It was the Julie Chen sign-off heard ’round the world, or at least, around the Big Brother fandom—next week the Pressure Cooker will make its long-awaited return. Diehard Big Brother fans and live feed viewers have been begging CBS to put the Pressure Cooker competition back into the rotation of Head of Household (HOH) competitions. But for nineteen straight seasons, it was nowhere to be found. Just when it seemed like all hope was lost of ever seeing it on our TVs again, Julie dropped that bombshell and the week four HOH competition will in fact be the much-loved Pressure Cooker, albeit with a scary verse-infused twist. For viewers who haven’t been fans since 2005, all this fanfare around a HOH competition may seem bizarre. So what exactly is the Pressure Cooker, and why are fans so excited for its return?
What is the Pressure Cooker Head of Household and How Does It Work?
The Pressure Cooker was first introduced in week six of Big Brother 6 and served as that week’s HOH competition. It’s an endurance competition, but unlike the others on the show, it requires no physical aptitude—just sheer power of will. The premise of the Pressure Cooker is simple, all of the houseguests— except the outgoing HOH—are locked in a glass box each with a button they need to keep pressed down, and all they have to do to win is be the last houseguest to take their finger off their button.
In its original incarnation, the Pressure Cooker also featured a number of smaller twist-like elements to incentivize players to let go of the button early. Foul smells like dead fish and rotten eggs were pumped into the box, and a rule was set in place that houseguests could only leave in groups of three. Meaning even if you gave up, you’d have to wait (possibly hours) for two other houseguests to also tap out before you could actually leave the box.
The original Big Brother 6 Pressure Cooker also featured a number of mystery boxes that the houseguests would open upon elimination. Some contained prizes and others contained punishments, though the boxes themselves didn’t have any direct impact on the outcome of the HOH.
Why is the Pressure Cooker So Beloved By Fans?
On paper, the Pressure Cooker sounds bare bones and uninteresting, about as plain and boring as an HOH competition could get. But the beauty of the Pressure Cooker isn’t the mechanics of the competition, it’s the social strategy and psychological warfare it generates. Because there are no physical obstacles or puzzles for the houseguests to solve, the only thing stopping the participants from victory is each other. It’s a sheer battle of wills dictated by nothing else besides who wants it the most.
The Pressure Cooker has also become notorious for its length. The last time it was played, the first houseguest to tap out did so after six hours, with the winner clocking in at 14 hours in the glass cage. The grueling passage of time combined with the three-person exit rule also created some memorable tv moments. Like when first eliminated houseguest Beau ended up picking a mystery box full of liquor. He proceeded to get drunk and start annoying the remaining players until two others dropped out and he was allowed to leave.
What Happened the Last Time the Pressure Cooker Was Played?
When the Pressure Cooker appeared for the first time in Big Brother 6, fan-favorite houseguest (and All Stars 2 returning veteran) Kaysar Ridha had just been voted back into the house by America after being previously and heartbreakingly evicted. Viewers at home (and Kayser’s allies, including BB icon Janelle Pierzina) were elated to see Kaysar back in the game and heading into the HOH. It seemed like he was in a solid position, most of the house already had their sights set on evicting mischievous pot-stirrer James Rhine.
So, Kaysar is locked inside the Pressure Cooker alongside his ally Janelle, house target James, and a handful of other players. Having just been voted back into the game, winning HOH no matter the cost was a high priority for Kaysar. He spent fourteen hours watching the rest of the players give up or accidentally let go of their buttons. The competition came down to Kaysar and Jennifer. Jennifer and her allies Yvette and Maggie repeatedly assured Kaysar that he was safe, and in no danger of leaving should he let go.
Trusting in the general consensus that James was public enemy number one, Kaysar took his hand off the button and threw the competition to Jennifer. Of course, lying is the name of the game in Big Brother, and Jennifer proceeded to backdoor Kaysar instead of James—eliminating America’s sweetheart and going back on her word in one fell swoop.
It was a devastating moment to see such a well-liked houseguest leave again and on the heels of a major backstabbing—but it was instant TV gold and an iconic moment in Big Brother history. Though it may be difficult for Thursday’s upcoming Pressure Cooker to top the antics of the BB6 original, there’s no doubt that its return is a welcome one—here’s hoping for another fourteen hours.
(featured image: CBS)
