SPOILERS ahead from the 2019 Big Brother 21 live feeds.
Nick Maccarone is playing a dangerous game (again) and it has me tired. He was almost evicted from Big Brother 21, targeted by his own Gr8ful alliance, after he and showmance mate Bella Wang tried to play both sides of the house. I'm starting to think Nick was just lucky Bella was more obvious about it, leaving her targeted and evicted first.
Nick survived his eviction last week by winning Veto and taking himself down off the block. This week, Jessica Milagros is Head of Household. She nominated Jack Matthews and Jackson Michie, who are staying on the block since she also won this week's Power of Veto. Jack is her target for eviction on Thursday, August 8, 2019. Cliff Hogg III, Nicole Anthony, Kat Dunn, and Jackson's showmance mate Holly Allen seem solid to vote to evict Jack.
Nick is supposed to be right there with them to evict Jack. He's tight with Nicole and Cliff. If he votes with them, and Kat, Jack will be evicted without Jess having to break a tie. She'd rather not break a tie, and she's said that. But instead of just respecting Jess' wishes as HoH, he's working hard to get Jack to stay in the house.
Sure, Nick almost left on Holly's HoH -- and Jackson was the one who won the Veto that put up Bella -- but it seems like doing Way Too Much for Nick to stick his neck out this week to try and save Jack. Just so ... what? He can be toward the bottom of his old alliance again, instead of the strongest physical player on the underdogs/Bottom Feeders/Cliff's Angels side?
Nick has been getting in people's ears about what to whisper to Jess. He was suggesting to Jack ally Tommy Bracco how to spin telling Jess about how Kat knew about the blindside to evict Cliff instead of Nicole. That's not something Jess knew, she voted to evict Nicole. Kat did too, but that's the week when she told the cameras she still knew what was going on.
Jack said he wanted to have Kat's vote and have her work with him. So Nick added this suggestion, among his many additions to just about every conversation:
Nick also said he should be hanging out with Jackson and Holly when Jack talks to Kat, so if she comes over to talk to them, Nick will be ready to relay what Kat says back to Jack.
Nick's whole Big Brother game right now has fans confused. Whose side is he even on?
It sounds like Nick is doing too much to be lying and playing Jack. But by going this far, isn't he just setting himself up for another Playing Both Sides blindside? That's how he lost the Cliff/Nicole vote in the first place. Nick and Bella tried to play both sides and were caught out. So isn't he just doing something similar again?
What would even be the point of lying? Eight people can vote on Thursday. If Cliff, Nicole, Holly, and Kat are already voting to evict Jack, then Jess could just break a tie and Jack leaves. Does Nick really think he can help Jack win votes? I know Jack was trying to make a deal with Cliff -- as if Jack can guarantee anyone's safety. It worked for Christie, though, when Cliff nominated Jack and Jackson, and Bella ended up leaving. But Christie doesn't have her power anymore, and Cliff does not seem swayed this time. Kat does not seem swayed at this point, either.
But it's true, what that fan wrote -- on Tuesday, Nick told Jack's showmance mate Analyse Talavera that if Jack does get evicted, Nick will be loyal to Sis, Tommy, Nicole, and Christie "for the time being." He also told Sis his ideal final four if Jack left would be himself, her, Tommy, and Nicole. His ideal five would include Holly. If Jack stays, they can get rid of Christie, but if Jack goes, Christie is going to be a threat to Jackson so she can stay. In that case, the more likely case, it sounds like Nick would target Kat.
Nick also told Jack he fully trusts him, and if Jack stays, he wants to go to final four with Sis and Tommy.
Nick may be lying to Sis -- since he also told Cliff it's been Nick, Cliff, and Nicole for three weeks and "I am fucking staying with that no matter what." So he's lying to somebody, and from here, there's no reason. Unnecessary lies are the things that tend to bite houseguests in the butt.
Nick has done A LOT of talking this week, for someone who probably should've just sat back and let others speak to gather information. He's not only potentially making a target of himself, he may end up losing some jury votes if he happens to somehow spirit himself to final two.
Show me the upside of all of this? Who is not going to feel betrayed by whatever Nick does on Thursday? I don't see a master plan here, but if he manages to come out squeaky clean, good for him. If he wins the next HoH, maybe he can smooth things over, but if he doesn't win, I don't see why everyone he's talked to this week wouldn't throw him under the bus.
Is there a smart strategy here I'm just completely missing? Is Nick just determined to play hard, even if it's playing both sides? I love someone who makes big moves, but even if Jack magically stays this week, how much would that even help Nick?
Anyway, don't forget we have the America's Field Trip vote until Friday. With Jack most likely leaving, I've been throwing a lot of votes to Sis, Christie, and Tommy, with a few to Jackson as well. Maybe I should add Nick?
Big Brother 2019 airs Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays on CBS.
