TV Notes: 'Big Brother' Overhaul

May 30 -- Big Brother will be undergoing some big changes before the second season kicks off.

CBS was disappointed by the reality series' ratings last time around, so it's brought in Emmy-winning producer Arnold Shapiro to give the show a face-lift and instill some Survivor-style conflict.

When the second installment begins July 5, there will be 12 residents instead of 10, and men and women sharing rooms in a bigger house. There will be more cameras, a basketball net instead of a chicken coop, and challenges that will have an effect on how the housemates live. And upping the nasty factor: Contestants will get to vote each other out, instead of the viewers doing the choosing.

Shapiro said the contestants will have personalities — unlike the hapless housemates from last season.

"I know the casting is going to be superb," Shapiro told Variety. "We have such good candidates to choose from. … They're delightfully quirky, outgoing, competitive and passionate about being on this program."

Host Julie Chen will be back, but the show will ditch the opening theme.

It will air three days a week — Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The Thursday episode will be aired live, and that's the day people get booted.

Big Brother is doing big business across the pond, where the second series is winning big audiences. Its Web site receives 1 million hits a day, and there's even a number cell phone users can call to get hourly updates, at 35 cents a pop.

Survivor Suit Update

The behind-the-scenes brouhaha over Survivor continues.

In case you've forgotten: A cast away castaway from the first installment, Stacey Stillman, filed suit claiming the show was rigged, and that host Mark Burnett manipulated other contestants into voting her out so that more audience favorites could stay on.

Burnett denies any tampering, but a deposition by another contestant seems to support Stillman's claim. Dirk Been, whose luxury item was a Bible, says Burnett suggested that he vote off Stacey and keep colorful codger Rudy.