One thing that you can expect to show up on every season of Big Brother is a twist to the season. Something that mixes up the format and can change how the game is played. Sometimes, these twists are boring or interrupt the flow of the game.
Other times, they're an absolute blast that can make for a super exciting season. One thing that you can say about plenty of the twists, however, is that they are very creative. How much they impact the game can vary, but they are always creative on the part of the producers.
The Saboteur
The saboteur twist might not have really impacted the game all that much, but it was an interesting twist nonetheless. One houseguest, Annie, entered the house knowing she was the saboteur and was ready to cause absolute havoc.
However, she was sent home in week one and Ragan took her place. His actions did very little to affect the house, and nothing major came out of his reign, unfortunately.
Battle Of The Block
'Battle of the Block' threw modern Big Brother into the era of super alliances and ruined both seasons it appeared on, but it was creative. With Battle of the Block, two players became HOH each week and nominated two people for eviction.
These nominees would then compete in a battle to save themselves and overthrow their HOH. This could have been interesting, but instead, it descended into creating super alliances, who would throw competitions to ensure the right people stayed in power. How upsetting.
Project DNA
Project DNA really hasn't impacted the game all too much when it's been used, but it certainly is creative. This twist was introduced in Big Brother 5, during which it was revealed that Nakomis and Cowboy were secret siblings that didn't know they were related. In addition, a set of twins, Adria and Natalie, were playing the game as one person before they got to enter as individuals in week 5.
This twist was used once more in season 17 when Liz and Julia also entered the game as twins before getting to play as individuals. This never really impacts how the game is played beyond numbers, but it's always an interesting experiment to watch play out.
Secret Pairs
Big Brother 6 introduced secret pairs into the game, with every contestant entering with a friend from the outside. All of these pairs thought that they were the only ones, at first, until Kaysar uncovered that everyone had their own partner.
This accelerated the gameplay of the show quickly and divided the house even further than it already was, making for an explosive season.
Pandora's Box
Pandora's Box is a twist that would appear on multiple seasons to do basically whatever the producers wanted. Sometimes it was used comedically to punish the house or the HOH, and sometimes it would legitimately alter the game, such as when it unleashed the duo twist for one week in Big Brother 13 to save Rachel and Jordan from eviction. Each time, the HOH would decide whether or not they wanted to open it, though it hasn't appeared in quite a few seasons.
Camp Comeback
Camp Comeback was a twist in which the first evicted houseguests stayed in the house for multiple weeks until one of them was allowed to come back in by winning a competition.
This could have been used brilliantly, but it ended with a whimper with one very small competition that should have been expanded upon. The elimination of almost every diverse member of the house back to back was incredibly upsetting to see.
'Til Death Do You Part
'Til Death Do You Part was the tagline of Big Brother 9, and it was also the main twist of the season. The houseguests weren't playing as individuals, but as soulmate pairs put together by producers, and they would play the game as a single unit for most of the season.
This season was messy, with plenty of drama and strange relationships, and while it might not have landed perfectly, the twist itself was very interesting. It certainly made for a memorable season.
Triple Eviction
While it first appeared in an awful season, Big Brother US had its first triple eviction during the second all-stars season, and it was interesting to watch it all go down.
In it, three people are sent home in one night, with multiple HOH and Veto competitions going down live in a single episode. It's always a great chance for drama and solid gameplay to pop up. More of these need to happen in the future.
Diamond Power Of Veto
The Diamond Power of Veto is a special power that is awarded to certain players every now and then. It allows the holder to not only take someone off of the block but also to choose the replacement as well. This provides the holder with a ton of power that can really flip the game upside down if it is used properly.
The Power Of Veto
It might be a mainstay now, but once upon a time, the Power of Veto. However, this was a twist during season 3 of the show. From there on, the power would return weekly in future seasons. It's a necessary part of the game nowadays that balances the HOH's power, but it didn't enter the show until a few seasons in.