The Traitors Recap: Ding Dong

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Dorinda is increasingly frustrated, and she’s taking it out on Ron Funches. While waiting for news about the previous night’s murder at breakfast, she confronts him for constantly switching between playing the victim and pointing fingers, and for not making any effort to connect with her. However, will he even be around to hear her out? As it turns out, yes – and no one is shocked to see him arrive, given that everyone suspects him of being a “Traitor.” The most entertaining part of breakfast, though, was seeing Dorinda learn that Colton was secretly closeted during his time on The Bachelor, and her regret at not pursuing a relationship with him when he appeared straight.

As expected after their secretive meeting, the Traitors unfortunately chose to eliminate Monet when he started to suspect Lisa. It was a mistake he didn’t share this with anyone besides Candiace, who was also a Traitor. During a toast to Monet’s memory, Colton praised his style, and Lisa subtly corrected him, saying he was “one of the best dressed.” It was a remarkably tone-deaf moment.

This week’s challenge involves searching for coins in the fountain. These coins will lead them to statues, which they need to retrieve and place back in the fountain to reactivate it and add money to the prize fund. However, there’s a catch: hidden among the statues are shields. If no one collects a shield, the planned ‘murder’ (a game element) won’t happen. But if anyone takes a shield, the ‘murder’ will proceed. Before they can even think about this dilemma, they all have to wade into the fountain. Candiace jokingly worries about potential health issues from the water, playfully referring to her concerns with a candid remark, continuing her reputation for humorous and expressive commentary.

Honestly, the whole challenge was amazing because for most of it, nobody even tried to cheat and grab a shield. But then, at the very end, the temptation really hit. What made it extra tricky was that the last two teams facing the final statues were given four shields each – enough for everyone on their team to easily swipe one without anyone noticing. In the end, all the statues got placed, the fountain dramatically started flowing red (it looked like the Kool-Aid Man had gotten hurt!), and the prize money climbed to $106,000. Still, it’s driving me crazy – did anyone actually take a shield? We never find out!

Things got awkward back at the castle when Ron unexpectedly overheard Dorinda and Stephen talking about him—I often forget Stephen is even on the show! They asked how he was doing, and Ron bluntly stated he believed Michael and Dorinda were the Traitors, saying it directly to Dorinda. It’s always interesting to see how people do on this show; some, like Candiace, really shine and become more popular, while others who were well-liked before seem to struggle. This game just doesn’t suit Ron, and he’s not coming across well. He’s a comedian, but he hasn’t made anyone laugh once, instead being either confidently incorrect or, as in this episode, just impolite.

Colton is now focusing on Michael, jokingly comparing his appearance to a wax figure made of slime. He notes that everyone who voted for Michael early in the game has since been eliminated, except for Yam Yam. When Michael and his allies gather in the kitchen, Colton casually asks if Alan switches costumes during the challenge, intentionally trying to unsettle him. This works, causing Michael to get visibly upset and angrily accuse Colton of being a traitor.

The discussion immediately returns to the tension from the kitchen, with Michael labeling Colton as “conniving” and, somewhat inaccurately, “commiserating.” He accuses Colton of being a “Traitor” based on his decision to banish Tiffany, saying no one is better at keeping secrets. This quickly escalates when Michael brings up Colton’s past, revealing homophobic sentiments. Colton responds, questioning why Michael would bring up a painful part of his life. The rest of the group immediately defends Colton, strongly criticizing Michael for his insensitive remark. Johnny and Maura both call him out for using someone’s forced secrecy against them, with Maura describing the comment as a “very low blow.” Everyone is appalled by Michael’s behavior, and even his attempt to backtrack and repeat his earlier phrase is the final straw for Rob.

Rob finally explained that ‘commiseration’ means feeling sympathy for someone, after Michael incorrectly insisted it didn’t. Rob, clearly frustrated by what he saw as Michael’s lack of knowledge, admitted it had been bothering him throughout the entire discussion. It’s particularly surprising to be corrected on a simple word by someone who appeared on Love Island USA, highlighting how out of touch Michael Rapaport seems.

Ron calls Michael a traitor, but insists Dorinda is just blindly following him. Dorinda is hurt by this, especially considering how much effort she’s made to connect with Ron and learn about his life. Ron sharply responds, telling her he doesn’t want her knowing anything about his personal life or family, and that his family is none of her concern. I was shocked by how aggressively he spoke to her. It felt strange that he was yelling and cursing at a woman who was simply trying to get to know him. It’s as if Ron came on the show determined to prove to his former fans that he’s actually unpleasant, but thankfully, the other contestants are currently focused on other issues.

Everyone was relieved when Michael Rapaport was finally voted out. It wasn’t even about suspecting him of being a traitor – people simply couldn’t stand being around him anymore. When he revealed he was one of the ‘Faithful,’ no one was surprised or upset to see him go – they actually preferred it. It was the first time the group collectively felt good about eliminating a ‘Faithful’ player. However, Alan’s refusal to say whether anyone used a shield during the mission left everyone worried about a potential murder that night.

Colton is in a difficult position after failing to connect with two people, but instead of backing off, he immediately starts focusing on Lisa. He tells the group she’s been too quiet in discussions and overreacts to the morning announcements. When Yam Yam points out that Lisa’s story was verified, Colton argues it’s because she had multiple opportunities to review it. He was clearly prepared to challenge her. Luckily for Lisa, Rob overhears the conversation and later shares what he heard when they return to the observation area.

The group has decided Colton needs to be eliminated, but they’re unsure if they’ll even get the opportunity because of the protective measures around him. This creates a really difficult situation for me. I’ve been supporting the ‘Traitors’ throughout this game, but now they’re targeting someone I owe a huge debt to – the person who finally got me away from Michael Rapaport. I worry Colton might end up sacrificing himself, but I hope he gets to enjoy the safe haven he built by getting rid of that awful person.

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2026-01-16 06:55