Did a Survivor win Big Brother?

Big Brother 28 is over after 41 episodes, and the season that began with three reality TV “icons”—Survivor alum Rick Devens and Dee Valladares, and Big Brother alum Angela Murray—starting the game on third base ended with one of them crossing home plate.

Yes, Rick Devens won $750,000 and becomes the first Survivor to win Big Brother. He defeated Taylor Brown 6-1 after betraying and evicting his lackey Drew Campbell. Devens also won $50,000 for being voting viewers’ favorite.

Who knew that, in 2026, a rich, famous white guy, given all the advantages in the world by the people in the back rooms controlling the game, could persevere with the help of a discardable flunky, and take the prize and the fan-favorite cash thanks to a giant media corporation that sells a half-assed version of that story to the public?

But there’s also a giant asterisk that comes along with Devens win. People who’ve been on reality TV before already have a huge advantage over new players, which is why I am completely over these kinds of casting twists.

All Survivor and Big Brother players? Sure. Three of them versus a bunch of starry-eyed newbies scared to do anything to alienate their heroes and/or annoy fans? No thanks.

In the jury’s brief house discussion, Lala said the icons “already had something to help propel you forward,” pointing out that Devens’ fans in the house and those voting outside of the house gave him even more of an advantage.

Because this is Big Brother, and the producers love to create the most imbalanced playing field possible, they gave Angela, Dee, and Devens a massive head start: one of them was guaranteed to win the first HOH. They stuck together, and with the power in their hands, of course, and found some remoras willing to do their bidding all season.

In a wild final twist, during the finale, Jason De Puy came out in drag as Salina EsTitties. And that’s when Julie Chen Moonves Christ introduced him as a fourth icon, who’s been on RuPaul’s Drag Race and its all-star season. But the gay Latino didn’t get any of the advantages of the other icons, and wasn’t even called an icon all season, so pretending he’s one during the finale is so little, way too late.

The only thing that saved BB28 from becoming an icon final three was Big Brother’s format, which allows power to flip week to week, and Barrett finally actually did something and nominated them all together in week nine.

Sure, Devens played the game. For example, he won two challenges to save himself from being at risk of being voted out. He became surrogate dad to Drew, who’s apparently been going on every show imaginable to find a famous reality TV star to latch on to, and used Drew like a marionette.

But Devens still started the game without ever having to face a batter and try to get on base, and just needed a couple of hits to send him home. (Apologies, baseball fans, for the sports metaphor.)

Even Devens acknowledge his advantaged position in his final plea to the jury: “I understand that there were privileges that came with being an icon.” Yep, 800,000 of them.

All of reality blurred’s content is independently selected, including links to products or services. However, if you buy something after clicking an affiliate link, we may earn a commission. Learn more.