Skip to main content

Big Brother 2020: Promos and teasers (contains spoilers)

Andrew Blackwell, 7's TV executive, has done an interview regarding Big Brother.https://www.mediaweek.com.au/big-brother-how-biggest-reality-format-moved-from-nine-to-seven/

I completely disagree with this statement from the interview:

Backwell said today’s TV audience wouldn’t accept a program like Big Brother used to be. “People consume TV much faster and they like it to be much slicker. Endemol Shine has done a fantastic job reinventing the format. It is still Big Brother, but it offers much more than it ever has.”

And the reason for pre-recording:

Pre-recording gives us control over what goes to air.

He was also in charge of Big Brother when it was on Nine. Can't see this show being any good.

Also this statement shows he has learnt nothing from 9's overly family friendly version:

Don’t expect to see couples making out!

Network FTA primetime is now mostly all about wholesome values with nothing too edgy going to air. “We have been very careful to make this a family show,” said Backwell. “There is nothing we will broadcast that would stop viewers watching it with their children. That is one of the advantages of having a pre-recorded season.”

Um, MAFS is the biggest show on TV right now and is far from wholesome.
 
Andrew Blackwell, 7's TV executive, has done an interview regarding Big Brother.https://www.mediaweek.com.au/big-brother-how-biggest-reality-format-moved-from-nine-to-seven/

I completely disagree with this statement from the interview:

Backwell said today’s TV audience wouldn’t accept a program like Big Brother used to be. “People consume TV much faster and they like it to be much slicker. Endemol Shine has done a fantastic job reinventing the format. It is still Big Brother, but it offers much more than it ever has.”

And the reason for pre-recording:

Pre-recording gives us control over what goes to air.

He was also in charge of Big Brother when it was on Nine. Can't see this show being any good.

I guess it remains to be seen, might surprise some of the 'vintage' hardcore fans that this new format does appeal to a new generation. Survivor has been doing pretty well these last few years for 10 and it appears that BB will have a somewhat familiar format!
 
^^ also from that: “The whole amount [$250,000] will be given away, but not necessarily at the end of the show.

Would suggest prizes for some/all of the challenges?

Also: “We have tried to cast it with a cross-section of society. The common factor is they are all competitive and they want to win Big Brother, they are not there to get Instagram followers.”

Sure, Jan.
 
It gets me annoyed that they throw in a few colored people and then think they can say they have a cast that is diverse and 'represents australia'. I reckon masterchef and the latest season of tara can be the only shows to say they have accurately represented australia.

I don't get why shows 'white wash' casts. Too much white people is boring af.
 
It gets me annoyed that they throw in a few colored people and then think they can say they have a cast that is diverse and 'represents australia'. I reckon masterchef and the latest season of tara can be the only shows to say they have accurately represented australia.

I don't get why shows 'white wash' casts. Too much white people is boring af.
It's better than not at all though - and certainly the most diverse in BBAU's history thus far. It's still a positive.
 
And the reason for pre-recording:

Pre-recording gives us control over what goes to air.
And there is the problem. A show like Big Brother is supposed to unfold in real time and be as unpredictable for the producers as it is for the viewers. Sadly nowadays producers and networks don't like unpredictability - they like shows to be produced to within an inch of their lives, and that is where many shows fail.

That said this format has worked within the much tougher restrictions of US network TV for the last 20 years playing out live. There is absolutely no excuse (well, other than a global pandemic but that was not the reason!) for Big Brother not to play out live.
 
And there is the problem. A show like Big Brother is supposed to unfold in real time and be as unpredictable for the producers as it is for the viewers. Sadly nowadays producers and networks don't like unpredictability - they like shows to be produced to within an inch of their lives, and that is where many shows fail.

That said this format has worked within the much tougher restrictions of US network TV for the last 20 years playing out live. There is absolutely no excuse (well, other than a global pandemic but that was not the reason!) for Big Brother not to play out live.

That was one of the biggest problem’s of Nine’s version. The producers were afraid of letting anything happen naturally especially in the final season.

And now the same guy is in charge of 7’s version too. No wonder he selected Sonia for host again.
 
Not too sure where to post this but Foxtel has updated and Big Brother is now in the TV guide. Interesting part are the episode descriptions.

Monday - “Big Brother has been watching and he’s ready to play. The first 12 housemates enter the Big Brother house and one is tasked with a secret mission”

Tuesday - “Four new housemates enter the Big Brother house under the cover of darkness. Big Brother unveils a winter wonderland that will force old and new housemates to break the ice, but one will be evicted

Wednesday - “The final four housemates descend from the heavens and the King and Queen of the house aren’t impressed. While some housemates get close, other better hold on tight because someone will be evicted”
 
It seems that one of their selling points is the
‘Slick, high quality production values’. Just look at BBUK - you can add all the jazzy intros, montages, music, name tags and graphics that you want. But is that REALLY going to improve the quality of the show?
 
Monday - “Big Brother has been watching and he’s ready to play. The first 12 housemates enter the Big Brother house and one is tasked with a secret mission”
I think you can actually decipher who the first 12 are by the promo that was released a couple of days ago.
I've put who I think they are in Spoiler Text so everyone can choose if they want to see it or not.
MEN (Allan, Daniel, Ian, Keiran, Mat, Xavier)
WOMEN (Angela, Casey, Laura, Marissa, Talia, Zoe)
 
I've always been against networks favouring HMs by putting them in series promos and/or network indents (I'm looking at you, Nine) but it's one thing to reveal HMs pre-season and entirely another to heavily feature them at the beginning of the series. I disgaree with what they did here. What puts Mat, Daniel, Marissa, Angela, Chad, Sophie, Zoe and Kieran above the other 12 HMs? Are they subtly telling us who remains in the show longest? Either find a way to present them all or none at all.

I get that the public no longer voting avoids the risk factor that being biased used to cause, but I'm still not a fan of being told who they believe is most interesting to watch.
 
Back
Top