BB19 Episode 36 Recap Blog

After Josh’s nominations, Alex fake cries to him, saying that the last person she trusted just stabbed her in the back. Josh tells her that they still have veto and that he wants to talk to her after the veto, strongly hinting he wants to backdoor Paul. After Josh leaves the room, Alex looks at the camera shrugs and says, “Fake.” She is trying to guilt trip Josh into keeping her this week. Paul and Christmas tell Josh not to feel guilty about sending Alex out this week. He still feels guilty for sending Jason out last. Christmas tells Josh that she and Alex have very similar personalities, and Alex is playing with his emotions. Christmas says that she’ll hide under a rock and strike if someone crosses her and she’d murder families. Josh says that Christmas just scared him. Paul looked surprised to hear that side of her come out.

Alex crying makes Josh cry, predictably. Paul talks to Alex and she tells him that she can cry on command. She also tells Paul that they are both in danger this week. Paul doesn’t realize that Josh is considering backdooring him because he fully trusts Josh. Paul goes out to Josh, where Christmas is coddling him. Paul gives him a light slap on the face and tells him exactly what Alex said about crying to Josh as a last-ditch effort to stay in the game. Alex has been playing Josh just as Paul and Christmas have been telling him.

Josh asks Christmas to promise him Final 2. She tells him that she doesn’t want to be in the position of deciding between him and Paul. In DR, she says they both have been her ride or dies, and she honestly doesn’t know who she’d take. She also tells Josh that taking her to final 2 may not be best for his game. I think Christmas is playing to come back in another season when she has all her physical, mental and social abilities unhindered by her broken foot and being on pain meds for the first half of the season.

For the BB Comics POV, Christmas is not medically cleared to play. After putting so much into The Revengers, I was a bit disappointed in many of the comics—they didn’t necessarily apply to each person’s gameplay, and some didn’t look like the houseguests. As in year’s past, the houseguests must zipline past a window display of the comics and then line up the comics in order, picking up on subtle differences between decoy comics and the correct ones. Afterwards, Christmas reveals the times:

• Alex: 14:34
• Kevin: 45:00 (Timed out)
• Josh: 24:36
• Paul: 12:10

Paul wins the POV. He’s not going to use it. In DR, Alex thinks that Paul winning is even better than her winning because now they can both be safe and head to Final 2 together. Josh says his plan to backdoor Paul is out the window so he must take out Alex because she is a beast of a competitor.

Paul says that he’s developed a real friendship with Alex, so it’s hard for him to take something away from her. Paul pulls her into the APSR and explains that if he uses the veto on her, Christmas, Josh and Kevin all won’t vote for him at the end of the game. He tells her the votes that he thinks she already has in the jury—Cody, Mark, Elena and Jason. He says that would mean that he is throwing his game away. Paul tells her that he lost last year because he took Nicole, and he can’t make the same mistake as last year when he thinks he has an actual shot at winning this year. Alex thinks it’s fucked up and says that there’s no way that they’re keeping her if he leaves her on the block. He tells her he doesn’t want her to think that he’s selfishly fucking her over. She tells him that it feels like he is. (YEP!) Alex says in that she’d still take Paul even if she knew she was going to lose. In DR, Alex says, “Friend—no. Friendship—no. Gumpy—yes.” Paul tells Alex she’s one of the coolest people he’s ever met. In DR, Alex says that she held his hand through the game; he wouldn’t be there without her and he shot her in the back. In DR, a tearful Paul says that he respects and likes Alex so it sucks to hurt her. He doesn’t want people to be hurt by him.

After his talk with Alex, Paul heads up to the HOH room and bawls his eyes out with Christmas and Josh hugging him. In DR, a tearful Paul says that he’s had to choose himself over everyone else because he knows that they wouldn’t choose him. He says that there is nothing else that he can do. He can’t help everyone; he can’t save everyone. Paul has gotten the villain edit the last few episodes, but this episode humanizes him again.

At the POV meeting, Paul gives Alex and Kevin an opportunity to speak. Alex tells Paul that he’s her only friend left in the house, and she doesn’t think any of these 3 would vote for her to win the game. She says that she is dead in the water if he leaves her on the block. She asks him 1 last time to use the POV on her. Paul is visibly hurt by her words. Kevin says that it’s been a long summer and whatever Paul decides, he is going to live by it. Paul says that as difficult as this journey has been, this is the most difficult moment. He tells Alex that he is sorry to let her down, but he has decided not to use the POV. In DR, Alex says that she always trusted what Paul said and that she let him lead her and Jason blindly, and it sunk both of their ships because Paul used them to get ahead. Now, when he could’ve made a friendship move, he’s making sure that she wins nothing, which is not friendship. Paul is distraught after the POV meeting, crying in the storage room.

Julie says that it’s not looking good for Alex, but it’s not over yet. Christmas and Paul will cast their votes. America’s Favorite Player voting opened Wednesday night at www.cbs.com/bbvote.

Time for the eviction:

Kevin says hi to his family. He says it’s Day 84 and his 3^rd time on the block on eviction night. He’s fighting as hard as he can. He says that when you grow up in Boston, you have to fight people; that’s just how it is. He says he wants to keep fighting. He addresses his fellow houseguests saying that they’ve all done fantastic to get this far. He thanks them and Julie for a great summer. Alex thanks Julie and CBS. She says hi to her family and says she hopes she’s made them proud. She says it’s been an extremely awesome summer and she thanks the houseguests for sharing it with her. She says that she’s been fighting from the moment she set foot in the house with friendship bracelets and the trapeze. She says that she’s tried to play the best mental, physical and social game and that’s what led her here (on the block). She asks them to throw out her name for America’s Favorite Player on the live feeds. She shouts out Jason’s family and says that she’s sorry she failed Jason. No surprise—Josh is teary-eyed after her speech.

Christmas and Paul split the vote with Christmas voting out Alex and Paul voting out Kevin. Josh then must break the tie. He says that this is the toughest moment in the game. Josh tells Alex that she is possibly the best competitor in the game and he doesn’t see himself beating her in the end. Josh says that only God knows what her friendship has meant to him. He says he’s sorry from the bottom of his heart and votes to evict her.

Julie asks Alex what was going through her mind when Paul said he wasn’t using the veto. She says she wanted to choke him and slap him but couldn’t because she’s on national TV. Julie asks what Alex thinks of Paul’s gameplay. Alex says it was shady and she wishes she hadn’t thrown the Me, Myself and I Slap, Punch, Kick POV to Paul because Jason would still be here and he’s her ride or die. (Bullshit. A. That went comp had 10+ overtime rounds, so if Alex threw it to him, they’re both great actors. B. If Jason were still in the house, Alex would be gone instead. C. Thanks for getting one last “Jason and Alex are ride or die” into the show because that’s one thing we didn’t hear every fucking day from them both.)

For What the Bleep? HOH Competition, only Paul, Christmas and Kevin are playing. This has become a classic Big Brother competition that has happened at final 4 for the last few years. Paul won it last year in a tie breaker with Nicole. There are supposed to be 7 rounds. BB bleeps out 1 word from throughout the season, and it’s hilarious because the word fuck or shit could literally be inserted into any of the bleeped phrases. True or False are the answers as Julie announces bleeped words.

1. Cody says that Have Nots can only eat slop, take cold showers and will be BLEEPING in the most painful have not room of all time? Julie says the bleeped word was staying. Answer: False All three get it correct. Sleeping was the bleeped word.
2. Matt says that he promises to do 3 things. He will continue to eat copious amounts of cereal, BLEEP excessively and continue to be an expert loser. Julie says the bleeped word was nap. Answer: False. Only Paul gets it correct. Shower was the bleeped word.
3. Dominique says that she believes most people know deep down in their hearts that she does not deserve to be evicted tonight. However—I mean my own team BLEEPED me. Julie says the bleeped word was betrayed. Answer: True. All three get it correct.
4. Mark jumps up and exclaims, “Oh, baby. Let’s BLEEP!” Julie says the bleeped word was play. Answer: False. Only Paul gets it correct. Compete is the bleeped word.
5. Jason says, “Do you think that if I used the power of veto on you that you and I would BLEEP? Julie says the bleeped word was align. Answer: False. Only Paul gets it correct. Rally was the bleeped word.

Since Paul is up by 5 points compared with Christmas and Kevin tied at 2 points, there is no way that either of them can catch up, so the final 2 clips aren’t shown. Paul wins the Final 4 HOH, guaranteeing himself a spot in the Final 3. He becomes very emotional because he made it to this point in the game. He is crying and Christmas hugs him.

Julie interviews the houseguests. She congratulates Paul for making it to Final 3. She says that he got emotional out there and asks him what he’s feeling. He says that words can’t explain how bizarre and great it feels to be in this position for the second year in a row. He says he didn’t think he could do it. Julie says to Kevin “3 times on the block.” He says 3 times in 6 days. She asks him if he’s surprised he made it this far. He says that he’s not surprised but apparently, it’s surprising he’s still in there. With the age difference, it’s been difficult. He says there are 3 other houseguests that deserve to be there and he’s very happy and excited to be there. Julie says to Josh that they saw a lot of tears from him this week. Josh says that he has grown to love everybody that was left in the house. He says that these were the people that were with him since Day 1. He says that letting go of Alex was one of the hardest because she’s been nothing but a great friend. So, it’s gotten down to the point where it’s just a game move, but I love her to death and I hope that we can be friends outside of this. Julie says to Christmas that she’s going to lighten the mood a little bit and asks her what her favorite comic was. She says that they were all amazing, but she loved The Meatball one because he thinks he calls everyone else a meatball but really, he’s the meatball. She loves the fact that they made her a lunatic. She says they were all pretty spot on.

Julie says she knows Paul doesn’t like hearing that. He says, “So pissed.” Julie says she knows he wasn’t happy with his comic book character and wonders what he wishes his was. He says, “Mr. Friendship, The Motormouth², Gumpy, all of the above.” Julie asks him if he’s saying Potty Mouth isn’t accurate. He says sarcastically with a shit eating grin, “Well…” Honestly, Kevin and Jason cursed more than Paul this season.

Thursday night is another live eviction, and we’ll see who wins the final POV of the season, securing their spot in Final 3. Friday night is a special episode where the battle for the final HOH will begin, and we’ll of course see the Final 3 reminisce about the season. It’s so much more satisfying for live feeders to watch the endurance comp live.

Stay tuned for my upcoming recaps of those episodes and any spoilers that I gather from live feeds before the feeds go down for the season.

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