The Traitors Recap: Cabin Fever

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Let’s start with the fun stuff: why is Rob dressed like he’s from the show Home Improvement? Just a joke! The real question is whether someone was eliminated last night – and it all depended on whether anyone selfishly took a shield. If everyone had been honest and left the shields for the group, the Traitors would have had to let everyone live. But everyone made it to breakfast, which is good news for the faithful, but bad news for the Traitors and anyone hoping for fewer people competing for the smoked salmon.

With investigators struggling to identify new potential murderers, Ron and Colton remain the main focus, as they’ve both repeatedly targeted and eliminated other players. However, a new name has emerged: Lisa, who killed Monet. Colton is largely responsible for keeping Lisa in the conversation, as he consistently accuses others of being the killer. Interestingly, he’s right this time. He advises Dorinda to set aside her loyalty to the other Housewives and watch Lisa closely, and Natalie also notes that Lisa’s calm demeanor doesn’t match the dramatic personality they anticipated.

Rob is finding this competition particularly challenging because of his relationships with the other players. He’s friends with Colton, secretly working with Lisa, and unexpectedly bonding with Ron over their shared love of chess. Rob feels Ron isn’t doing well in the game because he’s shy and has a kind heart. Ron, in turn, tells Rob he recognizes him as a genuinely good person based on how he speaks about his own family. It’s interesting that Ron doesn’t seem to care about Dorinda’s family, yet he’s now getting close to Rob – I can practically picture Dorinda making mental notes for when they all reunite!

The most difficult part wasn’t choosing who to eliminate, but the challenge awaiting them in the cabin. They had to decipher clues inside the haunted building that matched a specific gravestone outside – finding the right one meant winning money or a protective shield. Before starting, they all agreed not to take a shield, though some, like Yam Yam, weren’t entirely convinced. Soon after, a clue appeared as if spelled out on a Ouija board. Another clue came in the form of a frightening woman who really scared Dorinda, who screamed so loudly it reminded everyone of Tinsley Mortimer! Ultimately, none of them chose the shields, which means the Traitors will have an easy time picking who to betray.

Back at the castle – which feels more haunted by past reality TV contestants than actual ghosts – everyone is debating whether to side with Ron or Colton. Rob is stuck in the middle and doesn’t want either option. It’s reminiscent of a U.S. presidential election. However, Colton tries a bold move before the next meeting, pulling Lisa aside to propose an alliance. He offers to protect her during the discussion if she’ll protect him in the earlier round, but Lisa isn’t fooled. It doesn’t make sense for Colton to suggest they win together, since a Traitor and a Faithful can’t team up successfully. It’s clear he hasn’t really thought this through, and Lisa isn’t naive enough to fall for it, so he’s actually alerted her to his potential betrayal before the discussion even starts.

As expected, the conversation quickly turned to Ron and the criticism he’s receiving for recent errors. He tried to explain that others have made similar mistakes, pointing to Colton as a prime example. However, the group also criticized Colton for creating confusion and repeatedly sending people home. This doesn’t reflect well on either Ron or Colton.

Ron takes a clever risk. Feeling cornered, he suggests everyone write down his name, hoping it will resolve the confusion and end the accusations – and he simply wants to say goodbye to each of them. As he does this, he begins to convince some people he’s innocent. Natalie starts to question whether he’s a traitor, and Tara interrupts to declare he isn’t, a sentiment Rob agrees with.

Everyone at the table seems ready to move on from Ron, so Colton, as the next potential target, starts arguing against Lisa. He begins by pointing out that she voted against Porsha, saying, “I don’t know much about the show, but you never go against a Housewife!” – which is ironically the core of what the show is about. The others agree that Lisa’s early vote against Porsha was odd, and they’ve also noticed she’s been unusually calm and relaxed.

Lisa sharply responds, accusing the person she’s talking to of being a ‘Traitor.’ She’s making a point of not repeating past dramatic behavior – like getting wild at a party or getting into a physical altercation – implying her current anger is more measured and direct.

The voting was incredibly close between Colton, Lisa, and Ron, leaving Rob in a difficult position. He ultimately decided to vote against Lisa, a risky move considering she barely survived the vote and will likely be angry with him. Sadly for Ron, despite a clever attempt to stay in the game, he was eliminated and revealed himself to be one of the Faithful. Dorinda won’t have much time to celebrate, though, as Alan announced there’s still more to come – a banquet where, unbeknownst to the Faithful, a murder is about to take place.

If Colton realized how dangerous things were about to become, he might not be pursuing Lisa so relentlessly. He tells her he’s willing to risk everything, even bringing them both down, just to get her away from the situation. Lisa responds by hinting she’s about to reveal a hidden, more assertive side of herself. However, when they rejoin the group, Lisa needs to clear up a misunderstanding Colton has.

After 36 years in the entertainment industry, Lisa Rinna wants everyone to know she’s far more than just a reality TV personality. She’s a multifaceted performer – an actress with roles like a guest spot on The Middle, and a businesswoman whose Los Angeles store was even targeted by robbers while she was appearing on the Today show. She firmly states she’s Lisa Rinna, first and foremost, and that identity existed long before Housewives and will continue long after. These bold declarations are precisely when her frequent use of the word ‘iconic’ actually feels justified.

Colton boldly declared he wanted the Traitors to eliminate him that night, reasoning that he’d be actively targeting their shields from then on. However, carrying out this plan won’t be easy. The Traitors have a dangerous new method: one of them must wear a cursed amulet, and whoever the Faithful touch it will be killed. Though we don’t see this happen in the episode, the final scene shows Lisa attaching the amulet to a ridiculous Donald Duck costume, which will have to tide us over until the next episode.

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2026-01-23 05:55