‘Big Brother’ recap: Will Aaryn make a big move or play it safe?

So, Aaryn’s reign of terror as HoH has been surprisingly mild, given that Helen is pulling her strings like an amateur puppeteer. The veto competition and the announcement of America’s MVP, of course, could throw off all of Helen’s not-so-careful planning, so it’s still worthwhile to tune in on a Wednesday. It’s not just a lame veto competition after all!

With the nominations having been decided, Helen weirdly makes a big, fake to-do about not being not the block, gleefully hugging Aaryn as if this will convince people they’re not in an alliance. Still, Elissa is super shocked she isn’t on the block! Really, I think everyone has just realized she’s so poor at playing this game, there’s no reason to send her packing.

Still, Amanda is thrilled that Aaryn nominated Howard and Spencer. It should be smooth sailing for her from here, right? Mwahahahahaha!

Howard is very nervous about what his fate might be, and after a poignant moment with Jessie, he decides to talk to the house about… something. Really, I’m still trying to figure out what his point was, if he had a point, or if that speech was even in English. I kept wondering if I’d drifted off in the middle and just lost the thread, but I’m pretty sure there was no thread to begin with. As Andy says, Howard could have just stood there and said “blah blah blah,” and he’s right. And yet, Howard is so thrilled he talked to the house and, as Spencer says, freaked everyone else out. Yay? 

In a continuing storyline for this episode, McCrae imagines he’s manipulating Spencer, either by convincing him that Howard is the MVP, or that he’s the pawn, or that Howard is gunning for Amanda. Needless to say, Spencer thinks Pizza Boy is ridiculous. When you can’t even snow Spencer, really, isn’t it time to just admit your role as Amanda’s boy toy and sit quietly until you’re eliminated?

Finally, it’s time to announce the third nominee, and America has chosen… Amanda? Huh. I’m not thrilled about this, primarily because Amanda is so entertaining in the interview room. Don’t you like to be amused, America? 

However, I will concede she’s been playing a little too hard recently in trying to make the other hamsters do her bidding, so that may have annoyed some people. There’s also the matter of her taking tubbies with a guy who farts in the water, which is kinda gross. But on the whole, I think Amanda is more fun and notably smarter than a lot of the other hamsters, and I’m not convinced she’s going to be a pawn now that she’s on the block. 

While Amanda stomps around the house and McCrae tries to act threatening (poor bunny), eventually it’s time to pick players in the veto competition. Aaryn, Howard, Amanda and Spencer, will be joined by Candice and Jessie, which is sort of like saying the two additional players will be a pot roast and a sweater. The host will be Helen, who is ridiculously happy about this for some reason. 

The hamsters, who have tossed around the idea that the MVP is Elissa or Andy or even America (ding, ding, ding), conclude with Amanda being the third nominee the MVP must be Howard. Amanda confronts Howard, which results in him speaking in circles until she finally throws up her hands and leaves the room. If Howard is using this endless crazy talk as a tactic, I think it may only succeed in getting him booted. He’s better off praying with everyone; that seems to make more sense.

Because the editors have decided Andy hasn’t gotten enough screen time for some reason, we join him as he relaxes in the hammock until a bird flies over him. This is to remind us that life in the “Big Brother” house is probably more boring than we know. 

Time for the veto competition! The hamsters are sent back in time (aka the backyard) to rebuild the first veto, which has been destroyed. Apparently, the first veto existed during the time of dinosaurs. At this point, “Big Brother” isn’t even trying to make sense anymore. Why not just herd the players into the backyard, make them wear jumpsuits, pelt them with rocks, then tell them to do a crossword from the newspaper. It would be about as logical. 

Still, as stupid as the competition is, it is apparently pretty hard. Aaryn hates puzzles! They’re, like, hard! Candice and Jessie are perplexed! It’s a puzzle, people, not calculus. 

Spencer, who is very motivated to get off the block and has not made himself dizzy talking in circles like Howard, wins the veto. 

Given that Spencer is going to take himself off the block, that means a third nominee must be made. Aaryn wants to go after Candice, because Aaryn has never met a personal vendetta she doesn’t like. Plus, you know, black people just make her want to say racist things. 

Helen looks chagrined, but says she’ll go with the group. I think Helen is just happy Aaryn hasn’t realized it might be the time to backdoor her or Elissa (a big risk, but possibly a big move that could work), so she’ll sell her own underwear just to take the heat off of her.

Then, Candice decides she needs to talk to Helen in order to take the heat off of Howard. This seems logical until she sits down with Helen. Instead of trying to play to Helen’s better nature, she instead decides to tell her everything she’s figured out — including the fact Helen, Elissa, McCrae and Amanda are controlling the game. For someone who is so, so bad at challenges, Candice is no dumb bunny. Helen suddenly realizes it may be time to drag Candice through the mud to the other housemates before Candice does the same to her.  Weren’t Candice and Helen in an alliance? I guess that’s all over now. 

Of course, Aaryn chooses Candice as a replacement nominee, and I wonder if Candice, not bigger threats Amanda or Howard, could get the boot. If she doesn’t get sent home, though, she intends to gun for Helen and Elissa next week. It’s times like these when I think Aaryn may just be able to slip by with the other floaters simply for not making a fuss.

Who do you think will go home? Did you vote for Amanda? Can Howard survive this week? 

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