Following the car crash of Timewarp week, I've enjoyed watching Big Brother return to its original format. With the run up to the final, I'm glad that I can watch the original housemates once again without the interference of any former "legends" making the show about themselves and their own 'paid for' deliberate drama.
I admit I was actually pleased to see Marc evicted. Although Marc was one of my favourite housemates, I enjoy it when the unexpected takes place. It seemed evident to me that the producers were hoping to edit Marc as the misunderstood victim and pull the wool over the viewers' eyes. Although I had begun to respect Marc more than Danny (the people's protagonist) towards the final days of his stay, I usually find that any housemate who is given significant airtime always manages to breed warmth with the public, due to the familiarity and closeness that the viewers subsequently have with them.
I enjoyed Marc as a housemate and found my relationship with him love/hate at times, however felt that the producers had purely turned it into the 'Marc show' and strongly tried to predetermine his win. Marc may have been the star of the show, but I would always rather someone honest, credible and sincere took home the prize money.
From the beginning, Danny proved popular with the viewers. Pitting oneself against the house villain always manages to be a strong tactic for winning favour with the public. I grew to respect Danny for standing up towards the bullies. However I feel he has let himself down massively ever since. Danny has uncontrollable anger and aggression issues and despite how much he has been provoked, he has behaved outrageously. Danny is unable to deal with situations calmly and rationally and instead deals with confrontation in a childlike, thuggish way, which I detest having to bear witness to.
Danny was always fighting an uphill battle for me given the fact I tend not to warm to housemates who have been on multiple TV shows prior and evidentally utilise Big Brother for fame. Since watching his behaviour more closely, I feel a lot of what he is doing is thought out cleverly and that he is a massive game player. In addition to his ghastly aggression issues, there are many aspects to him I fail to warm to and believe are hugely ingenious.
It took me a while to warm to Harry, but in the last few weeks I've started to feel she is one of the most genuine housemates. During Big Brother, nearly every housemate reaches the point where they stop caring about putting their happy face on 24/7. Harry's veneer disappeared weeks ago and since then we have witnessed her do nothing but sulk, moan and strop at every given opportunity. Although Harry has been one of the most negative housemates, causing disputes and tension in almost every daily show, I quite enjoy her tantrums. With the build up to the final brewing, most housemates have tried to up their game and hide away any flaws in their personas whereas Harry clearly is not bothered. I respect Harry for not pretending to be anyone bar herself, not needing to entertain or put on a happy face for the cameras or her housemates. Although the worst in her personality has been shown endlessly for the past two weeks, she is currently the only one to speak her mind and express her true feelings when necessary (regardless of the collective approval of her housemates).
With the penultimate week of the series coming to an end, I believe Big Brother's Cashbomb week will end in a housemate being given the opportunity to take home a large sum of money, in return for their place in the house. I still want Jack out as I believe his eviction is well overdue and would not be surprised if he fled the Big Brother house at the first opportunity to take home a considerably large sum of money.
Whilst Sam has been nothing bar an extra in the whole process, I'd feel her gaining a place in the final would be completely undeserving. My winner currently stands as Joel, as I feel that Chloe and Danny (the only other potential winners) have played it far too safe up until this point.