Big Brother 19 US is a fever dream that the fandom still hasn't woken up from. Honestly, if you ask a die-hard fan about the summer of 2017, they’ll probably just sigh and mutter something about pots and pans. It was messy. It was mean. It felt like watching a cult leader run a summer camp for people who had never seen a TV before. But here is the thing: it’s also one of the most fascinating psychological studies ever put on a screen.
You had Paul Abrahamian returning as the lone veteran. Most seasons, the "lone vet" gets sniped early because they’re too dangerous. Not here. Paul basically walked in, handed out "friendship" bracelets like a king distributing land, and the rest of the cast spent the next 92 days fighting for the chance to be the one to shine his shoes. It was bizarre.
The Paul Problem and the Cult of Personality
Usually, Big Brother is about shifting alliances and "big moves." In Big Brother 19 US, the big move was just doing whatever Paul said. He didn't just win competitions; he convinced people to throw competitions to a woman with a broken leg.
Think about that for a second.
Christmas Abbott was literally in a cast, and Paul managed to talk the rest of the house into losing on purpose so she could win Head of Household. It was a masterclass in puppetry. But it was also the season’s biggest flaw. Because the cast was so subservient, the "gameplay" often felt more like "harassment."
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There was this tactic—and it was definitely a tactic—of "isolating" the house target. If Paul decided you were the enemy, the entire house would follow you around, shouting, banging kitchenware, and trying to get you to "snap." They wanted Cody Nickson to lose his cool so badly. They tried to use his status as a veteran against him. It was uncomfortable to watch. Actually, it was borderline unwatchable at times.
Why Josh Martinez Actually Won
Most people think Josh won by accident. They call him a "bitter jury" winner. But if you look closer, Josh was the only person playing the long game against Paul while pretending to be his biggest fan.
Josh knew he was annoying. He knew the "pots and pans" thing made him a target. But he also did something brilliant that Paul didn't see coming: the goodbye messages.
- While Paul was using his goodbye videos to pretend he had nothing to do with people's evictions (the "gaslight" method), Josh was using his to tell the truth.
- Josh would say, "Look, I like you, but Paul and I came up with this plan to get you out."
- By the time the jurors got to the jury house, they realized Paul was still lying to them even as they walked out the door.
Josh essentially exposed Paul’s "shadow" game in real-time. Paul thought he was playing with a goat he could beat in the end. He didn't realize the goat was leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for the jury.
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When the finale hit, the look on Paul's face when the 5-4 vote was read was genuine shock. He had lost to Nicole Franzel the year before by one vote. Now, he’d lost to Josh Martinez by one vote. It’s the ultimate "Big Brother" tragedy—or comedy, depending on who you were rooting for.
The Fallout: Was it "Bad" TV?
Big Brother 19 US gets a bad rap for being toxic. And yeah, it was. Between the bullying and the "blackface" controversy where Paul suggested wearing a dark mask to mock Dominique, the season pushed boundaries in ways that didn't feel like a game anymore.
But it’s also the season that gave us Jessica and Cody (Jody), who went on to win The Amazing Race. It gave us Josh, who became a staple on MTV’s The Challenge. It showed us that "jury management" isn't just a buzzword; it’s the entire game. If you make people feel like garbage on their way out, don't expect them to hand you half a million dollars.
What You Can Learn from the Meatball
If you're ever playing a social game—or just trying to survive a corporate office—Big Brother 19 US has some actual lessons.
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- Transparency beats "Perfect" Lies: Paul’s lies were too perfect. When the jury compared notes, the perfection fell apart. Josh’s messy honesty was more relatable.
- The Power of the Underdog: Cody and Jessica were hated by the house but loved by the fans. Cody won America's Favorite Houseguest specifically because he was the only one who stood up to the "cult."
- Own Your Game: In the final questioning, Paul refused to admit he was the puppet master. He tried to act like everything was a mistake or "friendship." The jury wanted him to own his villainy. He wouldn't. So they didn't pay him.
If you haven't seen it, or you only remember the highlights, it’s worth a rewatch just to see the psychological warfare. It’s not "feel-good" TV, but it’s a brutal look at how easily people can be manipulated when they’re stuck in a house with a charismatic leader and no internet.
The best way to appreciate this season is to watch the "Jury Roundtable" episode. It’s where you see the exact moment the jurors realize they’ve been played, and the "bitterness" turns into a strategic decision to reward the person who was at least honest about being a nuisance.
Next time you’re watching a modern season, look at how the houseguests treat the "outsiders." If they start acting like the BB19 cast, you know exactly where that season is heading: a very angry finale and a very surprised runner-up.