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Big Brother concluded its season 25 in 2023 with the announcement of Big Brother Reindeer Games, a special holiday-themed mini-series. This six-episode installment, which aired in December 2023, brought together nine beloved alumni for a thrilling competition.
Filmed in advance, the show deviated from the traditional format, as contestants were eliminated through the "Santa's Showdown" challenge, rather than contestants voting against each other. Each episode saw one player exit the competition. Ultimately, Nicole Franzel-Arroyo, the season 18 winner, emerged victorious, defeating BB season 24 winner Taylor Hale in the finale.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly on November 4, 2024, executive producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan announced that Big Brother Reindeer Games won't return in 2024 due to a scheduling issue. The producers remained optimistic about reviving the holiday special in the future. Allison revealed that the format holds sentimental value for both her and fellow producer Rich.
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“It holds a special place for both Rich and I. We loved doing the show. We thought it worked out really, really well. It's a great way to bring back alumni in a unique manner. While it's not happening this year, it could resurface,” said Allison.
Rich Meehan also reciprocated the sentiment hoping that the show could return next year.
“Hopefully, we're in a new year and everything looks like it's going to be smooth sailing and everything's worked out, so hopefully, maybe next year. That's the goal,” stated Rich.
Big Brother Reindeer Games was akin to a fast-paced version of the reality show
The mini-series garnered praise for its intense competition, particularly with the introduction of a devious hamster wheel maze challenge. Contestants faced elimination if they failed to complete the maze within 5 minutes and 30 seconds. However, successful completions triggered a time reduction, shaving off one minute from the clock for subsequent participants, until someone was eliminated.
Executive producers shared their disappointment over the cancellation of Reindeer Games' second season. Executive producer Rich Meehan revealed that the show ranks among their recent favorites, citing its enjoyment and success.
"Reindeer Games is one of our favorite things that we've done recently. It was really fun and we thought it worked really well," revealed Rich.
Last year, nine all-star contestants featured in the show which included Cody Calafiore, Frankie Grande, Britney Haynes, Danielle Reyes, Nicole Franzel, Taylor Hale, Josh Martinez, Xavier Prather, and Cameron Hardin. The former houseguests expecting a relaxed experience were swiftly proven wrong as the game went on.
Nicole emerged as the champion of Big Brother Reindeer Games last year when she defeated Taylor Hale. Britney gave fans a surprising shock when she chose to send Danielle packing instead of Taylor Hale, who had willingly offered to go next. Xavier Prather's earlier revelation that he was safeguarding Danielle only added to the shock.
According to executive producer Allison, the competition was surprisingly intense, catching seasoned players off guard. Notably, participants didn't reside in the Big Brother house, instead retiring to hotels between challenges. Allison also acknowledged the accelerated format, distinguishing Reindeer Games from the traditional summer marathon.
During the Big Brother season 26 finale, host Julie Chen Moonves sparked excitement with a surprise announcement, hinting at something unraveling inside the house. Fans had their hopes held high, recalling the previous year's reveal of Reindeer Games via a malfunctioning Time Laser.
However, this time, the news was met with disappointment as Julie introduced the revival of Jankie, an artificial intelligence entity that wasn't shy of showing its love of ice cream and pizza.
Executive Producer Allison Grodner acknowledged fans' misplaced expectations. She noted that online enthusiasts creatively speculated about Jankie's potential role, suggesting connections to Christmas themes or other intriguing storylines, which the production team enjoyed.
Big Brother season 26 ran from July 17 to October 13, 2024, on CBS.
