It’s been a while since I have done a Big Brother list but with season 25 starting, I figured it was time to get back to it. If you haven’t already check out my previous Big Brother lists:
-The top 5 best winners of all-time
-The top 5 worst winners of all-time
-The top 5 players who never won
These lists are obviously super subjective but this one in particular will be. This is my top 5 favorite Big brother seasons. What I look for in a great season varies but I tend to like seasons with a strong winner, a good twist and a likable alliance. I should also admit my soon to be obvious bias that Dan is by far my favorite Big Brother player of all time. I want to start with a few that just missed the cut for various reasons.
Honorable mention
Season 3
Season 3 was a great season and if you have read any of my previous lists you know that Danielle Reyes is one of my favorite Big brother players ever. She is one of the main reasons this season did not make my top 5. Lisa, while a good player, didn't deserve to win over Danielle. Danielle was a master strategist and played a beautiful game. This season is supposedly the reason for a sequestered jury in future seasons and if Danielle had won I think this season would have made my top 5.
Season 17
This season is another case of the most deserving player not winning the season. I personally felt that Vanessa was clearly the best player and deserved to win. She was a comp beast and master strategist. Steve was smart to take Liz over Vanessa but in doing so it made for a disappointing ending for me personally. While I liked the overall gameplay and strategies of this season, the ending and the twin twist being somewhat subpar manage to keep this off my list.
Season 2
The world was introduced to Big Brother legends Dr. Will and Mike Boogie. Dr. Will helped to revolutionize Big Brother strategy. This was also the first Big Brother where the contestants voted each other out as opposed to America. However, this season got points taken away for lack of twists and more importantly no Power of Veto and just overall subpar comps.
Season 16
Derrick truly pulled off one of the best strategic games ever played on Big Brother. Derrick didn’t see the block until final 3 and never seemed to be in danger of losing. However, the lack of much competition and the horrible battle of the block twist cost this season in my eyes.
Season 23
Xavier was one my favorite winners of the new seasons and he played an amazing game. Where this season loses some points is again with the lack of intrigue. The dominant Cookout alliance was honestly too good for its own good. They won 10 out of 14 HOH’s and dominated from day 1. They were never in trouble and that made it a foregone conclusion who the final six would be. Now once it got down to just the cookout the real games began and Xavier being a very deserving winner helps solidify this as one of my favorite seasons.
Now for our top 5:
5. Season 4
This is probably the season people will disagree with the most and it’s the season in the top 5 I struggled with the most. I can see arguments for all my honorable mentions replacing season 4 in the top 5 and if I made this list a month from now I might change my mind and drop it down to honorable mentions for one of the other ones. However, for now it’s in my top 5 and this is why. This is the first season to have a sequestered jury, unfortunately for Danielle, and like season 2 it also had a cast member get kicked out of the house for their actions. We got two twists with the diamond power of veto and the “X” factor. One of the main reasons I love this season is the winner Jun who played one of my favorite games of all time and made my top 5 winners of all time list. Overall, this season had interesting twists and a good compelling arc.
4. Season 7
In season 7 we got our first ever Big Brother all star and it didn’t disappoint. The only reason this season isn’t higher on the list is I was never a big fan of Mike Boogie so him winning loses points for me. However, other than that, this season had everything… backstabbing, great speeches, solidifying Dr. Will as the legend he is and solidifying Janelle as a comp beast. There were so many roller coaster twists and turns that you were on the edge of your seat the whole season.
3. Season 12
Season 12 introduced the world to one of the greatest alliances in Big Brother history with The Brigade. If you have read my top 5 winners of all-time list you know that Season 12 winner Hayden made the top 5. The game play of The Brigade and the strategy of every player having a side alliance was genius. I also loved the dilemma that resulted in choosing between The Brigade and the side alliance which almost fractured the group. The saboteur twist was not great but we also got Pandora's box and the return of the diamond veto.
2. Season 14
So begins my Dan bias. This season had it all. We got the coaches twist which then got another twist when they were given the option to join the game. We also got masterful speeches, Dan’s funeral, plenty of backstabbing to last a lifetime and truly unrivaled gameplay. This season further solidified the Legend of Dan and the only reason this season isn’t number 1 is because the wrong person won.
1.Season 10
Finally was there any doubt that my number 1 season would be the first season we are introduced to my favorite player of all-time in Dan Gheesling? Dan’s game play was perfect. He went from going out week 2 to winning the whole season. His strategy was unmatched and he also showed how to properly manage a jury. Overall, this season had everything I looked for in a season.
I hope Big Brother 25 can one day join this list but only time will tell. So now is the time where you tell me what an idiot I am and tell me where I went wrong. What are your top 5 seasons of all-time?