Big Brother is one of the most popular and longest-running reality shows around. But while it has amassed a legion of loyal fans over the last several decades, the love hasn't come without criticism.
There are plenty of things about Big Brother that fans love but also many things that irk those who have been watching season after season, year after year. In certain cases, some of the most common criticisms have been addressed. But in others, they continue to be brought up.
Majority Cast Too Young
Every season has at least one older player, but for the sake of the show, "older" typically means over 30. Most players are in their 20s, and fans believe this leads to the show being all about showmances, bikinis, and immature antics versus truly strategic gameplay. There have been younger houseguests who bucked the stereotypes and played intelligent, strategic games showing that it isn't all about age. Nonetheless, most players, season after season, are very young.
With that said, the show has had some great older players, including Jerry MacDonald, who remains the oldest player on Big Brother having appeared when he was 75. The former Marine made it to third place and proved that the show can be fun and exciting with houseguests in their mature years.
Too Predictable
Over the years, they show has become more and more predictable. This is likely because many new players come in trying to emulate the strategy and gameplay of the greats before them. Plus, the show, by nature, is formulaic.
Part of the predictability stems from host Julie Chen's robotic hosting style that has lovingly earned her the nickname Chenbot. The show also features the same types of twists, competitions, and alliances forming. Every season, there's something new to liven things up. But by and large, the show is relatively predictable.
People Not Being Expelled From The Game
It seems like every season, fans are calling for at least one houseguest to be evicted. From Jack bullying Kemi in the house and saying terrible things behind her back, to Aaryn and Gina Marie saying racist things during the live feeds and bullying others, fans were calling for their expulsion from the game.
Fans are happy that the issues are addressed by producers while the people are in the house, and especially when host Julie Chen confronts the person about their behavior or words during the live eviction. But fans wish the show would be more ruthless and oust people immediately when they say or do something deplorable.
Houseguests Getting Away With Things
Sometimes, fans believe houseguests should be expelled from the game for getting away with things they shouldn't. One example is when several fans believed Jackson was sneaking cookies and other food into the bathroom stall and eating them when he was supposed to be on slop.
One thing fans might not know about the Big Brother house is that there is actually a camera in the bathroom stall. This was proven when Shannon was caught using Hardy's toothbrush to clean the toilet. Fans called for proof that Jackson wasn't sneaking food as soon as it looked like he was, and wondered why, if it was true, he was allowed to get away with it.
Lack Of Casting Diversity
This is one criticism that has been addressed in a big way is the lack of diversity among the cast. In fact, the winner of its last season, which featured a 50% BIPOC cast, was the first Black person to win the show (with the exception of Tamar Braxton on Celebrity Big Brother 2). The season also saw The Cookout, an all-Black alliance, become one of the most successful and entertaining alliances ever on Big Brother.
Should Big Brother continue to honor this promise, the common criticism of a lack of diversity on the show will become a distant memory.
Casting Stereotypes
Like any other reality show, Big Brother tends to cast people who fit certain "roles" in the house, like the model, the jock, the brainiac, the older person, the religious person, the quirky outcast, the loud one, and so on. Every season has someone who could fit into a cookie cutter mold.
It's tough to avoid casting stereotypes since this is what makes the show exciting. Plus, every person will fall into some kind of stereotype. But the show also uses clever editing to position houseguests into their respective boxes as much as possible.
Bullying And Harassment
While Big Brother producers address bullying and harassment privately with houseguests, as well as in exit interviews, and always step in before things get physical, many fans do not like that incidents of bullying and harassment continue to occur on the show.
While not all incidents rank among the times a houseguest went too far on Big Brother, there have been many times when houseguests were visibly upset, and when someone was blatantly bullying someone else. It was captured on camera and aired as part of the show, which sparked conversation but also made fans upset that people were being treated a certain way.
Inappropriate Content In After Dark
The After Dark footage of Big Brother is designed for those who wish to pay and tap into the live feeds of the house cameras 24/7. There, they can see everything going on, with the broadcast flipping from room to room, showing who is where and what's happening. It's a great way for die-hard fans to get the inside track, including finding out who wins endurance competition before the episode broadcast and hearing intimate conversations as people strategize with one another.
But After Dark episodes are not edited or censored, which means you'll see and hear everything. Some fans don't appreciate some of the content for what they consider to be a family show, including houseguests doing naughty things under the covers, or having controversial conversations.
Unfair Advantages
From complaints about former houseguests pre-gaming before entering the house for an All-Star edition, to houseguests like Tommy and Christie knowing each other outside of the house, fans have felt some players have gotten unfair advantages in the game. In another incident, when Paul Abrahamian returned for a second season in a row, they came into the game with multiple advantages that automatically kept them safe from the first evictions.
Conversely, sometimes it's an unfair disadvantage, such as when the show has evicted a houseguest on the first night, not even giving the person a chance to play. It is one of the twists Big Brother fans hated.
Racist Or Homophobic Remarks
Usually within the live after-hours feeds, die-hard fans would catch houseguests making racist or homophobic remarks and share these clips online. Sometimes, depending on the nature of the situation and what was said, CBS would air the comment as part of the live episode.
Any type of racism or homophobia was addressed in exit interviews or with players in the house during their private Diary Room sessions. Nonetheless, it doesn't sit well with fans that, year after year, people cast on the show continue to say hurtful things.