Format and production thoughts

For those who might be interested, I've revised the number of episodes for each season on Wikipedia. I am confident that these counts should be accurate, with every televised special and companion show (including Uplate) added to the amounts.

Total number of BBAU episodes currently at 1,559.

Screen Shot 2020-08-09 at 8.02.53 pm.png
 
Just re-read my opening post in this thread and stand by every word of it. BBUSA returning has really highlighted how important too it is for the show to be live, and how appreciative fans are of being treated with respect.
 
Brekkie said:
Just re-read my opening post in this thread and stand by every word of it. BBUSA returning has really highlighted how important too it is for the show to be live, and how appreciative fans are of being treated with respect.
Click to expand...
Totally agree.

One of my biggest gripes with the latest season, and something I’ve only fully realised once I had the chance to consider the season as a whole, is that it just wasn’t Big Brother. Toward the end I was hoping the Finale would redeem any last issues I had with the production but, after seeing the way it was handled right to the end, I can’t help but wonder where it went so wrong. When it came to the Finale, the way in which the winner was announced, the absence of the house and the lack of integrity regarding the voting process, I fail to see how this season bore any semblance to the premise of Big Brother at all.

Almost none of the elements that make Big Brother what it is were present during the entire season and it really did not stay true to the premise of the show in a multitude of ways. I’m okay with the format being changed but the production and execution was an unashamed disappointment. I mean, I’m not even sure the house was filmed 24/7!

I think what upsets me the most is the things that make Big Brother different to every other reality TV competition, particularly in our Australian RTV landscape, was completely missing this year. The magic that makes Big Brother different and sets it apart from all other shows was simply not there, and 2020’s season was nothing but a carbon copy of almost any other reality programme on air at the moment (*cough* Survivor).

And I think that’s precisely the problem. What we got this year was literally Survivor - from start to end, the formula of the game right down to the editing of every episode.

I just don’t believe the show is in the right hands anymore.
 
the Theorist said:
For those who might be interested, I've revised the number of episodes for each season on Wikipedia. I am confident that these counts should be accurate, with every televised special and companion show (including Uplate) added to the amounts.

Total number of BBAU episodes currently at 1,559.

View attachment 56022
Click to expand...

I agree that the episode totals should include the likes of daily shows, eviction shows, nomination shows, FNL, Uncut, and other mid-week specials such as Golden Key but I don't agree that UpLate should be counted.

UpLate contributes to the show as an extra but I don't see them as episodes of the series. If someone asks me how many episodes are in a series, I wouldn't say 209 (for series 5) because that's including things that they likely won't be watching with it (if they're even available online).

For example, with BBUK, I wouldn't include Bit On The Side, Live From The House, Big Mouth or Little Brother in the episode counts for a season.
 
Yes, I agree with Ryan on that. Uncut a bit of a grey area as well but certainly anything in the 7pm/7.30pm slot count, but Uplate was a spin-off rather than an episode of the main show. It's the same with BBUSA - you'd based it on the 30-40 episodes CBS aired, and wouldn't consider After Dark to be part of the count. You can be certain that Ten would have only included the main shows when quoting the series ratings too.
 
Last edited:
the Theorist said:
Totally agree.

One of my biggest gripes with the latest season, and something I’ve only fully realised once I had the chance to consider the season as a whole, is that it just wasn’t Big Brother. Toward the end I was hoping the Finale would redeem any last issues I had with the production but, after seeing the way it was handled right to the end, I can’t help but wonder where it went so wrong. When it came to the Finale, the way in which the winner was announced, the absence of the house and the lack of integrity regarding the voting process, I fail to see how this season bore any semblance to the premise of Big Brother at all.

Almost none of the elements that make Big Brother what it is were present during the entire season and it really did not stay true to the premise of the show in a multitude of ways. I’m okay with the format being changed but the production and execution was an unashamed disappointment. I mean, I’m not even sure the house was filmed 24/7!

I think what upsets me the most is the things that make Big Brother different to every other reality TV competition, particularly in our Australian RTV landscape, was completely missing this year. The magic that makes Big Brother different and sets it apart from all other shows was simply not there, and 2020’s season was nothing but a carbon copy of almost any other reality programme on air at the moment (*cough* Survivor).

And I think that’s precisely the problem. What we got this year was literally Survivor - from start to end, the formula of the game right down to the editing of every episode.

I just don’t believe the show is in the right hands anymore.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. The one thing I liked about BB in Australia is that it was unique and stood out from other reality shows which completely went out the window this year. Sadly I think whilst Amelia is in charge of the show I don’t see this changing. Unfortunately to me it’s looking like nobody but Ten can do BB properly in Australia.
 
sav0001 said:
Completely agree. The one thing I liked about BB in Australia is that it was unique and stood out from other reality shows which completely went out the window this year. Sadly I think whilst Amelia is in charge of the show I don’t see this changing. Unfortunately to me it’s looking like nobody but Ten can do BB properly in Australia.
Click to expand...

Yeah agreed, Ch.10 have bad the most success with BB, didn't it rate over 1 million on average for the first 7 seasons, then it dwindled in season 8 ? I would be very suprised if Ch.7 can get 5 seasons out of the current series, though the fact that the next series gets aired early in 2021 suggests to me Seven may sneak in 2 series in one year.
 
Gleno said:
Yeah agreed, Ch.10 have bad the most success with BB, didn't it rate over 1 million on average for the first 7 seasons, then it dwindled in season 8 ? I would be very suprised if Ch.7 can get 5 seasons out of the current series, though the fact that the next series gets aired early in 2021 suggests to me Seven may sneak in 2 series in one year.
Click to expand...

Not sure about that. The next season is going to be longer next year and they have also picked up that Ultimate Tag show for next year.
 
sav0001 said:
Not sure about that. The next season is going to be longer next year and they have also picked up that Ultimate Tag show for next year.
Click to expand...

I'm on the fence about Seven tbh. I generally feel like they have a decent enough vision for the show but not enough knowledge of how to execute it. I'd love to see Trevor Boris brought over or at least brought in as a consultant. His work for the most part as BBCAN's EP, as well as having working on BBUS and BBUK has been pretty solid. At very least he's got a decent understanding of how BB is produced from three different perspectives. I also think the fact that Seven has extended the amount of time they're filming for 2021 shows some willingness to change. At the same time I'm reminded that we have some carry over from the Nine era who's shown time and time again they're not willing to compromise.
 
Kingston said:
I'm on the fence about Seven tbh. I generally feel like they have a decent enough vision for the show but not enough knowledge of how to execute it. I'd love to see Trevor Boris brought over or at least brought in as a consultant. His work for the most part as BBCAN's EP, as well as having working on BBUS and BBUK has been pretty solid. At very least he's got a decent understanding of how BB is produced from three different perspectives. I also think the fact that Seven has extended the amount of time they're filming for 2021 shows some willingness to change. At the same time I'm reminded that we have some carry over from the Nine era who's shown time and time again they're not willing to compromise.
Click to expand...
The only reason they had a short season is because if it flopped Seven would have been in further Debt. Thats why they paid the rights and production costs to ESS at the conclusion of the series rather than upfront.

They are only expanding the length because they realise they can make more $$$ off it, not because they want to "improve" the show IMO.
 
matts bb said:
The only reason they had a short season is because if it flopped Seven would have been in further Debt. Thats why they paid the rights and production costs to ESS at the conclusion of the series rather than upfront.

They are only expanding the length because they realise they can make more $$$ off it, not because they want to "improve" the show IMO.
Click to expand...

And because MKR flopped this year and they need something to replace it with.
 
Not sure where the relevant place to put this is but oh well. This week I actually started speaking with one of the 2020 housemates through social media (their name will remain undisclosed for now) and we have actually become quite close and they told me some interesting things regarding the series and production;

1. Apparently there is a 2nd diary room built in the house to have interviews recorded (this is why some times housemates were switching clothes in the diary room throughout episodes) i.e they would maybe film the interviews on a Wednesday but were asked questions about Monday ect.
2. The housemates were asked to re-record Sonia asking questions from Angela's eviction and were promised alcohol from Big Brother (this is in reference to the eviction apparently not being filmed).
3. Housemates could ask producers not to air a specific thing and they would respect the request.
4. The edit well and truly did make Mat and Dan look bad but apart from that they said that the editing in their opinion was actually accurate.
5. Mat actually auditioned for Survivor and was asked to do Big Brother.
6. There were several housemates who had never watched Big Brother before and some were planning their media careers ahead of time.
7. When Mat won the advantage he was apparently supposed to receive a different prize (he was told he would get the choice to evict either Sophie or Kieran if neither took the money, and if not then he would have received an advantage in the next nominations challenge) he however said he wanted a better prize so therefore production gave him the extra vote.
8. Kieran apparently is a big Survivor fan and his whole method was to go into the house and cause chaos like David.
9. Apparently after the whole Danni and Keiran lie fiasco, the housemates sat in a circle with Kieran and pretty much told him off lol.
10. Several housemates are not happy with how Daniel's group was edited on the show.
11. Apparently Chad has been ghosting Sophie and they are "publicly separated"

edit: to add they also told me they have been made aware of some changes for BB2021 and we will apparently "be happy" although they did not reveal what they were.
 
Last edited:
Zcsund1234 said:
they also told me they have been made aware of some changes for BB2021 and we will apparently "be happy" although they did not reveal what they were.
Click to expand...
We only had 9643 complaints last time so a few changes wouldn't hurt. I presume they are referring to the format/game, but exit interviews for each show would be a good start. And four eps a week with evictions every second one would be better.
 
timmydownawell said:
We only had 9643 complaints last time so a few changes wouldn't hurt. I presume they are referring to the format/game, but exit interviews for each show would be a good start. And four eps a week with evictions every second one would be better.
Click to expand...
They wouldn't say anything despite my persistence haha I tried my hardest to get it out of them. They just said we will be happy with some changes. They also suggested a March launch from what they have been told, although I'm not 100% sure how accurate that it is. But it was really interesting to gather insight into the house dynamics. A fun story I was told was on the episode of Marissa's eviction they all had received home videos (Daniel's was the only one shown) Daniel was upset about missing Ana, and apparently Marissa had told Kieran "Dan needs to stop being a pussy and stop crying over her" this apparently then got back to Dan and then a whole argument between Marissa and Dan had occurred and apparently Sarah crept into the bedroom to try and eavesdrop on them.
 
reepbot said:
Kieran should have played like Kieran, not tried to play like David.
Click to expand...
From what I was told he had legitimately thought the edit was going make him appear to be like David. It's fair to say he was disappointed when he saw what had actually aired lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top