BB16 Episode 31 – September 3, 2014
Sweet, naive, blissfully ignorant Nicole. WHAT IN THE HELL WERE YOU T HINKING? Clearly, you weren’t, and it will cost you your second shot at the game. You see, as you are well aware, you truly have been your own worst enemy in the last half of this game, as your words have come back to bite you in the ass. In the HoH Comp, your help to Christine painted you in a terrible light to Caleb. Then in this episode, your “compliments” to Derrick sealed your fate. Nicole is a truly sweet girl, but has no place in this game anymore. Let’s talk why:
Nicole the Harmless Outcast
This was a role you were doing pretty damn well, Nicole. You were being charming and pitiful, and suddenly you became someone that everyone realized wasn’t that big of a threat. Derrick suddenly became a huge champion of yours, although you didn’t know that of course. He was just a big shoulder to cry on. You were a new pawn for him to use to get ahead, next to the Victoria model.
Hell, you even befriended Victoria. And who does that? I’m sure the Nicole from 2 weeks ago would be aghast at what is happening here! But regardless, you were playing a decent low-key game at this point. GREAT! Sure, Frankie loathes your existence in this game, and it seems that Christine is still kinda ambivalent about you, but hey, you can’t win them all, especially in your position. But guess what! Something’s working in your favor as Derrick is ready to pull some strings…
Derrick Conducts a Master Class in Big Brother
Derrick puts a lot of things in motion this episode. He even brags to us about how good he is, and you know what, he really is that good. Let’s put things in perspective though: the remaining houseguests really aren’t that clever or much competition at this point. I’m not even sure the ones who ARE gone were that much competition. I have to think that CBS wanted a bit more agreeable of people versus what we got last season, but it seems that it lowered the bar in terms of competitive spirit. I don’t want that sentiment to get in the way of my appreciation of Derrick’s skill though. Rob Mariano’s masterful handling of the Survivor: Redemption Island morons wasn’t any less beautiful as it still required a perfect handling of those said morons.
Derrick’s multiple plans this episode, in order:
- Plants the idea in Caleb and Cody’s heads that Christine going home isn’t a terrible thing as Christine is quite a threat in her own right. Target: Christine
- Masterfully plays Caleb in 3 ways:
- Massages Caleb’s ego to draw him away from Frankie’s embrace
- Totally downplays his own gameplay and admits he’s nothing next to Caleb
- Highlights how hard a victory would be against the super-gameplayers Cody and Frankie, and a Final 2 against Derrick would guarantee Caleb a win.
- BRAVO, Derrick. Caleb happily leaps into your embrace.
- Swiftly refocuses the target on Christine again once Cody and Caleb start to get dissatisfied with Frankie’s state of mind and paranoia. Target: Christine still
Post Veto, once Christine is safe, recalibrates his gameplan to go with backdooring Frankie, happily ensuring that is what will happen while also making it not look like his idea at all. Target: Frankie- Of course, Nicole fucks all that up by her own words, changing the target yet again but unfortunately on to herself. We’ll get into all that a bit later. Target: Nicole
So in the course of one episode, Derrick bobbed and weaved, all while no one really noticed. Except of course, Nicole. It’s beautiful when people can play a game so great. Derrick even pointed out he hadn’t even been put on the block yet! How are people not seeing this????
The Best Veto Competition in a While
We loved this competition. It was one you could play at home while also having some fairly dramatic repercussions if a player lost. The game involved each contestant watching a video that listed in a sequence of stills various colors or color combinations, 
after which a direction was given, such as “Cut the middle wire of the sequence” or “Cut the first striped wire listed”. Each contestant had a large grouping of wires that they had to pore through, choosing the wire and then upon the host’s cue, cutting it with the wirecutters. 
If you cut the right wire, you continued to the next round. Cut the wrong wire? 
BOOM
After which, you are quite jacked up, with apparently paint going everywhere. Poor Cody was out first, which held its own punishment in addition to looking like this.
Nicole, who desperately needed to win, held on until the very end, beating out Caleb and Victoria, but Derrick and Christine were tough competition. In Round 6, Nicole ended up guessing wrong while Derrick happened to sabotage himself as to not make himself look too strong. Christine wins!
After that, Frankie immediately ran over to Christine and bragged he’d have lasted as long as she did, heavily implying Cody and Caleb are morons. Word of course gets back to them and that leads Caleb to happily consider backdooring Frankie, which looks to be the plan, until of course the following happens:
Nicole Compares Derrick to Dan
Nicole Nicole Nicole! What in the hell were you thinking? Did you forget everything that Hayden presumably told you before coming back into the house? The true targets are Cody and Derrick! That list of people INCLUDES Derrick! I just think the ostracization she’s receiving really messed with her emotions. The people being nicest to her are in fact those two people, plus Victoria. So yeah, here comes Derrick being charming and talking about home, and Nicole decides to be honest. Oh boy.
So in those brief few moments of friendship and levity, Nicole ended her game. There’s no doubt in my mind she’s gone in tonight’s show. Derrick won’t stand for it and the rest of the houseguests won’t even try to stand for saving Nicole on their own. With Derrick backing Nicole, she definitely had a shot as there would have been a backdooring of Frankie. Now? Girlfriend’s gone. I do think that there’s possible things Nicole could do still to blow up Derrick’s game by talking further about this to others, but she actually doesn’t know when to say the right things at the right time. So, pack your bags, Nicole!
Tangent Time with Tyrannosaurus Jerk
Hey, Cody called himself that, not me. It was an adorable costume, truth be told. The little tail was the cutest part, as was his flirting with the girls to get kisses. Not too terrible a punishment for being first out in the Veto Competition.
Veto Ceremony Time – No Big Moves This Week!
Yet again, the HoH isn’t ready to make a big move. It’s funny how people think there’s endless time to make that “big move.” It’s certainly easy to get rid of Nicole this week, as she does have the tainted status of being a “2nd Chance” player and not worthy of the win. BUT! That’s exactly why you’d keep her around till the end too! Even more than Victoria’s lack of gameplay, sitting next to someone who had their chance and got evicted and is back for Round 2 should be even better to argue against in front of a jury. All you have to say? “I got this far without getting a second chance!”
So Caleb prefaced his nomination of Victoria with a statement that the person who is going up should feel absolutely safe as Nicole is the clear target. I don’t see anything happening that will make his words inaccurate. If Nicole were smart, she’d advocate like hell that she’s better to keep around than Victoria due to the reason mentioned above, but I think it’ll fall on deaf ears, or more likely, Derrick-controlled ears. If Derrick wants Nicole gone, Nicole is gone. Guess we’ll see!
Status and Standings:
Head of Household: Caleb
Nominated for Eviction: Nicole & Christine
Power of Veto Winner: Christine
Veto Used? Yes, on herself
Replacement Nominee: Victoria