Nicole Franzel of Ubly emerged the winner of a wild Santa’s Showdown on Monday night and moved on to the final five contestants on the CBS holiday-themed reality show, “Big Brother Reindeer Games.”
In a photo finish, Franzel beat fellow Santa’s Lodge guest Josh, just barely outlasting him in the Candy Cane Rodeo, a challenge in which the two Santa’s Showdown players hung onto a giant, mechanical bull-like candy cane. Josh went home with a consolation prize of an ugly Christmas sweater.
As the episode began, Nicole, Britney, Taylor and Frankie looked to solidify their alliance, while the scheming Taylor also reassured Xavier that their alliance with Josh was still in place.
Appearing once again was “Big Brother 23” veteran Derek serving as one of Santa’s ambassadors and explaining the rules for the latest Naughty and Nice challenge, which would give the winner an advantage and the ability to put a competitor at a disadvantage in the Jingle Bell Brawl.
On Monday night, the players were tasked with solving the mystery of who kidnapped Jill Frost. The players searched Santa’s Lodge for clues, which all pointed to a reindeer named Slasher. Both Frankie and Josh guessed correctly, but Frankie was declared the winner of the Naughty and Nice power, making his guess just ahead of Josh.
Derek explained that Frankie had earned the right to choose his partner for the Jingle Bell Brawl and also had the power to put an opposing team at a disadvantage during the challenge, which consisted of teams competing to solve a puzzle by correctly loading Santa’s sleigh with puzzle pieces decorated like gifts.
For the Jingle Bell Brawl, Frankie chose Taylor as his partner, who had been targeting him for elimination. The remaining players were responsible for choosing the players for the other two teams, with Xavier and Josh insisting on guy/girl partnerships, despite Nicole’s misgivings about being separated from Britney.
In the Jingle Bell Brawl, Nicole teamed with Xavier while Josh partnered with Britney. Frankie used the disadvantage power to “freeze” Xavier and Nicole for a short time, and he and Taylor won the challenge.
As the winners, Frankie and Taylor each had to choose a player from the losing teams to send to Santa’s Showdown. Nicole made a personal appeal to Taylor to avoid the showdown, but Taylor sent her anyway. Josh, chosen by Frankie, would be her opponent.
Santa’s Showdown proved to be the Candy Cane Rodeo. Both players managed to hold on as the candy canes began to move faster and more erratically over the course of an hour. Both players lost their grip about one hour and five minutes into the challenge, but it was Josh who would land on the mat first, eliminating him from the game.
As the episode drew to a close, Nicole said she felt betrayed by Taylor despite surviving Santa’s Showdown.
Franzel and the other five remaining contestants will be back at it on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 9 p.m. The show can be seen locally on WNEM TV5 and is available for streaming on Paramount+.
According to press materials, Santa invites nine iconic former “Big Brother” players to his magical world where the “Reindeer Games” take place. Over six action-packed holiday-themed episodes, Santa’s elves guide the players through challenging and unpredictable competitions.
Each episode features three competitions culminating in “Santa’s Showdown,” which determines which player goes home at the end of that episode. Only four legends make it to the finale and one player with the festive fortitude walks away with the $100,000 grand prize and, of course, saves the holidays.
This is Franzel’s latest appearance as a contestant on a “Big Brother” show. She was a contestant on 2020’s “Big Brother All-Stars,” finishing in the top three, and she won the show’s 18th season in 2016.
Franzel was also a contestant on “The Amazing Race” with her husband, Michigan State Police Trooper Victor Arroyo. The two, who met as contestants on “Big Brother,” now have one child. They finished fourth on “The Amazing Race.”
Franzel first appeared on Big Brother during its 16th season in 2014, where she was evicted twice on Day 56 and Day 77, finishing in 10th place.