The strategy of Big Brother requires houseguests to create a manufactured personality in hopes of manipulating their competition. Some rise to this challenge, while others crack under the pressure. This dynamic is a big reason why the show has retained its uniqueness through over 20 seasons of gameplay.
In a few special cases, however, a houseguest will fall from grace just to bounce back stronger than ever. Watching a player go from zero to hero is one of the most captivating aspects of the show and why no houseguest should be counted out until they walk out those doors.
10 Enzo Palumbo
Appearing in both seasons 12 and 22, Enzo is arguable on of Big Brothers great all-stars. In season 12, he helped form The Brigade, which dominated the majority of the game. However, his own alliance would exclude him from the finals and he would finish in third place.
Enzo would learn from his previous mistakes in season 22, choosing to work with but remain outside of the most powerful alliance known as The Committee. Upon reaching the endgame, he watched The Committee implode on itself and made his move to make the final two. Enzo proved he was an extremely strong player who did not need to rely on others to succeed inside the house.
9 Jason Roy
Jason never seemed to stand much of a chance from the very start in season 17. While fans may have loved his sassy personality, it did not seem to hold up as well with the other houseguests seeing as he was nominated in four consecutive weeks before being evicted in week 5. He’d soon get a chance to play again though, winning a fan vote to become the last member to join Big Brother: Over The Top.
Seen as the immediate veteran target, Jason would barely survive eviction in week 1. This didn’t stop him though, as he went on to dominate both competitively and strategically by winning three of eight Power of Veto competitions and helping form The Late Night Jamboree alliance. Unfortunately, his efforts would be in vain as he’d lose the fan vote in the finals to Morgan.
8 Mike Malin
Mike “Boogie” Malin is one of a handful of players that have played the game in three separate seasons. Although he’d win the first-ever Head of Household competition, he’d be quickly dispatched in the fourth week by a near-unanimous vote due to being a perceived threat alongside showmance Krista and eventual winner Dr. Will.
Boogie would once again partner up with his old ally Will in season 7 to make a push for the finals, while also establishing a fake showmance with Erika to secure his safety. This time, Boogie seemed to understand the nuances of the game better and was not afraid to manipulate others to get what he wanted. This strategy worked to perfection and he’d go on to win it all in season 7. He’d once again return for season 14, but his status as a Big Brother legend was too difficult to hide and the other houseguests would evict him before reaching jury.
7 Nicole Franzel
Seen as a weaker player during her first appearance in season 16, Nicole struggled to overcome the dominating alliance known as The Bomb Squad. Nicole was used as a pawn and ultimately betrayed by eventual winner Derrick after comparing him to another former winner in Dan Gheesling. Although some fans found her personality annoying, she’d be back in season 18 and look to redeem her reputation.
Nicole navigated her way through the game and became the first female to beat a male contestant in the finals, winning a 5-4 vote over Paul. She’d return a third time for season 22 and outplay several Big Brother legends, proving Nicole truly learned how to beat the best during her 255 days spent in the house.
6 Britney Haynes
Britney Haynes is one of the most quotable Big Brother houseguests of all time. She quickly became a fan favorite in season 12 in which she finished in fourth place and won America’s Favorite Houseguest. Blindsided at the end, Britney was unknowingly outplayed and helped put the remaining members of The Brigade alliance in a perfect position to make the final three.
She took these lessons to heart when she returned as coach and eventually a player in season 14. Britney played a perfect game up until the final eight, where it took possibly the most famous move in Big Brother history from Dan Gheesling to eliminate her. Had Britney not played so well and been such a charming houseguest, Dan’s "funeral" wouldn’t have had the same impact on the show.
5 Rachel Reilly
Season 12 was host to multiple houseguests that would go on to have strong redemption arcs, possibly none better than Rachel herself. Since Rachel was the source of much of the drama and confrontations in the house, the other houseguests did not need much more reason to evict her early after a strong start in competitions.
Rachel seemed to learn from her arguments with Ragan in season 12, as she returned for season 13 and quickly got to work on repairing her image. Rachel’s continued showmance from the previous season allowed her to show off her big personality, while also dominating in competitions to give fans plenty to root for her as she went on to win it all in season 13.
4 Ika Wong
Ika is one of the most beloved contestants in Big Brother Canada history, and for good reason. As a prominent houseguest in season 2, Ika established herself early as a well-liked and strong player. She was targeted for an early eviction because of this, to which she’d respond by infamously choosing to accept a cash prize over leaving the houseguests with letters from their family. This move made Ika a villain in many people’s eyes.
She’d get a chance to change that perception in season 5, where Ika would return and develop a showmance with Demetres. Her social game and his physical performance in competitions made for a formidable pair, as the two dominated the game through most of the season. Although they’d eventually fall short, the two leveraged their charismatic personalities into further opportunities with Big Brother, and even run a successful YouTube channel together to this day.
3 Da’Vonne Rogers
From a competitive perspective, Da’Vonne has never been the strongest of players. Despite appearing on the show in three different seasons (a feat only five people have ever achieved), she has only ever won one competition during her time in the house. Da’Vonne was evicted in just the second week in season 17, but would quickly make up for that by showing improved strategic performances in seasons 18 and 22.
What she lacked in competitiveness, Da’Vonne more than made up for with a quick tongue, hilarious moments, and a relatable personality. Da’Vonne is possibly the originator of more unforgettable one-liners than any other houseguest in Big Brother history, which is a big reason why she won America’s Favorite Houseguest even after being evicted relatively early in a star-studded season 22.
2 Dan Gheesling
Dan is seen as one of the most accomplished and manipulative players to ever play Big Brother. He pulled off the impossible on two occasions, the first of which came in season 10 when his closest ally was evicted in week 1, forcing Dan to claw his way back into the game by throwing competitions and lying low until he eventually won it all.
Dan was also responsible for the infamous funeral scene in season 14 that gave him one last chance to stay in the game after losing the Power of Veto. He would then go on to betray one of his most trusted allies in Danielle to ensure a place in the finals. In spite of his reputation as a liar, Dan was still able to elevate his game and turned even his biggest critics into fans. He gave them some of the show's greatest seasons on his way to becoming one of the best winners in Big Brother history.
1 Cody Calafiore
Many fans believed Cody’s success in season 16 was a fluke, and that he was simply carried through the competition by Derrick. When Cody returned in season 22, he was determined to make a statement. He would form a secret alliance with multiple members of the house, while also orchestrating several larger alliances and played the middle man perfectly.
Cody was also once again a competition threat, winning Head of Household and Power of Veto a combined eight times en route to becoming the first-ever unanimous winner to never be nominated for eviction. It’s fair to say Cody reversed the narrative surrounding him in season 22 and become one of the greatest to ever play the game.
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September 25, 2021 at 12:00AM
