CITY BOY GEEKINESS

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LET'S CONNECT
A Gremlin is gone and the game is coming down to the wire. Two words come to mind when talking about the latest evicted houseguest: wasted potential. Many ranked her as a potential win but the game has a funny way of changing people. Some thrive while others retreat inward and lack the spark that initially got them cast on the show in the first place. This houseguest was simply there.

The tenth person evicted and third jury member was Rachelle Diamond, the 20 year old student from Edmonton.

Let's Meet Rachelle...

Rachelle is the spunky and reserved fan who loved yoga and goofing around with Sabrina. Rachelle floated through much of the earlier game; she hide in the background to avoid the target and spent much of her time gossiping with the girls. When she won Head of Household (HOH) in Week #4, she had the chance to make a big move but instead allowed her friend Sabrina to controlled the nominations and ultimately caused Ika to be evicted. Rachelle sat in the sidelines for much of the game playing as an extra vote for the First Five or a powerless enemy with the Gremlins. When Adel won HOH and made it his mission to evict a Gremlin, Rachelle stood out as a bigger threat compared to her ally. On Day 57, she was evicted by a vote of 3-0.

Why Did She Lose?

The game became too much for Rachelle. To survive in an atmosphere like Big Brother, a person needs to be in constant game mode whether it's competing in a challenge or simply living in the house. Rachelle was content to just enjoy the experience and allowed her friend to carry her from one alliance to the next. She never actually made a move on her own or tried to connect with a majority of the house. There were two opportunities Rachelle had to change the game: (i) when she won HOH and (ii) when it came time to evict either Arlie or Adel. Her alliance chose the easier option with Arlie and that choice came back to hurt her as Adel was the HOH that started her eviction week. Lack of game moves and a bad eviction vote sealed her inevitable fate.

How Could She Stay?

If Rachelle could go back and change one move, she should have saved Arlie and evicted Adel. That choice caused a snowball effect that caused her eviction and Allison's as well. Arlie would have been the bigger target and in a new four person alliance, the Gremlins with Allison and Arlie could have done well. Since that wasn't an option, Rachelle should have pushed further with Neda about targeting the boys. Adel and Jon are serious threats in the house and without any real opportunities to evict either of them, they could work together to reach the end. Rachelle needed to really start playing the game.

Last Thoughts...

I had high hopes for Rachelle early on. Her pre-show interviews made it seem like she had a lot of potential and could create the relationships to dominate the game. Unfortunately for her, the house eliminated any presence she had and Rachelle simply became an extra vote in the game. The game does funny things and while some can thrive in this paranoid existence, Rachelle became another example of someone casting didn't translate to the live show. That's not to say she's isn't a great person - Rachelle seems nice and fun but I wish we got to see more from her during her time this season.
Instant eviction. Two words that drive fear in both the houseguests and the rest of Canada (well...fans of the show). It comes at a moment notice and at the end of 30 minutes, one houseguest is sent packing out the door. No campaigning, no Power of Veto (POV), no real chance to save themselves - it's just over and it's very uncomfortable to watch. The latest houseguest to be evicted came into the house without an audience and is leaving to no one. Ouch.

The ninth person evicted and second jury member is Allison White, the 25 year old registered nurse from St. John's.

Let's Meet Allison...

Allison is the mysterious yet outgoing and confusing super-fan who got voted into the house from the War Room twist. After spending a week with Nate and Scott campaigning for votes, Canada voted her into the house in the third week to play the game. She immediately sparked discussions between fans and houseguests: she started a showmance with Andrew (who was not well-liked by Canada), she came in under mysterious circumstances, and Kenny feared she knew his secret since they had a mutual friend. After her safety week was over, she was nominated for eviction but won the POV to save herself. She got nominated yet again the following week but this time, she flipped from the First Five side to join the Sloppy Seconds to save herself. Allison found the Secret POV and decided to save Sabrina in Week 7, but this caused Neda to distrust her and when Neda won Head of Household (HOH) during the instant eviction, Allison became the target. On Day 51, she was evicted by a vote of 4-0.

Why Did She Lose?

Super-fan status is a scary title as it clouds the mind and cause houseguests to make confusing decisions. Upon entering the game, Allison make quick friendships with the powerful First Five alliance but specifically Andrew and Sabrina - the most disliked by Canada and a showmance with the man she wanted to target. After they were revealed to be nominated, she didn't distance herself from them but kept wanting to play with them. She finally got a chance to join a real alliance with the Sloppy Seconds, but she was ready to turn on them to make a power move and work with the Gremlins. Playing both sides of the house can only take a houseguest so far and Allison would never commit. Neda couldn't trust her as Allison never gave her a reason to and it ruined her game in the end. 

How Could She Stay?

Allison made two big flaws (maybe more but I'll focus on two). Allison was trying to play both sides, even when she had sided with the Sloppy Seconds for the last two evictions. Neda couldn't trust her because Allison wanted to work with the Gremlins and secretly target Jon and Neda. If she had made a decision early on to make a girls alliance with Neda and Heather instead of the Gremlins, it could have changed her place in the game. The Gremlins/First Five had no power left in the house and she needed to focus on strategic moves instead of emotional ones. Neda and Heather would have protected her if they could have trusted her. She shouldn't have used the Secret POV to save Sabrina! I get wanting to make a "big move" but if you don't in the end and just wanted to use a power, it can destroy trust and that's what it did.

Also, the most obvious move would have been to keep Arlie around. If Arlie had stayed, the HOH competition would be four competing against two and in the chance that Neda still won, Arlie would still be the target. Allison and the Gremlins should have saved Arlie.

Last Thoughts...

I liked Allison, even with her confusing gameplay. Coming into the game later on and under mysterious circumstances already put her at a disadvantage. No one could really trust her and she had a cloud of mystery surrounding her at every moment. I wish she played like she had planned: Allison wanted to shake things up, make big moves and play without emotion. Obviously that changed! Still...I thought she was entertaining and I would love to see how she would play the game starting on even ground like everyone else. I think the outcome would be different and some fans would be less antagonistic toward her if she hadn't made the desperate and emotional moves she did.
Playing both sides of the house against each other is a tricky scenario to hold. Each side tries to stay on top by winning challenges to hold power and manipulating weaker players to do all the dirty work. However, if you're ready to jump ship and mastermind a coup, you need to be prepared when the biggest threats (and former allies) get evicted as you might be the bigger threat still in the game. The most recent evicted houseguest got a little too comfortable after he caused the downfall of his own powerful alliance.

The eighth person evicted and first jury member was Arlie Shaban, the 25 year old from Stouffville.

Let's Meet Arlie...

Arlie is the wacky and clothing-optional houseguest who served as a double-agent within the First Five alliance. While he only won one competition in the house, a Power of Veto (POV) challenge, Arlie cemented his place in the house with his strong personal connections, likeability and devious plots. He enjoyed protection for the first few weeks as the First Five alliance was dominating the game, but he started to plant the seeds on the other side to create a new alliance for the time came. During the double eviction week, Heather won Head of Household (HOH) and the other side finally earned some power to make a big move against First Five. Arlie (as well as Allison) switched sides to join Neda, Jon, Adel and Heather to create the Sloppy Seconds and destroy the First Five. When two big threats and former allies Sarah and Kenny left, his alliance turn on him and sent him packing the following week. On Day 50, he was evicted by a vote of 5-0.

Why Did He Lose?

Trust is a big factor in Big Brother and Arlie could not be trusted. He was always concocting new plan, he would turn on someone without emotion, and he proved that he could be a serious threat. Being a part of the First Five alliance gave Arlie power and security but by helping to create the Sloppy Seconds alliance, he inadvertently created the chain of events that led to his downfall. He evicted two allies who would have kept him around (Sarah & Kenny) and when his alliance turned on him, he had no one left who had his back. Jon nominated him, Adel was on the block next to him and Neda/Heather wanted him gone. His only hope were Allison and the Gremlins (Rachelle and Sabrina) but they couldn't trust him in the end, even though they originally plotted to keep him - he was too much of a threat.

How Could He Stay?

The First Five alliance was dead by the time Arlie got evicted, but he could have played the last two weeks differently. Instead of campaigning to put Sarah on the block, he should have campaigned for Rachelle or Sabrina to go. Sarah would've protected him since they were close friends and keeping a bigger threat around diverts attention. If Sarah had left and he was gone, he should have built confidence and trust with Allison and the Gremlins. Adel was clearly signing with Jon, Neda and Heather regardless of what he said. He should have continually pushed that he was on their side and it would be their detriment to keep Adel around.

Last Thoughts...

Arlie was a character, in more ways than one. He openly admits that the "character" he played in the game isn't the same as how he is in real life - it was a fun show but I like when houseguests are genuine. His ego got a little too big before he got blindsided and even he was shocked that the house flipped without his knowledge. I was say this though, Arlie did cause a huge shockwave that changed the latter half of the season. Canada may have made the first crack at the First Five alliance, but Arlie's meddling planted the seeds that caused a new alliance to be form.
Double evictions have a way of evicting threats without the benefit of campaigning. What normally is a week of swaying people to their side, houseguests are forced to adapt to ever-changing events in the span of an hour. Normally the luck of double-evictions swing the power to different sides of the house, evicting major threats of both sides but this week, the First Five suffered two major blows that all but destroyed the once powerful alliance.

The seventh person evicted was Kenny Brain, the 25 year old model from Montreal.

Let's Meet Kenny...

Kenny is the bearded physical threat who kept his sexuality hidden for most of the season. He was a founding member of the First Five alliance and dominated in the Power of Veto (POV) competitions with two wins. He, along with his alliance, controlled much of the first four eviction by manipulating the other houseguests into evicting Anick, Kyle, Paul and Ika. Once Canada became Head of Household (HOH) and nominated two First Five members (Andrew and Sabrina), Kenny's game imploded. The other side of the house gained power which sent his closest ally Sarah home and after it was revealed to be a double eviction, Kenny soon followed. On Day 43, he was evicted by a vote of 5-1.


Why Did He Lose?

Kenny may have been a physical threat but he was too overconfident. The First Five was dominating the game and he was acting the part; if it had not been for Canada's involvement, he may still be in the house and running the season. Power shifted to the other side and soon he was forced to campaign to the likes of Heather and Neda to stay in. His physical prowess made him a threat and being on the competing alliance didn't help.

How Could He Stay?

Strategic campaigning was Kenny's best option. His old alliance was all but dead; he needed a new foothold in the game to survive the next few weeks. Sarah was leaving and he could have spoken to the likes of Jon, Adel or Neda to work out some new better options to stay in. Also, if he had created a few back-up alliances with the other side when the First Five were still in power, he wouldn't have had to worry once both Andrew and Sarah left.

Last Thoughts...

The game can change at a moment's notice and Kenny's game imploded with a simple twist. At the beginning of the season, I was pretty sure that he would be in the finals (or final three/near the end) but now he's out before jury. In any typical season of Big Brother, Kenny would be the type of houseguest who could dominate challenges and win over other houseguests with his personality. However, he fell into the same trap that others have experienced: he controlled too much power early on. Canada loves an underdog story and the First Five alliance had too much power that it was getting to their heads. The other side of the house didn't want to wait around to be picked off and by winning a few HOH competitions, Kenny soon found his way out the door.
Alliances, especially in duos, can make or break a houseguest's game. Power is in the numbers and while large groups of people together can hold a voting block for a majority, many fear the power of a close duo as ultimately only two people are sitting together at the end. This recent evicted houseguest couldn't shake the image of her obvious alliance and it sent her packing.

The sixth person evicted was Sarah "Mumsie" Miller, the 32 year old mortgage broker from Langley.


Let's Meet Sarah...

Sarah is the kind-hearted and emotional house mother who was a member of the First Five alliance. She enjoyed the power and security of being in the dominant alliance; which ensured her safety for the first few weeks and she didn't have to make any obvious moves. However, in the third week, she sided with the First Five's plan to secretly evict Paul instead of Heather - this move outed Sarah's allegiance to another alliance, compared to the girls alliance. When Canada was Head of Household (HOH) in week five, the First Five suffered their first loss with Andrew's eviction and when plans were set to evict Kenny, Sarah's closest ally, Sarah was placed on the block when Kenny won the Power of Veto (POV). On Day 43, she was evicted by a vote of 4-3.

Why Did She Lose?

Loyalty can take you far in Big Brother but it can also be a detriment. Beyond the First Five as a whole, Sarah was fiercely loyal to a few people in the house, namely Kenny, Arlie and Jon (in a way). Andrew, one of the biggest house targets, was sent packing the week prior and soon attention shifted to the next major threat: Kenny. The Kenny/Sarah friendship couldn't hide their strong bond; they were always hanging out together, talked about being fiercely loyal and overtly showed their affection toward each other - Kenny even came out to Sarah first! Her other alliances couldn't deny their bond and when Kenny won the POV, a target needed to be the replacement and the only way to strike against Kenny was to evict his closest ally. Sarah was a powerful threat and while she wasn't a huge challenge threat, her house likeability and bond with Kenny was too dangerous to keep around.

How Could She Stay?

Sarah's bond made it impossible to hide her threat status. She had a good thing going with Arlie and was starting to build trust with Neda. If she had continued to push Neda on how she could be helpful and drifted away from Kenny for the next few days, it would have helped to divert attention away from that bond. Also Allison, who was on the nomination block next to her, was a known floater that liked the Gremlins (Sabrina and Rachelle). Sarah could have used this fact and positioned Allison as untrustworthy since the Gremlins were known floaters that would float to the power and having her around made her unpredictable.

Last Thoughts...

I liked Mumsie. She was sweet, funny, and genuinely wanted to play the game. The First Five alliance had their problems but Sarah was a nice person who I wished would have made it to jury. Unfortunately, she didn't have the devious or manipulative edge that would have helped in a game like Big Brother. If she were to ever play again, she wouldn't be as emotional or get emotionally tied to people. It was her downfall and it's not the first time (nor the last) where emotions have destroyed a game.
Oh how the mighty have fallen. The reigning power alliance has fractured and now the hamsters are scurrying around to flip the house. As compared to other reality shows like Survivor or The Amazing Race, Big Brother is a game where power can easily shift by someone new winning Head of Household (HOH). When one person has all the power, numbers can instantly mean nothing if two alliance members are placed on the block. Canada was this week's HOH and the nation made the first strike against the First Five.

The fifth person evicted was Andrew Gordon, the 27 year old restaurant manager from Calgary.

Let's Meet Andrew...

Andrew is the abrasive and powerful member of the First Five alliance. In the first week of the season, he was targeted by HOH Paul but won the Power of Veto (POV) to pull himself off the block. Luck was on his side as his alliance dominated the next few weeks. The First Five pulled in two new members (Rachelle and Andrew's showmance, Allison), he won HOH in the second week and the group evicted threats like Kyle, Paul and Ika. Once Canada became HOH and made the nominations, Andrew - not particularly liked by the country - was placed on the block next to ally Sabrina. On Day 36, he was evicted by a vote of 7-2.

Why Did He Lose? 

Canada may have nominated him but Andrew's days were numbered regardless. He was part of the most powerful alliance (the First Five), the strongest duo (Kenny & Andrew), and had the only showmance this season with Allison. If he had a physical target on his back showing, he wouldn't have been able to fit it inside a room. Attention was brought his way and nothing could have shifted the focus on someone else. Besides, couple that with his terrible attitude, derogatory comments and egotistical tendencies, the houseguests were happy to get rid of him sooner rather than later.

How Could He Stay?

The most obvious answer is the simple one: campaign! The second he found out Canada nominated him, he let the news go to his head and he gave up, accepting his fate to let Sabrina stay. Andrew should have campaigned harder, pulled his alliances together and found a way to convince the house that Sabrina was more of a threat than he was. Giving up put the final nail on his coffin.

Last Thoughts...

Andrew was in a power position and if it weren't for Canada holding the cards, he would still be in the house. Though, his days were certainly numbered and all the power kept going to Andrew's head. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. (A little Macbeth reference for you all!) He got lucky being part of the first five to enter the house; it created an alliance that assumed control but humility and being humble goes a long way. He's probably a nice guy and just assumed the role of leadership, taking the bullet for his alliance when the time came. Someone always has to fall first for the kingdom to crumble and this time it was him.