WARNING! THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS ABOUT BIG BROTHER REINDEER GAMES SEASON 2!
Big Brother Reindeer Games was a big hit for CBS in 2023, but the producers have now revealed that it won't be returning for season 2 in 2024. Big Brother Reindeer Games season 1 was a holiday-themed mini-season of Big Brother, which was six episodes long. Nine legendary houseguests returned to compete in the game, including winner Nicole Franzel, runner-up Taylor Hale, Frankie Grande, Xavier Prather, Britney Haynes, Josh Martinez, Danielle Reyes, Cody Calafiore, and Cameron Hardin. The players didn't vote each other out, but instead were eliminated after a series of challenges in each episode.
In an interview with EW, Big Brother Reindeer Games executive producer Rich Meehan revealed that the show won't return this year due to scheduling. He explained, "Because we started so late this season and CBS’ fall schedule starts so late this season, everything just pushes back. So if there's not airtime, there's not much you can do for that."
At the very end of the Big Brother 26 finale, fans got their hopes up about Big Brother Reindeer Games season 2 when host Julie Chen Moonves announced that something was going on in the house. While fans were relieved that it turned out to be the toddler-from-hell AI entity Jankie coming back to life, they also were disappointed that Big Brother Reindeer Games wasn't mentioned at all.
Executive producer Allison Grodner shared, "I think people really expected when Julie said, 'Oh wait, there's something in the house,' that it would be that. There were some amazingly creative people online pitching that Jankie finds the true meeting of Christmas and things like that, which we loved."
While Big Brother Reindeer Games won't be back this year, there is hope that the show will return in the future. Allison said, "It holds a special place for both Rich and I. We loved doing the show. We thought it worked out really, really well. It's a great way to bring back alumni in a unique manner. While it's not happening this year, it could resurface." Rich added, "Hopefully, we're in a new year and everything looks like it's going to be smooth sailing and everything's worked out, so hopefully, maybe next year. That's the goal."
Because we started so late this season and CBS’ fall schedule starts so late this season, everything just pushes back. So if there's not airtime, there's not much you can do for that.
What Reindeer Games Not Returning This Year Means For Big Brother
Big Brother Fans Will Be Disappointed
Big Brother fans were really looking forward to Reindeer Games season 2. It was intriguing to think about which Big Brother 26 houseguest would be selected, especially because there were so many strong contenders this year, including winner Chelsie Baham, runner-up Makensy Manbeck, Tucker Des Lauriers, Quinn Martin, and Angela Murray. It also would've been exciting to see some new fan favorites play the shortened version of the beloved game.
In addition, because Julie doesn't host Big Brother Reindeer Games, it would've been fun to see some iconic past houseguests return to host season 2. The season 1 hosts were Big Brother legends Derek Xiao, Jordan Lloyd, and Tiffany Mitchell. Now fans will have to wait another year for another season.
Our Take On Big Brother Reindeer Games Not Airing In 2024
Big Brother Reindeer Games Should Return In The Future
Although it's a huge disappointment that Big Brother Reindeer Games won't return in 2024, the hope is that it will air again in the future. It was such a thrilling series because every competition was so high-stakes. The game was made for competition beasts such as Big Brother 26 houseguests Tucker and Makensy, both of whom should definitely be chosen to play in season 2. Big Brother Reindeer Games season 1 was a real treat for viewers, so the producers should definitely plan on bringing it back in 2025.
Source: EW