Everything you need to know about Big Brother season 19 before the premiere

Big Brother season 19 is almost here; here’s everything you need to know.

At long last, the new season of Big Brother is here. But before the premiere on Wednesday at 8/7 central, you may want to brush up on all the essential information. (Alternatively, you could just go in entirely blind, which is also an experience.)

In any case, here’s a primer to get you ready.

The host

But first…of course it’s Julie Chen! Our beloved Chenbot returns to once again guide us through the ups, downs and drama of another season of Big Brother.

The schedule

BB19 kicks off at 8/7 central on Wednesday June 28, 2017 with a two-hour debut. CBS All Access and the 24-hour stream goes live after that. Then, starting Sunday, the show hits its routine Sunday / Wednesday / Thursday schedule. On Sundays and Thursdays, Big Brother airs at 9/8 central — Thursdays is, once again, the Live Eviction episode.

The cast

If you haven’t already, CBS invites you to meet the cast before they move in. The 16 houseguests range in age and vary wildly in background. (There’s a rodeo clown, a cosplay artist, a microbiologist, a government engineer, a fitness superstar, among others.)

The house

The house…well the house is sort of ugly this year. At the very least, it’s super gaudy. Leaning heavily into the theme (more on that in a moment), there’s a lot of money, a lot of gold and a lot of apples. The BB19 crew also really went in on displays of big words dramatically staged on the wall. See photos and explore in more detail.

The theme (and the twists)

…Is temptation. In addition to driving the apple-heavy decor, temptation will also be woven throughout the game with various twists tempting the houseguests with money, power or safety. Of course, the rewards will come with risks and repercussions — the guests may have to pay for or be held accountable for later in the game.