We're missing something.

Right now, the tagline being used is that the artificially united pairs share everything. They hold HoH together, they go on slop together, and if someone's nominated and gets voted out, they leave together --

-- hold it.

We've got eight pairs. If one pair leaves each week and we've got the typical F2 for the finish, this is a seven-week show. We already know it's scheduled to run a little longer than that.

Are we still limited to two people being nominated each week? In this case, you can guarantee your target goes home: nominate both members of a pair and it doesn't matter who gets voted out, does it? As long as the Veto doesn't interfere, that partnership is out of the game. Can you only nominate pairs as a whole, so four people are effectively up on the block each time? Does the Veto remove a partnership from the block, or just the person using it -- meaning there's weeks when just one person might leave?

Also: we're dealing with the cheapest reality show on television. If you lose together, you presumably win together -- and there is no way this show is handing out half a million each to two people. They are cheap enough to ask for a split -- but people turning against each other is the delight of this production team. For the sake of the show's schedule, theme, and financial determination, the partnerships have to be split up at some point.

We're missing something here. And since this is BB, the time they tell us what it is will be twelve seconds before the time they change it...

• RE: Eliminations.,Colonel Zoidberg, 09:43 AM, 02-07-08
  • Cheapness.,Estee, 09:53 AM, 02-07-08

we're dealing with the cheapest reality show on television

You mean besides the not-really-million-dollar-grand-prize America's Got Talent, I assume.

As for this...I go in every season thinking I'll hate the twist, and I only sort of hate it most seasons. I don't know how it will work; maybe it will involve pairs being bounced at first and then the game splits into individuals. Maybe people will be brought back on a regular basis. Maybe they'll be competing against a team of past hamsters...wait, no, Survivor did that, which means they can't use that until at least next season.

I've got it! In the shocker of the season, every player will be controlled by America!

Since AGT has yet to say 'We'll give you a hundred thousand bonus votes if you agree to give up half your prize', the Chenbot still hosts the title.

BB's very dubious history suggests the twist will ultimately wind up being a non-factor: last season may have been the first one in which any shock attempt wound up really controlling the game. I don't have much confidence in this one -- especially given how very, very shallow the cast seems to be. I think we're looking at Paradise Hotel with pre-assigned roommates and slightly less alcohol. That can't be good.