“Big Brother” is almost ready to give us all the deceit, spite and hasty gameplay fans know and love.
Over the past two decades, the show has solidified itself as a bastion of engaging reality TV. It introduced live feeds – giving fans unparalleled access to would-be reality stars. It also allowed for celebrities to participate in their own version of the social experiment.
For every season of the main series, there’s been some sort of companion show. Why? Fans can’t have too much of a show that lives and dies by the craziness that happens on live feeds.
Below are the shows that sprouted from the world of “Big Brother.”
House Calls
“Big Brother:” The Talk Show. This is the concept of “House Calls” – a spin off of “Big Brother” that aired on CBS’s website. It even has the subtitle “The Big Brother Talk Show.” This online show featured Gretchen Massey as host for all six seasons. There was even a co-host for two of them in Marcellas Reynolds.
The hosts would answer viewer submitted mail regarding the show and the answers would be discussed. By the look of the set and the almost completely simple execution, the show feels a lot like a prolonged press junket for “Big Brother.”
The show was reformatted for “Big Brother: All-Stars” as Reynolds graduated to being a houseguest for that season. Guest hosts were introduced with the likes of Janelle Pierzina, Kaysar Ridha and others. During season 8, evicted houseguests were not allowed to be featured on the show due to the controversial nature of that season. The show was eventually canceled in September 2008.
After Dark
An easy approach to the show, “After Dark” was made up of content events happening in the Big Brother house between 9 P.M. and 12 A.M. With its presumably raunchy nature, it debuted on Showtime 2 with live, three hour episodes. It was essentially repackaged broadcasts from the live feeds.
Even though “After Dark” was live, there were moments when the show was delayed or even pre-recorded so as not to ruin evictions or competitions. One thing that differentiated the spin off from the main show were the Orwell Games. These twice weekly live games allowed fans to participate in opinion polls, hashtag battles and get behind the scenes trivia. The social component was very popular.
“After Dark” was also subject to some of the most iconic moments in “Big Brother” history including Keesha’s birthday blowout.
The Showtime version ran for five seasons before heading over to TVGN – later to be known as Pop (another Viacom/CBS owned network) for the remainder of its run. Since the 22nd season in 2020, the show has not returned. This is perhaps due in part to the then new Viacom/CBS merger and the immediate availability of the live feeds on Paramount+.
Celebrity After Dark
“Celebrity Big Brother: After Dark” is, unsurprisingly, the same show as “After Dark.” The only difference is the cast. The show launched on Pop in 2018, lasting two seasons.
Off The Block
“Celebrity Big Brother” houseguests Ross Mathews and Marissa Jaret Winokur hosted this Facebook Watch exclusive aftershow. Since the cancellation of “House Calls” in 2008, there hadn’t been any live discussion show for the franchise. In 2018, Julie Chen Moonves announced the new show would be premiering with “Big Brother 20.” By September, the show would be canceled.
“Off The Block” would air on Fridays and feature a structured format that included “BB Breakdown” (a summation of the week’s biggest events). Additionally, a “Live Feed Exclusive” would feature a highlight from the live feeds. There was also an interview segment where Matews and Winokur would speak with the newest evictee. The show would end with a “Prediction Predicament” where the hosts would predict what could happen as the show moves forward.
Unlocked (2025)
This is the franchise’s latest attempt at a companion show. Except this time, it’ll be bi-weekly (every other week).
According to a press release, “Unlocked” is a Friday night show that features three familiar hosts recapping the show and doling out special interviews, guest appearances and more.
Here’s the news: “three BB All-Stars offer never-before-seen broadcast footage from the house, exclusive interviews, surprise guest appearances and unprecedented behind-the-scenes access. Former Houseguests share firsthand insight and expertise as they analyze gameplay, assess the competition and give their insider’s perspective every other Friday starting Friday, July 25 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT).”
Comments
Every ‘Big Brother’ Companion Show Explained