CBS’s Big Brother returned for its 27th season on July 10 with a new theme: “Summer of Mystery.” The house has been renovated to look like a fancy hotel called Hotel Mystère, setting up a season of surprises.
Seventeen houseguests entered the house, which is one more than the traditional sixteen, and fans were quickly introduced to this year’s first big twist.
A player many fans have seen before, former winner Rachel Reilly, surprisingly returned as the 17th houseguest. She is part of a "mystery accomplice" twist where a houseguest is secretly working with someone (The Mastermind) that the viewers do not know.
That accomplice is allowed to turn off the lights in the house and let Rachel in, among other things.
That accomplice was revealed in episode two as houseguest Amy. This early twist has changed the dynamics within the house based on how players want to navigate their way through this possible mystery. It creates questions about what else could be coming. Host Julie Chen Moonves even has a dramatic segment where she was "abducted" by the Mastermind, which adds to the speculation.
🚨#BB27 WEEK 1 Game Stats Update 🗝️
— BigBrotherJunkie👁 #BB27 (@89razorskate20) July 14, 2025
🔹HGS Failed To Detect The Accomplice, Who Was Revealed To Be AMY
🔹Zach Discovered His Secret Reward
🔹Rachel Was Made A HN But Got 1 Week Safety, She Chose To Give Safety To Will, He Gave It To Zach & He Gave To Ava
🔹All Are Safe &… pic.twitter.com/HSZ05fZAW2
Early Game Moves and Live Feed Changes Stir Fan Reaction
The first Head of Household (HOH) competition crowned Vince Panaro as the week's best player. But already, his early game decisions have caused some concern for fans. His nomination tactic has been seen as risky, especially since the game began so unfocused.
The houseguests began forming alliances quickly, attempting to stay above the curve in a game that is already feeling far more complicated than usual.
Outside of the house, longtime fans of the program voiced frustration over adjustments to the Big Brother live feeds on Paramount+. This season, the live chat option was removed, limiting the ability for fans to engage and talk about the game. CBS had already stripped away the flashback capability for fans to relive big moments.
These adjustments have not dulled the excitement surrounding the season, especially the return of players and shake-ups. Many viewers, however, are worried the show is going to increase its damaging tendencies against interactive learning just as it begins to ramp up in complexity.
After all, with mystery building as the central theme of this season, both players and fans are left wondering what could be next.
