We are about halfway through Big Brother 27, and at this stage of the game, the endgame is starting to come into focus.
As is the case every season of Big Brother, the right amount of luck and strategy will get you far in the game, whether you’re a fan of the game living out your dream or a recruited player who’s trying to learn as you go.
However, there’s also a third kind of player: the often polarizing returning houseguests who return to play the game with varying results over the years.
I believe most Big Brother fans fall into two camps.
Some love the addition of past houseguests, and those who despise it, and it more than likely will depend on how you felt about the ways the houseguests played in past seasons.
Though not necessarily.
This season has seen the return of Rachel Reilly, who first played the game during Season 12 and returned during Big Brother Season 13 to win it.
Her addition to this current season has seen her outlast many first-time players, and it’s shown a different side of her gameplay, namely one that isn’t tied to her husband, Brandon Villegas, who played alongside her both times before.
I was never a big fan of Rachel’s gameplay when she first played, although Rachel was someone who played the game unapologetically, which is something you could say is lacking in some of the more recent seasons.
She was brash in the way she played, to the point where she would alienate other houseguests and fans, but you could never deny that she was a competent Big Brother player.
She used what she could to her advantage, and she’s one of only a handful of people who can say they won Big Brother. That’s something you can never take away from her.
Coming into this season, I was less than enthused to see her return, but I should have known better, because there’s something about returning players that has always ended up being something I can appreciate in the end.
A returning player will typically show you once and for all whether or not they’re a good player, and that alone can be a fun thing to follow throughout the season.
All returning players automatically have a target on their back for the sheer fact that most players will latch onto the fact that they already had their chance to play the game.
Their time has passed, and now it’s time for others to get the same opportunity they already had. A good returning player has to make early inroads to find a pathway to stay and subvert the thoughts that they don’t deserve a second or third chance.
Now, of course, there have been instances where returning players gain an advantage that significantly helps them establish those early connections (think Big Brother 19 with Paul Abrahamian and the friendship bracelets).
Still, you have to take advantage of a layup like that and manipulate those relationships to help you long term.
Much like Rachel, I was never a fan of Paul’s gameplay during his original season of Big Brother 18, but upon his return, it was interesting to see him change his perception and find a way to make it to the final two chairs two seasons in a row.
Much like Rachel, you can say what you want about the manner in which they got themselves to the end, but they did it, and A LOT of people who’ve played the game can not claim the same.
In general, I don’t mind seeing players return to the game, and, obviously, I’m partial to seeing players I’ve enjoyed come back again. However, even the ones I wasn’t a fan of can provide quality entertainment and reveal a new version of themselves within the new parameters of the game.
You’re seeing that now week in and week out with Rachel.
Yes, Big Brother always has the same rules at its core, and the endgame remains the same; however, the game has undergone drastic changes over the years due to various reasons.
But will she find a way to win again? That remains to be seen.
Still, her return has once again made the case that returning players are a chess piece that producers will always look to incorporate into the game because they make things more interesting.
Love her or not, Rachel is a central topic every single week and will continue to be so until she finds her way outside of the game, regardless of how people perceive her.
And that’s why returning players will be a staple of reality television shows forever.
If Rachel makes it to the finale night AGAIN, it will cement her place as a Big Brother great, or, for others, prove that returning players will always have an unfair edge.
But either way, it’ll be must-watch television.
So, Big Brother fans, what are your thoughts on returning players overall?
Are you a fan of seeing past players strive for a redemption arc?
Or do you prefer the game to involve only new players?
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to vote in the poll!
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