Big Brother tells fans and houseguests alike to "Expect the Unexpected," but few fans expected that Big Brother Season 18 would feature four returning houseguests from the show's recent past. Much like how BB14 was structured around returning "coaches," BB18 features four houseguests from recent season if Big Brother who will be competing in teams with fresh faces. While some faces like James and Da'Vonne from Big Brother 17 may seem pretty familiar since they were last on just a season ago, it's been a while since fans have seen Nicole from Big Brother 16 and Frank from Big Brother 14. Here's what fans need to know about BB18 's James, Da'Vonne, Nicole, and Frank.
To start, the four all have something in common: They're good players who were often underestimated by their competitors. These four contestants left a big impact on their respective seasons, and it's worth remembering how they performed in their original seasons and what they may need to change if they hope to win the half-million dollar grand prize that eluded them in their first appearances. These four houseguests entered with big targets on their backs because of their history with the show, here's what fans should keep in mind about these houseguests' first appearances.
Frank — BB14
Frank formed a reputation in BB14 for primarily two reasons: His gigantic hair (which he has since cut off), and his status as a competition beast. During his season, Frank worked closely with Big Brother legend Mike "Boogie" and was nominated every week that he wasn't HoH until his eviction eight weeks in. Frank is aware that his ability to continuously win HoH and PoV competitions kept him afloat inside the house, and so he intends to take a more social approach in BB18 and not have to rely so much on competitions.
Nicole — BB16
Nicole may seem like the sweet and innocent girl next door, but don't be fooled. Although Nicole found herself on the wrong side of the house in BB16, this small-town girl did not go down without a fight. Her only fault her season was attempting to go up against Big Brother mastermind Derrick, who easily managed to win the season. Although she found herself on opposing sides of the eventual winner, Nicole managed to return to the house after being evicted only to discover that everyone else was so deeply aligned with Derrick that there was no one for her to work with. She also spent a lot of time in BB16 forming a showmance with Hayden, but now that she's single anything is possible in BB18.
Da'Vonne — BB17
Da'Vonne's only crime was being too good at Big Brother. Many fans lamented the early loss of the unapologetic and deductive Da'Vonne, who was one of the first people to call out the unpredictable houseguest Audrey and determine that one of the houseguests was secretly being swapped out with their twin. Da'Vonne's strengths didn't get her very far, unfortunately, as she was evicted after only the second week of BB17. However, BB18 seems to be Da'Vonne's chance at redemption, and she's already revealed that she plans on keeping a cooler head this season to fly under the radar in an effort to make it all the way to the end.
James — BB17
James Huling earned a reputation in Big Brother 17 for being a prankster, but he also managed to be a smart and cunning player. James managed to put some major dents in the competition, most notably splitting up the powerful Clelli showmance by eliminating Clay. Despite making some big and bold moves, James and his Goblin alliance weren't strong enough to fight the seemingly impenetrable force of the Scamper Squad, although that didn't stop James from working his hardest to take them out. Now that James has a fresh start, he'll likely start planning to make big moves earlier and more often to keep anyone else from getting too much power.
Big Brother 18 is off to an exciting start with these four familiar faces back for another chance at the $500,000 grand prize. Whether or not these returning houseguests will make find more success in BB18 than their original seasons has yet to be seen, but it adds an exciting new dimension to BB18 that is getting fans increasingly excited for another summer in the Big Brother house.
Images: Monty Brinton; Bill Inoshita (2)/CBS, Giphy (2)
