Gallery: Big Brother retrospective
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
It all started in 2001 when 12 housemates went into a makeshift house on the Gold Coast. it ends tonight with a bang.
How to summarise the show that took a leaf from George Orwell’s 1984 and introduced us to over 150 housemates? Thanks to all the housemates and guests that have entertained us. To the crew, producers and hosts you kept us guessing, laughing, cringing, yelling, voting, snoring, arguing and occasionally crying. It was quite a ride.
Here are just a few of the words and phrases that we think of when we think of Big Brother: bunny ears, evictions, turkey slap, Uncut, fans, up late, Friday Night Live, free the refugees, nudity, spa, nominations, bum dance, sooky la la, kombi van, Diary Room, microphones, challenges, doona dancing, celebrities, Big Mouth, racism, breast implants, bullying, wildcards, Dreamworld, twins, lip gloss, intruders, white room, toy boy, lie detector, gay, binge drinking, possimistic, rewards room, fines, Adults Only….
But pictures say it so much better. Here, in no particular order, is a collection of the faces, the moments and the motifs that made up the BB experience.
And here is the moment TV Tonight elects as the defining moment of all 8 series:
It says so many things about television, the show and our nation.
Don’t forget to turn off the lights.
12 Responses
The only thing you’re missing is a reference to “Game on Moles” Anna.
Thanks for the gallery David! I agree the Merlin incident probably sums up BB best but my favourite moment from BB was an ever-so-brief moment of Chrissie in 2003(?) imitating Cher singing If I Could Turn Back Time.. still remember it to this day. But also the clash between her and Ben, that was the most genuinely dramatic moment in BB and not a script to be found.
I will miss BB a lot hopefully nine will pick it up even if they do change it a lot any BB is better than no BB
Awesome David.
Yeah do you have any news besides 9 wanting to look at the show for it to return.
I thought it was ironic that it took so many people and so much money to produce such a cheap, creatively bankrupt piece of trash.
I totally agree with Leith & CSIRO. Until the axing of Uncut in response to political pressure and the now infamous 'turkey slap" incident, the show was what it was. You watched if you liked it – end of story.
Gretel was a brilliant host and there were only a handful of things along the way that she said or did that I disagreed with. Overall she treated all HM's fairly, understood how daunting it was to come out of the house into the crowded studio etc (back when it was truly live). She tried to be impartial which is something that can not be said for Kyle & Co. At least she liked the show and most of the HM's.
Don’t get me wrong Leith, I think Gretel was generally fantastic, especially at the impromptu stuff. But I just think BB should have exploited the “drama” of Merlin’s protest as opposed to downplaying and criticising it. On another note, I know people can easily suggest the show was trashy, but the social/psychological side was truly fascinating, especially in the early years.
No, not on a site about TV.
There’s been a lot this week given the show’s supposedly ending its life. There will be a little shakedown with finale, possibly some fallout given people are free to speak, and potential acquistions elsewhere.
But I agree we can all do with the break.
i’ve spent the past eight years doing my best to avoid this bogan-fest. after tomorrow can you promise never to mention it again?
Actually Mark, I think Merlin’s protest was handled very well by Gretel. She told the audience off for booing him, as everyone was entitled to their own opinion and Merlin’s was particularly valid. She kept things rolling while also taking time out regularly to see if he wanted to say anything to the audience during his 2 minutes of fame.
I miss Gretel!
This reminds me oh how well Gretel was as a host. Whoever thought Kyle & Jackie could have been as charismatic should have been sacked.
But I think it lost it's way after the axing of uncut/adults only due to political pressure.
Excellent Retrospective – THanks! And I agree that Merlin’s inspired protest WAS the defining moment of the series. It was the moment when the series lost its way. THis could have been a brilliant piece of TV anarchy and the kind of unscripted stuff that Big Brother was loved for, but instead BB (and sadly, Gretel) mishandled it entirely.