Big Brother is in the midst of another hectic season as the new houseguests try to make a name for themselves. The essence of Big Brother is that the best player makes it to the end and wins the game. However, there are cases where a legendary player does not win, or even make it to the final two.
All of these players were really fun to watch and had all the right skills to win the game. Whether it was not winning a competition or not aligning with the right people at the end, these houseguests could never find their way to the final two.
Hardy Ames-Hill - Big Brother 2
The early seasons of Big Brother are pretty different from the modern-day show. Hardy was on the second season of the show and played a good game.
Season 2 is mostly known for the conception of the Chilltown alliance, but Hardy played a strong game as well. He won three HOH competitions and eliminated his main target all three times. He also voted with the majority for every eviction. His only misstep was he did not see how big of a target Will was as he nominated him as a pawn every time he was HOH. Hardy ultimately got voted out in 4th place.
Nakomis Dedmon - Big Brother 5, 7
Nakomis played well enough in her first season to be asked back for Big Brother's all-star season. She was a mastermind in season 5 that created a strategy that is still used today.
Nakomis won three HOHs and a veto on Big Brother 5. However, it was her strategic prowess that made her a great player. She came up with the six-figure plan, commonly referred to today as the backdoor. She was able to backdoor a big physical threat in Jase to ensure he did not win the veto. She helped mold the modern-day strategy in Big Brother. She came in 4th place.
Janelle Pierzina - Big Brother 6, 7, 14, 22
Janelle is commonly known as the best player never to win the show. It is even more surprising that she was never in the final two.
Janelle's main attribute as a player was her physical dominance. In her first two seasons, she won competition after competition to keep herself safe. In Big Brother, Janelle set a record for most competition wins in a season with 9 victories on her resumé. She came in third in both Big Brother 7. She did not do as well in her final two seasons because everyone knew what a huge threat she was. If she is done playing, she is definitely on the Mount Rushmore among the best Big Brother players.
Eric Stein - Big Brother 8
Eric had a unique time in the Big Brother house that no one experienced before. He was America's player for the whole season, so he had to do what America wanted.
Eric did not win any competitions and was vulnerable for most of the weeks, plus he did not always vote with the majority. However, the way that Eric navigated the season with the burden of being America's player was impressive. If he did not have to campaign for Dick to stay in week 6, he had a shot to win it all. Eric is one of the best Big Brother players to only play once, as he ultimately got voted out in 5th place.
Amanda Zuckerman - Big Brother 15
Amanda's gameplay does not take precedence when Big Brother 15 is discussed due to its controversial contestants, which caused the show to do a slight rebrand. However, her gameplay was one bright spot in that season.
Amanda was a dominant force in the house that controlled practically every eviction, up to her own. Her main alliance consisted of Aaryn, Andy, and her showmance McCrae. Despite this, America did not like how she handled certain relationships in the house, so she was nominated when America was MVP. Some looked at her as a top-tier game player, but others saw her as a dictator that ruled with fear. Either way, she was a memorable competitor. Amanda came in 7th on the season after Andy betrayed her.
Britney Haynes - Big Brother 12, 14
Britney is one of the most well-liked Big Brother houseguests of all time. Her personality mixed with her fierce competitiveness made her fun to watch. Her social game is one of the best in the show's history.
Britney is also known as one of the unluckiest players ever. Her all-around solid game got her to the final four, but her plans to win were thwarted by one of the best alliances ever, The Brigade. When she returned to Big Brother 14, she was in an incredibly solid position and covered everywhere. However, a second veto blew up her spot and caused her to be voted out in week 9. She won competitions, made allies, and was a great personality for the show.
Frankie Grande - Big Brother 16
Big Brother 16 will most likely be remembered for Derrick's game, but Frankie might have been the only one who could have beat him. Things could have been different if not for a rewind twist.
Frankie was a good social player who was also very good at competitions. He was in the majority alliance, so he was always on the right side of the vote. He also won five HOHs, along with two vetoes, that secured his spot as an all-time challenge beast. He was well-liked on the jury, so he could have had the votes to beat Derrick if he did make it to the end. However, a twist that nullified the week prior, sent him out the door in 5th place.
Vanessa Rousso - Big Brother 17
Vanessa's gameplay in Big Brother 17 was one of the most prominent bright spots in the season. Her all-around game ranks up there with Big Brother legends.
Vanessa did a good job of surrounding herself with players like Austin and the twins, so there were always bigger targets in front of her. She was extremely manipulative and got other houseguests to do whatever she wanted. The most memorable example was when she convinced Julia to pick Austin during the "Bowlerina" competition. She also won a lot of competitions, therefore she had a lot of power. Unfortunately, she did not win the final HOH and was voted out in 3rd due to her impressive resume.
Tommy Bracco - Big Brother 21
Tommy was a social butterfly on Big Brother 21 that made zero enemies. He was a part of the big alliance that season and was still in a good spot even when it fell apart.
He was able to hide behind the big men of the house like Jack and Nick, as they were targeted before him. He also did not need to win a lot of competitions because everyone felt comfortable with Tommy. He was always voted in the majority and had a good chance to win it all. However, when Michie told Cliff and Nicole the made-up story about Tommy, he was evicted in 5th place.
Tiffany Mitchell - Big Brother 23
Tiffany was a big factor in creating The Cookout, which is the most dominant secret alliance in the history of the show. She also was in good standing with a lot of houseguests outside of the alliance.
She set herself up so that no matter who was in power, they had no problems with Tiffany. She was manipulative and managed to make sure no one figured out The Cookout. However, her downfall came in week 9, she won HOH when she would have had to nominate her closest ally, not in The Cookout, Claire. She ultimately was the first Cookout member voted out as she placed 6th.