Big Brother 28 (American season)

Fourteen new HouseGuests move into the Big Brother House. Julie Chen Moonves revealed that none of them would become the season's first Head of Household. To begin the game, the HouseGuests were told they would be traveling through time to retrieve three remaining HouseGuests, all of whom were reality TV icons.

To earn safety, the fourteen players were instructed by Enzo Palumbo, creator of Meow Meow Enterprise, to searched the House for BBtomium, which would earn them the opportunity to compete for safety. The BBtonium had different equations on them. Houseguests must find Palumbo on the memory wall and see which number he is holding and find the BBtonium that adds up to the correct number. Ashley and Barrett were the only two HouseGuests who did not earn the chance to compete in the second challenge to earn safety. HouseGuest then had to divide into three groups of four where one HouseGuest from each group would earn safety.

The first group, La Trice, Mallory, Kamu, and Rome, traveled back to July 9, 1988.

In the first Safety Competition, each HouseGuest was tasked with placing eight pieces of "radial merchandise" onto an unsteady display rack. Each item had a different weight and must be carefully arranged to keep the rack balanced. The first HouseGuest to successfully balance all eight items and press their buzzer earned safety. Rome successfully balanced all items and won immunity for the week. As his reward, he delivered the first letter, bringing Big Brother 26 houseguest Angela Murray into the game. The second group, Taylor, Chuk, Drew, and Haley, traveled to July 7, 2018, where they competed in a Survivor-inspired challenge.

In the second Safety Competition Part 2, each HouseGuest had to make their way across a river using only two planks of different lengths. By strategically placing and repositioning the planks one at a time, it would created a path to the opposite side. The first HouseGuest to successfully reach the other side earned safety. Chuk won the competition and delivered the next letter to Jeff Probst, bringing Survivor contestant Rick Devens into the game. The final group, Yash, Melody, Lyric, and Jason, traveled back to June 27, 2010.

In the third Safety Competition Part 3, each HouseGuest must listen to a series of audio clips before answering questions by choosing between three possible responses: Bahama Mama, Fuzzy Navel, or Purple Hooter. After each question, the HouseGuest who buzzed in last would be eliminated from the competition. The final remaining player won safety for the week. Jason won the challenge and successfully brought Big Brother winner Rachel Reilly into the game.

For the first Head of Household competition, the entire cast traveled back to 175 million BC. Before the competition, Rachel met her untimely demise after falling into a volcano, forcing Julie to travel to December 20, 2023, to retrieve her replacement.

In Big Brother: Unlocked, Survivor 45 winner Dee Valladares entered the game. Former Big Brother winners Derrick Levasseur and Taylor Hale, along with Jerry O'Connell, were joined by Rachel Reilly to recap and revisit the first night of the season. Featured segments included "Missing Moments", "Cirie's Survival Tips", and "Something Surprising". The episode concluded with Angela, Dee, and Devens competing to become the season's first Head of Household.

For the first Head of Household competition, each reality icon was assisted by the four new players who brought them into the game. As Rachel's replacement, Dee inherited Rachel's group of four HouseGuests. In the Head Of Household Competiton, each group of four newbies stood on a boulder and used ropes to support a suspended stacking platform while their icon assembled a fire-themed puzzle. If the puzzle fell or the platform touched the ground the player had to restart from the beginning. The first HouseGuest to complete the puzzle would become the first Head of Household, while the group with the fewest correct puzzle pieces on their platform at the end of the competition would become the season's first Have-Nots.

Dee won the competition, becoming the first Head of Household. As a result, Devens' group, consisting of Chuk, Drew, Haley, and Taylor, finished with the fewest pieces on their platform and became the first Have-Nots of the season. After her victory, Dee celebrated with Angela, who shared advice on how to handle the responsibilities of being the Week 1 Head of Household.

Meanwhile, Chuk, Kamu, and Haley quickly formed a strong bond. Dee and Devens also had a conversation to put aside their differences following Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans. Wanting to protect one another while strengthening their positions in the game, they first aligned with Kamu, Chuk, and Haley to create an alliance called "The Red Corner". They then brought in Angela, Barrett, and Drew to form a different alliance known as "The Crossovers".

Elsewhere in the house, Rome and Lyric began flirting, and their growing connection quickly became noticeable to the other players. As nominations approached, Dee decided it would be fairest to nominate one player from each of the three time-travel groups. Kamu was skeptical of the plan, arguing that Dee should not nominate someone from the group that had helped her become Head of Household and tried to convince her to nominate Barrett instead. On Day 4, Dee stuck with her original plan and nominated Mallory, Taylor, and Yash for eviction.

Following the first Nomination Ceremony of the season, Yash feels betrayed by Dee after helping her win the Head of Household competition. Taylor knows she needs to remain calm, while Mallory feels hurt and upset by her nomination. The HouseGuests become wary of Mallory’s emotional reaction, questioning whether her response could make her a bigger target.

The Icons celebrate together, with Dee identifying Yash as her main target while keeping Mallory as a potential backup option. Melody and Lyric begin questioning whether they should distance themselves from Mallory to avoid becoming associated with her. Meanwhile, Rome and Lyric grow even closer, sharing more intimate moments and strengthening their bond. During the Veto Draw, Barrett and Melody were selected to compete alongside the three nominees and Dee.

In the Power of Veto Competition ("Back From the Future"), each HouseGuest must help future Howie Gordon defeat future Will Kirby by constructing a path between the "Table Time Machine" and Will's throne using a series of tubes. The route must pass through all eleven amplifier rings before reaching the throne. The first HouseGuest to successfully connect the entire course won the Golden Power of Veto.

Mallory ultimately finished first, winning the first Power of Veto competition of the summer. Jason begins to confide in Angela, playing up his emotions in an attempt to get her on his side. However, after he confides with Melody and Drew, the information gets back to Angela. Drew also informs Devens that Jason may be targeting him in the near future.

With Jason safe for the week, Dee continues trying to make strategic decisions that benefit her game. She considers nominating Barrett or Ashley as replacement nominees, as neither were included in a group on the first night. On Day 7, Mallory uses the Power of Veto on herself, and Dee nominates Ashley as her replacement, keeping her promise to nominate at least one person from each original group.

Dee continues to push for Yash to be the first evicted, fearing that he could target her in the future and rally the rest of the guys from her alliance. Taylor feels safe regardless of the outcome of the upcoming BB Block Buster. The HouseGuests begin to notice a tight alliance forming between Kamu, Haley, and Chuk, with the Icons also appearing to be closely aligned with them. Angela grows suspicious that Rome may be gathering numbers against their side of the house, while Rome begins forming a close alliance with La Trice and Jason. Ashley attempts to campaign for her safety by approaching Melody, claiming that other side are votes to keep her. This information gets back to Drew and the rest of his alliance, causing them to become concerned about Ashley's gameplay and intentions.

In the BB Block Buster Competition ("Do Over"), nominees must scan a series of images featuring their fellow HouseGuests with hairstyles from different eras. They must correctly identify the HouseGuest who appears in the most images within two minutes. The first HouseGuest to submit the correct answer wins the Block Buster, leaving the remaining two nominees on the block. Yash secures the win, leaving Ashley and Taylor as the final nominees for the week. On Day 10, Ashley is unanimously evicted from the Big Brother house.

Following the unanimous vote, most HouseGuests felt uneasy as the vote did not reveal where the house alliances stand.

In the Head of Household Competition ("Achy Breaky HOH"), HouseGuests must slide a disk down a table, attempting to land it on the highest-scoring numbered spots. The competition was played in three rounds, with a new rule introduced for each round. In the first round, HouseGuests were paired up and competed against their partner. In the second round, pairs remained together but attempted to eliminate another pair by earning the highest combined score. In the final round, the remaining HouseGuests competed individually, with the player achieving the highest solo score winning the competition.

Devens scored the highest and became the second Head of Household. Rome confided in Devens, hoping to protect his side of the house and the people closest to him. He named Jason and Lyric as his two closest allies. Angela privately pulled Devens aside and pushed him to nominate those two close allies, with Rome as the backdoor target. Later that night, a large group consisting of members from "The Red Corner" and "The Crossovers" come together to form an eight person alliance called "The Toolshed."

Angela is voted to enter the BB Time Capsule. Her attempt to gain a power is unsuccessful, as she earned the "Hard Boiled-Detective" punishment from Big Brother 27. On Day 11, Devens nominated Jason, Lyric, and Melody for eviction. Before the nomination ceremony can adjourn, an argument broke out between Jason and Angela.

Jason and Angela publicly go head-to-head during the nomination ceremony. Angela informs the HouseGuests that Jason has been playing on her emotions to gain sympathy and further his game. Haley and Devens also reveal to the girls that Jason has been manipulating them as well. Rome's betrayal is then brought to light, exposing his role in the situation. Melody, La Trice, and Lyric are left blindsided and hurt. Rome to apologize to La Trice as he felt forced to narrow down his list of allies. Meanwhile, Devens and Dee celebrate successfully blowing up the house with his nominations. During the Veto draw, Rome's backdoor plan is set in place as Angela and Barrett are selected to compete alongside the nominees and Devens.

In the Power of Veto Competition ("Flower Power"), HouseGuests must find and retrieve twelve hidden puzzle pieces. Once they have collected all their pieces, they must assemble the pieces inside their frame. The first player to complete their puzzle wins the Golden Power of Veto.

Devens wins the competition and the Power of Veto. Rome and Lyric attempt to distance themselves in hopes of no longer being viewed as a dangerous "showmance". Lyric approaches Devens and promises that if he were to remove her from the block, she would not target him in the coming weeks. Drew, however, pushes Devens to use the Veto on Melody instead, causing Devens to question where Drew's true loyalties lie. On Day 14, Devens uses the Power of Veto to save Lyric and nominates Rome in her place.

Melody is hurt that Devens chose not to use the Veto on her but feels slightly more secure now that Rome is sitting beside her on the block. Lyric continues to flirt with Chuck and Yash, though the HouseGuests remain skeptical that she and Rome have truly ended their relationship. The HouseGuests begin to notice another potential showmance forming between Melody and Drew, further convincing Dee and Angela that he may not be fully loyal to their side of the house.

In the BB Block Buster Competition ("Pirate's Booty"), nominees must maneuver colored gemstones, aiming to sort four stacks by color by only moving one gem at a time. The first HouseGuest to correctly sort their gems and hit their buzzer will win the Block Buster, leaving the remaining two nominees on the block.

Jason wins the Block Buster, leaving Melody and Rome as the final nominees for the week. On Day 17, Rome is evicted from the Big Brother house by a vote of 12–1 with Taylor being the sole vote to evict Melody.

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Note: Big Brother: Unlocked surprise guest Ross Matthews joins Julie Chen Moonves on stage to discuss the season.

The episode opened with the fallout of the second eviction. Former Big Brother winners Derrick Levasseur and Taylor Hale, along with Jerry O'Connell, were joined by Ross Matthews to recap and revisit the first two weeks of the season. They are also joined by recent evictee Rome. Featured segments included "Missing Moments", "BB Bad Ass/Dumb Ass", "The Rant Room", "Creator Corner" and "Something Surprising". O'Connell entered the BB Time Capsule and revealed the powers and punishments that are up for grabs. The episode concluded with the HouseGuests beginning the third Head of Household competition, "Wrestlegasm".

The house begin to question who cast the rogue vote for Melody. Lyric insisted that she was not the one who voted to keep her. Drew and Barrett realize they are at the bottom of both of their alliances and want to keep their options open moving forward. Before the Head of Household competition, Angela is informed that her egg punishment has officially ended.

In the Head of Household Competition ("Wrestlegasm"), The HouseGuests must answer a series of true or false questions about a live wrestling match performed in the backyard, featuring an appearance from former Big Brother HouseGuest Jessie Godderz. If a player answers incorrectly, they are eliminated from the competition. The last HouseGuest remaining would win the HoH competition.

Kamu wins and becomes the new Head of Household. Kamu wanted to target two strong competitors in hopes of making a strong move. Drew and Kamu formed the "Handymen" alliance, and Kamu immediately voiced that Jason and Mallory were his targets. However, he still needed a third nominee. Angela suspected that Drew was the rogue vote and began stirring up trouble, but she and Dee both felt it was too soon to target him. Kamu informed Lyric that she was safe that week and that he did not want to nominate her.

Devens is voted to enter the BB Time Capsule. His attempt to gain a power is successful, as he earned the "Diamond Power of Veto" power first seen on Big Brother 4. He keeps his power a secret from the house but only informs Dee that he won. Before nominations, Drew approached Kamu to make sure he did not nominate Jason immediately, as it would give him another opportunity to win safety. Kamu told Jason that he did not want to put him up "today." After the conversation, Jason began to feel that he was being treated similarly to how Rome had been treated the previous week. Kamu then had to go back on his word to Lyric, as he needed someone to serve as a pawn. On Day 18, Kamu nominated La Trice, Lyric, and Mallory for eviction.

Though Lyric is upset with Kamu for nominating her, she reassures him to make him feel comfortable in case she does not win the Power of Veto or Block Buster. Jason knows he is the target and hopes that he would be selected to compete in the veto competition. Meanwhile, the houseguests question who has the power, as no one has received a punishment. Drew and Kamu debate whether Kamu should nominate Jason or keep him off the block. During the Veto Draw, Haley and Jason were selected to compete alongside the three nominees and Kamu. Jason tells each nominee that he would use the veto on them if he won, while also assuring Kamu that he would not use it.

In the Power of Veto Competition ("The Pickle Ball"), each HouseGuest must go head-to-head against another competitor. They need to spin on a giant pickle for one minute before attempting to score the highest number of points by hitting balls into numbered slots. After five rounds, the HouseGuest with the highest score would win the Golden Power of Veto.

Lyric beats Mallory in the final round and wins the Power of Veto. Jason attempts to create chaos in the house by informing Dee that he wants to protect the Icons while targeting Haley, Chuk, and Kamu in the future. He then approaches Chuk and reveals that he would like to go after the three "icons". However, both trios quickly learn about Jason's plans. Kamu decides to expose Jason's messy gameplay during Mallory's planned tea party. Jason then begins to go around the house informing Kamu of any and all strategic gameplay talk between by banging a tea kettle. On Day 21, Lyric uses the Power of Veto to save herself, and Kamu nominates Jason as the replacement nominee.

The house immediately begins planning out different scenarios for the final outcome. Mallory’s allies, Melody and Lyric, campaign to gather the votes needed to keep her over La Trice and Jason. They attempt to pull in Yash, Drew, and Barrett, while also discussing the possibility of keeping Jason if he remains on the block against La Trice.

Drew and Barrett find themselves caught in the middle, as "The Toolshed" alliance would want either Mallory or Jason out this week. The alliance members begin discussing Drew and Barrett's true loyalties and where they stand with them. Taylor continues to waver back and forth on whether she is willing to vote against La Trice.

In the BB Block Buster Competition ("Video Tape Tumble"), nominees must attempt to retrieve video tapes placed on a wobble tower. Players can rearrange the tower as they collect the tapes, but if a tape touches the ground or their tower falls, their current score is locked in. The player who successfully deposits the most tapes wins safety. Mallory wins the Block Buster, leaving Jason and La Trice as the final nominees for the week. On Day 24, Jason is evicted from the Big Brother house by a unanimous vote of 12–0.

Following Jason's eviction, the HouseGuests prepare for the next Head of Household competition. While waiting, Mallory, Melody, and La Trice discuss how Haley has been rude and snarky toward them and several other HouseGuests. Meanwhile, the other members of the Toolshed begin questioning Drew's loyalty, believing he has been playing a floater game.

In the Head of Household competition ("Jack The Ripper"), HouseGuests are given five minutes to study six rooms before answering questions about the items they observed. In the final round, Haley answers correctly and defeats Yash to become the new Head of Household.

Haley and Devens celebrate her Head of Household victory while also discussing Taylor's comments following her win. Later, Haley calls out the other women for remarks they have made about her over the past three weeks. La Trice tells Haley that Melody and Mallory have been speaking negatively about her.

Dee is voted to enter the BB Time Capsule. Her attempt to earn a power is successful, as she wins the "BB Bribe" power, which was first seen on Big Brother 18. Haley confront Melody to which Melody owns up to and let her know it was true that she would have put her up on the block. Haley later questions Barrett and Drew in the hopes of nominating one of the men as a pawn. On Day 25, Haley nominates Drew, Melody, and Taylor for eviction.

The three nominees are upset with Haley's nominations. Drew believes he is simply a pawn, though other members of his "Toolshed" begin to conspire against him. Meanwhile, Taylor senses that she is Haley's true target.

Later, Drew begins to tell Devens that he would target the "Red Corner" if he were to win Head of Household the following week. Following going into the "BB Time Capsule", Dee continues to keep her power a secret, even from Devens. Lyric tries to grow closer to the other side of the house by throwing her allies under the bus, to which Haley questions. Elsewhere, Dee lets Barrett know that the target has shifted to Drew, causing Barrett to worry that he could be next. During the Veto Draw, Chuk and Mallory were selected to compete alongside the three nominees and Haley.

Morgan Pope from Big Brother 27 visits the house to host the Veto Competition. In the competition ("Murder at the Masquerade"), players must randomly present two glasses of wine, one poisoned and one safe, to a chosen target, who must then guess which glass is safe. Any HouseGuest who drinks poison twice is eliminated.

In the final round, Chuk drinks the poisoned wine, allowing Taylor to win the Golden Power of Veto. With Taylor now holding the veto, Drew begins to worry that he could become the replacement target. Haley consults with her allies to determine the best renom, expressing a preference for Lyric as she continues to throw her own allies under the bus. However, Kamu pushes for Mallory to be nominated instead, which rubs Haley the wrong way. On Day 28, Taylor uses the Power of Veto to save herself, and Haley nominates Lyric as the replacement nominee.

Haley officially makes Drew her primary target, with Melody serving as the backup plan. Elsewhere, Mallory learns that Lyric has been throwing both her and Melody under the bus, prompting Lyric to attempt some damage control. Meanwhile, Drew begins making moves to keep both himself and Melody safe by the end of the week. The Icons begin to see more value in keeping Drew than evicting him.

In the BB Block Buster Competition ("The Paw Patrol Dino Puzzle"), Nominees race to complete a two-layered puzzle. The first HouseGuest to correctly put the puzzle together wins the Block Buster, leaving the remaining two nominees on the block. Drew secures the win, leaving Lyric and Melody as the final nominees for the week. On Day 31, Lyric is evicted from the Big Brother house by a vote of 8–3.

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Note: Big Brother: Unlocked surprise guest and Big Brother 19 winner Josh Martinez joins Julie Chen Moonves on stage to discuss the season.

The HouseGuests scramble to figure out who flipped the vote, as Dee and Angela lie about voting to keep Lyric. Drew and Melody celebrate both surviving the eviction. Former Big Brother winners Derrick Levasseur and Taylor Hale, along with Jerry O'Connell, are joined by another former winner, Josh Martinez, to recap and revisit the last two weeks of the season. They are also joined by the two recent evictees, Jason and Lyric. Featured segments included "Missing Moments", "BB Bad Ass/Dumb Ass", "The Rant Room" and "Creator Corner". O'Connell revealed that Mallory has been voted to enter the "BB Time Capsule" next. The episode concluded with the HouseGuests beginning the fifth Head of Household competition, "Sasquatch Watch".

Hours before the eviction, Dee, Devens and Angela plot to ensure Lyric is the one evicted. They bring Barrett and Mallory into the plan, creating a majority with Taylor. Taylor then informs La Trice of the blindside. Following the vote, the house is thrown into chaos as Dee and Angela lie about their votes, causing everyone to question Chuk and Kamu.

In the Head of Household Competition ("Sasquatch Watch"), HouseGuest must hang on a tilting wall while being doused in water and slime. The final four comes down to Drew, Kamu, La Trice and Yash. In the end, La Trice beats out the boys and becomes the new Head of Household.

Mallory is voted to enter the BB Time Capsule. Her attempt to gain a power is unsuccessful, as she earned the "Adam and Eve" punishment from Big Brother 16. She must chose another HouseGuest to be chained to for 48 hours. She chooses Melody. In the HoH room, Taylor and La Trice discuss a plan to backdoor Haley, with Barrett, Drew and Kamu as potential pawns. However, Yash and Kamu inform Taylor that Chuk is targeting La Trice, causing them to rethink their initial nomination plans. On Day 32, La Trice nominates Barrett, Chuk and Haley for eviction.

Chuk and Haley are distraught and hurt after being blindsided by La Trice. Haley regrets not nominating her when she had the opportunity last week. Meanwhile, Mallory and Melody continue their Adam and Eve Punishment. Dee finally reveals to Devens that she won the "BB Bribe" power last week. Haley continues to push Angela and Dee for answers about the vote flip, causing Angela to spiral over her relationship with Haley. Angela eventually admits to the other members of the "Red Corner" that she has been lying. During the Veto Draw, Kamu and Dee are selected to compete alongside the three nominees and La Trice.

In the Gym, Dee finally comes clean to Kamu about her vote. She also reveals that she won a power in the "BB Time Capsule". As they talk, Haley and Chuk interrupt them and voice how they feel burned by the house. Kamu then grab Yash and Angela to figure out who cast the third vote. Angela attempts to apologize to Haley, but when Haley continues to lie to the group, Angela becomes frustrated and calls her out.

In the Veto Competition ("Saturday Night Veto"), HouseGuests must cross a bridge by stepping on one of two tiles that would highlight red or green. When stepping on a green tile, they can proceed to one of the next two tiles, but if they stepped on a red tile they must restart from the beginning. In the final round, Kamu crosses in the fastest amount of time to defeat Barrett and wins the Golden Power of Veto.

La Trice confirms with Kamu that he should not use the veto and keep the nominations the same as the entire house is on board with evicting either Haley or Chuk. He informs Chuk and Haley that La Trice would like him not to use the veto. Elsewhere, Mallory and Melody are released from their punishment. They later form an Alliance called "For the American People", F.A.P for short, with Barret and Drew. On Day 35, Kamu decides not to use Power of Veto leaving Barrett, Chuk and Haley as the nominees.

Following the Veto Ceremony, Chuk and Haley feel burned by Kamu's decision not to use it to save them. The HouseGuests go back and forth over who to evict this week between Chuk and Haley. Taylor tries to give Chuk pointers on how to improve his game. In the HoH room, some of the newbies discuss targeting the Icons next week. Later, Barrett and Drew relay the conversation back to Dee, Devens, and Angela.

In the BB Block Buster competition ("Newton's Apples"), Nominees must roll and land five balls on the top of a ramp. Once done, they must knock all five balls down and press a buzzer. The first player to compete the challenge would save themselves from eviction. Haley secures the win, leaving Barrett and Chuk as the final nominees for the week. On Day 38, Chuk is evicted from the Big Brother house by a vote of 9–1, with Haley being the sole vote to evict Barrett.

Following Chuk's eviction, Angela tries to repair her relationship with Haley, who feels she was bullied throughout the week. However, some HouseGuests still want Haley gone and would target her if they were to win Head of Household. Kamu and Haley also clear the air and agree to try working together again.

In the Head of Household competition ("Bugs in the System"), the HouseGuests face off head-to-head. In each round, they must identify the area of the screen containing the most bugs. The first HouseGuest to answer correctly advances and selects the next two competitors, while the loser is eliminated. In the final round, Yash defeats Barrett to become the new Head of Household.

Angela immediately feels uncomfortable with Yash as HoH, while Taylor and La Trice celebrate his victory. Meanwhile, Devens and Dee believe they are safe and question how they have managed to make it this far in the game. Melody is voted to enter the BB Time Capsule. Her attempt to gain a power is unsuccessful, as she instead earns the "Lord of the Latrine" punishment from Big Brother 23.

Upstairs, Kamu, Drew and Yash discuss potential nominees. Kamu throws the Icons under the bus, telling Yash that he should target Dee. Devens questions Yash about why he would target a member of the "Wolf Pack." He relays the conversation to Dee and encourages her to use her "BB Bribe" power. Dee and Yash later discuss nominations. Dee initially offers to bribe him to keep both Angela and herself safe, but Yash turns down the offer. She then changes her proposal, offering to keep only herself safe for the week, which Yash seriously considers. On Day 39, Yash ultimately declines Dee's bribe and nominates Angela, Dee and Haley for eviction.