Big Brother 28 Update: Two Exits, One New HOH, and an FDA-Approved Octopus

Big Brother 28 Update: Two Exits, One New HOH, and an FDA-Approved Octopus

Big Brother 28 ended its pre-jury bloodletting this week by sending Haley home through the medieval twist, then officially opened jury with Thursday’s eviction of LaTrice “LaLa” Verrett. Apparently one exit was not enough emotional damage for a 48-hour period.

First, Devens won the BB Blockbuster, rescuing himself from a nomination he had volunteered to accept. His confidence paid off, although “I volunteered for the block and survived” is less a strategy than a sentence usually followed by ominous music.

That left LaLa and Taylor vulnerable. Dee, Barrett, Yash, and Devens voted to evict LaLa, while Angela and Melody voted to evict Taylor. LaLa left 4-2 and became the season’s first juror.

Then the house began investigating those two stray votes with the competence of detectives who had all misplaced their notebooks. Melody claimed she voted out LaLa. She did not. Yash claimed the same and actually had. Dee told people Yash was lying. He was not. Drew suspected Dee, Devens jokingly called Dee a known liar, and Dee became genuinely angry. Within an hour, nearly everyone possessed a theory, and almost nobody possessed the truth.

The night’s larger surprise came when Barrett won Head of Household. Devens and Drew celebrated, apparently believing their Crossovers alliance remained a living organism rather than a chalk outline. Barrett quickly promised safety to Drew and Melody, then privately considered nominating all three Icons: Dee, Angela, and Devens.

Barrett knows that doing so would destroy his Final Five and his Final Three with Drew and Devens. He also knows the Icons have had a suspiciously comfortable summer, and he would like to introduce them to a traditional Big Brother experience known as consequences. His backup target is Yash, but Barrett repeatedly said he wants an Icon gone. For once, “expect the unexpected” may involve somebody doing exactly what viewers have begged them to do.

His late-night cam talk was wonderfully conflicted. Barrett likes the Icons personally, distrusts Dee, does not want three veterans reaching the end, and hopes everyone will remain friends afterward. This is the Big Brother equivalent of composing a breakup text, adding three heart emojis, and then changing the locks.

Meanwhile, the house processed everything in the healthiest possible ways. Melody cried into her pretend one-way telephone after Drew assured her she would receive the next HOH letter. Taylor cooked octopus. Devens declined it, Angela refused seafood entirely, and Drew remained chewing long enough to reconsider several life choices. Taylor repeatedly assured everyone it was FDA approved, the exact phrase that makes food sound least edible.

Dee and Melody were named Have-Nots and spent the early morning on a creaking, rotating bed platform. Yash played rock-paper-scissors with a camera. Barrett reread his mother’s HOH letter, pulled his beanie over his eyes, and tried to sleep while mentally detonating his alliance.

Week Nine has begun, and the Icons may finally be in danger. More importantly, the octopus did not win veto, although it may be nominated if Barrett runs out of options.