Big Brother needs to realise that it is not Love Island – and fast.
The anticipated return of the UK's original reality show brought with it some high expectations from die-hard OG fans (hello, it's us). Would BB go back to its roots, as a true social experiment? Would ITV nail its first ever BB casting? And would the format resonate with both a returning and a first-time audience?
We'll admit it: at first, we were impressed. A genuinely interesting and eclectic bunch walked through the brand new BB house doors and despite this not actually being live and feeling a little rushed – Marcus Bentley's shopping list of housemate facts were sorely missed – the (re)-launch show actually managed to capture the feel of Channel 4's initial '00s outing.
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But as the weeks have progressed, we've started to see the ripples of the producers' wooden spoon.
The first big noticeable crack appeared when Noky was assigned a secret Halloween-themed task by Big Brother, unknowingly recruiting Trish to help her select three housemates for a surprise backdoor eviction.
They succeeded in their mission undetected – something that BB warned that they must achieve as per the rules, or else face grave consequences. But despite pulling it off (seriously, where do we nominate Noky for that BAFTA-worthy reaction performance?), Big Brother decided to out them as the nominators in front of the rest of the house anyway.
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The intent to stir the pot for the sake of some drama was clear, but it felt in very bad faith when taking into account the parameters that BB had set for its own task. The show is, after all, built upon a series of rules – without the structure that holds the house up, it could all come tumbling down pretty quickly.
Take nominations. It's a BB commandment that housemates cannot discuss who they are putting up: a rule we have repeatedly seen broken, and that invites imaginative punishment that's both entertaining and fair. Yinrun having an existential crisis in a fake jail? Iconic.
Another vintage rule is that there's to be no contact with the outside world – so why, in the teaser for tonight's episode (November 7), are we seeing friends and family entering the house?
Love Island, in stark contrast, has always been a more fluid format, with producers seeming to respond in real-time to villa drama and the reactions of its audience. It moves its own goal posts, and that's within the show's DNA. For better or worse, this hands-on approach has reshaped a new wave of reality television and has provided countless hours of dramatic relationship-fuelled entertainment.
But Big Brother is a different beast, and one that history has taught us is at its best when left alone. For many of us, Channel 5's tendency to tamper with it too much is what led to its downfall and eventual cancellation.
The first few episodes of ITV's reboot also proved that less is more, with an early conversation between Farida and Hallie encapsulating the classic essence of Big Brother while still placing it firmly within the context of our current culture. What has always made the show great is its habit of placing a diverse range of people from different walks of life together in a house and simply... seeing what happens. Who knew that Boris-loving Tory Henry and left-wing feminist Trish would be getting along so well?
The surveillance show needs little more than a shopping budget and nominations to create organic friction, and the natural conversations and personality clashes that unfold in front of the cameras tend to be much more gripping.
Disappointingly recent scenes that ITV has cherry-picked appear to focus more on Big Brother's cash-cow credentials, with a Hunger Games-themed task (suspiciously timed to a new movie that happens to be out next week) and a dress-up party with show sponsors Vinted that wouldn't have felt out of place in the Islander-filled Majorca sun.
We wanted Big Brother to go back to basics, and that sentiment still stands – ITV just needs to remember why we fell in love with it in the first place.
Big Brother airs Sundays to Fridays at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX. Each episode is followed by Big Brother Late & Live at 10pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
