Posted in: CBS, streaming, TV | Tagged: big brother, cbs, julie chen, reality tv, recap, season 23

Big Brother Season 23 E13 Recap: Burning Cookout & A Very Vital HOH

The thirteenth episode of CBS' Big Brother Season 23 saw tension within one alliance, possible broken trust, and another departure of a houseguest. Spoilers are plentiful and heading your way…so turn back now if you don't want surprises and instead read my past article regarding the veto competition testing endurance and speed this season of Big Brother. With Christian not using the power of veto, the eviction of a houseguest came down again to Hannah or Whitney. The hint at a possible game-changer regarding teams also made my ears perk up, but more on that later. Moving on, Whitney somehow saw Hannah's powerful gameplay after the veto nomination, but Sarah Beth still didn't see the obvious alliance right in front of her that protected that target, Hannah, yet again.

The worry over Sarah Beth's strategy came through in a conversation between Tiffany and Hannah, attempting to acknowledge some sort of protective work before eviction would take place. Sarah Beth and stealth are not friends, as she gets caught attempting to have snuck in on the conversation. Unlike Hannah, Sarah Beth has appeared to have gotten a little too comfortable and unaware of the potential dangers of alliances in the Big Brother house. Kyland maybe her friend, but he also has a deep loyalty to the Cookout alliance, proven through his own words.

The Cookout alliance proved to be a strong force, and behind that force appeared to be Tiffany in a leadership position of sorts. The agreement between the alliance continues but has allowed them to continue to play their own games at the same time…truly a smart move in my honest opinion. While the Big Brother house can form unique and powerful alliances, it can also test them greatly and often break them too. Tiffany may be seeing the potential for conflict between the alliance, she also could be correct about it when it comes to Sarah Beth. Not everyone showed trust, with Azah unable to see the same amount of connection to Hannah as Tiffany has. In the end, it makes sense, communication is key especially for the Cookout alliance going forward. While that alliance tried their best to understand each other's position on things, Whitney's game was going hard as she convinced Alyssa of Hannah's threat, enough for her to discuss it with Christian himself. Whitney's singular conversation felt like her only savior.

The two nominees gave their speeches, Hannah gave some style and Whitney expressed love for fellow houseguests. The first up to vote was Derek F, voting to evict Whitney. Next was Britini, who voted to evict Whitney. Azah voted to evict Whitney. Kyland voted to evict Whitney. Alyssa voted to evict Whitney. Sarah Beth voted to evict Whitney. Claire voted to evict Whitney. Derek X voted to evict Whitney. Tiffany voted to evict Whitney. Xavier voted to evict Whitney. With all voting leading to Whitney, she became the next to leave the Big Brother household. Julie Chen then gave the Big Brother houseguests the ultimate surprise…the team twists officially ended, leaving everyone to play for themselves and without potential wild card opportunities. The Head of Household competition came up shortly after that announcement and endurance became a central theme yet again. The game involves holding on while their back faced the wall, enduring tilting motions and random spouts of rain. For the eventual declaration of an HOH and their nomination decisions, that will happen on Sunday at 8 PM EST on CBS.

UPDATE: Derek X is the new HOH (Head of Household) after a live endurance competition.

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