At the start of “Big Brother 17,” Julie Chen offered us a sinister array of houseguests to love and fear. There was Da'Vonne, the motormouthed bandit who couldn't help but rip her teammates to shreds. There was Clay, a Men's Health cover posing as a contestant. There was Audrey, the show's first transgender houseguest and millionth clumsy game-player. You loved these tireless dynamos. And then they were eliminated.
We're left with a house of languid combatants. Some of these people are just emojis with haircuts. Yet the show remains fascinating, perhaps the most entertaining season in five years. Why? Let's observe the remaining houseguests and figure out why we love this game. (Keep in mind Shelli and Jackie can also return and win; we'll re-analyze later if either of them reenters the house.)