In Case You Missed It:

For the first time in Big Brother 4, a live vote decided who went and who stayed between Nathan and Jack. And, in a surprise that only added to the villainy of Pittsburgh area native Allison, she cast the vote that locked up the verdict. Nathan became the second member of the jury and the eighth place finisher overall.

The action shifted outdoors to the sixth HOH competition, called "Steel Cage Match." Three cages, ranging from small to large from left to right, were revealed. The six eligible houseguests had to enter the cages, place their feet on small rods on its floor, face out like a prisoner waiting for parole, and couldn't sleep or go to the bathroom.

Once the field got down to four, those four entered a smaller cage. When the field gets down to two, they move into the smallest cage of all. The last one to survive captures the HOH crown for the week.

Who wins what was to be the longest HOH competition in Big Brother history? Find out!

SCHEMERS AND STOOGES

The show resumes right where we left off, the houseguests in a cage for a few minutes. Allison quickly asks her houseguests if there was anyone willing the deal. She was also glad, in the next clip, to have seen Nathan leave the house.

Day slowly became night in the house, and Justin came out with a tin pan full of chicken. He place it right up to the cage so the houseguests could get a whiff.

After a little while, some houseguests had to go to the bathroom. Being the good sport he is, Jack gave Jun and Allison his shirt so the ladies could release their bladder. Shortly after, Robert became the first to leave the cage, hoping Jee could save the stooge's honor.

This left Jee, Jun, Jack, Erika, and Allison at the 4 hour 25 minute mark. Jun, after asking all the houseguests if she was safe, vacated the cage. Robert, in a Diary Room, conversation, called her a snake, since he believed a deal was cut to save her behind.

The remaining four moved to the second cage. Erika and Allison consul Jee about his position in the game, saying that Jee wouldn't make the finals if he decides the stay with the Stooges. While this occurred, Justin got a little sleep in the hammock outside. Erika's thinking that at some point in the game, an alliance of three has to become two. To sweeten the pot, Jack suggests leaving the cage himself as a show of good faith right after Jee does.

After a commercial break, the battle for HOH continued, now 5 hours and 38 minutes old. Jack whispers to Erica in the cage, while Justin looked on. Allison tells Jee that if the vote includes Robert, Robert should be taken out. Jee asks Jack to leave the check first, and he complies, 6 hours and 17 minutes into the contest. Jee, however, is still in the cage, but that lasted a few minutes more. This leaves Allison and Erika alone. Jee feels he betrayed the stooges, but gets a solid handshake from Justin.

Allison cuts the deal with Erika, and sixteen minutes later, it's all over. Erika Landin has won the longest HOH contest in American Big Brother history, as she gets hugs from Jack and Allison.

Jee tells Justin and Robert he's very sorry he let his pals down, and feels bad that for the first time in his alliance, he feels bad that he to act selfishly. Erika and Jack console Jee, who is still brooding about things, and he sits in the living room in the dark.

The next day, Erika gets to christen her HOH room, which instantly breaks Erika down into tears, pictures of her and her Mom, and of her three schnauzers were among the goodies. In the Diary Room, she explains that she keeps thoughts of her family in her heart, and it gives her inner strength.

It's time for the latest food competition, which was a clambake style contest. The houseguests drew Ping-Pong balls, each representing days of the week. But this, much like a contest during Big Brother 3, was a clambake...

FROM HELL!!

Some houseguests scream in mock horror.

Each dish was covered by a shell, and each houseguest represented a day. The houseguests had one minute to eat their meal. If they failed to do so, each houseguest had to eat peanut butter and jelly that respective day.

Jun, eating Gafilta fish, a Jewish delicacy, got the meal down. Justin, who traded Jack for a fried clam delicacy, couldn't get it all down in a minute. Jack, who had gotten Justin's meal in the trade, chewed his delicacy very quickly. Robert had eyeballs of Albacore tuna, had quite a time digesting it, but got it down, even though Jun vomited. Allison had portions of an octopus, found it too rubbery to eat. Jee eat his liver meal, giving the houseguests regular meals four days out of six.

The fourth segment of Big Brother showed how everyone in the house had been working out during some house down time, with Robert showing off some suddenly bulging biceps. Jun doesn't think he has a future as a muscle head. Erika, Allison, and Jun have been carrying on another Big Brother tradition, that of Abs classes. Even the guys have been joining in on the classes this year.

Allison and Erika converse in the HOH about something Erika has in mind. It seems clear that Robert and Justin are in to be on the block. Jee also converses with Justin, and he tells him about their conversation during HOH about Jee being the first stooge out. He suggests Robert go out first, which brings Justin to a moment of dread. Jee assures him that he has his vote.

This brings us back to Allison. After briefly talking about the oppressive heat in Southern California as of late, they discuss strategy. With a stooge more than likely gone, the other two are looking for a replacement. Then, if they get HOH, Jun would be, in their scenario, the next to go. Allison tells the Diary Room she's going to continue to be a "floater", and use the people who have the power in the house from week to week.

Houseguests wait outside for the next round of nominations, which seems to have everyone miserable. With now just seven houseguests left, Erika will only have to place four keys into the nomination box.

After gathering the keys for placement in the box, and convening the nomination ceremony, the moment of truth arrives. Jack, Allison, Jee, and Jun get their keys. Robert and Justin do not.

Erika explains to Justin that he is a strong player and a threat, and so it is with Robert. She then says she's here to break up alliances.

Robert tells us Erika is being the b*tch she can be, while Jee wishes the ceremony never took place.

Analysis:

CBS had a rare Saturday night of reality TV shows. After BB4 aired, the next to last episode of Amazing Race, which wasn't shown in completion Thursday due to coverage of the blackouts in the Northeast part of the United States, aired afterward.

Erika's nominations marked two milestones. It was the first time one part of a couple had put their counterpart on the block during this X Factor season. But, it also marked the earliest in any of the Big Brothers that everyone had been on the block at least once.

This also means everyone who's ever been in the American Big Brother has been nominated, except those who didn't stay around long enough to face that fate. Justin in BB2 and Scott in BB4 were both thrown out by Big Brother before the opening eviction.

Even with a stooge gone, they still have a stranglehold on the game. It will still take a lot of luck for Jack or Erika to win. Allison, who now far out shadows Dana as this year as the game's top villainess, will eventually be ratted out for the schemer she appears to be within the four walls of this year's Big Brother house.