The Big Brother reality television show is drawing to a close this week in Australia. If you’ve never heard of it (?) the premise is that a group of people live together in a house continuously watched by TV cameras. Their only contact with the outside world is a disembodied voice called Big Brother who tells them what to do in order to stay in the house and get food. Every week the contestants nominate a few housemates for eviction and the public votes which one should be thrown out. The last man or woman standing wins a large cash prize. There was an absolutely brilliant take-off of the Big Brother show involving zombies a couple of years back called ‘Dead Set’. I highly recommend it if you like a good scare and a bit of a laugh.

I’m a huge sucker for the Big Brother phenomenon which is one of those TV shows you tend to either love or loathe. What I enjoy watching are the small incremental ways the housemates change (or your impression of them changes) as the show unfolds.

There are two Tarot cards that I think sum up the Big Brother experience as follows:

The Fool: The Unexpected! Big Brother is full of surprises. The contestants have no idea what’s going to happen from one week to the next. Nor does the audience. There are many unpredictable elements. Who the contestants will choose to put up for eviction. Who the public will choose to evict. And who will hook up inside the house. Close proximity and boredom can make the most unlikely of bedmates (as is happening right now on BBAU9!)

The Emperor: Big Brother! Full of rules and regulations. Woe betide a contestant if they don’t do what he says. They’ll be put in the naughty corner, or in the worse case scenario, chucked out of the house.

(Of course those who loath Big Brother might be experiencing the Four of Cups when they watch: Apathy!)

Can you think of any other Tarot cards that symbolize the Big Brother experience?