NewsLine Column: Big Brother 3 – Resistance Is Futile

Last weekend saw the launch of the latest series of Big Brother and this year Channel 4 seems to have pulled out all the stops. NewsLine’s Assistant Editor, Gareth Jones, looks at whether, in the world of reality TV, you can have too much of a good thing.

The reality TV extravaganza that is Big Brother 3 was unleashed onto our screens last weekend and this time around Channel 4 is determined to take no prisoners. With coverage spanning virtually every type of media known to man the message is clear: You can run but you can’t hide!

Now call me cynical, but last year’s Big Brother wasn’t exactly a roller coaster ride of fun and frolics. Sure it was interesting enough for a while, Penny’s increasing mental instability, Brian’s incessant gossiping and Paul and Helen’s playground smooching just about managed to justify the seemingly huge portion of the schedule that Channel 4 devoted to the show, but this year I can’t help thinking they’ve gone too far.

As in the past, this year’s Big Brother will be beamed relentlessly into our homes on a daily basis and those with an overwhelming desire to watch the housemates sleeping or brushing their teeth can once again tune in to live coverage throughout the night on E4. However, this time around there’s more.

Big Brother’s Little Brother, also on E4, is laying on extra behind the scenes coverage; internet streaming will cater for those at work; SMS updates will bring the show to those on the move; and Capital FM’s special radio updates will target those that have smashed their TVs in a vain attempt to get away from Big Brother for five minutes.

With all this extra coverage Channel 4 will no doubt be praying that Big Brother 3 will deliver the goods, but the new housemates don’t appear to be registering fantastically high on the excitement-o-meter (you only have to look at Spencer to realise this) and so far there hasn’t been so much as a whiff of any x-rated action to spice things up.

Nevertheless Channel 4 remains undeterred in its campaign to bring Big Brother to each and every corner of the nation and for the next nine weeks no one will be safe as the latest instalment of the reality TV bonanza is streamed over a network of giant plasma screens in shopping malls, restaurants and train stations across the country. If this wasn’t bad enough an outdoor campaign with all the subtlety of a napalm explosion has been unveiled, bringing the Big Brother eye motif to 48-sheet sites across the UK.

I know what you’re thinking – It’s ok I’ll just go down the pub. Think again! Big Brother is one step ahead and following a deal with Translucis the show is to be screened in bars and clubs nation-wide via the company’s digital media network.

So, it seems as though there really is no choice but to surrender to the Big Brother phenomenon and with more people than ever tuning in to the first few instalments of the series Channel 4 seems to have successfully whetted the appetite of the nation. However, it’s still early days and with more coverage than ever before Channel 4 will have to do all it can to keep Big Brother fatigue at bay.

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