Big Brother (USA)



Big Brother, the US reality programme based on the worldwide format created by Endemol, is syndicated by TotalAccess to the UK, beginning with the ninth series which begins 12 February in the States. It is offered to Network Six on a time-shift agreement, whereby each episode (and the associated feeds of the Big Brother House) are transmitted precisely 18 hours after their broadcast in the US. TotalAccess secured the UK rights to rebroadcast after Channel 4 opted not to continue airing this version in 2005.

The time-shift ensures episodes air at roughly the same time on the schedule as intended, and that certain activities that take place in the house air after the watershed.

Big Brother usually only airs between the months of July and September in America. However, thanks in no small part to the Writers Guild of America strike on scripted television, the CBS network ordered a ninth series to air, presumably between February and April of 2008.

Format
Big Brother USA's competition and setup are substantially different from the UK or any other worldwide version.

No Public Interaction: Aside from sporadic 'America's Choice' features, there is no public say in who gets evicted each week. A so-called Head of Household is selected each week, who is solely responsible for nominating two housemates for eviction. Later in the week, a vote is held to determine who is evicted. The nominees cannot vote, nor can the HoH except in the event of a tie.

Food competition: Instead of a weekly task to determine a shopping budget, the House competes (either as one or in two or three groups) for food privileges. Winners win a complete storeroom of food for the week (or in some competitions, certain items selected as part of a challenge or a wager). Losers are restricted to a diet of nothing but water and Big Brother Slop, a grainy, whole-fibre substance that made a cameo appearance earlier in Big Brother 8 UK. The former 'punishment food' was a peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich diet which was more lenient; Housemates were allowed to substitute PB&J for any condiment.

Power struggle: Head of Household is arguably the most important role in the house. The 'HoH' gets a private bedroom and bathroom in the loft section on the second floor of the house; trinkets, photos, letters, and snacks from home, plus the unilateral ability to nominate two people for eviction. A competition to select an HoH is held immediately following the live eviction, and the outgoing HoH is not allowed to compete.

Strategising: Unlike other versions, US Houseguests are allowed--and indeed, encouraged--to discuss strategy including nomination ideas.

Threats to power: The HoH's power is not always certain. Houseguests also compete for The Power of Veto. The winner of this power has the ability to cancel one of the HoH's nominations, including him or herself if they are a nominee. The HoH is then forced to select another person to nominate, and is not allowed to select the Veto holder as a replacement.

Sequester House/Finale Vote: The final seven Houseguests to be evicted from the house are sent to a remote location (usually in a tropical location during the summer series) after their eviction. Collectively, these seven people make up a Jury who ultimately decide on who wins the $500,000 prize fund. To help them decide who should win, the House they stay in is sequestered and they continue to have no access to the outside world. Each evicted houseguest brings with them a heavily edited version of that week's episodes to watch, which have Diary Room excerpts and certain twist-related voice-overs removed.

Scheduling: BB USA airs three times weekly as opposed to a six or seven day schedule in most parts of the world. Generally, CBS in America airs the show Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with the Sunday and Tuesday episodes being taped highlights, including nominations, food competitions and Veto competition and ceremony. The Wednesday episode is transmitted live and includes the eviction of a houseguest (votes to evict are sometimes held live in the Diary Room), plus the competition to select a new Head of Household.

Spinoffs
Big Brother After Dark is a daily, three-hour cable television broadcast of the House feeds, originally only intended for Internet subscribers, that aired from 11pm to 2am local time. It aired during the eighth series and has been renewed to continue through Big Brother 9.

House Calls: The Big Brother Talk Show is a five-time-a-week Internet vodcast hosted by Los Angeles radio personality Gretchen Massey. In each episode, the American public are invited to call in and talk about actions in the House (which can potentially contain spoilers to upcoming episodes, since BB USA is not aired daily). On the day following their eviction, Houseguests stop by House Calls to answer questions and talk about their experience in the house (in the case of jury members, before being sent into sequester.)