The Ugly Truth of This Hit Reality Show and Why Fans are Demanding Change

In the wake of COVID-19, it is unclear when exactly the 22nd season of CBS’s hit reality show, “Big Brother” is going to premiere. Some sources claim that the new season is still slated to come back to our screens this summer. However, nothing has been confirmed by CBS. Additionally, no one has said anything about the cast, but it will probably follow a similar pattern as the seasons before it. Season 21 of “Big Brother” was an all-too-familiar display of reality show racism.

Let’s take it back to June 25th, 2019. The beautiful rays of sun peeking through your windows and the baby blue skies can mean a lot of things. But to fans of CBS’s “Big Brother,” it means another season has begun!

Airing three episodes a week, a healthy dose of live streaming in the house, plus a late-night show called “Big Brother: After Dark” it serves enough drama for the fans to eat up and stay full. But there’s one side dish of drama fans are tired of: the show’s lack of diversity and the repercussions that come with it.

So, what exactly is the problem?

So, you may be thinking, “Wow, a TV show in the U.S. that doesn’t have a diverse cast? How bewildering!”

I know, not a new concept, like…at all. But what sets “Big Brother” apart from other reality shows is that it’s not just about strong personalities clashing. It’s not just for mind-numbing entertainment, it’s a mind game. In fact, it’s a game that is so fierce that the winner gets a prize of $500,000.

And while other “reality” stars are more than aware that a camera is in their face, “Big Brother” is the polar opposite. The cameras are hidden and the contestants have no access to the outside world. This has been very eye-opening for those on the outside looking in.

The subtle racism and discrimination that shines through when the players forget they’re being watched are almost “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” moments. That is, for white viewers.

Viewers of color have been noticing this trend on this season and past seasons for a while now. But now it’s becoming apparent for all viewers, especially when they take their view to social media. In just the first week of season 21, viewers called out how 4 out of the 5 people of color became targets for the ‘“strong white lead” that emerged. It’s been a downward spiral ever since.

The Ugly Reality 

Now, this is certainly not new for “Big Brother,” but it seems to have gotten more serious over the last few seasons. Just hearing how the white players speak in casual conversation with their peers about the players of color is very vexatious. Deeming the only two black players in the house as, “scary” and  “threatening” without even having an actual reason to say so.

Even how they speak to the HGOC (Houseguest of Color) is incredibly rude. Not even trying to mask their pretentious ways, the lack of respect for their peers is appalling and unnerving to watch. 

But the real issue here is how CBS is letting it fly. Viewers are not only aware of this, but making their thoughts known. In 2019, you’d think a company would hop right onto a situation such as racism in an expeditious manner.

So, why would they just let something like this happen without stepping in?

Quite simply, because controversy like this creates more views. But this is not the right way to increase ratings. One of the show’s contestants was called out for a comment he made about an Asian castmate, but it was too far into the season and well past the point of the number of strikeouts he should have received.

For the most part, the show is live but parts of the episodes we see on TV are edited. Die-hard fans are now giving up the show because they don’t feel comfortable with everything that’s going down. 

What can they do?

The action that needs to be taken, ultimately, boils down to casting. Slowly having a handful of color added every season is not going to make viewers happy. That’s like adding a pinch of pepper in a bland soup. It’s casting an even amount of people that represent what America looks like in real life.

Also, making sure that when you see the red flags, you step in instantly. As much as this show is about America watching the cast, America is also watching the production team. If they want to keep ratings up, they need to make some pretty expeditious changes to the show overall. 

Again, we don’t know anything about the cast for season 22 of “Big Brother.” The deadline to audition was April 3rd, so the producers should be sifting through applications around this time. We will be waiting for updates within the next couple of weeks to see if “Big Brother” takes last season’s fan criticism into account when making casting decisions.

So, in a much simpler statement to sum up how viewers feel, I’ll leave you with this: CBS – do better. “Big Brother” may always be watching, but America won’t.