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What “new era,” Big Brother?

More young, mostly-white housemates enter Big Brother, despite promises of a "new era."

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2014-10-28_0113The promos promised much, even touting a “new era” in Big Brother, but last night’s show we watched another 4 mostly-white young housemates entering the Dreamworld compound.

There they will mingle with other young Gen Y housemates, under the watch of Nine’s cameras, trying to outdo one another with the amount of times they can say the word “like” in a single sentence.

I realise I am reacting after just 1 night, but it’s a casting matter I am raising. Promos have presumably gotten carried away with suggestions of that ‘new era.’

Opportunities to “shake things up” appear on the surface to be outweighed by a desire to drive more romantic storylines. If you’re older your opinion is not wanted here.

Producers had previously spoken about the difficulties of casting a single older housemate (perhaps like Terri who won in 2008?) yet here was a chance to offer a new era with 4 new contenders entering at once.

According to what we heard on the show these four age in range from 25 – 31 (publicity notes claim 25 – 30). They have been branded by Nine as “The Soul, The Brain, The Heart, The Body.”

Raunchy, topless photos of dancer Penny, who has already posed for Zoo, are already circulating online.

With a house full of contestants and just a month to go, expect plenty of double evictions.

Here are the biogs of the new 4:

Richard, 25 (NSW)
Bank Customer Service

Born and raised on a hobby farm in the Adelaide Hills, Richard was banned from watching TV during the week as a child (unless it was ABC News or 7.30 Report) so he read a lot of books.

After completing a finance degree he moved to Sydney to be a ‘guide dog with a Blackberry’. “What I mean by that is that I worked as a personal assistant for someone who was blind, meaning that I went everywhere with them. It was a lot of travel and a pretty crazy experience.”

Having travelled the world Richard now plans to conquer the Big Brother House. “I’m always up for an adventure. I enjoy resolving disputes and connecting with new people, and seem to make new friends easily.”

Lina, 25 (VIC)
Fashion Manufacturing and Logistics Coordinator

A survivor of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, Lina was the first Western baby to be born in the Nanjing Hospital, China. Growing up in China as a mixed-blood kid, very rare at the time, she saw herself as 100% Chinese but was treated by others as different. The public curiosity surrounding Lina caused her parents to move to Australia to have a normal childhood, however to this day she still feels at home in China.

Lina boasts brains and fashion as her greatest strengths. She works in fashion yet speaks fluent Mandarin and has a Master’s Degree in Diplomacy and International Trade with a distinction average. She enjoys putting on a façade during business meetings, playing dumb with patronising men, yet underneath she’s assessing their attitudes and propositions before making the ultimate decision on any business deal, often catching them off guard.

“I want to take over the world one day. Build up a business and earn enough money, through hard work, perseverance and making mistakes to be able to live a lifestyle where Prada is like Target to me. “

Tom, 26 (NSW)
Marketing Manager

Tom admits to being blessed with an easy life and has a very close relationship with his family who know everything about him, especially mum. “I’m a mummy’s boy.”

A passionate and honest person, he likes his opinions to be known and makes an effort to stay well educated on a range of topics. Tom has spent years traveling the world which has had a profound impact on his life. “I have seen and experienced both the good and bad overseas and that has shaped me into who I am today and the decisions I make.”

“I get extremely frustrated by selfishness, closed minded attitudes the when people are driven by the amount of money they have and their social status. There is more to life than work, money and how beautiful you look.”

Tom volunteers at the Sydney Children’s Hospital in their weekend play program. “Seeing the toughness and resilience of the children along with their zest for life really has helped put my own into perspective. Life should never be that hard – you only have one shot at life, try and make the most of each day and never wish a moment away.”

Penny 30 (VIC)
Dancer
An ex-NBL cheerleader, Penny is now a professional dancer who runs her own dance school.

“I bought my first house last year. It’s on a highway, so not glamorous and needs major renovating, but it’s wonderful cos it’s mine.”

I’ve been on my own for a very long time. haven’t found someone who fully appreciates me, but everyone I work with and the kids I teach seem to enjoy me. “

“I need eight hours’ sleep a night. If I don’t get sleep I’m so much crapper at life. I’m impatient. And if I saw someone with blackheads, I would probably ask them if I could squeeze their face.”

Amended.

26 Responses

  1. @Kristi
    Big Brother is just a commercialised copy of The Real World made for mainstream TV and sponsorship by KFC. The Real World did try to be interesting and diverse and as a result was a niche cable show.

    Have a look at the ratings BB is way down the top 20 but at the top of younger demographics because most of it audience is under 30 and virtually no one over 40 watchs it, which matches up with KFC’s market.

    It’s neuroscience. The adolescent brain is programmed to be interested in social situations, try to figure them out, experiment, stay up late and explore the fringes of society and find a place in the world. By the mid 20s the pruning of the frontal lobes is finished and behaviours are set and thinking is more rational and less risk taking. You can see this in the road fatality and drug use statistics, especially for males.

    This is traditionally when people in…

  4. I’m out. Last night, the final straw for me. Four days of all that hype and it didn’t deliver, yet again. If we could award strikes to Big Brother, he’d be long gone by now.

    I’ll return if and when the show returns to its roots and stops being a scripted soap opera for the under 30s starring telegenic, narcissistic bores.

  5. @pertinax – I’d better tell all the psychologists & psychiatrists I knew who were watching it on 10 that it was geared towards undeveloped brains! I think that is a sweeping generalisation, 9 have decided to treat it like this & thus the dissatisfaction from many long term viewers but it wasn’t like that on 10, there was a cross section watching & many of those who were watching then are now 10 years older & would still be interested except 9 have stripped it of the stuff that made BB fun. It was interesting as a social experiment, now it is an unscripted soap. If 9 just want the young demo then they must be pleased but it seems short sighted to me as there are more $ in the older demos.

  6. “Opportunities to “shake things up” appear on the surface to be outweighed by a desire to drive more romantic storylines.”

    Why? The housemates who get into showmances are usually the most boring. They end up spending all their time together and not interacting/being interesting.

    The current Big Brother is very one dimensional and lacks any depth or substance. Much like the network that airs it.

  7. Will be fast-forwarding through it all tonight to see if any of it catched my attention … sounds like it won’t!

    I said it before and will say it again… a couple of over 30’s (40-50?) who can’t be evicted in two weeks will make for far more interesting TV … or bring back the “Up Late” rude episodes … such a waste not having that this year!!!

  8. Richard bio is now added.

    Scottg: Lack of diversity in this article is as much to do with age as ethnicity. We know Lina was born in China, but the bio indicated ‘Western baby’ as did her appearance. But you’re right, it was presumptuous of me to generalise and I will amend accordingly. History has shown both non-white and older players can win BB (Trevor: 2004, Terri: 2008) and numerous other reality shows have all been lauded for diverse casting.

  9. I actually found these 4 new people much more likeable than some of the originals still in the Big Brother house LOL
    Yes, Channel 9 has messed up this season of Big Brother, no doubt about that. And apparently now they are negotiating with Lawson’s girlfriend or ex-girlfriend Candice to make a visit to the show, to confront her cheating boyfriend.
    Another Channel 9 stunt.

  10. I agree with your comments, David.

    What I am intrigued about is whether it is the casting, or whether we are just getting tired? It would be fascinating to see how we would all respond if they replayed season 1 of Big Brother.

    Would we all find it boring and talk about a lack of diversity – but season 1 was perhaps as ‘white’ as this season with the token characters described earlier!

  11. I watched every series on TEN as they had some real people on it. Nine are just going with wannabe TV and Radio celebs. Simply boring, bring back real people.

  13. Hi David,

    I am a big fan of Radio National and especially Breakfast with Fran. I also look forward to hearing your reviews every week with great relish. As such, I was a little curious as to whether you had posted anything on this year’s Big Brother series for reasons that will become obvious below. That was how I came to this blog post.

    I was particularly interested in your comments about the 4 new “white” contestants and the implied lack of diversity in the contestants’ backgrounds. I would be interested to know more about the definition of “white” as used in the context of your blog. Lina’s mother is from mainland China and Lina was born there. I am what I would call an “Anglo-Celtic” Australian, but that is only one half of the equation. Our language at home is predominantly Mandarin Chinese and both Lina and her younger sister speak fluent Mandarin. Both girls are…

  14. Same old, same old.
    The more things “change”, the more they stay the same,

    Though a couple of the intruders,(especially Lina), do seem more likeable/worthwhile and marginally more intelligent than the current HMs who are a waste of space overall.

  15. Even dedicated BB fanatics are turning off the tripe that this woeful excuse for entertainment has been guilty of showing.
    The big worry is some are hoping that Nine lose the franchise so the show can continue and return to its former greatness. From my point of view Big Brother is no different now to what it always has been, a boring meaningless program designed to entertain the simple minded who get a buzz out of watching bimbos and dumbos doing absolutely nothing.

  16. I’m finding it really dull. And to be honest, I don’t feel like you get to know all of the contestants that are in there, let alone adding another four!! The whole everybody being in a couple thing is really making it dull – if they thought about it, they’d split the house in two, or send some of them into the sanctuary for a week. Force them out of their comfort zone. Skye is taking away my will to live!! (if you get what I mean, yes, it’s hyperbole!!). Tasks feel forced – the hotel was interesting but after that it’s just such a non-event.

    Frankly, the ‘housemates’ I’m enjoying the most are the puppies!!!!! When one of them was going to town on the sandwiches last night – that was one of the funniest things that has happened so far!! And that’s not saying much…

  17. The idea of Big Brother appeals to young people whose brains are programmed to find figuring out a social situation interesting, those under 25 whose frontal lobes haven’t finished pruning yet.

    It is TV for young people, featuring pretty young people so that Nine can make money from advertisers targeting young people.

    It can’t ever be anything else because then it wouldn’t be profitable.

  18. I do have to say as being a fan of BB, the casting this year is not that great they do have it wrong this year. I wouldn’t preferred more diversity etc but I don’t know I feel BB is just different not that exciting this year seems to be all about romance and getting together…still think Sonia is fantastic!

  19. Stopped watching weeks ago. Seems channel nine cast from the same blueprint every year. Token asian check. Token gay guy check. 20 white good lookers in their twenties check. Just so boring! Channel ten please grab the show back next year.

  20. I was also complaining on my couch. Lena’s the only one who looks interesting, and again she’s a pretty young thing.

    We’ve heard the official line about older people not wanting to leave jobs and families, but I said to my husband last night, what about senior citizens? The BB allowance is probably better than the pension, and many of them would probably be happy for some new people to talk to! Wonder whether any elderly people have tried out and just been ignored. If not, I challenge the producers to start scouting for talent at the local bowling club!

  22. Too many new people too late in the season. Its taken this long to learn the original housemates names, let alone 4 new intruders. Worst BB season ever.

  23. I thought Penny looked familiar so went to google and realised she was from SYTYCD.

    I don’t watch BB, but “new era” seems just like throwing anything at the show to get people to watch.

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