“Big Brother 26” Week 2 Recap

HOLLYWOOD—The first week in the “Big Brother 26” house was interesting. Angela, oh, Angela, and I’m not referring to the one from BB20. Angela, the real estate agent from Utah was a paranoid mess and gave us our first fight with Matt who she labeled ‘Crazy Eyes’ of the season, and there were a few more right after that. With that said, the AI Arena proved to be equitable as any of the three contenders, Matt, Kenney or Kimo could have claimed victory, but in the end it was Kimo who earned safety.

I love the notion of the AI Arena, but it is a little much for me, I hope it doesn’t go past the typical four weeks as the twist for the season. Why? You want to have a bit more control at getting out your target and this AI Arena slightly stifles gameplay. I mean I loved that the houseguests didn’t know who the victor was until they returned to the house and the uproar of celebration from the houseguests.

Kimo was feeling relieved and ecstatic, but Kenney and Matt had to be gut-punched at the reality that the houseguests don’t care if they leave the game. Also Julie Chen, what the hell with 60 seconds to plead for your life. You cannot take someone to a room and try to fight for your life with that minimal amount of time with 16 people in a house. This is not a double eviction Julie and the fact that producers think that tactic would work is a shame.

With that said, Matt pleaded for his case, but by a vote of 8-3 Matt, the alpha-male was booted from the game. Now I will admit I was almost secretly hoping for Matt to stay just to see this war with Angela continue, but it seems to have opened up the game and we could be looking at a house where the alpha males or big physical threats are all taken out before jury. More on that later. The second HOH tends to stabilize the house and alliances really start to solidify, but not in the BB26 house, if anything they are crumbling more and others are starting to form slightly.

Chelsie, who couldn’t vote, play in the POV or HOH, claimed victory and she didn’t even want it. If I’m being honest, I think Chelsie winning this HOH has helped and hurt her. Her relationship with Cam is all but gone it seems. She let Leah and Makensy get in her head a bit and she seems Cam as a massive threat and almost considered nominating him and/or Cedric as pawns. Um, NO! You never nominate an ally, especially this early in the game where people can shift the target with a mere conversation.

Chelsie does not know how to make decisions when she is in the driver seat, which makes me wonder if she has the killer instinct to make tough moves when she has to. She is nearly becoming a trio with Makensy and Leah, Cam has become a target for her in a sense, and Cedric is Cedric. The kid is a bit over animated, but I understand why, he’s trying to hid that he served in the military which I believe will absolutely skyrocket the target on his back, not just on a physical, but mental level as well.

So Chelsie decided to nominate Kenney, Lisa and Angela with Lisa as the target. Is Kenney playing the game or not. He won the POV and seemed to be all in now, which raises the vital question; if all is going well Kenney is happy, if not, he is a sour puss. Lisa is being Lisa and that is why her target level is so huge, despite people trying to warn her to calm down with her antics and the glitter. Perhaps if people in the house try to get to know ‘Lisa’ they would realize she can be a valuable asset to their game. Let’s face it, she can compete, whereas Angela is a loose cannon. I would rather work with someone I can predict what they will do versus someone who you have no idea what they will do.

Rubina, I was rooting for her preseason, but she has talked little to no strategy and is giving nothing on the episodes at all. Brooklyn is quietly moving behind the scenes, but needs to pick up a bit more because others like Quinn, Kimo and T’Kor are playing around her. Quinn is indeed a dangerous player because he has so many relationships going on and he’s building new ones, while negating old ones. Yeah, I think there is a bit of jealous energy when it comes to Cam who is flirting with Leah, who Quinn likes, but Leah actually likes Tucker, who doesn’t like Leah, he is into T’Kor who has a significant other back at home, but Rubina likes Tucker.

Yeah, complicated as hell and it feels more like “Love Island” than “Big Brother.” This is why it doesn’t hurt to cast older people so you don’t have to worry about showmances that stifle gameplay. Kimo and T’Kor are making some serious game moves, as they have risen to become players in the game after being ‘too quiet’ in week one. Kimo knows about Quinn’s power, but so does Angela, who if she is smart would out it to save herself and place a target on Quinn’s back now that everyone knows Makensy has America’s Veto.

However, with the editing, I have no idea who the public would vote for if Makensy utilized her power to save herself or Leah (at this point, because who else would she save)? I want to see chaotic Angela make a strategic move, but if she did so, it would confirm to everyone else Lisa isn’t a threat and doesn’t have a power that everyone thinks she has.

It is so easy to figure out who has the other power. If you know Makensy has it, you can eliminate everyone who entered the house with her, and then consider the other eight who entered and ask who competed in the competition you played in and you will know who has it by default. It just feels like some people are not playing the game this time around which is a bit annoying to be honest. I want to see BB20, BB23 and BB25 earlier weeks of gameplay here that was so fun to watch and witness.

After Kenney used the POV on himself, Chelsie nominated Tucker as a replacement who volunteered. Real stupid Tucker, yes I get the AI Arena could make you safe, but you don’t know what the competition could be. I mean let’s say Lisa wins, then its Angela versus Tucker. Let’s say Angela lets it spill Quinn has a power to try to save herself, are you going to vote her out over Tucker? Yeah, very dicey indeed.

One thing for sure, this could be a season where the bros and physical threats are eliminated from the game before we reach the jury phase, and we already know there are more twists coming and we don’t know if this will be a nine- or seven-person jury. I assume seven considering we just did so last season, it would be odd to see it return back to nine after that recent change in BB25. However, a power five consisting of Kimo, T’Kor, Rubina, Tucker and Quinn could be in the works, but I think that depends on if Quinn’s game explodes because Angela has spilled, but the problem is no one believes her, yet.