Even among heavy competition, Aaryn has been the most hateful player of the “Big Brother” season. But somehow she’s survived her racist comments and prissy action early in the season and has even thrived, winning head of household four times (nobody else has won it more than once).
Even so, Aaryn hasn’t been very confident about her game play, even though she joined the latest powerful alliance with Amanda, McCrae and Andy, called 3 a.m.
Wednesday’s episode looked as if the once powerful Mom Squad of Helen and Elissa would be finally dismantled — both were up for eviction by Aaryn because of Amanda’s bidding.
For a couple of brilliant moments, though, it looked as though everything would be upended. First Elissa turned on the game play in a way she hadn’t all season by winning the veto and taking herself off the block.
It came in the amusing and complicated outdoorsy competition, led by a high-voiced giant beaver named Otev (Veto spelled backwards!). Cute, but no Zing-bot.
In the game, players had to dig out letters with the names of evicted houseguests hinted at in riddles, with one being knocked out at each round.
Spencer was happy to be included in the competition – and was especially gleeful that his name was drawn to play by Helen, who wanted to keep him out of the game at all costs. And he came in second in the game, but Yoga-toned Elissa was on fire.
Aaryn was expected to put up Pawn for Life Spencer in her place alongside the doomed Helen, but for one glorious moment, it seemed as if she would blow the whole thing up and put Amanda up.
Aaryn liked Helen, after all; she was the first one to support Aaryn and keep her around and everyone universally respected Helen’s game straightforward and usually effective game play (which has shown some cracks recently especially if she believed McCrae were going to go against bedmate Amanda to join a secret alliance with Helen and current rat of the moment Andy).
It’s killing Andy too to go against Helen and he was so obvious in throwing the power of veto competition so he wouldn’t have to be seen not saving Helen that even she is not believing him any more.
So it was great that Andy was sitting there while Aaryn toyed with just putting Amanda up for eviction. It’s true, Amanda hadn’t won anything all season, just sat there and plotted against people sometimes for no reason (Howard), with McCrae sickeningly cowering to her every whim.
Through editing, Amanda has really come off as the Disney witch in “Snow White” — dark, beautiful and hateful. She schemes in the confessional as if she’s at the Magic Mirror, holding back only on the evil laughter. No wonder viewers secretly voted her for eviction twice.
It almost unraveled for Amanda Wednesday, though, when she attacked Aaryn over the one constantly argued about moment of the season — when Jeremy opened the wine before the have-nots could get it and unapologetically crowed about it. Aaryn said a comment Amanda made at the time was “bitchy,” Amanda acted as if that didn’t matter since it was Aaryn who helped empty the wine, figuring the others couldn’t hate her more, she might as well enjoy it.
As head of household, Aaryn didn’t like being treated like that. And for a moment, to Andy’s horror, she talked about putting her on the block.
In the end, of course, she didn’t and it’s Spencer vs. Helen for the vote Thursday with Helen looking like she’ll be going.
But is there hope for Hel anyway? The announcer teased that “houseguests will be shocked” to learn that the jurors will be battling to get back in the house, Candice, Judd and Jessie as well, as presumably, the next evictee.
It might inject some intrigue into a “Big Brother” season that’s boringly gone all too well for the mean Snow White Queen.