Stick strangers in a house loaded with cameras and microphones, introduce manufactured stressors.

Big Brother is that "train wreck" show that you know you shouldn't watch, but you can't help it anyway. It's crass, lewd, tawdry, and always enjoyable.
The show typically starts with roughly 16 strangers (more than half generally on the extra-photogenic side) in a house with little privacy, and wired for non-stop video and sound capture. Each week two residents are placed up for eviction, and the housemates vote to kick one out. Sprinkled in the mix are challenges for food, luxuries, and the all-powerful veto, which can save a housemate from the chopping block. The show has been adding twists over the years to keep the formula fresh, including the surprise inclusion of ex-boy/girlfriends, and having a set of identical twins switch out every few days via the diary room, where the contestants vent and reveal their thoughts daily. This is in addition to the twists the players create themselves, as alliances are constantly shifting and knowing who you can trust can be very difficult.