In a somewhat slow summer television season, Big Brother 8 has turned out to be a nice relief from the heat.
My wife and I are addicted to the program. So are a number of our friends and of course millions who not only watch the show but also contribute to web sites, bulletin boards, and blogs.
Though tedious at times this is basically TV done right. No re-runs or cutting room footage needed here. Just three one hour shows a week played out over a two-and-half month period.
The premise of 14 people all thrown into one house with no where else to go would be interesting to watch, even if no prize money were given away. But add a little eye candy, a father and daughter that haven’t spoken in two years, high school rivals, and embittered ex-partners, (each not knowing the other would be in the game), and $500,000 for the final winner, and you have the makings for some real fireworks.
Will Eric and Jessica’s romance blossom? Will Evil Dick finally do himself in and get voted out? Can Zach survive as an “under the radar” type player and will new alliances supersede old handshakes and whispers.
In the public relations world we like to study how people react in social situations and to different stimuli. Big Brother is a great read on human nature and survival, different and in many ways more compelling than the other CBS reality hit, “Survivor”.
It is much like a 24/7 focus group. You can subscribe to the non-stop web feeds via CBS or watch three extra hours a night, every night on Showtime.
My winning pick for this year is someone not big at all, five foot, six inch Eric. A young man who reveled in the fact he could outsmart and lead the “outing” of a 6 foot, 5 inch stud of a football player named Nick.
It goes to show that you don’t have to be large in stature to win a game whose first name is “Big”.