Big Brother Season 25 is headed toward the end, and the multiverse theme has provided a lot of entertainment, twists and turns. For all the fun I've had, however, there's one glaring problem with this season that is becoming more evident the closer we get to the big finale. Spoiler alert: it has nothing to do with Cirie Fields having an extra family member to aid her in the game or any Houseguest in particular. Instead, I'm what I'm talking about deals with the actual format of how this season played out.
There were many ways for Big Brother to make Season 25 feel like a landmark season, and the CBS series succeeded in propping it up with surprise reveals, former Houseguests and twists on iconic competitions. For all the fun that was though, it's all finite. One hundred days felt like a great idea at the time, but in execution, it's falling flat for me and standing out as the worst part of this season.
Big Brother Season 25 Is Way Longer Than Most Big Brother Seasons, And I'm Feeling It In A Bad Way
When it was first revealed that Big Brother Season 25 would be 100 days, I was thrilled. The standard season hovers around 80 to 85 days, so getting roughly twenty extra days of fun felt like a win. That's more time to watch Big Brother online with a Paramount+ subscription, and almost three more weeks of live feeds. What could possibly be bad about that?
Now, as we're around when a normal season would end, I see the error of my ways. Fans often talk about the commitment that Houseguests must have to stay in the game, but the same is true for dedicated viewers at home. I just don't have the same time in my day to watch the live feeds obsessively that I did during the summer. It's a grind to keep informed, and knowing there are still weeks ahead can feel disheartening at times.
I first joined the Big Brother fandom in Season 21, and at the end of every season since then, I've been eager for the start of another. In Season 25, I'm looking forward to a break, which has made me realize 100 days is just too much time for a standard season.
This is especially true given a rumor back in October from @BBGossip that CBS is planning for a shortened winter season of Big Brother featuring former alumni. I'd be over the moon to see my favorite former Houseguests compete, but I'm definitely going to need some time to decompress after this extra-long season. In short, I'm hoping that unconfirmed spinoff season isn't coming until late winter because I've about had my fill.
The Bonus Days Of Big Brother Season 25 Are Just Elongating The Worst Part Of The Game
Big Brother isn't always dull, but when it is, it's typically during the game's end stages. At that point, there's usually a final alliance running the game, the strategy and evictions are planned weeks out, and it's rare that anything unexpected happens. Season 25 hasn't been much of an exception so far, as Jag Bains' back-to-back Head of Household wins were a major advantage for him and Matt Klotz.
While dominant alliances with set game plans are a sign of good Big Brother strategy, it isn't entertaining to watch. Furthermore, the endgame is usually when everyone's cards are on the table, so there isn't much campaigning happening with targets, as they know where everyone stands. So then what exactly does someone watch during these bonus days?
For the most part, it's people living in the house and having normal conversations. Granted, there are some big moments that happen, but compared to the first and second months of the game, those moments are few and far between. Typically, this is the best time to use the rewind feature on the feeds to revisit anything that might've happened rather than switching on the feeds to see what's happening.
I'm not sure if there's a way for Big Brother to ensure a majority of the game is entertaining and to eradicate the sluggish back half beyond just making the game shorter in general. Right now, that seems like the best option, and the reason why seasons don't usually hover close to the 100-day mark.
The Length Of Season 25 Has Resulted In Weird Moments
The longer Season 25 of Big Brother has afforded it being able to do some things it might not have been capable of in a shorter season. Some of these things, like Matt using his secret power to save Jag Bains and nullify Cameron Hardin's HOH week, were exciting and fun. I give credit to the show for that, as it was something I really loved.
But as fun as that was, I think all Big Brother fans couldn't wait for Zombie Week to be over. To set fans up with a double eviction, then have both contestants immediately re-enter after, and then have a "null" week where nothing was decided until the following Thursday, was a bad call. It completely sucked the wind out of the season and didn't deliver on the usual drama this series thrives on.
Take both of those incidents together, and Season 25 had two weeks in which it was more or less useless for anyone to watch the live feeds or the episodes. Granted, if Jag does make it to the end of the game like it's currently looking, Matt saving him from a unanimous eviction will no doubt be a major moment people look back on.
Even so, two nullified weeks equals 14 days, which basically means 20 days were added only for about two-thirds of the added time not to count. Not that the Big Brother team would've had any idea that specific scenario was going to happen, as Matt could've opted not to use the power. In any case, it feels like the upside for this bonus time has not been a success no matter how it's viewed, and I now agree with others that there is such a thing as too much Big Brother.
Catch new Big Brother episodes on CBS on Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET, Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. ET. There's still some time before a winner is crowned, so those who wish to catch up and see Cirie's impressive run in the game so far, or some of the other drama, should do so over on Paramount+.
