Tomás Doncker Band "Big Apple Blues" reviewed

by Germar Derron

In some ways, I’m down on this project. Before I ever played track one, I knew what I’d hear. The blues gon’ be the blues. This is the blues.  And it’s not just the rhythms, instrumentation, melodies, or unpolished raspy and dry vocal. The recording and mix sounds like every blues record ever, even though I know it doesn’t. It’s somewhat updated—a modern sound. But the sound defines today’s blues. I mixed one blues track in my life, years ago, in surround. It sounds exactly like this—the blues.

One thing that characterizes the recorded blues sound is liveness. Liveness is a studio produced sound that sounds nothing like a studio. It’s professional—clean, but somehow still dirty. The reverb here sounds like the natural reverberation of an old bar with lots of wooden chairs and cigarette butts. When I listen, I can smell years of sticky beer remnants in dark corners. Like the best blues, even when it brings you down, it somehow lifts you up.  But I feel that I might write this about every blues band’s best.

That said, I realize the previous two paragraphs are ridiculous.  That every song sound defines any genre. Without those instruments--that vocal, and that liveness--it’s not the blues.  Every rock song features guitars.  Every R&B song begins with adlibs or spoken words. And every song that I've ever written is in C. Honestly, there’s not a bad song in the bunch.  And the album doesn’t remain typical throughout.

A choir warms the background and horns transform a track (almost funk-like). By far, my favorite track is “Coney Island.”  I can imagine this song being covered by a number of artists in many different styles. It’s sweet like cotton candy.  It feels good – breezy and just the right amount of bright.  In my world, this song sets the bar for what blues should be today.

I’m obviously not a fan of the genre. But I believe any fan of this style would be a fan of this album. Plus, here, the band collaborates with Pulitzer prize-winning poet Professor Yusef Komunyakaa.  +2 

I’ll give this a three out of five stars. 

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Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" don't have any meaning

by Melissa Scott

Nicki Minaj spoke with GQ Magazine’s Taffy Brodesser-Akner, during New York Fashion Week, in an interview this past month. The interview will be featured in the November issue, discussing Minaj’s own thoughts on her controversial “Anaconda” music video.  Since its debut, August 19, the provocative nature of the video attracted almost 300 million views, and stirred nearly as many reactions. Just 24 hours after the clip premiered, Minaj charted 19.6 million hits on Vevo, breaking the one-day record previously assumed by Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball.” While Minaj doesn't swing around on heavy machinery in her birthday suit, naked portions do fly unrestricted across the screen.

Not exactly known for a conservative approach, Minaj’s videos, lyrics, and songs generally lead to raised eyebrows and grins. Rather than offend, however, her overly sexualized lyrics usually bring on a humorous and easy-going atmosphere. Apart from doubling my normal one-eyebrow raise to two, I admit the video didn't quite leave me dumbfounded. I saw it as Minaj being Minaj—spicy, amatory, and placing a few toes over the line.

The Guardian seemed to agree that expecting anything less from Minaj would be naïve. “It was never going to offer a delicate, ethological insight into the non-venomous snake found in tropical South America,” Guardian writer Rachel Sonis acknowledged. “The artwork for Nicki Minaj’s new single Anaconda had already been deemed not safe for work…but the video is as confrontational and twerk-based as was alluded to in her various Instagram trailers.”

According to Minaj herself, however, the video simply represented “normal.” Seeing no issue with the nature of the clip, she acknowledged: “I don’t know what there is to really talk about. I’m being serious. I just see the video as being a normal video.”

Okay, maybe it was normal for a Minaj video. But with all the twerking-packed music videos I’ve seen recently (unfortunately I’ve seen a lot), I can’t say six sizeable pairs of avidly bouncing cheeks is customary. To me, some arguable examples of “normal” music videos include Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” Ariana Grande’s “Problem,” and even Kanye West’s “Stronger.” At least they’re predictable. Being polite, the only relevant thing I saw in the video was the jungle setting. 

When asked about the various characters she plays and sings about in “Anaconda,” Minaj shrugged and replied, “She’s just talking about two guys that she dated in the past and what they’re good at and what they bought her and what they said to her. It’s just cheeky, like a funny story.”

In fact, Minaj believes the waywardness in the video would be the standard at a sleepover. “I think the video is about what girls do. Girls love being with other girls, and when you go back to us being younger, we would have slumber parties and we’d be dancing with our friends.” I’m not sure what sleepovers Minaj attended, but I personally never joined in a twerking party in the living room of my friends’ houses.

In the GQ interview, Minaj also revealed a “deep” underlying message about her actions with the banana in the video. Although appearing as a sexually subjective object, the banana is in fact symbol for female empowerment--at least according to Minaj. “I’m chopping up the banana. Did you realize that? At first I'm being sexual with the banana, and then it’s like, haha, no.”

The banana part of the video took place in a kitchen scene, where Minaj twerked all over the kitchen cutting board. Cutting two another scene, Minaj also provides Drake with a sensual lap dance—probably the raciest of the video—while the two appear alone in a dark room. The lap dance bawdiness builds until Drake reaches out to touch Minaj’s behind; at that point she stalks off in anger. When asked about the kitchen scene mingling with the Drake scene, Minaj comments, “Yeah, that was important for us to show… because it’s always about the female taking back the power, and if you want to be flirty and funny that’s fine, but always keeping the power and the control in everything.”

Sophie Kleeman, writing for Mic, thought Minaj squandered the opportunity for a feminist approach in the video. “This is exactly why the Anaconda video is so frustrating: Instead of using her position to bring something new to the table and expand the conversation, Minaj simply reverts to the hypersexualization of women and their bodies -- in other words, she gives us more of the same.” She further noted: “The video, though, completely fails to follow through on the song’s potential for a powerful feminist message, instead relying on the tired trope of hypersexualizing women’s bodies.”

I do think Minaj emphasized the control of male gaze and a female sense of sexuality in her video. She raises questions on the matter—but I have to agree with Kleeman. Her reputation for a playfully provocative attitude, and a joking performance, prevents any serious attention to the feminist position.

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Annabelle

by Alyssa Couball, Writing Intern (with Germar Derron)

John and his expectant wife, Mia, live the dream in a nice house, in a nice neighborhood, while John attends medical school. John buys Mia a gift - a beautiful and rare vintage doll.  But, Mia’s delight ends soon when their home is invaded. Then, the couple is violently attacked by two members of a Satanic cult. Splattered blood and total fear are not the only things the couple leave behind. The cultists have conjured a malevolent entity that will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

To get Annabelle what she wants, James Wan produces a mediocre film with minor bumps and impractical acting. The actors here are unknown; it’s quite obvious why. Oddly, one of the main characters’ real name is Annabelle Wallis. She plays Mia. Horror isn’t horrifying unless actors go completely over the top. When an actor is crying, I expect to see real tears. Unfortunately, Mia maintains mediocrity throughout the film. Her husband (Ward Horton) is nice to look at, but relatively irrelevant. He only appears in the film before something bad happens.  These obvious cues dropped the scary factor a notch or two.

SPOILER ALERT: There isn’t one. For this film, there is no spoiler alert because the 30 second trailer includes about ninety percent of the fright. In one scene, where Mia is looking under her door at her baby, the preview shows Annabelle falling to the floor and suddenly looking back at Mia. That scene should be saved for the movie, so that a theater audience might actually be surprised and frightened.

Notwithstanding the film’s shortcomings, it’s ripe for the Halloween season or an uneventful Saturday night. At approximately 98 minutes long, you get your money’s worth. Additionally, it’s based on the

movie, The Conjuring, which is based on a true story. If you really want a scare, Google the real doll. The movie’s 1960’s setting, in the suburbs of California, is unique among the current field of horror films.

John Leonetti does use a combination of special effects and simple scenes, with a menacing silence, to keep the audience on their toes. But it’s not enough to warrant a second watching.

Overall, I cannot recommend this movie. The only thing I feared during the entire experience was the bad acting and the occasional scream of a young teen. It’s a good concept, with potential for greatness, but it comes up a bit short.

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Ke$ha’s lawsuit: money, power, fame, sexual assault

by Melissa Scott

                         From Flickr - Becky Sullivan

It’s never easy to read about sexual assault cases in daily news—especially when the accusations include date rape or long term sexual abuse. Naturally, siding with the accuser and hating the accused is reflex. Somehow, the unfamiliarity of the names of individuals involved, and a generic societal intolerance, automatically curbs our sympathy. But when the matter deals with headline celebrities and the all-powerful entertainment industry—lines blur.

Kesha officially filed a lawsuit Tuesday, October 14, against music producer and label owner Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald. The suit accused Gottwald of “sexual assault, gender violence, harassment, unfair business practices and intentional infliction of emotional distress.”  Gottwald retaliated quickly by filing a countersuit against Kesha, and her mother, for breach of contract and defamation.

A deeper dig into the allegations uncovers ugliness on both sides. Kesha specifically described an incident in which Gottwald took her “virginity,” without her consent, when she was 18. The lawsuit accused Gottwald of drugging her with GHB, after they both attended a party, and then raping her while she was unconscious. Since then, Kesha complained, Gottwald tormented her both verbally and physically, over the course of ten years. Gottwald’s abuse, according to Pebe Sebert (Kesha’s mother) included growing jibes about her weight. Sebert insisted it was this behavior that drove Kesha to bulimia, and resulted in her checking into rehab for the eating disorder in January 2014. “We are prepared to fight until he agrees to get out of her life once and for all,” her lawyer Mark Geragos told People. “The lawsuit is a wholehearted effort by Kesha to regain control of her music career and her personal freedom after suffering for 10 years as a victim of mental manipulation, emotional abuse and sexual assault at the hands of Dr. Luke.”

Of course, Gottwald—music producer and coworker for standout musicians Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Pink, Avril Lavigne, and Kelly Clarkson—chose to fight fire with fire, rather than allow damage to his reputation. He attacked Kesha’s lawsuit as functioning in a larger scheme to sneak out from under her recording contract with him. Accusing Kesha and her mother of attempting to extort him, Gottwald produced a draft of an email sent by Pebe Sebert to Gottwald’s lawyer last year. Viciously, the email threatened to ruin the producer’s reputation unless her daughter was freed from her contract. “Kesha’s lawsuit is a spectacular and outrageous fiction that will go down in flames,” Christine Lepera, Gottwald’s attorney, argued in a statement to the New York Daily News.  “As the truth emerges, this sad and misguided smear campaign will only hurt Kesha. Extortion is not going to win here.”

Who’s the victim? The answer may never be satisfactory. It’s not easy here to defend anyone, yet it feels uncomfortable being unable to do so.  But what’s blurring the boundaries of right and wrong here?

Power, corruption, and control: a recurring theme in celebrity and big money business. It’s naive to ignore the history of power-hungry businessmen, studio heads, and producers who use every possible means of manipulation to glean as much profit as possible from entertainment industry stars. News about the struggles of young stars, fresh out of the Disney and Nickelodeon factories, battling with substance abuse or eating disorders, is incessant. I could make a strong case that pressure from powerful behind-the-scenes figures in Hollywood contributed, at least in part, to these downward spirals.

Was Kesha cruelly victimized by a predatory Gottwald? Possibly. Only Kesha and Gottwald truly know the whole story. But I do think a struggle for control, and a thirst for greater wealth and fame triggered whatever this was. This corrupt reach for power caused severe and lasting consequences—not only for Kesha and Gottwald, but those around them as well.

The music industry certainly seems glamorous. We buy the albums. We marvel at their talent and lifestyles. Often, we’re completely blinded by the limelight. Then, something like this surfaces and forces us to see beneath the facade, and accept the reality of the business. The music industry is a billion dollar business, notwithstanding, and due to, all of those damaged lives. Suddenly, the headlining celebrities and faceless victims in the paper don’t seem that different. 

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"This is Where I Leave You" is what they titled this movie

by Kelsey Barritt (with Germar Derron)      

Often a movie with an open ending ends well, but This is Where I Leave You leaves audiences with more questions than answers. The "dramedy" starring Jason Bateman and directed by Shawn Levy is more of a guessing game than it is a movie. The film throws the audience amidst a family facing the death of a cherished father. Together, they sit Shiva for seven days as a way of mourning. A family reunited for one week, in the same house, leads to issues and discoveries. The tragedy hits Judd Altman (Bateman) the hardest, because he was already plagued by emotional mayhem. He is separated from a wife, who cheated on him with his egotistical boss. Then, he’s forced to wrap his head around his father’s passing. Further, countless side stories get lost in the mess that is this movie.

The sibling dynamic here, is the classic one. There is the oldest, uptight brother Paul (Stoll), levelheaded and compassionate Wendy (Fey), and the youngest, free-spirited Phillip (Driver). These characters are instantly and easily relatable. Their modern mother Hillary (Fonda) ordered them to stick together under the same roof. There, the siblings learn about life and each other. They reveal jaw-dropping secrets and trust their long lost family with them. These “adult” siblings bicker, revert back to childhood habits together, and fearfully obey their strong-willed mother. Somehow, this arouses a sense of reluctant empathy in viewers. The never-ending support of a family is a constant yet refreshing theme. 

Some supporting characters bring charm to the table, especially the beautifully strange Penny (Byrne), a love interest whose arbitrary attitude could make anyone smile. She is a breath of fresh air in a movie that is dank with negativity. Others, like Paul, just occupy time that should be spent elsewhere; it was a turn off. Paul worries–a lot—and he’s abrasive.

The family moans and complains for the duration of the movie; it’s tough on the ears. Sure, they deal with death, divorce, loveless marriages, and general angst, but . . . . Moviegoers know this is a somewhat sad movie. But, the amount of whining and immature bellyaching surprised me. These characters enter their childhood home and become babies again.

This is Where I Leave You shaves just deep enough to remove the very first outer layer of each character. Viewers crave more insight into their compelling lives, but get nothing. Wendy’s complicated, heart-wrenching tidbit of a story gives audiences goose bumps, but not satisfaction; it feels incomplete. The filmmakers fail to follow up or give the story the true attention it deserves. The audience constantly longs for more, but more never comes. Almost too much is left to interpretation, which is aggravating. The movie does not have the guts to delve into difficult topics, so it just barely grazes the surface.

Here, the opportunities to connect and contemplate are few. The movie is scattered; there’s no place to focus. Endless opportunities for greatness fall short. This could-be witty, lovable, fresh film ends up being a reason to visit Redbox . . . or not.

The movie is not un-watchable. It provides a few laughs and maybe a tear or two. However, if mediocrity disappoints you, and potential alone isn't worth the price of admission, save the money.

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Jennifer Lawrence’s nudes: naughty or nice?

by Melissa Scott, Writing Intern

By now, the fevered spate of leaked celebrity nudes is old news. Exciting and scandalous as it was, the uproar abated pretty quickly.  At the time of the outbreak, a few celebrities voiced their disgust and anger at the leak, while others chose to remain silent. Jennifer Lawrence was one of the “leaked” who kept her reactions private.  Following an interview with Vanity Fair last month, she finally decided to speak out.

Lawrence covered the magazine’s latest issue, which hit newsstands in New York and Los Angeles Thursday, October 9. Vanity Fair contributor, Sam Kashner, originally met with Lawrence in early August to conduct the interview. When the celebrity pictures were released, just two weeks after his interview with Lawrence, Kashner decided to contact her again, and allow her an additional “last word” in the article. “I could just sense after having spent a little time with her that she would come out swinging,” Kashner told VF.com. This time, Lawrence opened up.

Derivative of upload from http://flickr.com/photo/47170787@N05/5485153604

 “Just because I’m a public figure, just because I’m an actress, does not mean that I asked for this. It does not mean that it comes with the territory,” she declared. “It’s my body, and it should be my choice, and the fact that it is not my choice is absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe that we even live in that kind of world. ” 

Lawrence also explained why she hadn't spoken out before. She remembered trying to write a statement at the time, but “every single thing that I tried to write made me cry or get angry. I started to write an apology, but I don’t have anything to say I’m sorry for.” Lawrence admitted the photos were intended for her ex-boyfriend and X-men co-star, Nicholas Hoult. “I was in a loving, healthy, great relationship for four years,” she shrugged. “It was long distance, and either your boyfriend is going to look at porn or he’s going to look at you.” Hoult also spoke out in support of Lawrence: “It’s shocking that things like this happen in the world. It’s a shame.”

Well-justified, both Lawrence and Hoult’s comments pretty much echo the majority of other celebrities targeted by the scandal. Vanity Fair’s “exclusive” statement from Lawrence doesn’t really add much to the gossip, but for one last angry jab. Lawrence declared not only the acts of the hackers, but also the resulting views of her pictures as a sex crime. “It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime,” she asserted. “It is a sexual violation. It’s disgusting. The law needs to be changed, and we need to change. That’s why these Web sites are responsible. Just the fact that somebody can be sexually exploited and violated, and the first thought that crosses somebody’s mind is to make a profit from it. It’s so beyond me.” 

Lawrence made her revulsion clear to anyone involved in the viewing of her photos. “Anybody who looked at those pictures, you’re perpetuating a sexual offense. You should cower with shame.” She added, “Even people who I know and love say, ‘Oh, yeah, I looked at the pictures.’ I don’t want to get mad, but at the same time I’m thinking, I didn't tell you that you could look at my naked body.”

I cannot imagine the shock or embarrassment after discovering the leak of personal and private pictures. Celebrity or not, that would be awful. But then again, maybe storing them on icloud with a single, guess-able password wasn't the brightest idea either. And realistically, if an eruption of extremely hot, nude, female celebrities spreads--accessibly all over the internet—people will take a look. If Lawrence wants legal action against all the “sexual offending” viewers, she’ll probably have to lock up half of the US population. It’s vulgar, uncivilized, and violating, to be sure, but Lawrence took the pictures in the first place. No one’s saying she looked bad. The very fact that her leaked pictures dominated the very first A-list celebrity wave--alongside stunners like Kate Upton, Kirsten Dunst, Kim Kardashian, and Rihanna--proves that she’s red hot at the moment. I might even take that as a compliment.

I’m not saying I disagree with Lawrence - her body is her own body, and she should be able to choose who views what. But really, celebrity nudes are customary, short-lived curiosities. Maybe if we stopped talking about it, we’d all forget about it . . . until the next inevitable leak. 

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Indie Music: QVALIA "This is the Color of My Dreams"

by Germar Derron

QVALIA nailed it. I can’t quite describe “it,” but this is it.  Apparently, the album and live shows are “accompanied by interactive 3d songscapes inspired by 90’s PC adventure games.”  I didn't look up the CGI videos. I decided to judge the music based solely on sound.

They nailed it because the music paints a picture. I feel and see color, warmth, cool breezes, and landscapes as I listen. It may be cheesy, but it’s true. I imagine that if I was cool enough (or stupid enough) to “party,” I would really enjoy these tracks. And I thought these things before I realized that the title is, This is the Color of My Dreams.

Vocals are important to me.  Vocals quite literally make a song a song.  The vocals here remind me of all my favorite male rock vocalists. The sound is part production and part mix, but mostly a professional in front of a mic.

There are no catchy hooks here; there are actual choruses. Listen to “Sound the Alarm,” “Stardust,” and “White as Bones” to understand what I mean. So, in some ways this is a more mature sound.  But I think this is a sound that works today where the only sound that matters, sounds like EDM. No, this isn't EDM, but it’s just abstract enough, and just fast enough that it could mix well with a DJ, and vodka or Jack.

Throughout the album, various sounds and rhythms allude obviously to video game roots.  And the band’s look makes it all very authentic. One look at these guys confirms that they spent some time in a basement with a keyboard, joystick, or controller (it’s likely that they still do). That’s comforting because it means this unique sound wasn't crafted or contrived - it just was.

No, I will not ever sing along to any of these songs. But they are good, while being totally unobtrusive. I could easily play this as background at any event.  It’s ideal music for when you walk into a movie theater lobby and those almost recognizable songs play that you know you've never heard. QVALIA should start sending demos to AMC and Regal right now.

I admire the story of how they got here.  A somewhat struggling career writer-musician decided to do what he loves. So far, so good. I give the album a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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Is Maroon 5's video for "Animals" really that bad?

by Melissa Scott, Writing Intern

As music videos go, I can appreciate a good thriller. Watching the same sappy romance or depressing breakup songs play out over and over again gets dull. Sometimes a shocking twist satisfies. The new “Animals’” music video, from Maroon 5 may take shock too far and “graphic” a little too seriously.

The song comes from Maroon 5’s fifth studio album, V, released August 29. With lyrics threatening “baby, I'm preying on you tonight, hunt you down eat you alive,” I would hardly expect a conservative video representation. But I never could have imagined a bloody butchering either. In the stalker-fantasy video, lead singer Adam Levine plays a geeky but unnerving butcher, who obsessively stalks one of his female customers—played by Levine’s real-life wife, Victoria’s Secret model, Behati Prinsloo. Levine’s obsession intensifies as the video carries on, leading to him breaking into Prinsloo’s room while she sleeps, and culminating in a fantastical sexual blood bath. Disturbing.

Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Samsung

Some condemn the video for its “trivialization” of sex crimes and abuse. The Rape Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN), the largest anti-sexual assault group in the US, spoke out against Maroon 5’s dissemination of the video. RAINN’s vice president of communications, Katherine Hull Flifet, protested in a statement Wednesday: “Maroon 5’s video for “Animals” is a dangerous depiction of a stalker's fantasy — and no one should ever confuse the criminal act of stalking with romance.” She insisted, “The trivialization of these serious crimes, like stalking, should have no place in the entertainment industry.”

The video definitely caught me off guard coming from the band that made classic tearjerker “She Will Be Loved.”  But Maroon 5 has consistently explored obsessive and violent love themes. In the “Misery” music video, a woman brutally beats and abuses Levine. Then, guns, fire, and explosions erupt through “Payphone,” and a gruesome car accident mutilates Levine’s love interest in “Maps.” (editor’s note: In “Wake Up Call,” Levine “had to shoot him dead”) So this gory psychotic angle doesn't deviate much from the usual dramatic Maroon 5 visuals.

Regarding RAINN’s issues with sexual assault representation, the video hardly endorses the criminal activity. Samuel Bayer, the video’s director, very carefully avoids actual commentary in the video. The portrayal could be seen in two ways. Quite possibly, it warns against the dangers of stalking, by terrorizing the viewer. Clearly, the representation confronts the idea that horrors like this exist. In fact, protests that it “trivializes” sex crimes seem off. Maybe the warning goes a step too far, but accusing Bayer and Maroon 5 of mocking or tolerating such activity seems unfair.

I think the most disturbing element of the video, dripping blood and knives aside, is its undeniably attractive quality. Shots of Levine and Prinsloo’s usually naked bodies flash from every angle—and the fact that this duo includes People’s Sexiest Man Alive and a Victoria’s Secret Angel . . . . Watching an aggressive couple in the heat of passion, drenched completely in slimy blood, should be sickening. Yet, there’s something transfixing along with the revulsion. I’m not alone. The video has received over 7.2 million views, in the four days since it was released, and the song rests comfortably at sixth on the US iTunes singles chart.

The style of video matches the song. Rather than administering a staggering interpretation of the lyrics, the story-line follows believably. Hearing menacing lines like “Maybe you think that you can hide, I can smell your scent from miles” forces a mental image of a psycho stalker - no other representation would fit. “Animals” plainly tells the story of a dangerously unbalanced man unwilling to let go of a past relationship. Meanwhile, the song came out over a month and a half ago, but no one sounded an alarm or questioned anyone’s morality then.

This video is disturbing, repellent, and possibly evil. It is also realistic. Maybe it’s that realism which makes the vivid display so taboo. Katherine Hull Flifet believes that this representation “should have no place in the entertainment industry.” But what exactly separates the acceptability of crime shows and horror films from Maroon 5’s approach here?

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Big Brother 16: one of the best yet

by Kelsey Barritt, Writing Intern

Because a quality season is always “just around the corner,” Big Brother fans know the meaning of patience. Through revolting characters and vomit-worthy showmances, we pay dues in front of the television, three nights a week, for three months a year. To those of us who faithfully tuned in to Big Brother this summer, season 16 rewarded our endurance. Big Brother 16 satisfied on just about every single level.

The personalities were perfectly outrageous. Some we loved to hate, and some we just hated (looking at you Christine). Devon changed his personality with the blow of the wind. Zach attacked house guests at each POV and nomination ceremony. And kind souls like Hayden and Donny restored our faith in humanity.

Photo by Joe Kohen/Getty Images

America loves a good love story and this season nailed it in the showmance department. Hayden and Nicole warmed hearts with their every interaction. They kept fans rooting for them with their will-they-won’t-they adorableness. Then, the not so adorable (cringe-worthy?) wannabe showmance, Caleb and Amber, evoked anxiety. We felt for poor Beast Mode Cowboy when his dream girl didn't return his affections. And we sympathized with Amber who felt trapped in a house all day with a [borderline] stalker. And Zankie. The unexpected and genuine, almost uncomfortably close, Zach-Frankie bromance never failed to entertain.

The alliances seemed unusually numerous this season. This giant cluster included the Bomb Squad, El Cuatro, Crazy Eight, and Hitmen. That was just the first week. Surprisingly, the Bomb Squad, consisting of eight out of sixteen houseguests, ended up being a strong alliance. As usual, loyalty and the fear of big moves bound the alliance through thick and thin. Still, the Hitmen proved to be the most steadfast alliance, bringing Derrick and Cody to the final two.

Out of every alliance, the audience clearly loved Team America the most. This summer’s interactive twist gave America the chance to be involved in the game and social lives of three house guests. Fans chose the perfect members for this alliance. Team America consisted of the sneaky yet sociable Frankie, the lovable Donny, and the brilliantly manipulative Derrick. America sent them on mostly goofy missions each week, which provided some much needed comic relief – watching Big Brother can be stressful.

The Battle of the Block is arguably one of the best Big Brother twists yet. Two Heads of Household, four nominees, and the possibility of being HOH at the beginning of the week and meeting Julie Chen by the end of it added an infinite amount of suspense. New enemies, friendships, and gaming styles resulted from this beautiful, beautiful twist. And it made Derrick’s zero nominations even more impressive.

Speaking of Derrick, the mastermind behind almost every eviction, who kept his undercover cop profession a secret all summer, who is probably among the top five contestants to ever play the game . . . .  He absolutely deserved to win that $500,000. It is rare to see someone so deserving actually win Big Brother, typically because of the bitter jury members – the house guests that didn't win. No one could deny Derrick’s flawless game-play. He never ceased to amaze. He manipulated house guests into: thinking they actually came up with his ideas; voting the way he wanted; and volunteering to go up on the block. Plus, somehow, nobody ever thought to nominate him. Derrick set the bar very high for future house guests.

The fact that the house guests actually acted like respectable people is probably what satisfied America the most. They did not always like each other, but they showed basic human decency. We saw them treat each other like family. They showed their true colors, and those colors were rainbow beautiful. We watched genuine relationships build, so much so that we felt included in their inside jokes. Yes, backstabbing and fighting happened, but we saw none of the nastiness of previous seasons.

Season 16 will go down as one of Big Brother’s best. I’ll expect a lot from season 17. The countdown to next summer starts now.

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