While definitely presenting a psychological challenge to the HMs a la The Stanford Prison Experiment from the very start of this BB season, using the Halfway House (HH) as a holding pen for nominated HMs is unfair even in the typically unfair BB environment.
In previous seasons we have all seen one or both of the following:
1) A nominated HM who receives a groundswell of support because they are genuinely popular among the audience or the audience saves a nominated HM simply to upset the apple cart and subvert what looks to be a sure thing at eviction time (e.g. Camilla).
2) A nominated HM who, resigned to his/her fate, drops all the pretense and actually reveals his/her true character for good or ill - and is kept in the house as a result of this late surge of honesty. Others take the reverse tack and put on a charm offensive to curry favour with HMs and the audience and this, admittedly, has worked as well - but even when it hasn't it's still entertaining to watch.
Immediately segregating nominated HMs means that #1 is still possible, but not probable. But it means that #2 is virtually impossible. A nominated HM cannot 'work the room' and have a lighthearted chat or a deep & meaningful with a single HM or a small group (Estelle). The Safe House HMs, rightly or wrongly, view the HH as leper colony - the less interaction with them the better since some of that nomination stuff might be infectious.
The cramped quarters of the HH lead to lethargy - daily show footage reveals the HH HMs often don't change out of their sleepwear while the SH rotate their day/night outfits (Tully is an example of someone who is dressing 'normally' again after crossing over to the SH). Again, this may be the intended effect of the Spartan surroundings but it's double jeopardy for HH HMs who avoid eviction only to face long odds at the very next nomination since they will have spent a string of days unable to interact naturally with the SH HMs.
Nominations/voting are the very heart of BB but this year's setup all but eliminates the anti-hero, the plucky survivor, the dark horse because the nominees are literally behind bars with no prospect of rehabilitating their image over the entire week (with exceptions for group activities e.g. showdown). This will inevitably reduce the competitive aspect (win, lose, late comeback, shocking defeat) of BB thus reducing the audience's incentive to watch and vote. As a strict business proposition, it's absolutely the worst decision the BB producers could have made.
It's possible, even likely, that the house split will be eliminated, perhaps soon, but as long as it remains there will be a numbing sameness to the proceedings and that is the kiss of death in television.
Edit: the above obviously assumes BB won't tweak the SH/HH setup throughout.
In previous seasons we have all seen one or both of the following:
1) A nominated HM who receives a groundswell of support because they are genuinely popular among the audience or the audience saves a nominated HM simply to upset the apple cart and subvert what looks to be a sure thing at eviction time (e.g. Camilla).
2) A nominated HM who, resigned to his/her fate, drops all the pretense and actually reveals his/her true character for good or ill - and is kept in the house as a result of this late surge of honesty. Others take the reverse tack and put on a charm offensive to curry favour with HMs and the audience and this, admittedly, has worked as well - but even when it hasn't it's still entertaining to watch.
Immediately segregating nominated HMs means that #1 is still possible, but not probable. But it means that #2 is virtually impossible. A nominated HM cannot 'work the room' and have a lighthearted chat or a deep & meaningful with a single HM or a small group (Estelle). The Safe House HMs, rightly or wrongly, view the HH as leper colony - the less interaction with them the better since some of that nomination stuff might be infectious.
The cramped quarters of the HH lead to lethargy - daily show footage reveals the HH HMs often don't change out of their sleepwear while the SH rotate their day/night outfits (Tully is an example of someone who is dressing 'normally' again after crossing over to the SH). Again, this may be the intended effect of the Spartan surroundings but it's double jeopardy for HH HMs who avoid eviction only to face long odds at the very next nomination since they will have spent a string of days unable to interact naturally with the SH HMs.
Nominations/voting are the very heart of BB but this year's setup all but eliminates the anti-hero, the plucky survivor, the dark horse because the nominees are literally behind bars with no prospect of rehabilitating their image over the entire week (with exceptions for group activities e.g. showdown). This will inevitably reduce the competitive aspect (win, lose, late comeback, shocking defeat) of BB thus reducing the audience's incentive to watch and vote. As a strict business proposition, it's absolutely the worst decision the BB producers could have made.
It's possible, even likely, that the house split will be eliminated, perhaps soon, but as long as it remains there will be a numbing sameness to the proceedings and that is the kiss of death in television.
Edit: the above obviously assumes BB won't tweak the SH/HH setup throughout.
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