As one of the longest running reality competition shows, The most recent season, Big Brother 23, aired in 2021.
The show has also launched two spinoff iterations. Big Brother: Over the Top was an exclusive to the now-defunct CBS All Access in 2016. It was well-received by fans, but there hasn't been a second season yet. On the other hand, Celebrity Big Brother, a shorter version of the traditional Big Brother game, has aired two seasons since 2018 and is set to debut Celebrity Big Brother 3 in February.
Due to the extensive catalog of Big Brother seasons, new viewers could have difficulty choosing where to start. The best season for new viewers to check out is Big Brother 20, perhaps the greatest season of the modern era. Season 20 represents the best aspects of the show's current era and few of the worst. The tone, pace, and strategy is on par with what a newer viewer could expect to see in forthcoming seasons, so it's perfect for someone who caught season 23 and is curious about former Big Brother seasons. It's also a great season to hook a potential fan as well, as the cast is multi-faceted and incredibly entertaining, and the gameplay is unpredictable in a way few Big Brother seasons are. Another option in this vein would be Big Brother 17, which similarly features great characters, thrilling strategy, and some of the show's most iconic blindsides.
If someone is seeking a more chronological approach to watching past Big Brother seasons, they should probably skip season 1 unless they're an absolute completist. The first season is, for all intents and purposes, a completely different show than the rest of Big Brother and has little bearing on future seasons. For those who might've gotten hooked on a recent season and want to dip their toe into old school Big Brother but don't feel the need to go in chronological order, they should definitely watch seasons 6 and 10 first. Both seasons bolster some of the most exciting and legendary moments in the show's history and introduced several players who would go on to become Big Brother icons. Seasons 2 and 3 also introduce some of the game's biggest legends and serve as interesting pop culture time capsules.
Big Brother certainly isn't for everyone, but for those who get drawn into it, the show becomes an addiction. Some seasons are definitely better than others, and almost every season has its share of slow stretches, but all in all, it's hard to quit the show after diving in. Even some of the less popular seasons can hook a new viewer due to the strength of the Big Brother concept, so new fans should definitely prepare to have a lot less time on their hands after jumping in.