If you are a reality TV lover like we are, chances are the words Big Brother have grasped your attention at least once or twice. With 24 seasons in the books, and its 25th season currently underway, it is one of the most beloved competition shows of all time!
If you have yet to watch an episode of Big Brother for yourself, have no fear! We created the perfect guide as to how you can get invested in the hit competition series, including an explanation of how the game works, as well as which seasons to begin with.
How does Big Brother work?
Tied with Survivor and The Amazing Race (of course), Big Brother is one of the most iconic competition shows to ever air on CBS, but how exactly does it work?
Big Brother is known as the ultimate social game, where contestants (more commonly referred to as “houseguests”) spend the entirety of the summer in a “mansion” under 24/7 surveillance, completely isolated from the outside world. Contrary to popular belief, this “mansion” is actually Sound Stage 18 at CBS Studios in Los Angeles, California.
Throughout the game, houseguests form alliances with one another, compete in challenges to win the coveted Head of Household (HoH) and Power of Veto (POV) advantages, and more. The winner of the HoH competition is in power for the forthcoming week, nominating two houseguests for eviction. As for the winner of the PoV competition, he or she has the power to remove one of said nominees, forcing the HoH to put someone else on the block — it is a competition jam-packed with strategy!
The goal of Big Brother is to avoid eviction and outlast your fellow houseguests, resulting in a $750,000 prize, should you be the last one standing.
Which season of Big Brother is best to begin with?
Sound interesting enough? If you are looking for which season to begin with, Reddit has you covered.
To get the ball rolling, @Money_Macaron_5750 shared, “I really want to start watching Big Brother, but I’m going into this blind with literally 0 knowledge of the game, castmate drama, etc. Any recommendations of how to start and how to get into it?” Naturally, several Big Brother superfans gave their insight, sharing some of the best seasons to watch for beginners.
Garnering nearly 70 upvotes, @jamwarn has the top response within the thread, and we seriously could not agree more with their insight: “So good news with BB is that the game is explained at every turn, so no matter what season you watch, you shouldn’t be confused.”
“That being said, a lot depends on you. If you’re on the young side, I would recommend watching a more recent season, because the way the game was played 10+ years ago is not how it’s played now (cast-wise, not game structure). Season 23 and 24 were good and very similar to how the game is currently. Classic seasons are 6-8, 10-14, and 16. After season 16 is where the game noticeably changes in terms of casting IMO. You can’t go wrong with any I mentioned, but definitely don’t bother with 15, 19, 21, and 22 IMO. Lots of drama and trouble with the cast those seasons and just not good seasons to watch,” the Reddit user continued.
“This is the perfect comment,” @emicakes__ replied, reinforcing our exact thoughts. “I’ve been watching since I think 9 or 10, and I missed probably a good few in between then and now. I’ve been wanting to go back and rewatch a lot, but I wasn’t sure which seasons to do or skip. This comment is like the perfect guide haha.”
While this may be a lot of information to take in, you do not always have to go back to the basics to have an appreciation for Big Brother. Airing as we speak, Big Brother 25 is equally as phenomenal as previous seasons, and you can stream the episodes you missed on Paramount Plus — we’re only about halfway done!
“Watch the current season. Watch on Paramount+ to catch up to where we are now, then continue watching. If you like what you see, then welcome to the community,” @Rich_Interaction1922 wrote, taking the words right out of our mouths.
With Survivor 45 and The Amazing Race 32 premiering last night, new episodes of Big Brother will now air on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays on CBS and/or Paramount Plus — with the stakes at an all-time high, you won’t want to miss them!
