During the finale of Big Brother 25, I wrote about being apprehensive about the Reindeer Games spinoff. It didn't take long into the show's run for me to see that I had no reason to fear. By the end, I was practically begging for it to be an annual holiday tradition for me to enjoy alongside the best Christmas movies and other yuletide offerings. Finally, we have an update from the show's EPs on what's going on with Season 2, and when we may see it again.
Rich Meehan and Allison Grodner spoke to EW about the success of Big Brother 26 and how elements from the season would continue in the future. They also talked about Reindeer Games, which successfully flipped the online audiences' perception of frequent Houseguest and winner Nicole Franzel. Here's what we learned about where Season 2 stands.
EPs Reveal Whether Big Brother: Reindeer Games Will Air In 2024
To get the bummer news out of the way right now, Big Brother: Reindeer Games Season 2 is not happening in 2024. Rich Meehan blamed that on CBS' scheduling, which apparently didn't allow enough time at the end of the year for them to squeeze in the spinoff's return. As he explained to the trade:
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.
I would argue that there was always time to make the season and release it for those with a Paramount+ subscription, but it doesn't seem like there's much interest in doing that for Big Brother since the OTT spinoff season. If there's any upside, at least fans now have a definitive answer after not hearing anything on finale night. So we can stop holding our collective breath that we'll see a new season of Reindeer Games in 2024.
Will Big Brother: Reindeer Games Ever Return?
While a 2024 release date is officially out of the question, there is hope that a second season of Big Brother: RG will be a part of the 2025 TV schedule. Allison Grodner talked about how she and Rich Meehan felt about the series and provided some hope in regard to it possibly returning down the road:
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.
That "could" feels ominous compared to a guarantee, but I can understand why Big Brother's EPs have no idea if there will be room on the schedule for Reindeer Games to return a year from now. The most positive news here is that it doesn't seem as though it was kept off of TV because it was disliked or didn't do as well as the network hoped. The EPs appear to have love for the spinoff as well, so I think the odds of it coming back are better than not.
For now, I'm like to think that both producers are more focused on finding out why people absolutely loved Big Brother 26 and how they can ensure that everyone is just as entertained again with Season 27. Here's hoping they can deliver because I don't want to go back to boring seasons of BB ever again! And, of course, keep your fingers crossed that Reindeer Games makes a return to the small screen at some point.
Big Brother is on a break at the moment, but readers can revisit past seasons with a Paramount+ subscription or check out the 24/7 channel over on Pluto TV. I may throw on an old season over the holidays once fall TV calms down, though I truly hope next year I'll have another season of Reindeer Games to watch and enjoy.