How Big Brother Reindeer Games Is Different From the Original

The Gist:

• Big Brother Reindeer Games is the winter 2023 spinoff of Big Brother.
• It features returning players and a grand prize, but also some differences.
• Reindeer Games isn’t on as long as a standard season of the CBS reality show.

For many Big Brother fans, saying goodbye to a season is bittersweet. So when host Julie Chen Moonves announced at the end of the Season 25 finale that the show would return just a few weeks later for a spinoff called Big Brother Reindeer Games, it softened the blow. But clearly this is different from the original series.

So, how is Big Brother Reindeer Games different from Big Brother? As much as we would all love a full twenty-sixth season directly following Season 25, this isn’t that. However, it is another chance to watch houseguests live under one roof, cut off from the outside world as they play the classic Big Brother game for a few weeks. But, as always, expect the unexpected.

For starters, Big Brother Reindeer Games is hosted by not one, but three people. And they’re all returning players. It’s also much shorter than a standard season, with just two weeks of episodes. Granted, those are two jam-packed weeks of Big Brother, but still, it’s a lot. This means more drama, more comps, and, most importantly, more evictions.

The Reindeer Games prize is also different than the one houseguests compete for on Big Brother. There are also nine players instead of the usual 16. The grand prize in Reindeer Games is $100,000, whereas a standard season of the show offers $750,000 to one first place winner. But the houseguests in Reindeer Games only have to remain sequestered in the house for a couple of weeks, versus the three-month-long competition that airs every summer.

And the players in Reindeer Games are all familiar faces, including a mystery contestant from Season 25, who was not named ahead of the series premiere. Most seasons of Big Brother are made up of new players, except for surprise returning favorites every so often, of course. But the Reindeer Games cast is made up of former players with no newbies.

Because Reindeer Games lasts just two weeks on CBS, it’s important to remember the days and times it airs. So take note of the schedule below:

• Monday, Dec. 11: 8 p.m. EST
• Tuesday, Dec. 12: 9 p.m. EST
• Thursday, Dec. 14: 8 p.m. EST
• Monday, Dec. 18: 9 p.m. EST
• Tuesday, Dec. 20: 9 p.m. EST
• Thursday, Dec. 21 (finale): 8 p.m. EST

You can’t have a Big Brother season without Julie Chen Moonves. But, it turns out, you can have a special spinoff season without the beloved host. Because for Reindeer Games, we have a trio of hosts who are also “elves” here to help the players as they compete in challenges that are winter and holiday-themed. You know them as Tiffany Mitchell, Jordan Lloyd, and Derek Xiao.

Jordan is the Season 11 winner and she’s married to fellow former houseguest Jeff Schroeder, who also used to host pre-season interviews with Big Brother houseguests. Derek and Tiffany are both from Season 23. So even if fans are disappointed that Julie isn’t here for the shortened spinoff, the three Reindeer Games hosts definitely earned their spots.

Watch Big Brother on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays on CBS, starting on Dec. 11.