This article contains spoilers for the first season of Big Brother Reindeers Games.
The holidays are officially in full force after Big Brother Reindeer Games crowned its first champion.
After Big Brother 25 wrapped in November, nine Big Brother stars returned to the franchise for another shot at earning a six-figure grand prize. They showed up for Reindeer Games, an original CBS spin-off show nothing like its predecessor.
Instead of Head of Households, Power of Vetos, and eviction nights, the contestants dueled in a challenge-based game that played out through six festive episodes.
All in all, five former Big Brother champions joined the roster — Nicole Franzel-Arroyo, Taylor Hale, Xavier Prather, Josh Martinez, and Cody Calafiore — as well as four fan favorites: Frankie Grande, Britney Godwin, Danielle Hendricks (formerly Reyes), and Cameron Hardin.
The legends fell one by one in “Santa’s Showdown” until four players remained on finale night. Then, they duked it out in the “Reindeer Games,” and by the time the hour was up, one competitor earned $100,000 just before Christmas.
And that was Nicole.
Regarded as an underdog heading into the show, the three-time houseguest became Big Brother Reindeer Games’ sole champion by besting Taylor in a head-to-head showdown.
So, how did Nicole once again ascend into reality TV glory? Let’s take a brief look at the Big Brother 18 champion’s game.
Nicole eliminated some of Reindeer Games’ biggest competition threats en route to the $100,000 grand prize
Through three separate stints on Big Brother — seasons 16, 18, and 22 — Nicole had never been considered a “competition beast.” She relied on her social and political wheeling and dealing to propel herself forward. So, when Nicole showed up for a game that’d ultimately be decided through competition wins, she was considered a heavy underdog when stacked up against the likes of Frankie, Cody, and Xavier.
Luckily, Reindeer Games involved strategy and social dynamics as well.
Nicole ensured that she was insulated by multiple alliances. Although Cody had betrayed her during season 22, she, Cody, and Frankie quickly grouped up as part of the Big Brother 16 alliance. Also, Nicole buried the hatchet with Britney while establishing an all-female alliance with the woman in the house.
Nicole floated through the first two rounds of play. Although she didn’t win a competition, she also wasn’t sent into Santa’s Showdown — the loser-go-home challenge that capped off the episodes. Cameron, “America’s Favorite Player” from Big Brother 25, was the first to be sent packing courtesy of Big Brother 23’s king, Xavier. And Cody, season 22’s champion and 16’s runner-up, followed him out the door a day later when he came up short against Xavier and Frankie, his fellow Big Brother 16 alum.
Nicole notched her first Reindeer Games victory in episode 3 when she toppled the roster in the “Jingle Bell Brawl.” The win earned her safety that day, and later, Danielle, an icon from Big Brother 3 and 7, had her franchise comeback derailed.
Then, Nicole showed off her championship mettle in episode 4 when she found herself in Santa’s Showdown opposite Josh, Big Brother 19’s winner. In a game that had them clinging onto a swinging candy cane for dear life, Nicole narrowly outlasted Josh, who toppled to the ground a second before Nicole.
The victory landed her in the final five, and she followed it up with her first and only “Naughty and Nice” win. She served Xavier a punishment, but it wasn’t enough to eliminate him. Xavier and Big Brother 12 and 14’s Britney were partnered up for the Jingle Bell Brawl, and later, they faced off in Santa’s Showdown.
Nicole’s ally Britney bit the dust, and the finalists for the first annual Reindeers Game were established. Before the finale aired on December 21, Nicole shared a video via Instagram of herself and her husband, Big Brother 18’s Victory Arroyo, baking snacks while writing in the caption that when she made it to the end game, she already felt like a winner.
“I made it into the reindeer games (final 4) and that felt like a win to me. Actually me just going and being surrounded with such amazing friends is the real win.”
In episode 6, Xavier won the final Naughty and Nice challenge, and he earned the ability to determine the semi-final bracket. Viewing Nicole as a lesser threat than Frankie and Taylor, Big Brother 24’s queen, Xavier matched himself up with Nicole while the other two squared off.
Because Xavier chose her, Nicole was hit with a 30-second time penalty at the start of their challenge, which had them building a puzzle with gears that eventually cracked nuts. As history has it, Nicole flew through the puzzle and ended Xavier’s impressive challenge run.
Then, Taylor beat Frankie in their contest, setting up an all-female, all-winner final.
The challenge was broken down into three stages that had them climbing objects to snag “magical mistletoe,” maneuvering antlers through a three-stacked maze, and stacking dozens of different-sized snowflakes. Taylor led most of the game. But, the final portion proved difficult, and Nicole came from behind and pulled the rug out from under her.
By capturing the Reindeer Games trophy, Nicole was awarded $100,000 and the bragging rights that came with another franchise first-place finish.
Nicole took to Instagram to react to her Reindeer Games triumph after the last episode ended while also revealing that she was retiring from her Big Brother career. She wrote:
“THANKFUL for this experience, thankful for my CBS family in LA & thankful for this cast. I am so grateful for every single part of this journey ESP the amazing relationships I’ve made. PS im retired. FOR REAL.”
No contestant has ever won two seasons of an American-based Big Brother season. Some contestants have come close — Cody and Dan Gheesling both placed as winners and runner-ups in their two showings. However, Nicole now stands as the only former houseguest to achieve victory in two iterations of CBS’s flagship series.
Because of this year’s writer’s strike, Big Brother Reindeer Games came to life. And with Hollywood back into full swing, this may be the first and only time the CBS original hits our television screens. And if that’s the case, Nicole’s name will remain as the only Reindeer Games champion etched in the history books.