It's unbelievable to learn that Big Brother, one of the longest-running reality shows, is gearing up for season 24. The new season will follow the historic win by Xavier Prather as the first Black player to take home the prize (for a regular season). It was also the largest prize in the show's history at three-quarters of $1 million versus the usual half-a-million.
Spawning several spinoffs around the world and a dedicated legion of fans who tune in every summer to "expect the unexpected," there are a lot of questions that hang in the balance for the upcoming season. With some changes being made to the last few seasons due to COVID, along with twists and turns, there are things fans want to know before watching the new Big Brother episodes.
Will There Be A Live Move-In?
In the past, fans have gotten to watch the first episode that includes introductions to each player, including a key reveal back home, as well as seeing them walk into the house for the first time. The looks on their faces, excitement about the season’s and home’s theme, and rush to find the perfect bedroom (and bedmates) is part of what sets the show up for the season.
What was also part of the last two seasons was a live move-in special whereby fans got to see each player meeting one another for the first time, without any editing. Indeed, the question of whether or not this will happen for season 24 was recently answered: according to CinemaBlend, the live move-in will happen.
Will There Be Returning Players?
If season 19 with Paul Abrahamian or season 14 with returning players as coaches (later players as well) was any indication, even if a full cast of new players has been revealed, that doesn't necessarily mean former players won't be returning. Indeed, some Redditors have theorized that host Julie Chen posting throwbacks to season 14 on social media is a sign that they might replicate that format for season 24.
The tagline for Big Brother is to "expect the unexpected," after all. While the season might not feature returning players from past seasons who join the house and vie for the prize, fans still wonder if a fan favorite cast member will return for a cameo, like to host a competition. It likely won’t be a cast member from season 23 given that many of them will be appearing on The Challenge, joining the ranks of other Big Brother players to take on The Challenge.
What's The Theme?
Every season of Big Brother has a particular theme, which is carried across both the house design and décor as well as the challenges. For example, in season 23, the theme was a casino. In prior years, there was everything from summer camp to interactive tech.
Fans are curious what the theme of season 24 will be. This will likely be revealed ahead of the first episode with the typical social media posts giving fans a sneak-peek into the house. However, some keen-eyed fans think a Chen's recent tweet of her sitting in a chair outside pointing to a beach could be a not-so-subtle hint.
How Soon Will The Live Feeds Kick In?
Because Big Brother has to deal with time zones, as every other show does, viewers on Eastern time get to see the live move-in and live episodes in real-time while those on the West coast see things on a delay. Usually, live feeds begin after the premiere episode airs on both coasts so those who subscribe can become a fly-on-the-wall in the house, listening and watching remotely.
Fans are curious if this will be the case again or if they will get to see everything immediately without the three-hour gap in time causing them to miss pivotal strategizing and alliance forming. While the second episode will show edited versions of what went on, nothing compares to the live feeds.
What Will The New Twists Be?
It's almost a certainty that new twists will be revealed this season, as they are every season. Fans are curious as to what the twists might be. From twin twists to triple evictions, a saboteur, Battle of the Block, and Pandora's Box, there have been tons of creative twists on Big Brother.
In season 23, the twist was tied to the casino theme in the form of the High Roller's Room where players could either use credits they secretly earned through fan votes to try their hand at games of chance at varying levels, or bank the points for something bigger. The twists for season 24, then, will likely relate to whatever the theme is.
Will There Be A Live Audience?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Big Brother has not had a live audience. Even when host Julie Chen interviews the evictees, they must remain six feet away from her while wearing a mask, and there are no handshakes or hugs.
With many restrictions lifting, however, fans wonder if this season will finally bring back the live audience. According to CheatSheet, this may indeed happen. The source says that it is "expected" the audience will return but there's no definitive confirmation from CBS just yet.
Will There Be Teams?
One of the most interesting twists from season 23 was the teams that were formed in the beginning, forcing players to align with others they might not have otherwise chosen to align with. What's more, perceptions were already made about them based on their card-themed team names, which included the Queens, Kings, Aces, and Jokers. It also meant re-thinking strategy to play alongside someone else's game, even with alliances forming elsewhere.
It added an interesting element to the game that threw players for a loop. Even though the dominant alliance in the game still stuck together despite being part of different groups, it was interesting to see the strategies unfold because of this twist.
Will The Cash Prize Remain The Same?
Big Brother delighted players last season in the first episode by confirming that the final prize would be the biggest yet at $750,000. It was one of the most exciting moments in the premiere of Big Brother 23. It would seem disappointing for the show to revert to the typical $500,000 prize after such a reveal.
Nonetheless, fans are wondering if the prize will remain $250,000 more this season or return to the original half-a-million. Either way, it's a massive, life-changing amount that is enough to have everyone playing their best games to win.
What Will Be The Nature Of Fan Involvement?
Some seasons of the show include some fan involvement, whether voting for people to get special advantages and powers or providing gifts or secret information. But this hasn't happened every season.
Fans love when this happens, however. It allows for shaking things up in a game that might otherwise be predictable with a dominant, popular alliance controlling everything. It's a way to give power to underdogs as well as add an element of surprise. It might not be an America's Player like twist, but some fan voting could be an interesting element if presented in a beneficial way.
Will Diverse Casting Continue?
Big Brother is one of many reality shows to commit to 50% diversity casting going forward. The show held good to that promise in season 23, which features several Black and Asian characters, as well as others of different ethnicities. Still, fans believe Big Brother also needs more LGBTQ+ representation.
Fans are curious if season 24 will continue in this regard, and if so, how the game will play out knowing how The Cookout, one of the most entertaining alliances in Big Brother, not to mention the most ironclad, succeeded by sticking together, largely based on their race. Will this impact the game in season 24 and put targets on peoples' backs if players feel they need to break certain perceived alliances up? It remains to be seen how the impact of season 23 might affect the game going forward.