Big Brother

After the usual recaps (the HouseGuests learn that there are no more cliques and that someone will win a "mysterious power," and the start of the Head of Household competition, we cut to the backyard where the competition is still continuing. Intertwined between coverage of the HoH competition, we saw various HouseGuests react to Casey's eviction and to the news that there would be no more cliques.

As the HouseGuests started to drop off of the swinging rope contraption, the first five received "graduation prizes." Kevin was the first to drop and got $5,000; Lydia dropped second and received a 42" plasma television; Ronnie and Natalie received nothing; Jordan got a card saying that she was a "Have" for the week and at the end of the competition, she had to choose three HouseGuests who would be "Have Nots" for the week.

After 2 hours, 22 minutes, Chima dropped and Jessie felt awful because he thought that the end may be near for him. Michele finally dropped and the competition came down to Jeff and Russell. The two of them starting talking deals and they both agreed that they wanted Ronnie out. Jeff said that he wanted to ensure that he and Jordan were safe. Russell swore on his dad, who just had neck surgery, that if Jeff dropped out that Russell would live up to his word that he would keep Jeff and Jordan safe this week. Finally, after 3 hours, 38 minutes, Jeff agreed to the deal and dropped off the rope leaving Russell as the new Head of Household.

After the break, Jordan randomly selected the "Have Nots" and they turned out to be Natalie, Kevin and Jessie. Of the three, Jessie had the biggest problem with the food restriction.

Then we saw Natalie and Jessie talking strategy and speculating about who Russell was going to put up for eviction. After the competition, Jessie and Natalie said they wanted the first two people out of the competition up on the block. Russell said he would listen, but would not do what they said "just because."

Russell invited everyone to his HoH room and the letter from his father "taught him some lessons as there were some strong words in there." Later, Jeff came up to Russell's HoH room and he and Jeff just started to talk about aligning, but they would have to keep it quiet. Russell was certainly interested in the possibility.

Following the break, the "Have Nots" learned that they could also eat squid and squash on top of slop.

Lydia then went to talk to Russell who flirted with him and told him that she has heard that Jessie and Natalie should not be trusted because they had "talked about taking Russell out," which was a lie, but Russell did not know any better. However, Russell did tell Jessie, Natalie and Chima about what Lydia said. Natalie summed it up by saying that "she floats to whomever has the power." Then Ronnie talked to Russell and said that he had people chirping in his ears that Ronnie should put Russell up. Ronnie suggested Lydia and Kevin as nominees because they are playing under-the-radar. He asked Russell point-blank if he was in trouble and Russell said he was not.

On to the nomination ceremony where Russell pulled the following keys in this order: Jeff, Jessie, Jordan, Chima, Michele, Natalie and Kevin.

Thus, Russell nominated Ronnie and Lydia for eviction. Russell said that Ronnie was a liar and a snake and if you want to catch a snake, you have to be a mongoose and Russell was that mongoose who was going to kill the snake.