S19.E12: Battle Back

[backformore]

SO Cody and Paul are the two alpha males dominating the game.   everyone else will line up on one side or the other.   

This is the worst season ever. 

[Wandering Snark]

49 minutes ago, Nashville said:

Virtually nothing Jessica did in her WHOLE WEEK WITHOUT CODY would be considered positive BB gameplay - and some of it (such as the poolside confrontation with Josh) would be considered distinctly negative.

Point taken (though who wouldn't want to confront Josh?? Heh) but my thinking was that at least she wasn't a target like she easily could be now and that she will only bring more heat to herself if she actually uses the Hex. I think she'll regain that bravado and aire of superiority soon enough now that she and Cody are together again. We've seen how ugly that can get. I think she was better off laying low than declaring war. But then I guess we'll see if either of them learned anything and change their leopard spots to polka dots.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Wandering Snark

[alegtostandon]

I was actually cheering for Cameron to win. It would have been a better challenge if there was a totally different game for the final challenge. Even though the maze was different, Cody had just played it & had the moves down.

I'm not looking forward to watching Jessica hanging all over Cody again, I do not watch BB for showmance, if I want that, I'd watch The Bachelor.  It seems as if people play this game now for the showmance.

[MisterBluxom]

I thought Cody made some very smart decisions tonight.

The key decision might have been to pick the maze game to play against Paul. He had some good experience with the ropes and pulleys and Paul had none. That alone may have made all the difference.

That decision elevated my opinion of Cody. We all knew he had a serious physical advantage over Paul and most of the others. But this was evidence of a strong mental advantage as well.

Also ... did you see how the other HGs were all smiles and gigles when they came out and whenever JC talked? Not Cody. He was intently focused on the maze and I assume he was thinking about ways to improve his ability to win that game. Cody is an excellent competitor. I like him.

1 hour ago, Wandering Snark said:

Point taken (though who wouldn't want to confront Josh?? Heh) but my thinking was that at least she wasn't a target like she easily could be now and that she will only bring more heat to herself if she actually uses the Hex. I think she'll regain that bravado and aire of superiority soon enough now that she and Cody are together again. We've seen how ugly that can get. I think she was better off laying low than declaring war. But then I guess we'll see if either of them learned anything and change their leopard spots to polka dots.

One thing she did NOT do was to quarrel or scream at any of the other HGs. For the most part, she kept her mouth shut and that could well have been her one good move. Even an excellent move.

Funny game where the absence of some action can be considered as being just as important, if not more so, than then the presence of some other action.

Edited July 22, 2017 by MissBluxom

[MisterBluxom]

6 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

During the maze competition I noticed they hardly showed Dominique's progress. They showed how Jillian, Cody and Cameron were doing, but not Jillian.

You used "Jillian" twice.

Edited July 22, 2017 by MissBluxom

[Rosebud1970]

Now, here's what I think would have been a most excellent twist. And one that I (at least) was fervently hoping for.

The House challenger would either win the challenge, in which case, Cody would go home. Or, if the House challenger lost, he (or she) would be evicted. In this case, Paul would have been evicted, because he lost the challenge.

Sort of a Eat or Be Eaten thing.

Two cannibals on a desert island. Now, that I would watch with glee. This was just boring and the stakes were too low.

Meh.

[Nashville]

3 hours ago, MissBluxom said:

One thing she did NOT do was to quarrel or scream at any of the other HGs. For the most part, she kept her mouth shut and that could well have been her one good move. Even an excellent move.

You mean - other than Josh?  :>

 

3 hours ago, MissBluxom said:

Funny game where the absence of some action can be considered as being just as important, if not more so, than then the presence of some other action.

 

I think the argument could be successfully made that the ability to keep your big trap shut has been demonstrably proven, time and again, to be the single most valuable trait a HG can have.

[Suzysite]

Quote

This is the worst season ever. 

I don't necessarily agree with this, but it definitely could have been one of the best seasons ever without stupid Paul hogging every comp, talking head, conversation, etc.    He has made it a very frustrating season.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Suzysite

[GeorgiaRai]

I found Jess tolerable in the house without Cody - except when she was thinking, talking, crying ABOUT Cody - but am already sick of the two of them together again. 

I continue to look for any redemptive factor in Cody, but... I got nothin'.  I hate Paul's game play, but until he targets someone for eviction (which seems to immediately morph into personal hatred), he appears to treat people as humans and acknowledge their existence.  Cody can only be bothered with the Bros &  Babes of the world, and even then, only when they serve his purpose.

I really wanted to see what the HGs would do about Paul once his protection expired.  Would they have stayed in sheep mode, or would someone else have stepped up to lead the Resistance? Now, I think they'll just divide up behind the two alphas and quietly be led to their demise. 

[Pondlass1]

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to this show - so maybe this has been explained.  But why do they have them excitedly yelling out progress reports in the Diary Room as we're watching them play the contest? They obviously don't stop in the middle to enter the DR and provide an update on progress so it's  filmed afterwards when the winner is known.  I don't get it?  Makes zero sense and stalls the action and is just plain annoying.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

 It seems as if people play this game now for the showmance.

I think that has probably become a key recruiting tool. Otherwise I doubt a lot of the houseguests, especially the young unmarried ones, would want to spend a summer without getting any, uh, romance.

[Jeanne222]

I think all of those competing were given a chance to play both games.  No way did any of them step right up and be able to handle those pullys or launch those balls.  Just the same thing on the other tasks and always on Survivor.  They don't walk in blind with no rehearsal.  That would be a disaster on any show.

I'm looking for Cody to line up again with Matt and Mark who I think are not real happy with Paul.  Mark sees Elana fawning all over him and Paul got rid of Dominique.  Mark voted her out and feels great remorse.  Matt has never been a big Paul fan.  He has no voice in the Paul Show.

Elana and Christmas Joy, who names a kid that, need to go.  Alex and Jason are contenders because they can win competitions.

I like Jessica.  I see her being one of the 'in' girls in any social setting.  She got her game messed up due to Cody's actions but she scooted right back in after he was gone.

He's back so here we go again. 

[GeorgiaRai]

9 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

I'm looking for Cody to line up again with Matt and Mark who I think are not real happy with Paul.  Mark sees Elana fawning all over him and Paul got rid of Dominique.  Mark voted her out and feels great remorse.  Matt has never been a big Paul fan.  He has no voice in the Paul Show.

My dream scenario:  A confrontation between Mark, Cody & Paul where Mark learns it was Cody who turned Paul's sights on Dom & Mark as targets.  Mark & Matt realize Cody & Paul are both toxic, and work to recruit others to join their newly formed ABCP (Anybody but Cody or Paul) Alliance.   Just in time for double eviction night! 

[Cherry Cola]

1 hour ago, Pondlass1 said:

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to this show - so maybe this has been explained.  But why do they have them excitedly yelling out progress reports in the Diary Room as we're watching them play the contest? They obviously don't stop in the middle to enter the DR and provide an update on progress so it's  filmed afterwards when the winner is known.  I don't get it?  Makes zero sense and stalls the action and is just plain annoying.

Amen to this.  It drives me crazy, because I just sit there and think that some are trying to be happy in those th's when obviously someone has already lost.   That would be hard to do. Mtv does that in the challenges all the time too. 

I also don't like how the rules will be explained before a comp, then we get houseguests repeating the rules.  Like yeah, I heard the first time!! 

Plus, I want more actual Hoh comps to finish during the episode.  Is that to much to ask? 

[iMonrey]

For some reason I'm getting a huge kick out of Mark. In the DR, he always has his head cocked to one side, like when you ask a dog a question. And his mouth is always hanging open like he's about six years old and forgets to breathe through his nose. He just looks like a big dumb kid, but in a sweeter way than Josh.

I will say this - I think all four evictees had a fair shot at the battle. The maze was something any of them could have done, it didn't necessarily favor any one of them as far as I can tell. I think the only real advantage Cody had was in the final battle with Paul, because even if the maze was different, he had just finished doing the same challenge and already had a feel for how to work the ropes and pulleys.

[jumper sage]

1 hour ago, Jeanne222 said:

I think all of those competing were given a chance to play both games.

We do know that they do practice these games.  Whether or not they know it will be in a competition is hard to say.  We have heard where they discuss practice on key comps.

49 minutes ago, GeorgiaRai said:

My dream scenario:  A confrontation between Mark, Cody & Paul where Mark learns it was Cody who turned Paul's sights on Dom & Mark as targets.  Mark & Matt realize Cody & Paul are both toxic, and work to recruit others to join their newly formed ABCP (Anybody but Cody or Paul) Alliance.   Just in time for double eviction night! 

You got my vote!

[Yolo]

31 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

For some reason I'm getting a huge kick out of Mark. In the DR, he always has his head cocked to one side, like when you ask a dog a question. And his mouth is always hanging open like he's about six years old and forgets to breathe through his nose. He just looks like a big dumb kid, but in a sweeter way than Josh.

 

Spot on! Mark and Josh definitely have this dazed look about them.

[MisterBluxom]

3 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to this show - so maybe this has been explained.  But why do they have them excitedly yelling out progress reports in the Diary Room as we're watching them play the contest? They obviously don't stop in the middle to enter the DR and provide an update on progress so it's  filmed afterwards when the winner is known.  I don't get it?  Makes zero sense and stalls the action and is just plain annoying.

The producer/s of this show, have very strange and annoying ideas how to "ramp up the excitement level".

From the incredibly annoying announcer who starts every show by saying something about  ....  BIIIIIIIIIIIG BROOOOOOOOOTHER ... to Julie Chen's endless and ridiculous list of phrases that she repeats ad nauseam (such as, "But first ... ").

They think it's more exciting if they ask contestants to offer their comments of a comp once it is over. Can you imagine some poor person who was just evicted from the house being made to rewatch the competition and editorialize about their ouster? It's cruel (at the very least) and not at all interesting. It doesn't even make sense as you noted.

I find that after 18 seasons, many things about the production just infuriate me. I have a mute button on my player and I always press mute every second that Julie Chen is on the screen. I have found that she never says anything that isn't immediately repeated and she never says anything that is important to the progress of the show. Half of what she says are just tired old phrases that she uses over and over again (like "on the chopping block"). There was a thread on another board one time that listed all of the phrases she keeps repeating. It was very funny. But IMHO, she is a real pill. Most people won't agree with that. But many people do have lots of complaints about the way this show is produced.

[Callaphera]

3 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to this show - so maybe this has been explained.  But why do they have them excitedly yelling out progress reports in the Diary Room as we're watching them play the contest? They obviously don't stop in the middle to enter the DR and provide an update on progress so it's  filmed afterwards when the winner is known.  I don't get it?  Makes zero sense and stalls the action and is just plain annoying.

These comps sometimes take longer than you think. You could see it with the second round of the Battle Back, with how out of breath Cody was as he was running after his balls towards the end. So the editors probably cut at least ten minutes of missed shots, misfires, and ball collecting in total from the comp. On top of that, it can be really boring to watch it play straight through, especially when it's two dudes just going "pull, fire, pull, fire, pick up balls" with no trash talk, no HG audience watching them and cheering them on, and frankly, it was kind of a dull comp. Those DR breaks can make it seem a lot more exciting than it is. Well, unless it's Codybot narrating. Plus, during HoH or Veto comps, sometimes the DR sessions can clue us in on something that we might not have otherwise known or missed (throwing a comp, a quick whispered conversation, trying to sabotage someone else's chances). So they're helpful sometimes.

The yelling, though. That's all on Production. I remember when we used to have one DR yeller a season. Now the majority of the cast does it. I mean, can you just picture Cody sitting there, all stone faced, as they keep asking him for more energy, more excitement, give us anything Cody! And he just continues to calmly narrate what's happening in the house. Hee. 

It might not be so bad if they didn't feed them all their lines in the DR when it comes to stuff like that. 'Cause trust me, none of those people are coming up with their own one liners and funny jabs. Maybe once in awhile it's original material, but I'd bet on 80-90% being producer fed lines. I miss real DR sessions, when we used to learn stuff about their game strategies and comp strategies.  

[Tammee]

30 minutes ago, MissBluxom said:

The producer/s of this show, have very strange and annoying ideas how to "ramp up the excitement level".

From the incredibly annoying announcer who starts every show by saying something about  ....  BIIIIIIIIIIIG BROOOOOOOOOTHER ... to Julie Chen's endless and ridiculous list of phrases that she repeats ad nauseam (such as, "But first ... ").

They think it's more exciting if they ask contestants to offer their comments of a comp once it is over. Can you imagine some poor person who was just evicted from the house being made to rewatch the competition and editorialize about their ouster? It's cruel (at the very least) and not at all interesting. It doesn't even make sense as you noted.

I find that after 18 seasons, many things about the production just infuriate me. I have a mute button on my player and I always press mute every second that Julie Chen is on the screen. I have found that she never says anything that isn't immediately repeated and she never says anything that is important to the progress of the show. Half of what she says are just tired old phrases that she uses over and over again (like "on the chopping block"). There was a thread on another board one time that listed all of the phrases she keeps repeating. It was very funny. But IMHO, she is a real pill. Most people won't agree with that. But many people do have lots of complaints about the way this show is produced.

Has the drinking game started yet?  ♥

[Wandering Snark]

2 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

Elana and Christmas Joy, who names a kid that

I know one previous contestant with a Christmas fixation that totalllly would do so.

Spoiler

Correyyyyy...

2 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

She got her game messed up due to Cody's actions but she scooted right back in after he was gone.

Her 'scooting' was to mixed reviews however... Raven wasn't having it for example.

19 minutes ago, Callaphera said:

You could see it with the second round of the Battle Back, with how out of breath Cody was as he was running after his balls towards the end.

Wow, you do have to get tired running after your balls. Sorry.

[Tammee]

4 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

IMO, she either comes off as a victim or a gloating jackass.  Now that Cody is back in the house, she will probably go back into gloating jackass mode.

You know, Cody isnt that bad when he smiles.  Its just when he goes into Marine mode that he gets  scary.  If he can just keep smiley Cody and be nice he might be able to a little farther.    Ok /me ducks  *Commence swatting*

11 minutes ago, Wandering Snark said:

I know one previous contestant with a Christmas fixation that totalllly would do so.

  Reveal hidden contents

Correyyyyy...

Her 'scooting' was to mixed reviews however... Raven wasn't having it for example.

Wow, you do have to get tired running after your balls. Sorry.

Hah!  But remember it is Cody, so those are extra special Marine Balls!

[ChiCricket]

On 7/22/2017 at 1:28 PM, Tammee said:

You know, Cody isnt that bad when he smiles.  Its just when he goes into Marine mode that he gets  scary.  If he can just keep smiley Cody and be nice he might be able to a little farther.    Ok /me ducks  *Commence swatting*

Hah!  But remember it is Cody, so those are extra special Marine Balls!

My husband said "I guess they gave Cody blue balls because he's been away from Jessica for a whole week"

(yes, he's twelve) ;-)

Edited July 25, 2017 by ChiCricket
Wrong name

[Couver]

I was pulling for Cameron. He got shafted the most because of Paul's return. Plus he seemed competent at both types of challenges without being a competition beast like Cody. Obviously Cody returning will cause the most drama though. I'm not convinced he'll target Paul right away though. Let's see.

[backformore]

14 hours ago, alegtostandon said:

I was actually cheering for Cameron to win. It would have been a better challenge if there was a totally different game for the final challenge. Even though the maze was different, Cody had just played it & had the moves down.

I'm not looking forward to watching Jessica hanging all over Cody again, I do not watch BB for showmance, if I want that, I'd watch The Bachelor.  It seems as if people play this game now for the showmance.

Yes, and they seem to enter these "showmances" barely knowing the other person, and they're treated like a couple.   Once entered into a relationship like that, you can't "break up"  on the show without risking your standing with the others.   It's my least favorite aspect of the show. And it seems to be emphasized so much, that this season we had THREE showmances right off the bat.   

[backformore]

6 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to this show - so maybe this has been explained.  But why do they have them excitedly yelling out progress reports in the Diary Room as we're watching them play the contest? They obviously don't stop in the middle to enter the DR and provide an update on progress so it's  filmed afterwards when the winner is known.  I don't get it?  Makes zero sense and stalls the action and is just plain annoying.

So many reality competition shows do this, and it's annoying.   So we see, for example, Cameron, who AFTER he lost, had to go back and pretend to be "in the moment"  and talk excitedly about how he was confident that he could beat Cody.   It comes across as very phony.  I wish they could just have someone narrate the contest as it's happening, or they need more, to have contestants not in the current contest provide the DR reports.  

[Wandering Snark]

2 hours ago, backformore said:

I wish they could just have someone narrate the contest as it's happening, or they need more, to have contestants not in the current contest provide the DR reports.

Sounds like a job for Paul! *ducks*

[Eolivet]

Oh, Jessica -- did you really just lie on your back, kick up your bare legs and flail around your bare arms around on national television because you were so happy Cody is returning, even though your game was much better without him?

Expect the expected.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Eolivet

[methadonna]

20 hours ago, Rosebud1970 said:

Now, here's what I think would have been a most excellent twist. And one that I (at least) was fervently hoping for.

The House challenger would either win the challenge, in which case, Cody would go home. Or, if the House challenger lost, he (or she) would be evicted. In this case, Paul would have been evicted, because he lost the challenge.

This is entirely what I was expecting. It would have had a proper symmetry to it -- Paul entered the house, resulting in another's (which ended up being Cameron) having to leave: it would bookended The Vet's entrance nicely if the Battle Back's result of the re-entrance of a bootee (booty) then had the consequence of a current HG's being evicted. Even if it HADN'T been Paul, it would have balanced it all nicely; that, in this scenario, it would have been Paul's* demise at the expense of another's ressurection** would have just added another layer of poetic justice (and, had Cameron actually beaten Cody and been the one to then replace Paul, a true thing of just deserts beauty).

 

(That said, especially as the Surprise, You Lost, You're Booted wasn't the case, I'm just as glad it wasn't Cameron. I HAD thought I wanted him back, at least over the options, as death wasn't one of them, both because it just always seems wrong to me to boot someone before he or she really gets ANY of the experience--especially someone who appeared to desperately want to be there (as opposed to recruits or those who figure, "Well, it's not The Bachelor, for which I DID apply, but I guess this will do sac I can still famewhore/find true love a meaningless summer fling, 'cause, bonus, there's more than one guy and only probably 4-5 women willing to throw away their game for this goal, way fewer than 20 (? I've never actually seen The Bachelor or its friend shows, so sorry if I'm way off on the number of) women all pretending to want the one guy, like I WAS planning"/Increase My Brand")/get discovered "see what other opportunities come my way next"/die my way to paying off the debt I've incurred investing in my future, er, I mean, since I have no future and only my word, the medical bills I've incurred that I'll be dealing with for the next five two no years of my life the afterlife --let alone get booted immediately and then have to spend the next several weeks sequestered (with only handlers as contact, I'm assuming: quite different from spending a long time in the jury house)and not even get to live his unfulfilled dream vicariously by going home to watch the feeds and engage with other viewers, as he likely would have spent his summer had he not gotten what ended up being only a cruel tease (Unless I'm mixing him up with someone else? I thought he was one of the actual, actively engaged "superfans," but maybe I'm wrong and can feel slightly less disappointed for him, but still bad as I would for anyone in such a purgatorial position) and/or spending the time doing something else and starting to move on, and because it would be interesting to see how someone close to being truly new approached the game, over Shack Up In Coupled Isolation Redux/Undo Jessica's [figurative] Game Re-Entry.

 

But, around the point it looked like he actually was a formidable opponent for Cody, I surprised myself in rooting for Cody to win Cameron to lose. Why? Perhaps unfair, as the absurdity of his having to narrate his thoughts as if they were ITM retroactively (as expressed well by many upthread) affected how he'd have come across were he recounting it from the other side of the results, but his DR cuts reminded me why I was content to see him go at the start, despite my same feelings of its suckiness as above, but:

DAMN, he was annoying me! His DR prompts surely didn't help, but he upped the ante of their inanity with his annoying answers.

 

The DR peeps seem to be asking the HGs the same ridiculous question wrt their "strategy" for the "upcoming" (finished) competition for the most ridiculous of comps/outcomes quite frequently this summer, or at least showing them predominantly when there IS no logical answer, whether there can't BE real strategy because the game is 95% sheer luck or the HG seems to think it is, or only could have strategy to discuss if the "strategy" is to lose/throw it to someone specific (like, if there were a roll-your-ball-down-an-unpredictably-angled-table-and-see-what-number-slot-it-lands-in type comp, vs the kind where you can roll it one way and be certain of a safe number but probably not the highest or aim for a sure-to-win-if-you-actually-get-it-but-sure-to-lose-if-you-miss, where hearing whether one's strategy was to play it safe or go-for-broke with hope of hitting the jackpot (or hope of looking like that's your plan while ensuring you don't win), which could be worth revealing.

Sure, sometimes they're just trolling the HGs who bomb or whose strategy sucks, so they can contrast their DR claims with the footage (and clownish soundtrack to make sure there's no subtlety), but this summer, we'll get DR breaking news focus on the former type, and they'll show three people saying, "My strategy is to roll the ball and hope it lands in the best number" while rarely even hearing from anyone wrt the latter type.

 

In this case, if Cameron's downfall of ending up with his fewer remaining blocks all spread out, requiring an accuracy he couldn't achieve, had been the opposite, and he could have said his strategy was to aim for blocks in order so as not to get stuck with three discrete, narrow targets, THAT might have made sense to show. Or even, given the outcome, had he said he expected that Cody would be more precise in his hitting than he believed himself capable, so his strategy was just to go as fast as he could and hope to luck out with random success more quickly than the slow-and-steady pace he expected a detail-oriented/big-picture-blind robot would adopt, it wouldn't have seemed like such a stupid question for a game that seems like there wasn't much strategy to exist in the first place.

Instead, he started by giving them the nonsense he probably believed they wanted, like retroactively determining how a character of The Nerd would approach something that, in theory, had some physics behind the carnival game set-up, versus how the character of The Emotionless Sharpshooter Athletic Marine would strategize. And, it was so OTT and didn't even make sense, that I wanted him to lose just so I'd never have to hear his producer-pandering bullshit I'm The Cochran Character DRs over Cody's I Don't Give Enough Shits To Succumb To Your "Next Take, With Feeling" Admonishments, refreshingly non-screamy DRs.

 

*My cable has been playing its own Battle Back against my viewing wishes and leapfrogging over various minutes of all my recorded shows, including everything from after Alex and Paul voted for the Big Brother Lot, CA, Representative for The House until the start of the Paul v Cody competition, so I don't know if I missed anything that suggested any of the hams had a similar thought wrt the potential of the House Rep's being booted if he/she lost, but I wonder if any of them did, with the thought that it could be a great way to boot him without Getting Blood On Their Hands/a [half(?)]-week of his sure-to-be-vicious wrath while on the block.

From my next-day backseat quarterback position, at least, I know my choice would be someone I was prepared to lose not just the game but FROM the game, and I'd be assuming that it was 1) unlikely ANY HG would win, no matter who the Battleblocker (errrr? name for the four evictees competing?) because that's how the show works and 2) possibly be not just the representative to be the sacrificial loser in a battle surely set to favor the potential evictee but the surprise sacrifice from the game in the likely scenario he/she lost (because [a] Expect the Unexpected and I'm now convinced someone in production is obsessed with The Shirley Jackson oeuvre (at least, I think it was someone in this show I previously compared to her protagonist in "Charles"(? I can't even remember who that was or what it was about, so maybe that was another show, or maybe this season has just been so endless that it's already advanced me several life stages to the point of senility, or maybe I'm just obsessed/wanting a new theme besides the Dom-approved Garden of Eden one, myself. Or, maybe I'm right <-- that must be what giving one of those DR sessions where you have to pretend to be giving your thoughts at the moment without knowing the outcome, when you DO know the outcome, is like, as I already know that my whole premise is wrong and there was no "shocking" replacement twist, but I THINK this is what I thought at the time. Weird) and thus next would be like "The Lottery," with the whole sounding like you're voting for someone to do something positive and it ends up with their being (again, spoiler for any readers not in high school yet) stoned to death, albeit, unfortunately as it was Paul, not literally, even if I'd been right), so I wouldn't want to risk someone I wanted to remain in the game, even if I were in, say, Jess's shoes, and was assuming it would be Cody and thus voting for someone I wouldn't want to chance could give him a good fight (although based on upthread, it sounds like she DID vote for Paul, suggesting she either felt fully confident Cody would beat him AND thought it was a risk worth taking in case the loser was evicted OR she had my OTHER thought (which suggests the hammies had time to talk pre-voting, despite what we were shown):

 

If I were a hammie--especially one likely to be voted for, due to my likelihood to compete well (Paul, Alex- were there any others named?)--and DIDN'T think about my dream possibility, I'd have made sure to let anyone I thought wanted a specific HG to return, I'd have convinced them (quietly) that I was gonna let that person win if she/he turned out to be my competition (again, missed 90-second chunks here and there, so if any of this was shown, I apologize: now that I rebooted Codybot 2.0 every piece of my stupid U-Verse hardware and it SEEMS to be showing/recording every minute of a program, I even went back to rewatch the key moments that were missed (namely The aforementioned voting, the time from Cody's Wicked Witch of the North America's United States Is The Bestest-esque appearance from the smoke until he was well in the lead, and anything after Jessica threw all her week's worth of Being All Alone  successful socializing by running up to Cody like he'd just returned from months away on the front lines of life-risking Battle for Love of Country while she'd been at home, living happily independently and having fun with all the other military spouses who lived on base been a war-widow with nothing but a yellow ribbon for company, rest of the house and anything she'd convinced them, be damned, until Julie did her final bit), hoping my DVR was just playing Capture the American Flag with my missing minutes and now it would let me see them (as obviously, I 1) have no life and 2) believe my DVR is at least as independently sentient as Codybot), but, alas, they are gone. And then, if I did lose, I'd be sure to work the returning HG into believing I'd thrown it to them because I was hoping they'd return and want to work together. 

 

If Paul were half as smart as he thinks he is, he'd be working that angle with Cody ASAP, rather than setting up the expected opposition from the start. It might be a hard sell, but esp. since Cody kicked his ass, it would be worth attempting. Cody might not buy it, but it might at least plant the seeds of "Don't come for me immediately."

Edited July 23, 2017 by methadonna
Formatting Cray

[HurricaneVal]

I did love how intently Cody was examining the maze, totally tuning Julie Chen (and everything else) out of his perception.  He was laser focused on that maze in front of him.  He quickly changed up his strategy in the ball launch as well.  I'll bet he was scary good in combat.

 

Jeff Probst would have had an absolute field day if he got to narrate that Battle Back comp.  Alpha male he could bro-crush on?  Check.  Nerdy guy he could throw shade on?  Check.  An infinite number of ball related single and double entendres he could playfully quip during his commentary?  Check.

[Scorpiosunshine]

On 7/21/2017 at 9:20 PM, Callaphera said:

Jesus sent her calls directly to voicemail after accidentally answering in the last episode.

LOL! That cracked me up.

 

On 7/21/2017 at 9:47 PM, Rachel RSL said:

I posted a link to an article in the media thread a while ago about Cody and that's where most of my dislike stems from. I guarantee he hasn't changed in that regard over the past couple weeks.  Combine that with the way he's treated other people in the house, I just can't root for the guy.

Exactly. Cody and Jessica are not nice people.  I can't root for either, not even for a game. 

 

On 7/21/2017 at 11:14 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

I was pulling for Cameron but I also think the writing was already on the wall. Cody returning to the house makes a better story production-wise. Cameron was pretty much a non-entity.

Why was Jessica sitting on Kevin's lap? Ugh, even before Cody was back she was re-ascending to the throne and receiving her supplicants. Alex was right, they should've back-doored Jess when they had the chance. But alas, production would've just figured out another way to save her.

This damn show actually had me pulling for Paul. I like the way they set up the final challenge even though Cody had the clear advantage. Were we not entertained?!?!

I can see it coming. Cody will win BB19 and propose to Jessica on stage. KMN.

Poor Cameron, lol. I was rooting for him too. I kept talking to the TV, telling him to beat that meathead Cody. I wanted to see the nerd take it. :) Alas, It was always going to be Paul and always going to be Cody. Codybot was always coming back. How nice that they changed the maze on a game Cody had already played and knew the nuances of playing. Blah. I get why people don't like Paul, but I'll always root for him over Cody and Jessica. 

 

Jessica and Cody slobbering and smacking = nasty. I am far from a prude, but come on. Those lip sores + face sucking. Ewww. I guess both of their herpes lip sores will be pulsing and flaring again soon. (Not to shame folks with STDs, really. I'm just ragging on Codybot and Plastica because they are serious assholes.)

[Rachel RSL]

6 hours ago, Scorpiosunshine said:

Jessica and Cody slobbering and smacking = nasty. I am far from a prude, but come on. 

Fun fact: If you record the episode and fast forward through every scene of Cody & Jessica, you can get through the entire show in about 10 mins. (Which I totally did because....ew!)

[Nashville]

On 7/22/2017 at 11:11 AM, iMonrey said:

For some reason I'm getting a huge kick out of Mark. In the DR, he always has his head cocked to one side, like when you ask a dog a question. And his mouth is always hanging open like he's about six years old and forgets to breathe through his nose. He just looks like a big dumb kid, but in a sweeter way than Josh.

I kinda like Wreck-It Ralph (aka Mark) as well - as a person.  As a game contestant, however, I wouldn't trust Mark any further than I could pitch a Pontiac.  Mark makes game decisions based on emotion then tries to rationalize them logically, which is a crappy arrangement.

 

On 7/22/2017 at 6:45 PM, Wandering Snark said:

Sounds like a job for Paul! *ducks*

!!!WHACK!!!

</backofheadGibbs-style>