OK, we’ll change our normal public service announcement at the beginning of this article. If there was an episode to watch (other than the finale), this would have been the one to check out!
After it looked very bleak for her earlier in the week, poker player Vanessa Rousso somehow was able to work her way through the carnage on the CBS reality program Big Brother on Thursday night. What might not have made it through – and perhaps for the best – was the Rousso-created “Sixth Sense” Alliance that she had built.
Much as anticipated, Rousso was blindsided with a backdoor by Becky, the Head of Household, but with the competition being Shelli it wasn’t readily known who was going to be heading out of the Big Brother house. Within a very short time, however, Rousso had been able to twist the thoughts of not only the remnants of her Alliance (who were wavering between their two fellow Alliance members) but also the other houseguests inside the household. By the time the vote was held on Thursday evening, Rousso had convinced virtually everyone in the house to vote off Shelli rather than her (as had been Becky’s intention).
The night was just getting started for the Big Brother contestants, however, as it was a non-stop hour of change with the program. Host Julie Chen announced to the contestants following Shelli’s departure that it was a “double elimination” night in that the next Head of Household would have to immediately nominate two contestants for eviction. After a video board memory battle, Steve would emerge as the new Head of Household and immediately nominated Meg and Jackie (who had formed a strategic partnership with James) for eviction.
The Big Brother producers basically jammed in a week’s program into one episode as, after another commercial break, a Power of Veto battle was set that was won by John. Another commercial break brought back John with his decision not to use the Power of Veto on either Meg or Jackie and allow the eviction vote to be held immediately. In the battle between Meg and Jackie, it was a one-sided battle as Jackie received every vote from the voting members of the house and headed out the door as the second elimination of the evening.
Rousso has to be breathing a sigh of relief, considering that it looked extremely bad for her just one week ago. It seems as though Rousso has been able to cajole her fellow housemates to her point of view since the inception of the game, however, and that ability was extremely necessary in getting through the last week. What may not have survived some of the recent shenanigans is the “Sixth Sense” Alliance that she had constructed.
When it initially began, Rousso was joined by Clay (gone), Shelli (gone), Austin (on thin ice at several points) and Liz, who was joined by her twin sister Julia after five evictions had been achieved. Now down to four members in a nine-member house, the group has to work outside their circle if they are to ensure that they will continue on. Every one of the surviving members of the “Sixth Sense” Alliance have huge targets on their backs: Rousso and Austin from their actions as Head of Household or in other issues and the twins (Liz and Julia) simply because they were a twist to the action (hey, don’t ask me to explain Big Brother mentality).
If there is one thing that supports them, it is the factor that the other five members of the house don’t seem to have formed any great alliance against them. Meg and James have a semi-partnership with each other that was weakened by the eviction of Jackie, while Steve and John have utilized a fluctuating partnership with whomever keeps them alive from week to week. Outside of the Alliance, Becky is the one perhaps with the biggest target as she has blatantly shown she can’t be trusted to keep her word (much like James, but that’s been forgotten) and that she hasn’t really sided with any faction in the game.
Now down to nine members, the backstabbing is only going to increase on Big Brother as loyalties are tested and temporary alliances are created to stay alive. It will be a big question for Rousso to see how long she can keep her group together, if it isn’t already in shambles as players look for the best option to move on in the competition. Keeping her group together could be the determining factor in whether Rousso is around at the end still playing for the $500,000 first place prize on Big Brother or sitting in the Jury House with Shelli, Jackie and whomever else is evicted from now until the end of the competition.
