‘Big Brother Reindeer Games’: Fans React After Dramatic Finale

Martin Holmes
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Nicole Franzel, Cameron Hardin, Frankie Grande, Josh Martinez, Taylor Hale, Britney Haynes, Cody Calafiore, Danielle Reyes, and Xavier Prather for 'Big Brother Reindeer Games'
Sonja Flemming/CBS

Big Brother Reindeer Games

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Big Brother Reindeer Games, the surprise hit of the holiday season, came to a close on Thursday night (December 21) as the Christmas-themed spinoff crowned its first winner.

The two-week special kicked off on CBS on December 11 and saw nine former Big Brother houseguests enter “Santa’s Lodge” where they battled it out in a series of holiday-themed competitions in an effort to “save Christmas.”

Those nine returning players were Xavier Prather, Taylor Hale, Nicole Franzel, Frankie Grande, Cameron Hardin, Cody Calafiore, Danielle Reyes, Josh Martinez, and Britney Haynes. The show was hosted by fellow Big Brother alumni Derek Xiao, Tiffany Mitchell, and Jordan Lloyd.

Thursday’s finale came down to a face-off between Season 24 winner Hale and Season 18 winner Franzel. The pair had to scale a pile of foam pieces, navigate a maze, and build a tower out of snowflakes, and it was that last part that proved the trickiest.

Taylor Hale and Nicole Franzel on Big Brother Reindeer Games

Taylor Hale and Nicole Franzel on Big Brother Reindeer Games; CBS/X

In the end, Franzel completed the challenge first, winning the Reindeer Games and the $100,000 prize. This marks Franzel’s third appearance on Big Brother and her second win. “This really is the merriest time of year,” she said after her victory.

Franzel also shared a video of her and her family watching the finale; she revealed that she’d previously told her family that she finished second.

Long-time Big Brother fans went into Reindeer Games with some apprehension, with many expecting the spinoff to be cheesy and a waste of time. But the fan response has been super positive, with the series far exceeding expectations.

“Okay honestly BB Reindeer Games might be better than regular BB so swift and cut throat I love it,” wrote on fan on X (formerly Twitter).

#BBReindeerGames having more social strategy than the entire last month of #BB25 is the most surprising gift from this gleeful advent calendar of a show,” said another.

“This years new Reindeer Games was the best of all the BB. Way to go. Loves the games and the format,” another added.

Big Brother has been on the air since 2000 and recently wrapped up its 25th regular season. In that time, the show has also produced various spinoffs, including two editions of Celebrity Big Brother and the online exclusive, Big Brother: Over The Top.

Given the success of Reindeer Games, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this spinoff become a regular holiday tradition.

Check out more reaction below.

Big Brother Reindeer Games - CBS

Big Brother Reindeer Games where to stream

Big Brother Reindeer Games




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