⁠Big Brother: What is OTEV? The power's return explored

Big Brother
Big Brother | Image Source: Instagram /@bigbrothercbs

Big Brother 27's latest episode brought back one of the show's most beloved competitions. OTEV returned to shake up Head of Household Rachel Reilly's nominations during Wednesday's Power of Veto episode. The iconic challenge puts houseguests through physical and mental tests in a musical chairs format.

Rachel had nominated Mickey Lee, Morgan Pope, and Vince Panaro for eviction. Her main target was Vince, though she wouldn't have been perturbed seeing Morgan leave either. The competition featured six players racing down slippery ramps to find the correct answers to OTEV's riddles.

Big Brother follows contestants living together in an isolated house. They compete in challenges while voting each other out weekly. The last person standing wins $750,000. This season's "Summer of Mystery" theme transformed the house into Hotel Mystère.

Twelve players remain in the running for the grand prize. The show tests alliances, strategy, and social gameplay as contestants navigate eliminations and power shifts.

How does the OTEV competition work on Big Brother?

OTEV stands as Big Brother's most anticipated annual challenge. The competition takes place on a multi-level platform with a slippery ramp. Players kneel before the OTEV statue at the start of each round. The challenge works like musical chairs with fewer spots than contestants. OTEV sings riddles about past houseguests or events. Players must rush down the ramp to find items matching the clues.

This year's version featured OTEV as a mob boss pig. Contestants got drenched in cement before searching for rats labeled with houseguest names. The physical element adds difficulty as players slip and slide while racing against time. Each round eliminates one player until only the winner remains. Wrong answers can cost players their safety, as speed is crucial when multiple people are finding correct items.

Will Williams fell first after grabbing the wrong answer. Vince Panaro followed in round two for being too slow. The third round saw major casualties as Mickey, Rachel, and Morgan all brought back incorrect items.

Lauren Domingue emerged victorious after answering correctly while others stumbled. Her win put Rachel in a difficult position since Lauren appeared close to nominee Vince. The elimination pattern showed how quickly fortunes change. Strong players like Mickey couldn't overcome one wrong move. Rachel's loss meant she couldn't control the Veto outcome.

Lauren's victory gave her complete power over nominations. She could save any of the three nominees or keep Rachel's choices intact.

Lauren faced pressure from all sides after her win. Rachel attempted to interrupt private conversations between Lauren and the nominees. The Head of Household feared losing control of her nominations.

Vince pushed Lauren to use the Veto despite potential backlash from Rachel. Mickey tried to persuade Lauren to drop out of the competition earlier. Morgan made last-minute appeals for safety. Rachel threatened serious consequences if Lauren used the power. She hinted at nominating one of Lauren's close allies as a replacement. The tension escalated throughout the week.

Lauren ultimately decided to use the Veto on Vince. Rachel followed through on her threats by nominating Rylie Jeffries as the replacement. This move shocked the house and shifted alliances.

The implications of OTEV’s return

OTEV's return delivered the drama Big Brother fans expect. The competition's outcome completely changed the week's trajectory. Rachel's response showed how power moves can backfire in the game.

Lauren's decision to save Vince despite warnings created new enemies. Rachel's nomination of Rylie marked a clear line in the sand. The episode demonstrated how single competitions can reshape entire seasons.

The challenge reinforced OTEV's reputation as a game-changing moment. Its combination of skill and luck makes outcomes unpredictable. This year's version lived up to its legacy of creating memorable Big Brother moments.


Big Brother airs Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on CBS, with streaming available on Paramount+.

Edited by Yesha Srivastava