as enemies and exes. Big Brother needs to bring preexisting drama back to the game.
Some could argue that the reason the Reindeer Games cast has been so entertaining is that they haven’t had the stress of living together. And maybe, but I think it’s because the chosen contestants bring interesting personalities, histories, and stories to the show. Big Brother 26 needs to focus on finding the next Britney Haynes, or at least someone with at least two percent of her charm and comedic skills.
Make The Minutes On The Episodes Count
Big Brother Reindeer Games only has six episodes to tell a compelling story. It also only has about 90 to 120 minutes per episode to tell a complete arc. There is very little time for filler. This means that the editing team focuses on telling the most important storylines of the day. Modern Big Brother loves a filler segment.
As someone who watches a lot of Big Brother Live Feeds, I know that many interesting hours and details don’t make the episodes. Things are far more entertaining and fascinating than the majority of the filler segments. Big Brother 26 should use fewer filler segments and focus on filling the episode with the most important and captivating details.
Tell More Well-Rounded Stories
Reindeer Games focuses on strategy, personal connections, and competitions. In a show so heavily competition-based, I didn’t expect any strategizing. This spin-off special has a lot of it. Additionally, it still gives the competitions their spotlight and emphasizes the personal connections that happened outside of the show.
No spoilers but the Santa’s Showdown competition from episode three is the most captivated I’ve been by a competition in many seasons. I was hooked and on the edge of my seat. I had the same level of adrenaline I get from double evictions. I usually know the winners of each competition before watching the episodes during regular Big Brother because of the Live Feeds. However, I still credit the editors for the way they stitched together this episode to make the competitions, the strategizing, and the personal elements so interesting.
I was in tears right along with the contestants at the end of Big Brother Reindeer Games episode three. Big Brother 26 could make compelling television if it revamps the way the stories are told in each episode.
A Better Balance Of Silly And Serious
Big Brother 25 went to new levels of silliness. It felt like watching a Nickelodeon competition show each week. Reindeer Games is a silly show in general. The contestants wear the most ridiculous Christmas outfits in each episode and that’s a pretty big indicator that it’s not a serious series. However, Reindeer Games has a better balance of silly and serious.
You have these silly competitions, outfits, and season-long arc of helping Santa, but then you have people begging not to leave because they want the $100,000. It also pulls on the heart because you know these contestants from years of watching Big Brother. Big Brother 26 needs to focus less on silliness and more on gripping reality TV. It doesn’t have to completely stray from the silly but balance it better. Make me laugh and cry within a single hour.
Dare To Experiment
Big Brother Over the Top is one of my favorite Big Brother shows. It was an all-access version. Reindeer Games is Big Brother but accelerated and Christmas-themed. Over the Top and Reindeer Games experiment with the format and succeed.
This proves to me that Big Brother 26 can play around with its format more and it might work out well. This season could be as entertaining and compelling as Big Brother Over the Top and Reindeer Games. What the experiment in format looks like could even just be small changes, such as more competitions shown on the feeds. This gives subscribers the same adrenaline we get from watching double evictions and Reindeer Games competitions.
There are plenty of small tweaks to the format that could change the show for the better.
Shorter Seasons
Big Brother often starts exciting. However, once the viewers and contestants reach Day 90 or 100, we’re all exhausted. The passion is gone. I am someone who thinks Big Brother needs to start doing 60-70-day seasons. Big Brother Canada does that and it works perfectly for everyone. If CBS still wants Big Brother airing for 90-100 days on the feeds and television, do two short seasons, similar to Survivor.
Reindeer Games only has two weeks of gameplay and it has refreshed the show. I know when it ends, I will want more. I rarely have that feeling when a normal Big Brother season ends, and that’s because it goes on for too long. Shorter seasons keep the passion alive.
Big Brother Reindeer Games has truly been revitalizing, and it restored some of my love for the silly reality TV show. Even if Reindeer Games only has one season, the Big Brother producers can learn a lot of positive things from this experiment.
