Did anyone imagine this was how Big Brother Canada 10 was going to end? A betrayal, a furious jury, and an almost unanimous vote for a houseguest who never won a challenge. It’s the shocking note that finishes an unpredictable and thrilling season.
Big Brother Canada 10 delivered an exciting and fun season that kept us on our toes, and its finale ended the season on a high. There are a few areas that could change (we’ll get into this shortly), but the finale kept the momentum going right to the bitter end.
Starting with the challenges, the final three competitions fit the classic model of what a final Head of Household (HOH) would deliver. Balancing coins on a scepter is an iconic game that pushes the houseguests to the limit with their precision and balance. If I were Kevin, Josh, or Betty, I would’ve gotten frustrated after the fifth time the coins fell—it’s just that stressful. The final two knowledge games were simple enough and they didn’t deviate away from the finale formula. Big Brother Canada 10 was in its final lap, so no need to mess with success from a challenge standpoint.
Though, the series should consider tweaking how they do the final jury roundtable, the jury questions, and the reunion. These moments are some of the most exciting parts of the season, let alone the finale. We as viewers want to hear what the jury has to say and debrief the season as a whole. Plus, preparing pre-written questions in advance feels too scripted and organized; we don’t get the true emotions from the houseguests speaking to the finalist. Betty is a perfect example of what the jury questions should be—her question felt real, raw, and full of fire because she wanted an answer. Big Brother is missing out on the opportunity to inject that energy back into the final round.
The biggest surprise in the night came from Josh evicting Betty instead of Kevin. What was he thinking?! Kevin had manipulated and wormed his way through the game to become one of the best strategic manipulators the series had ever seen. Granted, we as viewers got more of the background about the jury’s thoughts toward the finalists, but even without that knowledge, the clear answer was to evict Kevin. Betty thrived in the underdog story, but it wasn’t the grand narrative Josh had built up in his mind. It’s not to say Josh would’ve defeated Betty; the vote totals could’ve been closer than realized, but it would’ve given him a greater chance to win since he and Betty would’ve been fighting for the same votes. Kevin had his own narrative and allies—it was a bad move on Josh’s part.
And Josh’s answers to the final jury questioning weren’t great either. The best strategy for the questioning is to go with flattery; explain that every decision made was because that jury member was too dangerous and too much of a threat to keep around. Josh had to overcome the hurdle that he evicted all his alliances and allies; he should’ve built off his apologies to frame that every decision was necessary and part of his grand strategy. On the other hand, Kevin nailed the questioning—he inspired the jury, claimed all his moves, and showcased how he manipulated and masterminded the season from Week 2. If any of the jury members had doubts about him, his strong performance wiped them away.
Betty landing in third place was surprising because of who evicted her (see above about Josh). She would’ve been a great option to take as it would’ve split the votes and put into question who from her alliance (Josh/Betty) was masterminding the moves. Where Betty stood out was her passion and strong social game with the jury; she had built relationships with players like Summer that could’ve tipped the voting in her favor. However, Betty’s history of being on the block for five rounds worked against her; the fact made her look like an underdog that thrived in adversity instead of being carried. Sometimes the best strategy to become an easy Final 2 placement morphs into a strong narrative that can’t be ignored.
Josh is a case of a houseguest having all the qualities to win Big Brother, but the moves he made slowly chipped away at any chance of winning. His biggest flaw was his jury management. Josh should’ve spent more time explaining why he was voting someone out and not making it seem like he was BFFs with everyone. With players like Moose, Hermon, and Summer angry at him, there was no chance of him building the momentum to win. A “bitter jury” isn’t the right answer because every decision made impacts why someone votes for you, and Josh’s relationships with the jury soured over time. We can’t ignore that as a valid reason for why he lost. If Josh ever comes back, he needs to balance his relationships and reassess how he treats his allies. Evicting big threats are a necessity, but it’s a fine balance between when to cut people and how you treat them on the way out.
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Kevin’s win might be one of the best in Big Brother Canada’s history. He didn’t need to win any challenges, he survived eviction during the first week, and he was in the ear of every houseguest manipulating the game. Plus, his secret alliance with Haleena controlled the game without anyone ever realizing the power they wielded. Kevin won because he made the strategic moves that needed to be done and he built strong relationships to achieve his goals. Whereas Josh held that emotional connection with players (and it hurt him in the end), Kevin made it clear that every decision he made was for the game. It’s a villainous game that doesn’t get rewarded often, but we love to see it.
The finale of Big Brother Canada 10 was a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a few surprises in the mix. The jury didn’t hold anything back, and a deserving winner won after surprising many to reach the end. The format of the finale still needs some work, and the show needs a full-fledged reunion to get all the satisfying drama. Overall, the end finished on a high note. Now, let’s wait to see if Big Brother Canada 11 can top this season!
Big Brother Canada 10 airs new episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on Global TV, and streams new episodes the following day on globaltv.com.
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