(GUEST BLOG) Dana Burkey

Today, the lovely author, Dana Burkey will be taking over and doing a guest blog post! Enjoy, and remember if you ever want to do a guest blog post Contact Me! 

Best of the Best!

If you read my last guest post on July 3rd then you already know 9 of my top 10 favorite reality TV shows. In case you did not read that post, or don't want to click back to check it out, here is a quick recap to catch you up to speed:

10. Deadliest Catch
9. #Rich Kids of Beverly Hills
8. Botched
7. Amazing Race
6. Ink Masters
5. RuPaul’s Drag Race
4. The Challenge
3. So You Think You Can Dance
2. American Ninja Warrior


Now that you are fully on track, we can get to the good part. My number one spot goes to a show that I love to watch, and dream of joining the cast! It is an American favorite, but exists around the world in over forty countries. Did you figure it out yet? If not, that's okay. It's time for me to come right out and say that my #1 favorite reality TV show is:

BIG BROTHER!

The first time I saw Big Brother was actually when I was in Ireland in 2001. I watched one episode, had no idea what was going on, and then did not watch it again until season 6. That was the summer that brought BB fans Janelle, Kaysar, and Howie. It also began my real love for the show!

Since that first season, I have watched every summer. And doing so is a real commitment. The show is on three nights a week, making 3 full hours of show time for viewers to view in for. The show also goes for 2-3 months, giving viewers a LOT to watch! On top of that, viewers can watch “Big Brother After Dark” or the live feeds to get even more access to the house guests! I only did this one summer before deciding 3 nights a week was enough time to devote to the show!

Over the years I have come to love the games, the contestants, and even the special little thing that make the show great like slop, Zingbot, and of course the show-mances! My favorite players over the years have been Dan G, Jeff and Jordan, Britany, Hayden and Nicole, Frankie, Dereck, and of course Janelle Kaysar and Howie. They worked their way into my heart though their crazy antics, special missions from America, and of course they ability to play an amazing game!

Have I confused you completely yet? If you are not a BB fan, likely all of this was over your head. So, to help you stay on the same page, let's go over some of the basics. Each week, contestants compete to rule the house. Once in charge, they nominate two people to go home. The rest of the house then votes on which of the two chosen people will be send packing. After one person leave on the live eviction night, the whole cycle starts again. Sure, there is a little more to it than that, but hopefully that gives you the basic idea.

With all of that said, my favorite thing about the show is the strategic game play. Big Brother, much like Survivor, is all about alliances, secrets, and deals. The game plays out like a live chess game, captured on the dozens of cameras mounted all around the house. Now, some winners are good physical competitors, but through the years the players with a good social and strategic game make it the farthest. If you had asked me a year ago who the best, most crafty player in BB history was, the answer would be simple: Dan Gheesling of season 10. But, last summer viewers watched Derrick Levasseur, an undercover police officer, control the house while flying under the radar all summer. He led others to vote out whoever he wanted gone, all while making them think it was their idea.

So, for now, I have my favorite players, people, and even competitions seen every season. But, a new summer is already underway and with it is sure to come a lot more twists, turns, and fun! I am already excited to see the return of a few twists, a few special guests, and of course more unique game play brought on by this season super fans! It’s early in the season, but I already really love Jason, Clay, and Vanessa. Oh, and I am really glad to see the Amazing Race team of Jackie and Jeff joining in on the summer fun as well!

I hope all of this was not too confusing and has even inspired some of you to check out BB, or one of my other favorites. Comment below and let me know your thoughts on the shows I chose, or which one you plan to check out now. And, be sure to find me on Goodreads or other social media to learn about my upcoming books including my new novel Locket Full of Secrets, a YA suspense novel that hit the Amazon shelves yesterday!

Thanks for reading. Now, it’s time to grab your TV remote and tune in for some great reality TV shows!