What's Hot: Summer TV: New Shows; Mad Men's Harris Speaks!; Vampire Diaries Scoop; Shows We Lost

Matt Roush

I understand your aversion to ...

Sep 8, 2006 04:00 AM ET
by Matt Roush
Follow TVGMMattRoush

Question: I understand your aversion to Big Brother: All-Stars, but have you watched any recent installments? I have been completely amazed by Janelle the past two seasons. She has to be the best competitor Big Brother has seen as far as winning competitions. She has been blessed with a lot of luck, but there is no denying her physical abilities. I also find it interesting that her competitors constantly underestimate her. Both the men and women on the show rarely give her credit and stoop to insulting her as stupid and a whore. The funny thing is that Janelle just keeps winning, and the people who constantly put her down keep going home. I have a lot of respect for how she plays the game. She doesn't try to blend in and "float" from side to side. She puts herself out there and practically paints the bull's-eye on her back by winning the HOH competitions and Power of Veto more times than anyone else has.
Answer: As a pure game player (personality aside), what I've seen of Janelle has been beyond impressive. I bailed on this season a while back (the last straw was the episode I caught randomly in which Erika was manipulated to expel Danielle, the only player I could stomach), but I've kept up through recaps (imagine the time I saved). I marvel at Janelle's ability to survive each week, in part because she's nearly unstoppable in the challenges. If she makes it to the final two, no way does she deserve to lose, even against Mike Boogie. But will I be watching her coronation? Sorry, not against the premiere of Dancing with the Stars, which (along with a new episode of House, which returned to huge numbers this week) is going to bury BB.