Big Brother Recap: The Remains Make for Another Dramatic Eviction

Somebody call Marie Kondo because Big Brother‘s 24th season has become chaotic.

To be clear, I say this with the greatest appreciation for Chaos: Big Brother has been stuck in a predictable rut of matching with the house for many seasons, and it’s a pleasure to see the opposite situation playing out here. But between Kyle’s unwise showmance with Alyssa, Nicole’s correct suspicion that most of The Leftovers are working together, and of course Daniel’s insane decision to harness the power of veto and put his #1 ally in jeopardy this week bb House was undeniably (and wonderfully) messy.

Let’s recap how the week ended, with Nicole unknowingly ready to go behind the door ahead of Thursday’s episode:

THE STRATEGY | The veto meeting ends with Nicole and Taylor now sitting on the chopping block, and Taylor’s tears of frustration are warranted: She is upset that the veto was used to save Alyssa and Indy when she thought the nominations would remain the same, and her confidence in The Leftovers seems to have taken a hit as she failed to get heads-up on the Switcheroo. Nicole, meanwhile, feels “euphoric” to be on the block, so that’s it.

But just before the veto meeting took place, Kyle had gone upstairs to warn Monte that Daniel was “100 percent” planning to use the veto. The previous night, Nicole had visited the HOH bedroom and found six of the seven Leftovers – in other words all but Kyle – hanging out there, making her confident that those six were in an alliance. With Monte and Taylor unable to cast votes this week, Nicole and Daniel are left with the impression that Taylor will only have four Votes to stay, when in reality she has five (Kyle is fifth), and Monte would break a potential tie in Taylor’s favor anyway. So while it’s not ideal for Taylor to see the block for the umpteenth time, The Leftovers secretly know that Daniel “played himself,” as Joseph puts it, by vetoing it this time.

Other highlights from the pre-taped segments: After dating Terrance just last week, Nicole reveals to Indy, Alyssa and Jasmine that she used to be a cop, which she feels is groundbreaking information; Kyle and Alyssa hit one of them Big Brother‘s most sycophantic showmances (the bathroom is flirting! Make it stop!); and after learning from some of the leftovers that Nicole might do it Not With the votes to stay, Indy, Alyssa and Jasmine weigh their options, hoping to keep Nicole but far more desperate to simply be on the right side of the House vote this week. Just float along, the three of them!

THE RETREAT | When it comes time for the eviction, Taylor gets a bit harsh in her pre-vote speech, saying to Nicole, “For quoting Big Brother Superfan Rihanna, you look So stupid now.”(!) She reminds Nicole how she thought it wise to choose Taylor as her festie bestie, unaware that her own death or death, Daniel, would ultimately be responsible for her downfall. (Nicole looks like she’s taking it all easy, but after Taylor sits back down, the women exchange smiles shouting“I can not stand you!”)

In the end, only Daniel is behind Nicole: she’s kicked out of the house 9-1, but she hugs everyone on the way out, telling Julie she’s “not at all” surprised to find out about The Leftovers as she is done would have already correctly identified six of its seven members. She also calls Taylor’s pre-vote speech “amazing and hilarious” and “nothing but the truth” considering Nicole did think she might be manipulating others, including Taylor, to keep herself in the game.

And because we’re seemingly destined to never get a full live housekeeping contest again, the episode ends with Taylor choosing Alyssa and Indy as her new Festie Besties instead. Meanwhile, Daniel goes alone into one of the bedrooms and realizes that he should pack his bags now. Moments earlier, in his farewell message, he had told Nicole that he would not be leaving the house Big Brother home without a fight…but he seems to be feeling a little different now.

It’s your turn! What do you think of Nicole’s eviction? And who would you like to see win as head of household? Write a comment below!