Why Weren’t All 16 'BB18' Cast Members Revealed?

Call me confused, but I’m sitting here hours after the cast of Big Brother 18 was officially announced, and I’m pretty sure we’re still missing a quarter of the contestants. Sixteen is the number of contestants that the world was expecting to see when the new cast was announced Tuesday, but the world was only given 12 names. Twelve really exciting cast members, yes — but that number is four shy of the one we were all expecting. So why are there only 12 Big Brother 18 contestants? The fact that the four remaining names are still being kept secret is a huge deal when it comes to Season 18's twist.

So as frustrated as I may be with the fact that I have to wait longer to find out who else is going to be joining the house when Big Brother 18 begins, the names being withheld is actually kind of exciting. That means surprises are in store, friends, and when it comes to the Big Brother house, surprises are to be expected. But what surprises could these four unannounced contestants bring?

The theory that a lot of fans are bantering about is all-stars. The four remaining contestants could be housemates from previous seasons who were either a huge hit with fans or who made it far in the house. This twist could be really exciting for diehard fans of the show, but bringing in previous Big Brother big wigs doesn’t exactly sound like the most exciting prospect to me. Chances are, those veterans are going to be targeted just as quickly as they appear on the scene, which means that’s a twist that I can’t see lasting that long.

The other option might just be that this season of Big Brother has a smaller cast. I know that sounds blasphemous, but a smaller cast means fewer evictions, which means more time for drama to brew and fester between houseguests. But, as much as I would like this to be the case, The Hollywood Reporter reports that 16 houseguests in total are expected, so a smaller houseguest list is unlikely this season.

So what are the other options? Any other kind of twist, of course: another twin twist, houseguests coming in mid-season, and anything else those strategic geniuses over at CBS can come up with. Still, as much as all-stars might be the word on the street, I’m hoping the twist is an entirely new one. Bringing fresh takes on this game could be just what the show needs to get fans even more excited about the franchise.

Image: CBS (2)