LOS ANGELES – JULY 10: Julie Chen Moonves, host of summer competition staple “Big Brother” on CBS. (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images)
CBS via Getty Images
SPOILER ALERT:
If you don’t want to know who is the latest to exit the Big Brother house, stop reading now.
But let’s face it – any kind of drama on social media, positive or negative, is good for any reality competition show (or any series, for that matter). Silence is not necessarily golden.
So, when former winner Rachel Reilly returned to compete on the annual CBS summer tradition for the third time, the expectation was an immediate eviction. Love her or hate her (and personally, I go both ways), why would anyone want to keep such an adept strategist (and tremendous liar) in the house?
But that didn’t happen. Instead, Reilly became a dominant force this season — until now. Her shocking departure – via a non-traditional eviction – has social media ablaze with backlash.
So, why was it non-traditional?
Enter the latest twist: the non-voting “White Locust Resort” challenge. After evading nomination for eight straight weeks, Reilly’s run came to an abrupt and unexpected end.
Following the September 4 live eviction, in which the not-so-beloved Mickey Lee was sent packing, the live feeds went dark for nearly two days. During the blackout, houseguests faced off in the new “White Locust Resort” challenge — a maze-based competition tied to a “safety chain” game.
According to reports, players had to complete the maze within a specific time limit. Reilly failed to finish in her allotted 1 minute and 30 seconds and was immediately evicted. No vote. No second chances. No opportunity to fight for safety. Just straight to the jury.
“You bring back a legend just to boot her in a random timed twist? What are we doing, CBS?,” wrote one fan on social media.
“She survived 8 weeks without a target, outplayed the newbies, and this is how she goes out?,” said another.
And now? With Mickey Lee gone and Reilly out by twist, the house of now eight is suddenly wide open.
Thoughts From a Veteran Big Brother Fan
Yes, it’s true. Rachel Reilly is a positive for this summer mainstay (or any reality competition in need of outspoken and controversial contestants). But, of course, she already won Big Brother before—so was it really fair for her to return?
My answer: No!
But as a stickler for sticking to the format, this “White Locust Resort” challenge felt like a feeble and unnecessary attempt to spark controversy. It’s one thing to throw in a twist. It’s another to break the rules and pull the rug out from under a player who was clearly dominating the season, just to stir the pot.
One current rumor is that Reilly may walk out of the jury house altogether, which would add another dramatic complication to the season. But nah — this won’t happen. Rachel loves the spotlight. And now she can be the self-proclaimed Queen of the Jury house.
The current season of Big Brother concludes on Sunday, September 28 with a live two-hour finale on CBS.