The reality television juggernaut “Big Brother” capped off its landmark 25th season by crowning Jagateshwar “Jag” Bains, a 25-year-old truck company owner from Omak, Washington. Bains was not only the first Sikh player to win the game but also the first Sikh player to play “Big Brother.”
The 25th season premiered on Aug. 2 and lasted all the way to Nov. 9, becoming the longest season in franchise history at 100 days. Before its premiere, many fans were clamoring for some type of season featuring previous popular players as a perfect way to commemorate the franchise.
While that didn’t come to fruition, the cast consisted of 16 brand-new houseguests, including Cirie Fields, a decorated reality star who is most well-known for her impressive four seasons on the hit show “Survivor.” Fields became the first Survivor contestant to appear on “Big Brother” and was the 17th houseguest to enter.
Fields was not alone, though, as one of the original 16 houseguests included her son, Jared Fields. The duo were miraculously able to keep their relationship a secret from most of the cast throughout the season – a truly impressive feat.
Besides Fields, another notable contestant included Matt Klotz, a Deaflympics gold medalist from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who finished the season as runner-up before losing in a jury vote to Bains. Miranda “Bowie Jane” Ball also made it to finale night, ending up in third place after being evicted by Bains.
The season was highlighted for its diverse casting, with nine houseguests over the age of 30 and four over the age of 40. Among them was Felicia Cannon, 63, who became a loveable “meme machine” all season long. Cannon ultimately finished in fourth place, becoming the second-oldest contestant to reach the final four in the show’s history.
“Big Brother” also had its usual “showmance” of the season, this time in the form of America Lopez and Cory Wurtenberger. Both were able to successfully make it to the jury stage of the season before Wurtenberger was ultimately evicted on day 79. Lopez fell victim to double eviction night just one week later on day 86.
At the beginning of the show, fans and critics alike were raving about the gameplay of the cast, highlighting its unpredictability, unique personalities and chaotic live feeds. However, the gameplay in the second half of the season was criticized for being too predictable and boring. It also began a conversation surrounding unequal winners in “Big Brother” competitions.
Over 80% of the competitions have been won by men, with only one houseguest, Blue Kim, winning a Power of Veto competition. There is clearly work that needs to be done to improve diversity within the show. Season 23 was considered the start of a new era with the rule that 50% of contestants must be people of color finally taking place.
“Big Brother” also came under fire in the first week when houseguest Luke Valentine was expelled from the game after using a racial slur. There were also moments of sexism and problematic behavior from Klotz, Jared Fields and Cameron Hardin, with the latter surprisingly taking home “America’s Favorite Player” during finale night. Many credited this surprising outcome to production giving an undeservedly favorable edit to Hardin on television as compared to what was actually seen on the live feeds.
Despite the negatives, there are definitely positive things to take away from this season. Season 25 was one of the first in a while where viewers could not predict the winner on finale night, with fans split on who should win between Bains and Klotz. Overall, the personalities and great live feeds carried the 25th season to be a mostly enjoyable ride. When looking at this season in a bubble, it was ultimately a successful installment with a heartfelt and historic winner to cap it off.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
