First Impressions

Here are my somewhat quick thoughts on the cast after watching interviews, reading profiles and all of that good stuff. I'll briefly go through each person and state what I expect from them this season.

Braden

He's definitely a little odd. I'm not sure what it is, but he seems socially inept. I definitely can see him rubbing some of the girls the wrong way. In fact, I bet he's one of the first few people bitch about in there, and I could see him having an early exit. If he can be laid back and not creepy, he could go a little further but his personality is a bit too off-putting to guarantee a long stay in the house. He should be interesting to watch though.



Casey

He's already my least favorite houseguest this season. He is the older guy who's going to work extra hard to fit in with the younger houseguests. To top it off, he talks, acts and even raps like Mike Boogie of Big Brother 2 and All-Stars. He's been annoying and obnoxious in the interviews I've seen. I am definitely not a fan, but I have been proven wrong before. As the oldest person in the house, he's going to have to work hard to fit in well and last long in the game. Fortunately, I don't see it happening for him.



Chima

My preseason favorite is Chima. She's spunky, fun, snarky and she's got a good head on her shoulders. She's already reminding me of my favorite Big Brother winner, Jun Song. I think her strategy to lay low early an not overdo her big personality will work for her. Hopefully she can be an observer early on and become a bigger force in the house as the weeks go on. I think she seems extremely likable and I hope the houseguests and America like her as much as I do. Of course, she could turn out to be a huge bitch, but so far I really like Chima, and I can see her doing quite well depending on how she plays it.



Jeff

He seems like a nice guy from what I've seen so far. He's got the thick Chicago accent, and remins me a little of Mike Dutz, but hopefully he'll be a bit more interesting. I think people are going to like him, and if they aren't careful he could be in the game for a long time. He's a potential winner, but I think if the houseguests are as game savvy as they seem, they'll know that he has to go before the end of the game. I think it's going to depend who he has relationships with in the house, but I couldn't see him as an early boot.



Jordan

She's the sweet, innocent, naive Southern belle. Her accent and personality remind me quite a lot of American Idol's Kellie Pickler. She's going to be fun, for sure. She's got a magnetic personality and she just comes off as someone without a mean bone in their body. As a small town girl, she may be a bit out of her element in there. I'm worried that some powerful players could manipulate her quite a bit, and she's the type of player who would greatly appreciate being a part of some alliance, regardless of whether or not they have any power themselves. I hope she can stick to her guns and look out for herself, but I worry that she'll become a pawn in someone elses game. I do believe she'll last a while though.



Kevin

I think Kevin will be entertaining, while he lasts. I don't really know how long he'll be there. I easily could see him as one of the first two or three out, but on the other hand, I could see him making the final five or so. He comes off as a big personality, but in his interviews it seemed sort of forced and fake. He will definitely be one of the more animated ones in the Diary Room, but I don't think I'll really like him unless he becomes more of a person and less of a character in the house. We'll see with Kevin, he's one of the few mysteries to me so far. I do think he'll be down for a bitch fight though.



Laura

I don't really like her yet, but I have to give Laura props for coming in and being ready to play the game. If she's even half the player she claims she is going to be, she'll be a ton of fun to watch. I'm still going to reserve my judgement with her, as I think it will be interesting to watch a female power player. It's certainly been a while since we've had someone as great as Danielle from Big Brother 3 or Jun from Big Brother 4. If she doesn't become the house bitch and get outcasted by the girls early on, she could go pretty far. I do not see her winning it, but I can see her giving a good fight, which is always appreciated as opposed to giving up.



Lydia

She's an interesting one. She looks like a tough girl with her tattoos, but she's been one of the nicest and most genuine people in her interviews. She's really a gentle spirit, which worries me a little. I hope she's ready to play because some of those people are ready to chew her up and spit her out. I think people will really like her both in an outside the house. She's got a laid-back and nurturing personality which works well for most people. If she keeps her cool, I see her making it very far in this game. Who knows? She could win it all.



Michele

I'm not totally sure what to think of Michele. I like her, but I'm worried that, like Lydia, she may not be as game-ready as some of the others. She clearly knows the game and is very bright, but she comes off as very timid. I hope she can socialize enough to form bonds and not become an early target because of her perceived intelligence. She's either going to be evicted very early or make it very far, it really depends on how her social skills measure up to that of the others and whether she becomes a favorite or an outcast in there.



Natalie

She's also a bit of a question mark to me. There's no question that she's a nice girl and a fierce competitor, but I'm not totally sure how she'll be able to socially mesh with this group. I think she'll probably be the girl who hangs out with the guys, but you can never be to sure. Nevertheless, she seems very sweet and likable. I think if she makes it past the first few weeks without being singled out as a social outcast or a physical threat, she could go very far in this game, and is someone else who has the potential to win it if she commits to playing the game.



Ronnie

Like Michele, I believe he may have trouble socially fitting in. He could be a bit of a loner, but he also could become a character that everyone instantly likes to be around. Both are not great things in this game. Despite having promise as a huge Big Brother fan, I do believe he'll be exiting the game fairly early. He may make the jury, but I do not see him getting near the endgame. People will be aware that he is a smart guy and he loves the show, that's exactly why he was cast. If the other houseguests are smart, they'll be sure to get rid of him early. I do find him a bit bland, so I won't be sorry to see him go.



Russell

Like a few of the others, there's not a whole lot of middle ground with Russell. If he doesn't hide his big personality, he could be gone quickly. If he manages to blend in with the others well, he could be a bit like Memphis, and skate to the end with the help of others. I don't think he'll be able to win it, but I think he has the potential to be a good player and to surprise some people. I didn't think I'd like him, but he seems alright. I think he is very self-aware which is good in this game and he'll be able to assess where he fits into the house very well. I think we'll most likely see him on the jury.

That's it. Those are my first impressions. Who do I see leaving early? Braden, Casey, Laura, Michele and Ronnie. Who do I see as a potential winner? Chima, Jeff, Lydia or Natalie. The rest will likely fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. But this is Big Brother, we all know it's going to be an unpredictable and crazy summer!

Please share your thoughts as well! More coming your way later this week. We've only got a few days to go until all hell breaks lose and Big Brother 11 officially kicks off! :)