Big Brother All-Stars Recap Season 22, Episode 14: Three New Powers

It’s time to finally and fully enter the post-Janelle chapter of this “Big Brother All-Stars” experience, and if this hour was any indication, this chapter is gonna be messy!

With the last of Janelle’s friends and allies booted from the game in Kaysar, the house had no choice but to start playing the game of “Big Brother” for real. Kaysar’s intention of blowing up the house with his eviction speech proved wildly successful.

It left the Houseguests so rattled — as he called out Cody, Nicole and Dani in particular — that they caused a secondary explosion all by themselves during the Head of Household competition.

Tyler, Bayleigh and Da’Vonne quickly broke it down, realizing that their so-called Slick Six alliance immediately started targeting one another. And it was Dani who lobbed the first grenade by selecting Bay and Day to go up against one another.

Now, neither Dani nor Tyler are particularly concerned that Christmas won that HOH because the’re also in The Committee with her, but the targeting of Bay and Day was particularly aggressive coming out of Day’s heartbreaking loss.

It was particularly brutal for her because Christmas didn’t win because she got the right answer before Da’Vonne did. Da’Vonne got the answer wrong. So all Christmas had to do was stand there and she won, giving power to The Committee.

And unbeknownst to her, giving power yet again to Cody and Tyler, who remain the central figure of both alliances. And now that Enzo has been made aware of The Slick Six, he’s basically in that power trio running the show.

Somehow, though, Dani continues to have outsized influence, as shown by her basically picking this weeks targets, and picking on Da’Vonne and Bayleigh along the way.

On the one hand, we can understand Dani and the house now being concerned about Da’Vonne and Bayleigh in this house. Not because they’re two black women playing this game — race has not directly been an issue this season like in season past — but because they are an unapologetic duo.

Even after Janelle and Kaysar went out one-two, Bay and Day could not separate their games, and once Bay told Christmas that Day was her “untouchable” in this game, they became an even scarier duo.

It’s more how targeting them is being handled that seems somewhat problematic. In particular, we were very uncomfortable with Tyler being the second man to tell one of the two women that she needs to calm down.

In this case, Bayleigh was painted to be the aggressor when it was Dani who confronted her. Dani was outright lying in that exchange, which Bayleigh certainly seemed to be aware of. It was upsetting to her, and yet Tyler seemed to be siding with Dani in that he was inferring that Bayleigh must have done something to set her off.

Why is Dani’s behavior only a result of the actions of Bay? Why is Bay an agent of her own aggression, such as it wasn’t, and also the agent of Dani’s behavior? How is that right? Why would Dani be off the hook for her own aggression in confronting Bay (to lie) simply because Bay reacted to it?

Is it because black women are held to a different standard, and their emotions are always judged as aggressive simply for existing? We’re not saying Tyler is being openly racist here, but there does appear to be some unconscious bias going on, and we saw it again when David told Da’Vonne to tone it down when she was trying to save him.

Not to mention that Bayleigh was absolutely right that Dani was going for them and had been through Enzo’s HOH reign, too. This time, she was immediately in Christmas’ ear about them. And guess what? It worked.

So once again, another week and we have never had a straight, white male on the Block and every person of color in the house has now seen it as Bayleigh and Da’Vonne hit it hard together this week.

Have we mentioned neither has won anything this season. Kaysar is the only evicted Houseguest to have won anything, and Kevin was the first nominee to have won anything (which he did after his second time being nominated). What are these people in power afraid of exactly?

While it’s exciting to think that new powers could shake up the game, the Safety Suite proved that it doesn’t always work with this group in this season. Right now, the game is about as boring as it gets, with no one willing to make bold, big moves just yet.

As such, we can see these powers fizzling out over the next two to three weeks, especially if the dominant power remains in control. Considering their targets have never won anything, that seems likely as well.

This season won’t pick up, apparently, until after Bayleigh, David, Da’Vonne, Kevin and Ian are all gone … so all the remaining people of color (plus Ian).

It doesn’t help that those in power secured two of the three powers, while the third went to the rookiest player to ever play this game at this level. Kudos to David for scoring a power, and his first win in a pitch-black competition — the same type that saw him booted Day 1 last season).

Now, he just needs to use it right. David got The Disruptor power, which allows him to save a nominee, forcing the HOH to pick a new one. It’s good for 2 more nominations after this week, so while he hints about perhaps using it on Day or Bay, that’s not gonna happen.

Christmas locked in a little more control for herself with The Blocker power, which allows her to prevent any Houseguest from being a replacement nominee, good through the next three Vetoes. It could allow her to make a big move this week, if she wants to change her noms.

Wild card Dani picked up the last power in the Big Brother Basement. The Replay power makes it where she can allow any Head of Household to compete in the following HOH competition. If she could win anything, it could be great, otherwise it could be a bargaining tool.

Christmas Abbot is playing a pretty safe HOH so far, putting up a power duo that everyone in her alliance seems okay breaking up. And other than that duo, no one seems upset at her about it. It was hard watching her break down after making her nominations, which makes it nice to know playing the role of Dani’s attack dog hurts. Grade: A+

Enzo Palumbo is riding high with the three amigos running the show, and no one seems to know he’s a part of it. Plus, he’s built a tight alliance with Christmas, positioning himself very, very well in this game. He’s got allies and shields for days. Grade: A

Tyler Crispen is safe, for now, because Bayleigh did not want to blow up his game to Dani, but he’s once again finding himself having to dance a very fine line between too many alliances. He danced to Top 2 his last season, but can he do it again? Grade: A-

Memphis Garrett has been laying very, very low. He’s basically the invisible member of The Committee. He survived going rogue when he had the power and no one seems to even remember him when it comes time to pick targets. Grade: B

Cody Calafiore and Nicole Franzel are scrambling after Kaysar blew up their games big time in his eviction speech. Neither is handling it particularly well and they’re very lucky that the game’s most loyal player is in power this week. They could be in trouble mid-game, but if they handle damage control well, they might weather it. Grade: B-

David Alexander won a power, his first-ever win in “Big Brother.” We’re happy for him. Now he just needs to use it right and build a resume from there. He’s still in need of convincing people he deserves to be there or he won’t be much longer. Grade: C+

Daniele Briones is somehow getting away with running her mouth all over the house and lying and lying. So far, The Committee has her back, but they don’t trust her, they fear her recklessness and as she can’t win anything, this is only going to work so long. Grade: C

Kevin Campbell is floating through this game. And in a game where the least threatening people have become the biggest targets to the power alliance, this strategy isn’t going to work. Grade: C-

Ian Terry is floating as well, at least on the surface. He orchestrated Kaysar’s explosive speech, but he didn’t benefit from it and he remains a big target on everyone’s radar. Grade: C-

Da’Vonne Rogers and Bayleigh Dayton suddenly find themselves at the bottom, the victim of their status as a duo. The house is looking for any excuse to not turn on the real threats (who they’re all aligned with), and that’s as good as any other. Grade: D

Are the women really ready to go down to the guys in numbers four to seven? Gender hasn’t been a huge factor this season, but with all the men running the show, and looking for random excuses to cut people, how long before they realize they can just pick the ladies off?

• “Kaysar blows up my game in his eviction speech … so I have to come back and do a lot of damage control.” –Cody
• “She went up on the Block for me. I hope she don’t think I”m doing that for her. I ain’t going to do that for her. I ain’t going on the Block for nobody.” –Enzo (after Christmas won HOH)
• “I’m sorry I hugged you so hard. I just saw my game flash before my eyes.” –Nicole (after Christmas won HOH)
• “I’m extremely offended by the love triangle comment, whatever that meant.” –Dani (about Kaysar’s eviction speech)
• “So the Slick Six–” Da’Vonne (to Tyler)
• “Picking each other the whole time. Early.” –Tyler (noting the alliance targeting one another in HOH comp)
• “You were the second one?” –Bayleigh (to Da’Vonne)
• “Yeah, Cody picked me.” –Da’Vonne
• “I f–ked up.” –Cody (trying to cover his tracks with Da’Vonne)
• “Bayleigh, unlike Da’Vonne, I don’t think she can make a true game decision based on somebody’s performance.” –Christmas (contemplating nominations)
• “It’s a little too late to join forces when I’m in power. Had we had this conversation last week, it would be much different.” –Christmas (after Da’Vonne talks game with her)
• “Whatever you do, I’m with it. Look,it’s game on, already.” –Enzo (to Christmas)
• “I don’t like dark comps.” –David (he was eliminated Day 1 in a dark comp last season)
• “Somebody is feeling me up!” –Da’Vonne (during pitch-black comp)
• “I’m tired of sitting by and watching this game from the sidelines.” –David (wins first power)
• “I’m literally fighting for my life. In no pants.” –Nicole (during pitch-black comp)
• “That was my whole face.” –Da’Vonne (to Cody in pitch-black comp)
• “See, I’m freaking smart. Were you really going to lie to me?” –Nicole (figuring out Dani has a power)
• “I suck at competitions.” –Dani (after her power is revealed)
• “You took the first jab, how were we supposed to react?” –Bayleigh (to Dani)
• “I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m telling you my truth.” –Dani (lying)
• “Bayleigh is coming after Dani, and if I put Bayleigh up on the Block, people are gonna think I’m protecting Dani.” –Christmas
• “I’m at the point right now I’m just sick of all this crap.” –Dani (after getting caught)
• “If I were to corner somebody, I would be the aggressive one. But she corners me and I’m the one who blows up.” –Bayleigh (to Tyler, damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t)
• “You guys are sketching her out.” –Tyler (still blaming Bayleigh and Da’Vonne for Dani tiff)
• “You nominated me because I’m her untouchable”” –Da’Vonne (to Christmas)

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