Geez, you go to Comic-Con for a week and the whole game of “Big Brother” changes! Can’t leave those hamsters unattended for a minute! Last week, Helen made a Big Move and bumped Jeremy from the house, and it seemed as if the Mom Squad might make it all the way to the end. Of course, that was last week. This week, we got a twist and the notoriously wishy-washy Judd is HOH. In other words, it’s a whole new game. It’s enough to give a hamster a headache.
The twist, of course, is that America is the MVP this week, though the hamsters don’t know that. When Elissa nervously admits she hasn’t been anointed MVP (the way you can tell she’s nervous is she simpers more than usual), a round of increasingly frantic and suspicious accusations dance through the house like a raging hantavirus. More than a few hamsters suspect Elissa is just lying, which would make sense if Elissa was just marginally better at playing this game. But really, her strategy seems to be… luck, as far as I can tell.
In this chaos, Spencer and Howard come up with a scheme. They have to take out Elissa and Amanda, so it’s just a matter of rounding up the outsiders and starting, yes, a new alliance! It’s Moving Company Junior!
Howard manages to sweet talk Judd, Kaitlin and GinaMarie into joining him and Spencer to create an alliance of five. It’s remarkably easy to do, even though Howard starts talking at great length about the ants killing a grasshopper and generally makes everyone’s eyes glaze over. Still, it’s an impressive feat that the strongest physical player is able to convince everyone that he’s not only not a threat, but just a really decent guy who wants to work together with all his new friends. Howard could win this thing, I’m convinced.
There’s more bad news ahead for the Mom Squad, unfortunately. The MVP (meaning America) selects Elissa as the third nominee. Granted, I’m betting most of the votes were for Aaryn, so I’m sure everyone else was in a distant race for second. Still, I’m a little surprised that America can conversely pick her to be the MVP week after week, then scares up the votes to potentially send her packing. Stop being schizoid, America! Yes, I understand Elissa is a polarizing presence, and the facial tics alone are enough to make you want to shake your television, but still, America is not exactly consistent beyond always voting for Elissa for everything.
I would have been more bothered at the prospect of Elissa going home last week, but after this week’s episode, I’m pretty well over it. But we’ll get to the reason why in a moment.
First, the veto competition! I think it’s a little messed up that the hamsters are ordered to dress for success just so they can drag their interview suits through the mud. Some of these hamsters are going to need their suits when they get out! The least Aaryn can do in a job interview is look good!
It’s an election themed contest, which you’d think Helen would master in a white hot minute, but no, it’s really just about digging around in the mud for numbers. The higher the number the better your chance of winning, but those high numbers come with a price. Like, 24 hours of solitary confinement. This doesn’t sound terrible — at first. If you decide to keep a really low number, you might get something good. Like money. Guess who likes money? The pizza delivery guy. Just a hint.
This is how the contest shakes down:
Helen – 29 votes, but she is stuck with an 8:00 p.m. curfew for two nights.
Kaitlin – 25 votes
McCrae – 20 votes and 5,000 dollars
Aaryn – 32 votes
Judd – 38 votes but 24 hours solitary.
Elissa – she has to sit out the next veto competition, but she got 40 votes and wins power of veto.
Well, Elissa manages to get herself off the block, which is pretty impressive. This is also the last impressive thing Elissa does in the episode.
When McCrae’s friends decide to get together to spank him for his 24th birthday, Amanda tosses on a black swimsuit, slicks on the make-up, and does her best to be kinky/sexy/sorta trampy.
For whatever reason, this makes Elissa insane. She calls Amanda gross, “not to be mean or anything.” She says she’s always wanted to see her dressed like a stripper. She says Amanda looks tacky. She does NOT let up for a moment — even when Amanda leaves the room to sob in the bathroom. I don’t think Amanda cries easily, so that gives you an idea of what a mean girl Elissa became.
McCrae comes in to reassure her (Happy 24th birthday, McCrae! Go comfort your girlfriend in the toilet!), and she points out that they protected Elissa and saved her when everyone else in the house attacked her. McCrae astutely points out Elissa’s digging her own grave, and he’s right. More than that, if she were to get another shot at MVP (a twist can always twist back, I suppose), I think this little interlude may have killed her chances.
When Elissa takes herself off the block, it’s time for the MVP to name a replacement — GinaMarie. Well chosen, America! GinaMarie doesn’t know who this cockamamie MVP is, but she’s going to play and play hard. And potentially make up more words. Yay!
Who do you think will go home? Who did you vote for for MVP? Do you think Elissa was a mean girl this week?