http://www.buzzfeed.com/iramadison/but-first

Expect the unexpected as I rank every Big Brother contestant through season 16.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/big-brother-oral-history_55c511cee4b0f1cbf1e51830?ir=Entertainment&ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000027

It's hard to imagine, but in the summer of 2000, there was no such thing as "The Bachelor." There was no "Amazing Race," no "American Idol," no "Fear Factor" and no "Project Runway." CBS took a lofty gamble in green-lighting a little something called "Survivor," which premiered on May 31 and became a runaway success. By July 5, it found a partner in "Big Brother," a show that locked 10 strangers in a house on a studio lot in Los Angeles and left them to battle for a $500,000 prize. The network purchased the rights to the Netherlands series of the same name -- a reference to George Orwell's 1984 -- for an estimated $20 million. The series, which asked viewers to vote for one of two houseguests to be banished each week, faced dwindling ratings and critical pans, even after luring a handful of dedicated viewers with online live-feeds that provided 24/7 access. Despite the unfavorable reception, CBS renewed the show for a second season, rebooting the format so that houseguests competed weekly to be crowned Head of Household and then voted to evict one another. Ratings increased, critics came around and a reality-television sensation was born.

Today, "Big Brother" is in its 17th season, attracting 5 to 7 million viewers per episode and feeding a legion of loyal fans who've made the show a summer staple. Each season employs twists, some more enticing than others, but the structure remains the same: Julie Chen shepherds 12 to 16 houseguests through three months of competitions, alliances, evictions and showmances, all in the name of the show's mantra -- "expect the unexpected."

Heading into this season's first double eviction, The Huffington Post turned to 15 former contestants to trace what it's like to participate in one of reality TV's fixtures. The show's producers declined to comment, so consider this a houseguest tell-all, patched together via individual, lengthy conversations with each person. Now you have one minute to gather your belongings and settle in because it's time to eavesdrop on the houseguests.

THE HOUSEGUESTS:
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