Let’s be clear, I think a Kaycee and JC final two is unlikely. But it’s what I’d like to see — and not just because Tyler (even though he’s probably a very nice guy) would be a forgettable Big Brother winner. A Kaycee and JC finale is largely unexpected, and you know what they say in Big Brother land…

I know, I know. JC has engaged in unacceptable behavior inside the house, that led the producers to intervene (if not to remove him from the house, which is what some fans were demanding). But the fact remains that JC is still in the game. I’m aware that saying you’re rooting for a JC and Kaycee final two is like saying you want JC guaranteed at least $50,000, but… bear with me here. These are my reasons.

They Are Both Late Bloomers

Either late bloomers, or smart players, because neither had any competition wins until the final weeks. Then, all of a sudden, Kaycee was on fire — and JC won exactly when he had to, when everyone was certain he was next to be sent out the door. That kind of late-in-the-game showing-up-to-play is very satisfying from a viewer’s perspective.

And I’m not entirely convinced it’s accidental. Certainly we can assume now that Kaycee saved her competition prowess for the end stretch. She didn’t need to win before, and as a professional athlete, she would have been sure to make herself a target if she demonstrated the extent of her athletic ability from the outset. She was able to just rely on Level 6 for most of the season, but knew in the back of her mind she would eventually need a resume of competition wins to display to the jurors. (Well played, Kaycee. You had us all fooled.)

As for JC, well, let’s talk about that HOH win. Granted, the questions were not very difficult — watching from home, I got (almost) all of them right, if that means anything — but the fact is JC demonstrated he’s been paying attention, and he has a long (and accurate) memory. You can make fun of JC for trying his skills of manipulation on members of the house — which did work on some people (Scottie has JC to thank for getting him evicted through his whispers in Faysal’s ear; Brett was certainly listening to JC’s arguments which at the time actually made sense.) The fact that Tyler is through with JC doesn’t really matter, because at least right now, Tyler’s not the one who’s safe from eviction, is he?

They Both Had Unique Challenges

So, this is a bit harder to quantify, and really, I’d rather just focus on Kaycee here than JC. But let’s say that, at the beginning of every Big Brother season, you can look at the houseguests and make predictions about how they will make their mark in the game. There are the physical threats, the popular kids, the geniuses, the artsy folks, the spiritual healers (I’m looking at you, Kaitlyn). JC didn’t exactly have a box. He didn’t have a clear place to fit in with the group. It is, I imagine (but of course don’t know), much how JC experiences real life. No obvious place to fit, no clear allies, because it’s tough to see on the surface what he may or may not have to offer. I like the idea that JC’s talents are hidden, but ultimately rewarded, with a spot in the final 2.

As for Kaycee, she’s a lesbian. Hear me out on this one. No, I don’t think the Big Brother house is inherently homophobic. But I do think there’s a reason why it wasn’t until Big Brother 15 that the franchise saw its first openly gay winner (Andy Herren).

The environment inside the house is many things all at once. It’s your home, it’s your work (since conforming to the rules of the game and being forced to compete is inherent in the experience, it’s like you’re at work), it’s your social life. As a result the houseguests have to develop those short-term relationships within that small group of 16 people.

For a queer person, a showmance is probably not even a possibility. The sheer numbers just don’t work. In an interview before the season began, Kaycee said she thinks being in a showmance would make her a target anyway (at 9:19) — but Tyler probably thought the same thing before he started getting cozy with Angela.

Let’s remember that Tyler had an F2 with about a half dozen people. But he does not have one with Angela. What he has with her is an “unofficial” final two by virtue of the fact that they got romantically close (and are both part of Level 6). That kind of “unofficial” alliance is much harder to develop for a queer person just because the math isn’t in their favor. In the real world, there is only a small percentage of people who are actually gay. To get two both cast on a season of Big Brother — and to have them be interested in each other, to boot — would be like winning the lottery.

So even though Kaycee said she didn’t want a showmance, she was at a disadvantage because it was a tool removed from her arsenal before she ever set foot in the house. Other prospective houseguests say they are neutral on the idea of a showmance, or against the idea, but somehow end up in one anyway. Even on Big Brother 20, Bayleigh and Swaggy debated whether a showmance was wise for their games. But, unlike Kaycee, they had the option. It was easy for them to fall in (Big Brother style) love.

On this note, we can say that if it is a Kaycee and JC final two, that will be the first Big Brother season where both of the finalists are members of the LGBTQ+ community.

At the end, my money’s on — and my heart is rooting for — Kaycee. I think she deserves it. And someone has to put a wrench in Tyler’s walk to the end. Just so we can say that Rockstar’s wise words (spoken of Brett, not Tyler) were disproved, at least this one time.