Big Brother 5 "Position the habitat of your hamster somewhere light and airy,
away from drafts, heaters, direct sunlight and other pets.
Never put it on or near a television, radio or hi-fi or a fridge."


hamstersthat dingo's
Hamster Watch

hamster
This site isn't about who should win, who will win, who I'd be friends with, or who is cute. It's about watching hamsters: which ones are doing what and why. Which are fun and which are dull. If they aren't entertaining, get rid of 'em! More to come, bookmark & come back! .. that dingo
Linkage

Daily feed recaps & opinion ratings navigation tool for this often-biased site
HamsterWatch Big Brother 8 here we go again
HamsterWatch Big Brother 7 Hamster all-stars in the house
HamsterWatch Big Brother 6 time to do it all over again
CBS Big Brother 5 the official site
Housecalls live web show with Marcellas, also archived shows
TV Updates feed updates, screencaps, and fun boards - easy to use and functional!
bb5fan's 30 second refresh screencaps if you don't have feeds (great at work!)
Hollyisms and Cowboyisms and Lisa-isms from me, that dingo person
Sir LinksALot Big Brother 5 all the links
Reality TV Links emphasis on individual hamsters' sites
Aldav has all of the edgier stuff & the best mini-recaps in town (alternate url)
I miss Grins' BB5 Park updates, but ever grateful for what she did - from Jokers
Bonus must-click special: BB5 auction on Ebay have lunch with Marcellas and a BB producer



9/20/04 - Day 81    >> to the future    >> dwell in the past    >> latest

It all comes down to this

I snapped this happy RealPlayer accident way back on August 9.. Cowboy had been working on Drew

At the time I was posting far shorter episodes than they've evolved into since, but I added a little commentary that day about Drew having given up some integrity by putting Jase up for eviction.. I was barely paying attention to 'game' at the time, but looking back to that and the days leading up to it, it's clear that was one of the most pivotal events that left us with these two 'ponds' at the end

These two have each been seen as being more ethical and loyal than the others, and I think they each believe that they are those things.. and that's what bothers me.. it's one thing to lie, cheat, and steal your way through - but at least be aware you're doing it.. I don't think either of them are

Drew has visibly agonized and sought counsel over every decision up til that last one about Diane, and he ended up doing what Diane told him almost every time, often against his own wishes (at least according to what he told others).. but he flat-out lied to Diane about that last decision he made on his own, and it hasn't kept him awake at night

Drew said about Jase at the time of that pivotal veto 'I'm taking somebody outta this game who's been on my side since the beginning.. that's like taking your own chess piece' - true, and since he did it anyway, I can't go along with the idea that he played himself here - at least not before the last week or so.. I believe he evicted Jase under coercion, and pressure from his libido and his ego (after all, his vote wasn't even needed to remove Jase from the game) - but Drew was already doing the kiss 'n cuddle 'n etc. nightly with Diane, along with her bidding.. and a couple weeks earlier, we'd had this:

Drew: You're with her (Holly) all the time, and we're like, where's our guy at?
Jase: What about you & Diane? You don't even like her and you cuddle with her!
Drew: That's different man.. I don't talk to her

followed by the now-famous proclamation:
Drew: I have balls!!

So maybe it all comes down to male pride springing from that night, or girlfriends breaking up the boy band - but one of the few times Drew voted differently than Diane was when he voted out Will (Diane had voted to evict Marvin).. not long after that Diane started her campaign to get Drew against Marvin, and it worked well enough that it likely backfired against Diane in the end, and Drew's still holding a grudge about the guy

As for Cowboy.. I think his heart is mostly in the right place, but he's done some self-promoting shady stuff to get here.. Karen says he's a snitch (which he is - but so was she, so were they all) but he's also a guilt-tripper and isn't above a little emotional blackmail if it suits his purposes, and he doesn't seem to admit to either.. nor has he said much (if anything) about trying to get away with letting go of the earthquake machine and hoping nobody had seen.. it took the judges 15 minutes to make that call, 15 minutes in which Cowboy kept hanging on as if nothing had happened.. I believe that's called cheating - not a word we'll hear Cowboy use about himself anytime soon

Cowboy's often been seen in HamsterWatch episodes working on Drew to keep the dream of the Horsemen alive, but Diane won most of the Drew tug-of-wars up until the last one that eliminated her.. Looking back though, it's maybe coincidence and maybe not, that the day Diane gave Cowboy the lap dance that set his eyes aglow in this shot was the same day that everyone was working on Drew to use the Jase Erase veto.. hmm..

I'm not saying neither has the right to be here at the end - personally I'd just prefer if they didn't pretend they'd done it all nobly and honestly, cuz neither did.. their equal raging after the jury questioning seemed to me more than just frustration and venting: the intensity and duration of their anger made it feel more like guilty consciences to me.. they 'doth protested too much'.. but whatever brought them here, they are here at the end, so credit where due: congratulations to both



Maybe I'm just disappointed the final two are so dull

They spent their last "normal" day gyming, doing laundry, sleeping.. Adria's picture flies.. Big Brother tries to goad them into action, but it isn't until they hear loudspeakers outside that they show some interest in something
     
Big Brother: Remember houseguests, it's only 440 laps to swim a mile in the pool
Big Brother: Remember houseguests, if you win the half million dollars, you'll never have to eat PB&J again
Cowboy: I hope they take the taxes out
Drew: Yea
....
Drew: You can hear voices.. there's a girl voice.. 'Will Drew or Michael be crowned the winner of Big Brother 5?'
Drew: I heard like the girl voice was saying 'Adria, Natalie'.. like saying names
Cowboy: They're doing so much today, makes me wonder..
Drew: What?
Cowboy: I know they're probably getting ready for tomorrow, but makes you wonder..

They clean the dead food out of the fridge and the pantry/former conference room..
and I'm reporting it.. this is bad
     

They separate for the first time since Diane left to nap and tan.. then come together again to try out what to wear tomorrow
     

Drew helps Cowboy pick something out and even helps with a button problem..
(when Diane was having her nothing-to-wear day, he didn't do as much..)
   

They read their letters and dream of home.. they run outside when they hear more noises.. they get a little excited about tomorrow and about going home, and a little gloaty (rightly so).. but mostly it's just a long, endless waiting game.. they hardly speak, but they stick together
     
Drew: I had a dream that her & Marvin were like.. pfft.. it makes me so mad that she would've said something like that.. of all people, Marvin..
Drew (reading candy wrapper): 'Nabiscoworld dot com.. play games, win prizes'
Cowboy: It's awesome.. Lifesaver dot com is fun too.. they have Mr. Peanut type of stuff.. a couple of putt-putt courses
Drew: I've done the putt-putt some places

They admire themselves, then Drew bangs on the door.. finally pizza and beer arrive
   
Drew: Let's look at each other in the mirror.. such good looking guys
Drew: Can you hear that? sshhh..
(he bangs on the door, hard) BANG BANG BANG
Drew: Ha ha, scared you guys

Three pizzas for the two of them.. they eat in near-silence.. lots of new leftovers in the cleaned-out fridge
     
Cowboy: I'm not going to have any beer now.. I'm kinda blue
Drew: Blue?
Cowboy: Just not myself..
Drew: Maybe I won't have my beers now either
....
Drew: What do you think the temperature is out there tonight?
Cowboy: Cold
(Drew says grace and thanks 'everybody working here this entire season'.. I second that)
Cowboy: I just don't feel good.. kinda feel out of favor or something..

Later Drew does have a beer, and keeps whatever thoughts he has in front of the photo wall to himself.. then they stick together again for bedtime showers, as usual
   

They're in bed this last night before 10.. they chat a bit but Drew goes right to sleep.. Cowboy "The Night Prowler" makes one last prowl for a candy bar, popcorn, and solitaire
     


Many feedsters have already jumped ship for Big Brother Croatia..
even in another language, it's more interesting than our finalists
rattling around the house on their own, barely saying a word..
Big Brother didn't even ask them to put their mics on for half of today

Here's hoping we have a terrific final show - I'll be back with a final episode

Many thanks for visiting the site!
I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have making it :)

Big ups to HamsterWatchers who stuck it out this far - just one more day and we're free! Sincere thanks to those who have posted & emailed about the site - it means more than you know. Thanks for visiting!

I'm not even changing today's ratings - nothing changed, it just lessened



Cowboy
Most of what I said here yesterday holds true, but it was such a dull day for them and for us, I'm going easy on him today. Cowboy contributed a few more Cowboyisms today, but also kept steering Drew in a 'girlfriends are bad' direction while continuing to glorify the lovely April (as well he should - it's just the hypocrisy that bugs me at this late date, when it doesn't matter anymore: they are final two, Diane's gone, and the jury's done their thing.) Luckily for all, he let go of the 'Marvin called me racist' obsession of last night, giving feedsters a chance to pause and consider the source, and the fact that nobody knows what Marvin said. Feedmasters wisely cut to fishies before Cowboy could develop the internet race riot into something even uglier, when he defined for Drew what the word 'kosher' means, Biblically-speaking. Say what you like: he lasted to the end, and may take it all.



Drew
Most of what I said here yesterday holds true, but it was such a dull day for them and for us, I'm going easy on him today. Drew finally relaxed some today (mentally & emotionally) and let some of his fears about impending Life Outside come to the surface. He continued to let himself be steered by Cowboy's 'girlfriends are bad' spiels though - and that let him stop listening to his conscience again for awhile (it's beginning to act up.) He too let go of his 'Marvin call me a user' obsession of last night, since it doesn't matter anymore: they are final two and the jury's done its thing. Say what you like, and that goes doubly for me, he lasted to the end, and may take it all.. although he moved to the eviction bed to sleep tonight, and that could signify that he's officially coming in second.. we'll see.



Editors
Ups are Diane's all the way, for giving us a moment so real it was heartbreaking to watch. Producers knew it was coming: clues were sprinkled all through the buildup edits, and they hadn't given her a hint either.. but everyone knows network tv has slimy ethics. They tried to get some more bang from the many bucks wasted on the quake machine, to no avail: the segment lasted almost as long as the actual comp, and the judging fuckup that took 15+ minutes to call at the time miraculously turned into a split second for air. Even highly dramatic music couldn't help this one - the most exciting thing watching it was the news-crawl that Barry Bonds hit #700 (go Barry!) Another overpriced DNA apparatus and another long, dull, drawn-out comp we knew the results of already.. and then it's the final comp (The One That Matters) and they've got Drew & Cowboy parked in kiddie cars in the living room - hysterical! Great to see Scott again, and Jase & Holly together, yay! A sweet bonus to find out the two bums in the house doing it all for the horsemen are the only ones still in the club. Julie looked like she wanted to smack Diane like she'd smacked Marcellas for still talking up Drew, and maybe she should have - it would have been kinder than showing Diane that cold farewell that ripped her apart.



xKaren
 
Her motivation was to win the boy but he dumped her on tv for the money. As tough as she is fragile, feisty & bitchy but pure of heart and never dull. Way smarter than she thinks she is - she earned every penny Drew takes home. Star of the show.



xKaren
 
'The Smart One' turned out to have perspective & ethics, and garnered respect for being herself. Overcame ratings-based emotional blackmail and proved that reality tv needs real people.



xKaren
 
First out for playing well, but chameleon strategy is better defense than offense. Elevated the game with empathy, Oscar-caliber acting, and right-on-target rants. Most photogenic by far.



xMarvin
 
Funniest hamster ever. Provided joy, nicknames, dinners, trivia, laughs, insect tributes, golf commentary, and bowling lessons: he's cool & the gang.



xAdria
 
Set off the end-game with 'How long you been dating?' Both pulled off Twingate brilliantly, but A's better as a solo act.



xNatalie
 
They should have kept switching - that house isn't big enough for both of them.



xWill
 
Not quite gay enough for the token gig. I'd like him in real life - but this isn't.



xJase
 
Hamster watching doesn't get better than this guy. Bath buddies forever!



xScott
 
The goon is gone - long live the goon :)



xHolly
 
Unique, fun, annoying, ditzy, and oddly vulnerable. Bless her pointy lil head.



xLori
 
This year's Lisa, but without her luck.



xThe Don
 
Smart or not, he was first out: 'nuff said. Fold your arms and go home.



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