This commentary on tonight’s Big Brother is going to be pretty spoilerific, so don’t read ahead until you watch the episode.
Shane stirred up a real hornet’s nest when he nominated Ashley and Joe this week, but Janelle took it surprisingly well. In fact, a little too well, telling Britney that it was cool and that her team still wants to work with her and Shane. I love how all the coaches, at one time or another, have come to Britney this season, treating her almost like a child, feeding her all kinds of BS, and thinking that she’s gullible enough to fall for it. Britney is a smart cookie and I really enjoy her Diary Room sessions when she talks about the garbage the other coaches try to feed her. I’d love to see their reactions when they watch the show after they return home. Britney is shrewd to let them all think she’s buying what they’re selling, and I love that about her.
Shane has proven to be a real powerhouse thus far this season. Three Power of Vetoes in a row, plus an HOH under his belt! When the season started, I thought he was just going to be a goofball, empty-headed pretty boy who either made friends easily but posed no threat, or came in playing the game way too hard and was the first one out. Whether it’s because of Britney’s coaching (and being her only player, she does get to spend much more time advising him than Janelle and Boogie do with their players) or his own knowledge of how to play the game, he’s done a pretty good job of taking her advice and playing by his own rules.
Case in point: the nominations. Britney had no idea who he was planning to nominate besides Joe. Everyone wanted Frank on the block because they see him as a huge threat. But Shane inexplicably went for two of Janelle’s players to “give her a taste” of what it’s like to have people in danger. Of course, Wil was his target (because of his likability, I assume, since he’s been no threat in competitions), but Janelle screwed up that plan by saving him, so poor Ashley was the replacement, making Joe the new target. Boogie and Frank felt secure, but they have a wild card on their team in Ian, who seems to be turning more socially awkward instead of fitting in with everyone else (those shots of him looking so down were just sad), and doesn’t really seem to understand how to play the game … even though he’s a self-proclaimed “student” of Big Brother. If someone like Britney comes to you and asks, “Is Shane safe next week,” you don’t respond with, “I currently don’t see any circumstances that would put him in danger.” All she wanted was a “Yes.”
So the big question now is: Did Ian screw Frank by not giving Britney a straight answer? Once she told Shane about that, the wheels began turning and he suddenly realized that while he might be able to trust Frank, he knows he can’t trust Boogie. But then Shane did something curious. He used the Power of Veto to save Ashley (Yay!), kept Joe on the block and replaced her with Frank (and seeing Boogie storm off was just priceless). Joe gave Shane a very impassioned plea (after his first failed attempt at “playing the game” according to Janelle’s instructions … and he actually spoke softly in the DR for once!) about why he wanted to stay in the game, so I’m still not sure who the real target is this week (and there has been no real consensus from the live feeds either). So who does Shane want out? It seems that keeping Ashley on the block would have taken Joe out for sure, and if Frank was the target, then saving Joe and putting Frank against Ashley would have sent a clearer message. For once, it really seems to be up in the air. Ashley and Wil will vote for Frank, Ian and Jenn will vote for Joe. It’s going to come down to Danielle’s vote and if she votes how Shane wants her to … or will Dan intervene and tell her to vote another way? The smart money would say Frank is out the door, but if Joe has become intolerable since the Veto Ceremony, he could have punched his own ticket (and I still don’t think Shane bought his sob story after the earlier “I’m gonna come after you” attempt at kissing ass). Who do you think will go home next?
Clacked by Chuck Duncan 
on Aug 02, 2012 @ 00:31 EST5EDT
I hope Joe gets voted off so I don’t have to hear him yell at the mic anymore. I guess also because it’s a social game, you have to kiss ass at some point or another and he doesn’t have any social graces. But seriously, the loudness.
If Shane wanted Joe gone, he shouldn’t have put Frank up. If he wanted Frank gone, he should’ve taken Joe off (in order to hopefully cash in on his “man on a cliff” loyalty later). I think taking Ashley down was a bad move either way, and will most likely lead to Shane’s demise next eviction. I think Frank’s gone for now, unless he can somehow talk Shane into switching Danielle’s vote. I do think Ian screwed Frank over. That kid is kind of messed up – you see the way he went for an open-mouth kiss on Ashley? Gave me the creeps. I think Jenn is more likely to win than Ian, now.
* Possible inferred spoilers*
So I was watching BB after Dark last night while I was waiting for something else to start. I think the target is Frank, just by the way that Britney and Danielle were talking. HOWEVER, I think there might be a surprise with Wil’s vote. Apparently he’s not pleased with Janelle for some reason. And he had a quick convo with Boogie that indicated that there was some plan. I’m interested to see what happens at the eviction.
I happened to see that too. Joe told Jenn that if he was evicted, he had to give her some vital information on his way out the door. Wil overheard the whole thing, ran to Janelle, there was a minor confrontation in the storage room, Joe and Janelle tried to convince Wil that it was just a strategy play, but I think it shows that Joe has no idea how to play the game. You don’t tell an opponent that you’ll give them vital information on the way out the door, you tell them if they don’t vote against you there’s information that can be shared if they form an alliance. Duh! So, now he’ll just get evicted simply so Jenn can get this information … and who knows if he really has anything. Seems more like a dumb move than a smart one! But whatever happened freaked Wil out and unless Janelle can calm him down, it could affect his vote tonight.