Big Brother(s)

The world is a strange place. Summer often gives me more time that I should ever really have to think about the state of the planet. For some reason the gods of television have decreed that the UK version and the US version of the show 'Big Brother' should air at the same time. Its a stark reminder of how differently a similar concept is adapted depending on location. The US show immediately separates the housemates and gives them power in unequal proportions, dividing them into cliques like they would experience in high school. There are the athletes, the brains, the popular group and the offbeats which is just a nice way to say the geeks and nerds. Stacking these groups with what they feel are representations of these types is the American way to wring all the conflict and drama that they can out of the situation. The British version has no such manufactured divisions. You would think that in a nation (UK) comprised of many different immigrant groups from around the world, that exploiting such divisions would be easy. The contestants certainly vary between rich and poor, native born and immigrant. However, its only after six weeks or so that the people inside the house have started drifting into separate groups based mainly on past hurt feelings or perceived grievances. I mentioned before that in the British version, discussion of who is nominated to leave the house is strictly forbidden so their is almost no 'alliances' formed by a few members wishing to remove a strong player from the game board. In the US version the housemates are constantly jockeying for position and are fully prepared to 'back door' an ally if it means their own survival in the game. Its a far more cutthroat approach. I could argue an quintessentially American approach where beauty and social strength often trump ordinary decency. Canada could never have a show like this. We would spend the whole show apologizing to each other and falling on our own swords lest our actions damage someone else. They need a global big brother. It would be like playing a massive game of 'Risk'. Who knows what the future will bring. Maybe those eliminated from the game will be eliminated permanently from life. That would certainly raise the stakes. 'Running Man' anyone?