The last episode of Big Brother ended tonight with the words "It's time to go Big Brother ... for now". So hope remains that Big Brother will one day return in some form. But for now it is worth reflecting on the past eight seasons.
I've always blogged a bit about Big Brother and have refused to apologise for it, so I thought it was appropriate to share some of my thoughts and reflections and once again explain I think it was good TV. So you understand where I'm coming from here is my 2007 declaration where I told readers of this blog that they must watch Big Brother!:
Ok. I'll admit it. I watch Big Brother (well, at least the evictions) and follow the going-ons in the house on the Big Brother website and Behind Big Brother.
I've even gone to a couple of live evictions. I've been following the
show since year one, day one. And I enjoy it. I find the
relationships, the characters, the politics, the games Big Brother
plays and even Gretel Killeen entertaining - and occasionally even
insightful. Most of my so-called "intellectual" friends and colleagues
consider that there must be something wrong with me (even though most
are also able to follow a conversation about the show quite easily).
However, I refuse to apologise for it. Big Brother isn't meant to
change the world, but it is good TV.
And last night's episode of Big Brother was great TV - we got to
select two new housemates, a relationship in the house were revealed,
the reason for the mysterious White Room was disclosed, and Mr X was
introduced to Australia and the unsuspecting housemates. If you have
no idea what I'm talking about or think that this all sounds silly,
then you are missing out. This season has been set up as possibly the
best Big Brother ever. The housemates are older and more diverse
(although still ridiculously good looking), the house has adopted a
positive environmental stance, and most importantly, the first two
episodes have shown that this season's Big Brother has a wonderfully
wicked sense of humour. The housemates - and us - have absolutely no
idea what Big Brother will throw at them next. Now, that is good TV.
As many of you reading this post will just dismiss it as a rant from
a tragically deranged fan, may I suggest that if you are a reality TV
sceptic you should read an excellent piece in one of your so-called
"intellectual" magazines, The Atlantic Monthly by Michael Hirschorn, "The Case for Reality TV: What the snobs don't understand". Read it here.
So if you want to know what all the fuss is about, then you should
watch this season of Big Brother. And enjoy it for what it is - good
TV. Don't be embarrassed and don't apologise for it. After all, you
don't have to tell people that you watch it ...
Read it here.
Let me begin by admitting that Big Brother was far from perfect TV - they had to fill so much air time, especially in the seasons with UpLate, that it was inevitable that at times it was far from compelling. In fact, at times it was downright dull. Other times, it was incredibly silly, which you could either embrace for what it was or dismiss it as juvenile. Some housemates, tasks, twists, sets and even hosts were better than others (for the record, I thought Gretel Kileen was far superior to Kyle and Jackie O). So given its inconsistency, what was its appeal?
For me the show worked for two reasons. First, it was entertaining. This was largely due to the housemates and the relationships they formed with one another. They willingly shared their emotions with each other and with the public. When at the end of the finale this evening we had a montage of the past eight seasons, I couldn't help but recall so many fascinating relationships and wonderfully real, honest moments. I'm thinking of Christina and Peter; good guy Ben; Marty and Jess; Peter when his young brother runs into the house after he has been announced as the winner of season 2; Reggie and her heartbreaking self-realisation that she wanted to change her life after Big Brother; Chrissie screaming at Ben; the twins in season 5; Tim Brunero trying so earnestly to lift the tone of political discussion in the house; Vesna's rawness; David, the 'token' gay farmer; the mother-daughter twist; Jamie and Katie; Aleisha and Billy; the White Room; Bodie and TJ's fighting; and then there was the 52 year old grandmother Terri winning this, the final season. Love them or hate them, Big Brother resulted in Australia seeing some different personalities on TV.
Second, right from the beginning the show became part of the national conversation and it was able to use its unique profile to raise issues that otherwise do not get discussed on TV: homosexuality, racism, refugee policy, issues of body image, sexual harassment and assault, censorship and sexuality. And up until this year all this was done thanks to Gretel's deft touch. Big Brother was able to deal with all these issues in a way other shows could not. Because it was real. Or at least a lot more real than Neighbours, Home and Away or A Current Affair could ever even aspire to be. Whether or not you liked the show you cannot dispute the profound influence it had on Australia's culture, probably more so than any other Australian TV show in the past decade.
So as far as I'm concerned Big Brother will be missed. To the show's producers, housemates, Gretel and everyone who worked on the show for the past eight years, I say thank you. For all its occasional banality and triviality, your Big Brother was more than just fun to watch, it changed TV and had a positive impact on Australia's national conversation.
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