Big Brother 25’s competitions have been primarily won by the more athletically inclined houseguests, giving some an unfair advantage over others.
Big Brother 25 has been one of the most interesting seasons in the modern era of the series, but the show’s competition inequity has been called into question for making the season a predictable, boring slog to the end. While the social dynamics of BB 25 have been some of the most interesting in years and the cast has been a diverse mix of people from all walks of life, the competition side of BB 25 leaves a lot to be desired. Throughout the season the houseguests have competed for the Head Of Household title and Power Of Veto, with 82% of the season’s competition wins going to male contestants.
While the competitions of Big Brother 25 haven’t all been geared specifically towards the male cast members, the majority have been more physical in nature. From HOH competitions that require a high level of agility to veto competitions that require a wingspan that a woman wouldn’t physically be able to ascertain, the competitions throughout BB 25 have favored the highly athletic competitors over anyone else. Of the HOH and Veto winners, 64% of the competitions were won by just 2 houseguests, Cameron Hardin and Jared Fields. With such inequity, BB 25’s competitions ruined what could’ve been a tremendous season.
Big Brother Has Been Creating Convoluted Competitions
Although the competitions on Big Brother 25 were sometimes reminiscent of classic BB competitions, like the infamous Pressure Cooker, there were several competitions throughout the season that felt needlessly complicated. From the Big Brother 25 episode 1 opening night competitions that involved 4 separate mini-games to the most recent Head Of Household competition that required the houseguests to memorize different components of various rooms, running back and forth in order to complete a puzzle. Though the competitions have typically been varied in skill set, the rules and regulations surrounding the competitions have been tough to navigate.
During her post-eviction interview, BB 25’s America Lopez explained that the competitions were much harder than they seemed on camera. This sentiment has been shared throughout the season by various houseguests, who were trying their best to win competitions and were unable to feasibly do so next to some major competitive threats like BB 25 houseguest Jag Bains, Jared, and Cameron. With convoluted competitions that were physically grueling in some cases and mentally difficult in others, the competition production for the season has been unreasonably difficult for the majority of the houseguests, leaving few options for who could truly win.
Some Physical Competitions Are Impossible For Older Houseguests
In 2021, CBS mandated some diversity standards for the casting of their reality TV series including Big Brother. This meant the casting would be more inclusive when it came to race, age, and gender identity. BB 25 had several older contestants rather than the average mix of early 20 to early 30-year-olds, including 63-year-old Felicia Cannon who’s still in the mix for the competition. While the diversity in casting is a great change for Big Brother, which has been criticized for its lack of diversity in the past, the fact that competitions haven’t been shifted in order to accommodate older houseguests is a problem.
While the competitions don’t need to be changed gratuitously, the fact that older houseguests are asked to participate in tremendously physical challenges is a lot to ask. For houseguests like Felicia, performing the same tasks in a competition as someone in their young 20s who is consistently working out isn’t equitable. The Big Brother competitions of the past ensured that any of the houseguests had at least a chance at winning. The fact that this has shifted in recent years makes it impossible for people who aren’t the most physically capable – or even those who are but are less physical than competition beasts – to have a shot.
Many Big Brother 25 Competitions Were Nearly Identical
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Although there were only a few instances of this issue on Big Brother 25, the fact that there were similar competitions is an issue that should be addressed in future seasons. There were multiple competitions that had the same gist to them. For instance, in the BB Comics HOH competition, houseguests are asked to identify the differences in sets of images, and then organize them appropriately before ringing in. In Johnny Mac’s Demented Dentist, the HOH competition the week after BB Comics, the houseguests were also asked to identify differences in a set of images, organize them appropriately, then ring in. The same houseguest, Jag, won both of these competitions.
Big Brother 25’s Competitions Favor Athletes Over Mentalists
While there are typically mental parts to most competitions on Big Brother, the majority of competitions have favored athleticism over mental skills. This has been an issue for the series in the past but has become more prevalent in recent years as the competition production team has shifted. For the last several seasons, the competition production team behind Big Brother’s competition has been primarily male and even brought in a producer who used to design competitions for American Ninja Warrior. The series has put value on athleticism in a way that it didn’t used to, which has made it more difficult for the houseguests to succeed without inherent athletic ability.
The BB 25 Cast & Viewers Have Complained About Competition Styles
With the Big Brother 25 houseguests having a lot of downtime, they discuss the past competitions they’ve participated in frequently. Many of the BB 25 houseguests have been outspoken about the fact that they feel incapable of winning competitions with the level of physicality that some of the stronger guys in the cast have. Between Jag, who has 7 competition wins under his belt for the season, and Matt Klotz, a Deaflympic gold medal-winning swimmer, it’s impossible for some of the other houseguests to have a shot competing to win.
While houseguests like America, who set a competition record in her time on BB Comics, have come close and others like Bowie Jane, who regularly does cross-fit in her normal life, have managed to win a few competitions of her own, the disparity is staggering to the houseguests. The public has taken notice of the competition inequity as well, with many viewers finding themselves bored with the lack of competition wins outside a few physically fit men. Big Brother viewers have been hoping for more equitable wins for ages, especially in a time when the cast is more diverse – and thus more interesting – than ever.