The All-Stars of Big Brother: A high-stakes return for reality TV veterans
In short: In 2006, CBS brought back the heavy hitters for a special All-Stars season. With 14 former HouseGuests competing for glory, the game introduced new twists like the Coup d'État and a new punishment food, changing the franchise's landscape forever.
Premiering on July 6, 2006, Big Brother 7—also known as All-Stars—was a unique experiment featuring only HouseGuests from the first six seasons. While the series averaged 7.56 million viewers, the premiere saw a record low of 7.69 million viewers for the franchise at that time. Spanning 72 days, the competition ended with a live broadcast on September 12, 2006; Mike "Boogie" Malin took first place, while Erika Landin came in second. The season featured fourteen contestants, matching the total number from the previous year. This cast consisted entirely of returning players from the initial six seasons.
The season introduced several mechanical shifts that would define the series. Most notably, the traditional peanut butter and jelly diet was replaced by "Big Brother Slop," an oatmeal-textured punishment food for those who lost weekly food competitions. Additionally, the Power of Veto competition changed; instead of the Head of Household and nominees selecting participants, three competitors were now chosen via a random draw, making every HouseGuest eligible to compete. The weekly Head of Household winner gained immunity from being nominated. However, they were barred from participating in the subsequent Head of Household contest.
A significant new twist involved a secret phrase: "You reap what you sew." Mike "Boogie" Malin was the first to solve the riddle, earning the Coup d'État power. This allowed him to overturn the Head of Household's nominations and select two new nominees, though he ultimately chose not to use the power during his tenure. This specific power would later return to the series in season 11, where viewers would decide which player received it. The final seven evicted players formed a jury to vote for the winner. These members were kept in a separate house to prevent them from seeing any strategic footage.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Big Brother 7 (American season)
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