Back in the House: Big Brother 22 Returns With Plenty of Familiar Faces
It's that time of year again. Big Brother 22 is on the air and we have an All-Stars season to help pass the time during this pandemic. Last season, I wrote up weekly power rankings that appeared here on the website, and by the time we reached the end of the season, we were lucky enough to interview a former winner in Derrick, which you can listen to right here.
The power rankings will come back this year, don't get me wrong. But since Wednesday's premiere was more of an introduction with a HOH competition thrown in at the end, I'll instead write a few words on each of the houseguests this year so that our new Big Brother fans can get some more info. We will go in alphabetical order for this one.
Bayleigh (BB20, 11th place): While Bayleigh may not have come close to winning the game two years ago, she found her man in Swaggy C on the show, one of many couples to stay together post-Showmance. (Side note: Julie said on Wednesday that BB may have more married couples than the Bachelor, and I think that may honestly be true. If not, very close). Anyways, she definitely can provide some fireworks again this season, especially considering that Tyler is back in the house as well. Look for her to play a major role on the social side.
Christmas (BB19, 3rd place): Alright, I'll cut straight to the point. I don't believe that Christmas is an All-Star. Sure, she made it to final night three years ago, which is still impressive. But I tweeted during the show that her season was probably the worst in the history of the show and I stand by that. Paul ran every move, and it just wasn't compelling television. I am looking forward to seeing Christmas without a lower body injury this season, as she definitely has what it takes to be a beast in the physical comps.
Cody (BB16, 2nd place): We mentioned Derrick above, but there is no chance that he would have won the game without his right-hand man in Cody. Luckily, we get to watch this half of The Hitmen back in action this year. That duo is up there with one of the best BB alliances ever, but it was actually Cody's loyalty that costed him the $500K after deciding to take Derrick to the end instead of Victoria (one of the worst players ever, btw. Shoutout Weston, FL though!). Cody is the first HOH of the summer, so look for him to make a move that will get as little blood on his hands as possible, which will be tough to do. I expect him to be an early target after he loses this power.
Dani (BB8, 2nd place, BB13, 8th place): Big Brother 8 was the first season I ever watched, so Dani's relationship with her dad, the one and only Evel Dick, is one of the first BB storylines I remember. It's been nearly 10 years since Dani has played this game, but she is one of my picks to win it all. This will be her first time ever playing without Dick, but her comp stats show that she is a very good competitor (4 HOH wins, 5 POV wins).
David (BB21, 16th place): Similar to Christmas, I think a lot of people were surprised to see David on an All-Star roster. He was booted on night one last season, and then eventually made it back in the house via Camp Comeback. (I think any twist that includes evicting someone on night one is bullshit). Anyways, the one thing I remember from him re-entering the house was him correctly sniffing out who was working with who after a short time of being back in. He definitely has the ability to fly under the radar for a little bit.
Da'Vonne (BB17, 16th place, BB18, 11th place): Da'Vonne is another houseguest who may not have the flashy numbers or wins in her past, but she is definitely one of the most well-liked houseguests this season. Also, a fun fact, she is featured in a very popular meme you've seen on Twitter over the last few years:
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Enzo (BB12, 3rd place): The Meow Meow is back! The Brigade is one of my favorite alliances in the history of the show and I am psyched that we get another season of Enzo. A decade ago, he was not a comp beast by any means, but he was very, very, likable. It's hard to find someone who truly disliked Enzo, and I really hope he makes an impact once again this season.
Ian (BB14, Winner): Speaking of likable people, Ian from The Quack Pack is back. He is one of two winners to return this year and comes from a very memorable season as well. He is known for taking down his mentor, Mike Boogie, in the early stages of BB14, in addition to surviving "Dan's Funeral," which, by the way, is the most iconic BB moment in the history of the show in my eyes. It'll be fun to see the Physics teacher back at it this year.
Janelle (BB6, 3rd place, BB7, 3rd place, BB14, 12th place): Janelle is probably one of the best Big Brother houseguests to have never won the game. She returns to the house for a FOURTH time, hoping that this is the one where she can break through. I wouldn't be surprised to see her become an early target, as she is one of the people you think of when Big Brother comes to mind. But I also think a lot of people may want to work with her for that same exact reason.
Kaysar (BB6, 10th place, BB7, 10th place): As I mentioned above, I did not start watching until BB8, so I'm not as familiar with Kaysar. But being voted back into the game by the fans and also being a part of the first All-Star season certainly holds some weight. If there is a power where fans have a voting influence down the line, don't be shocked to see him get it.
Keesha (BB10, 4th place): Another one who was very close to the end in her season and is coming back to flip the script. Keesha won America's Favorite Houseguest on BB10, so she didn't walk away empty-handed. If this season takes a "Old School vs. New School" approach, similar to what we saw with Survivor, she'll have to be on her toes.
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Kevin (BB11, 3rd place): Kevin is another houseguest who made it to finale night during his original season, but couldn't pull through in the end. He is one of few contestants this year to not have someone he played with before in the house, so he'll definitely have to rely on his social game early on.
Memphis (BB10, 2nd place): Back in BB10, Memphis was a member of another elite duo. "The Renegades" with Dan will also go down as one of the top pairs the show has ever seen, but similar to Cody, Memphis will have to play this game without the legend himself, Dan Gheesling.
Nicole A. (BB21, 3rd place): America's Favorite from last season is back in action for the second straight summer. She fell just shy of making the final two a year ago, so I wouldn't be surprised to see her play a little more on the aggressive side this year to try and make a big resume.
Nicole F. (BB16, 7th place, BB18, Winner): After becoming a casualty of The Hitmen in BB16, Nicole came back two years later and won it all. As a former winner, I wouldn't be surprised to see her have an early target on her back.
Tyler (BB20, 2nd place): In my eyes, Tyler is also up there for the greatest showings without winning. Most of the time, he was on the right side of all the big moves, but in the end, he may have gotten too much blood on his hands, allowing Kaycee to win. If he makes it past the first few weeks, look out.
So, the pieces are there for what should be an incredible season. The first set of power rankings will come out next week after the first eviction, but for now, I like Dani, Nicole A., and Ian to have really good chances of winning. Who are your picks? We'll see you next week.
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PS: These blogs will ALWAYS be spoiler-free. I realize a lot of you watch the feeds and like to know winners/noms before the episodes air, but I won't give away any of that on here. Enjoy the season.