BB18: Season Finale Blog Party

Which one will win?

Welcome to the BB18 season finale blog party! I'll be live blogging the events as the show airs here on the East Coast, so refresh the page to get the latest news. As always, the real party is in the comments ... please feel free to join us there!

But, first ... before we get started with the show, here are the remaining blog pool peeps -- and, yeah, I'm one of them! 

Paul Abrahamian - Jackie, Arf Barf, WolfpackRed, chrob61

Nicole Franzel - Kelsey NY, Grove Wiley, Nickelpeed, Sharon C  
James Huling - Becky, Donna in Alabama, Sharon S, Willie J

Yes! Let's set these house hamsters free!

For a change, let's start the show with a recap. 

Finally to the cat/laser beam/endurance comp that started at the end of the last show. The winner of this first part goes on to the last part while the other two face off in the second part comp. 

This part one comp is great! I love the cat theme and the mix of endurance tossed in!  

Nicole almost loses it, swinging around on a rope and then falls. James fell right after. PAUL wins the Part One Comp!

Julie tells us that we'll be able to impact the BBOTT (fall online BB season premiering next week) before the houseguests even move in. Hmm. 

Second Part HoH - "Snapshot" - Roller coaster in the yard, it sounds all discombobulated to me -- taking photos of previous hamsters, gathering the photos by clues, sending up on the roller coaster, taking photos. Yikes! Nicole goes first. She's nervous but at least knows all the clues.

Then it's James's turn. He's not as good with the clues, nor the photo taking.  He did better with his second and third rounds.

James: 19:06
Nicole: 7:24

WOW! She won that by a landslide!

So it will be Nicole versus Paul in the third part.   

Jury Roundtable with Will Kirby. Corey walks in. They talk James first. He gets kudos on his social game, not getting blood on his hands, under the radar. Day wants to see him take risks as does Victor and Corey. The consensus is that Paul is a very strategical player. Day says Paul the player is phenomenal but Paul the person is obnoxious. The words he said have people bitter against him. Michelle is very bitter about Nicole. She makes nasty comments when others say decent things about her. Oh, geez. Michelle cries because everybody is "picking on her" over her hatred of Nicole. Bridgette thinks women are bitter. Day gives her kudos.

DANGER ALERT! We can vote either Jason (BB17) or Jozea (BB18) into BBOTT. Everybody, PLEASE vote Jason. Thank you. 

Aww, Pablo is in the audience.

Time for the third part of the final HoH comp. It's the Scales of Just Us once again. Paul and Nicole compete. Eight questions.
1. Both right
2. Both wrong
3. Both wrong 
4. Paul gets a point
5. Both wrong
6. Paul gets another point leads 3 to 1 
7. Nicole picks up a point 
8. Both right.

PAUL WINS THE FINAL HOH COMP! Now we get tears from him. But they're not as annoying as Michelle tears.

It's time for Paul to evict either James or Nicole. He votes to evict JAMES because he kept stabbing him in the back. 

Nicole and Paul are the final two (just as I hoped).  

Jury interrogation time! Day wants Paul to stay in the house. James appears on stage with them. Three questions for each.

Natalie: Paul, very good player, some of the things said vulgar and across the line. Why should we vote for you? Love to have fun, always crazy.

Michelle: One move earn it? Had to convince Natalie to put up Paul and Victor.

Corey: Paul, great shot? Six times on the block.

Victor: Nicole, aligned with men riding coattails? I was the brains behind a lot of it, planted seeds.

Zakiyah: Paul, why deserve? Apologizes to vets, first timer, involved, always a target.

Paulie: Nicole, why deserve? Gave 100% 1000% of the time, gave it her all.

James: Paul, lost the second part of HoH, were you ever honoring the deal we made? Nicole relayed all back, you weren't as loyal.    

The speeches:
Paul -- Easy target, worked ass off, won Veto when needed, teamed up with others at the right time, no help, no care package, won his way to the end. Most comp wins. Stayed true to self, nothing to hide. Friendship!

Nicole -- Crap, that was good. So happy to be here, watched since 8 years old. Called a snake. Convinced Paulie to be a pawn. Convince Natalie put up her people. Time to win comps, struck against Paul and Victor. Gave it all I got. 

Voting time:
Da'Vonne first, Zakiyah (so far they all say they love them both), Bridgette, Paulie needed a speech gave to best game, Michelle, Natalie, Victor, Corey, James.    

The pre-jury is introduced. Onto the vote tally.

James - Paul
Corey - Nicole
Victor - Paul
Natalie - Nicole
Michelle - Paul
Paulie - Nicole
Bridgette - Paul
Zakiyah - Nicole
Da'Vonne - Nicole

NICOLE wins BB18!   

For the first time, a woman has won against a man in the final two.

Faves vote: Victor, Natalie and James top three.

VICTOR wins favorite houseguest!  

And there you have it. BB18 done and over. I want to thank everybody for hanging with the blog this season and welcome the new folks who came aboard.

What? It's not over? Nope.

Over the next few days, I'll be posting BB18 interview links and things like that. Don't go away just yet! (Well, you can go for tonight. I've been posting a lot and a certain cat wants shoulder time.) Thank you all again!   

Survivor 33: Millennials vs Gen-X Season Premiere Blog Party

Who's ready for the season premiere? I know I am! Even though I groan about them calling the Gen-X castaways the "old ones," I've been thinking. At my age, if I were to go on the show, I'd just want to camp. I wouldn't mind roughing it so much. I'd cook. I'd clean. But those challenges would kill me. I might be too old for Survivor, but I'm too young to die!

As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll be live-blogging with the major events. As with any season premiere, I'm sure to be a bit lost about who is whom as the show unfolds. My apologies in advance with that! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please feel free to join in on the fun!

Here are the blog pool matches the Lovely Lifeguard Laurie randomly chose:

Millennials - Vanua Tribe 
Adam Klein - Brian, Kelsey NY, Sharon N 
Jessica Figgy Figueroa - Donna in Alabama, Laurie 
Justin Jay Starrett - Becky, Jackie, Shayne 
Mari Takahashi - cwcamper, Marthalight 
Michaela Bradshaw - Donna in NY, Krysta G, Pinky 
Michelle Shubert - Ed in Ohio, Nickelpeed 
Taylor Lee Stocker - Donna in FL, Janice from GA, Stephanie in Baltimore 
Zake Smith - Beachmom, monty924 
Will Wahl - Cheryl, Indiana Jane 
Hannah Shapiro - David, meb, Terry is a Texan 

Gen-X - Takali Tribe 
Bret LaBelle - Brandi Peralta, Judi Sweeney, Skyriverblue 
Ciandre CeCe Taylor - Anonymouse, Merrilee 
Chris Hammons - Cheryl in NC, Jennasmom 
David Wright - Buzzmaam, MikesGirl, Sharon C 
Jessica Lewis - Cupcake, Jean, Petals 
Ken McNickle - Dolores in Hollywood, Margo, Russ 
Lucy Huang - Delee, ML 
Paul Wachter - ChickMc, PDX Granny 
Rachel Ako - Glenn, Lanell from TN 
Sunday Burquest - Brenda, Kristen from Ohio, SueGee

Survivor fans ready? 

A pretty introduction to Fiji and these castaways don't know what they're getting into! They're arriving on two separate boats and don't know a generation war is coming. One great thing about this show so many seasons in is that, while the images change, the theme music remains the same.

Jeff meets them all. They randomly choose buffs that aren't so random. Jeff announces the Gen-X vs Millennials theme. Will, the youngest, tells them he's still in high school, left it to play the game. The Gen-X people are already saying Millennials have everything handed to them.

Both tribes scramble to get provisions on their maps.  Whoa! Looks like Jessica from Vorheesville found an idol clue! Millennials took the chicken, left the fishing gear. Jeff warns them that it's cyclone season, the danger is real and they need to get their camps built.

Over on Gen-X, it looks like Ken wants to be the leader. All of them are going on about having a better work ethic than the kids. The clue Jessica found is a "legacy advantage" -- if she's still around on Day 36, she'll receive an advantage in the game. Cool.

Kids: Taylor, Jay and Figgy are already working on an alliance. Hannah is already feeling she doesn't fit in. Michelle and Jay have already made a bond. An alliance? Not sure yet! 

Older Kids: Rachel is turning some people off with her odd controlling and a bit condescending ways. Bret notices that David is scared of everything. David is paranoid that Ken and Paul might have found an immunity idol. David is trying to bond with Chris and Bret, but it seems to be backfiring a bit. 

The Kids: Their shelter sucks, but they want to go swimming. A storm is moving in. Now it's time for them to panic! When they all took shelter in their shelter, it cracked under their weight. When is a shelter no shelter? When the Millennials build it! Heh.

The Older Kids: Their shelter wasn't AS bad as the kids, their shelter wasn't completed before the storm. Jeff sent them a tarp as it would never stop raining. The Kids also got a tarp from Jeff. He wrote that he wants them back eventually.

Uh-oh. As they're building with the tarp, Jeff shows up. He tells them the storm is now a cyclone. Due to the ominous weather, for the first time in 33 seasons, they have to evacuate the castaways. The Kids have to grab their personal items and their chicken and go. 

Jeff heads over to share the news with the Older Kids. 

They were evacuated for three days and came back to horrific camp damages. 

Older Kids: Cool. Ken found a big walking stick bug and David (the scaredy cat) even held it. David thinks he needs an idol to keep him safe and goes off on the hunt while the others build a shelter. They're not happy about that. 

Kids: Zeke directs the building of the new shelter much to his own surprise. He also helps to make fire. I'm impressed with these unlikely events! He's from Brooklyn -- as he says, outside is the subway. Hannah sees the alliance forming with Figgy, Jay and Taylor. She decides to work on an outcast alliance. And, she's getting takers!

Time for the first Immunity Challenge. They have to return their tarps to Jeff. They have to make choices that will help them at either the front or back end of the challenge. They have shortcuts throughout an obstacle course, but every time they use one it adds ten pieces to the puzzle they must complete at the end. 

They first have to untie clubs from an overhead "rack" of limbs. It's a scramble. Millennials not taking shortcuts. Gen-X is taking the shortcuts. Hopefully their puzzle players are good. Millennials took one shortcut, so have ten less pieces.

MILLENNIALS WIN IMMUNITY and Reward (flint). 

Older Kids: Bret seems down on Rachel and Sunday for screwing up the challenge puzzle. It looks like people want to vote out Rachel. David thinks it's him going home. He tries to worm his way in. He tries to work Jessica. He tells Bret and Chris he doesn't have an idol either. They don't really trust him. Bret is sure he has an idol.

Time for Tribal Council and Jeff's probsting questions. Eep. Jessica has a bacterial infection in both eyes due to blowing sanding.

The tally:
David, Rachel, Sunday, Cece, Rachel, CeCe, Rachel, CeCe, Rachel, Rachel

Rachel is voted out.   

BB18: Live Feeds into Wednesday - September 21

All departures scheduled for TONIGHT!

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Finale Finalists:

• This could very well be my last live feeds update of the BB18 season.
• That is, unless something really vital happens today after they wake up and before the feeds get cut.
• I want to thank those who played such a large part of the community here on the blog and a special thank you to those who donated through the blog's Paypal link this season! It's very appreciated! Unlike the other BB fan sites, I don't get a cut from people signing up for live feeds and such, yet I probably put as much work into this as they do in their sites. It's always nice to know folks are enjoying the blog!
• Onto those hamsters ...
• Yesterday was another relatively quiet day in Hamsterland.
• Paul still seems to be dead-set on taking Nicole to the final two if he wins the third part of the HoH.
• In the beginning of this end, Nicole seemed to be concentrating on her efforts to prepare speeches centering on James sitting next to her.
• Since James will have no choice in the matter and is out of competition to win final HoH, that would mean that Nicole was planning to take him if she wins the final part.
• But, it's BB.
• We know they just love their waffles!
• Paul worked on Nicole and gained her favor in taking HIM instead of James if she wins.
• Then James pretty much checked out of the game, sleeping and just on the surface mingling for the last few days.
• So it seemed set -- Paul would choose Nicole, Nicole would choose Paul.
• But it looks like Paul might have talked a bit too much (one of his downfalls) and it seems like Nicole is weighing her options now.
• She could take Paul and have a fight to the end.
• Or, she could take James for an easy win.
• I think Paul also realizes that taking James would give him an easy win. However, he seems to want a finale with Nicole and the battle to win.
• My personal opinion is that I'd like to see a Nicole/Paul finale. 
• As much as I find him a bit obnoxious, loud and arrogant, I am personally backing Paul for the win tonight. I honestly think he's played the best game out of the three remaining hamsters. 
• And, regarding a conversation in comments on my last live feeds report -- no, he wouldn't be the worst winner ever. That crown belongs to Adam J., the one busted for investing his winnings in dealing drugs! Paul, for all of the annoyances, is quite involved in animal rescue stuff. While he's young, only 22 if memory serves, and he'll probably blow a lot of the money on things neither you nor I would choose, I doubt he'd do anything illegal with it and bring shame onto the game.
• If it goes between Nicole and James tonight, I'd have to support a Nicole win. Their games were a bit similar. But she woke up and played a lot sooner and actually did more behind the scenes when she was laying low.
• I would probably go in shock if James wins tonight! Nothing personally against James, but I can't see it going that way in any scenario at all. I really like James as a person, but he's disappointed me this season.
• In the end, I don't personally know any of these people. I depended on them for my summer entertainment. They delivered. Better them in the house than ME! 

The lonely kitchen

Being a nice guy doesn't always win BB

He definitely played the game

Take James? Take Paul? Coreeeeey! Help!

Survivor 33: Millennials vs Gen-Ex - Blog Pool Match-Ups Announced!

Lifeguard Laurie has worked her mojo once again and came up the random matches for the blog pool! Yay, Laurie! And, we believe we have a record number of participants, too! Fifty people asked in for the season. We can only hope that might be an omen for a great season ahead of us!

As is our standard practice -- the blog people who have the honor of being chosen for the person who ends up the first boot of the season will get reassigned to someone else. After all, we never really get to know that first castaway out! 

Here are the matches Laurie randomly chose:

Millennials - Vanua Tribe 
Adam Klein - Brian, Kelsey NY, Sharon N 
Jessica Figgy Figueroa - Donna in Alabama, Laurie 
Justin Jay Starrett - Becky, Jackie, Shayne 
Mari Takahashi - cwcamper, Marthalight 
Michaela Bradshaw - Donna in NY, Krysta G, Pinky 
Michelle Shubert - Ed in Ohio, Nickelpeed 
Taylor Lee Stocker - Donna in FL, Janice from GA, Stephanie in Baltimore 
Zake Smith - Beachmom, monty924 
Will Wahl - Cheryl, Indiana Jane 
Hannah Shapiro - David, meb, Terry is a Texan 

Gen-X - Takali Tribe 
Bret LaBelle - Brandi Peralta, Judi Sweeney, Skyriverblue 
Ciandre CeCe Taylor - Anonymouse, Merrilee 
Chris Hammons - Cheryl in NC, Jennasmom 
David Wright - Buzzmaam, MikesGirl, Sharon C 
Jessica Lewis - Cupcake, Jean, Petals 
Ken McNickle - Dolores in Hollywood, Margo, Russ 
Lucy Huang - Delee, ML 
Paul Wachter - ChickMc, PDX Granny 
Rachel Ako - Glenn, Lanell from TN 
Sunday Burquest - Brenda, Kristen from Ohio, SueGee

If you want to check out a bit on your castaway, my meet the casts posts are at:
Millennials - Vanua Tribe 
Gen-X - Takali Tribe 

Is everybody ready for a HUGE night of television tomorrow!?!? 

BB18: Live Feeds into Tuesday - September 20

Talking her case in the dark

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Anxious Ants:

• Well, I figure the house ants have heard about the BBOTT season coming up and they're anxious to have new hamsters to annoy!
• Other than that, I really don't have hardly anything for you -- not much happened after my last report.
• They all turned to bed fairly early. 
• I think the stress of the downtime waiting time is getting to them.
• Most of the conversations are rehashes of previous conversations at this point.
• It still stands that Paul will almost 100% (almost because you can never totally predict!) take Nicole to the final two if he wins the third part of the HoH.
• It's also extremely likely that Nicole will take Paul instead of James if she wins the final part.
• James, on the other hand, seems to realize it and is pretty much settled in his probably position of third place.
• And that's that. 

Really looking like the final two

And so it goes ...

BB18: Live Feeds into Monday Night - September 19

Sadly thinking he's third place

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Torture:

• Before I get going on this report, I want to thank the commenters in the last update who were concerned for my safety. Yes, the New Jersey aspect of the NYC/NJ bomber is nearby. Elizabeth is my county seat where I serve jury duty (gah!) and Linden is just two towns over from me. We're talking small towns in square miles -- about maybe 15 minutes on back roads away. Plus, I do take NJ Transit trains for my work commute. But all is well and the good guys won! 
• Onto the BB schtuff ...
• As James would say, one more day and a wake up.
• I'm actually getting tired of the countdown being said that way.
• The yard is still open.
• Nicole and Paul spent most of their alone time together badmouthing James.
• Nicole is tired of him bringing up his daughter (family card!).
• Paul is tired of James bragging about how good he is at wall comps .. and comps in general.
• Paul tried to get James to admit to throwing comps to no avail.
• Nicole told Paul about James telling her how great it would be if the two vets made the final two.
• James told Nicole that he thinks he would only have two votes if he were in the final two.
• He just might be right with that.
• If James is in the final two with either Paul or Nicole, the best he could do is second place.
• BB decided to thrill them with a big surprise! They showed them a commercial for BBOTT (the fall online only season).
• "But what are they going to do with us?" wondered Nicole.
• They also gave them a blackboard.
• Now they can give the new hamsters tips!
• All alone, James gave a big talk to us/family/friends about how he'll be out in third place, should have kept Corey not Nicole, but no regrets.
• Aw, how sad. 
• But he should have played the game not the showmance!
• That's it for now. 

Badmouthing James at every chance

Will the jury be bitter?