The Traitors Has a Glaring Flaw When It Comes to the Actual Game

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The third installment of “The Traitors” has concluded, with an unexpected group of four winners, the Faithfuls, dividing a comparatively small $204,000 winnings. This is significantly less than the winning team on “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” who took home $300,000 and only had to split it among three members. For the first time in the U.S. version, the victors are not former participants from social-strategy competition shows. Instead, we have a unique mix: Reality TV star Dolores Catania from “The Real Housewives”, Bachelor alum Gabby Windey, internet personality Dylan Efron, and royal figure Lord Ivar Mountbatten. To put it simply, this was not the team many anticipated would make it to the final.

Although some might argue that the season as a whole wasn’t impressive, it certainly wasn’t a flop. In fact, quite the opposite is true. The fireworks from the Traitors’ turret were as spectacular as they’ve ever been, and witnessing Danielle Reyes, Boston Rob Mariano, Carolyn Wiger, and Bob the Drag Queen sabotage their own games by going after each other was an exhilarating experience. To top it off, both Dylan and Gabby were incredibly endearing personalities who made smart moves throughout the season, making their victories all the more gratifying.

The show “The Traitors” is entertaining, but it also leaves me feeling extremely aggravated at times. For instance, characters like Dolores (who I adore!) and Ivar (who are clearly defined) managed to win the season without employing any strategic moves or, in Dolores’ case, even guessing correctly about who the Traitors were. This inconsistency is quite noticeable, and it’s disappointing because the show’s creators could adjust certain aspects to improve the competitive aspect of the game. By examining a given season of “The Traitors” and breaking it down into four key elements – casting, selection and replacement of Traitors, competitions, and strategy – it becomes clearer where the show excels and where it falls short.

Keep the Mix of Gamers and Misfits (But Dig Deeper)

The most effective aspect of “The Traitors” (U.S.) is its unique blend of contestants, including former participants from strategic reality shows like “Survivor,” “Big Brother,” and “The Challenge.” This mix has largely been successful as the “gamers” quickly jumped into action and utilized their prior experiences to create storylines right from the start. For instance, Danielle and Britney Haynes’ ongoing feud from “Big Brother: Reindeer Games” was a significant plot point throughout the entire season. On the other hand, the inclusion of non-competitive reality celebrities has also proven beneficial: this season features Dylan and Gabby, while last year saw Pilot Pete Weber, Phaedra Parks, and John Bercow; and in the first season, there was Kate Chastain. Despite Tom Sandoval’s lackluster gameplay, his expressive facial expressions and a cappella singing made up for it. Robyn Dixon, although she didn’t stay long, appeared more engaged on this show than during her recent seasons on “The Real Housewives of Potomac.

There’s still a lot of ground to cover, as Jeff Probst from Survivor grumbles about The Traitors stealing his alums. Regardless, he can only cast so many people for the upcoming 50th season of his show. Those who don’t make the cut might consider running to Alan Cumming’s fashion kilts. Here’s hoping the producers will stretch beyond the Gamer-Housewife mold and explore a wider range of reality TV stars. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Tim Gunn, Tabatha Coffey from Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran, and any of the many Top Chef/Food Network all-stars. How about putting Bobby Flay in that turret? This could mean fewer Ivars and more draws from the Vanderpump Rules well. Cast Scheana Shay and watch her break down when you bring Tom Sandoval back for another music challenge.

Ease Up on the Gamer Traitors

In that tower, Bob the Drag Queen, Boston Rob, Danielle, and Carolyn’s spontaneous rebellion was quite engaging, yet it underscored the boundary we should sometimes push when assembling strong-willed individuals as Traitors on the show. To keep season four fresh, perhaps consider breaking the mold and selecting one of the more reserved contestants to wear the Traitor mask instead. This could encourage them to step out of their comfort zone. It’s not about shaking things up for the sake of it; these players are savvy enough to understand how reality TV is made. They’re like intelligent velociraptors who know how to open doors, and producers should always be one step ahead.

It was clear, despite producers’ attempts to minimize it, that this season’s cast aggressively played the ‘meta game’. The cast primarily pointed fingers at individuals who appeared to be ‘Traitors’, which were suspected to be production choices. Given the mix of four Housewives and four Survivor alumni, the players believed one of each was probably a Traitor. They turned out to be correct about half the time, but there’s a solid explanation for why five out of the first seven eliminated players were either Housewives or Survivors. In The Traitors’ three seasons, producers have chosen four Survivor alums, three Big Brother alums, one Housewife, and one Drag Race queen as Traitors. To avoid repetition, they should steer clear of CBS reality alums in the future. Instead, the show could draw from the Housewives pool again. Phaedra was one of our best U.S. ‘Traitors’, and a clever move to ensure a Dolores doesn’t make it to the end based on poor reads and indecisive gameplay would be to make her a Traitor as well.

Make the Competitions Twistier

The main issue I consistently highlight when asked if I enjoy The Traitors is the need for the competitions to offer more than just monetary rewards. Spectators and participants alike seem uninterested in prize money, so it’s crucial that each competition includes elements that aid the Faithful in identifying the Traitors. The current strategy of having players act on instinct can be problematic because a single vague suspicion can lead to someone being eliminated. For instance, Nikki Garcia this season suffered due to Chrishell Stause misinterpreting one facial expression.

In each contest, it’s wise to include subtle indicators about the Traitors’ true selves. Learn from this summer’s popular reality series, Claim to Fame: Scatter intriguing clues around the competition zone that hint at aspects of the Traitors’ identities. This innovation could be readily implemented in the U.S. version, given that all participants are well-known personalities.

In each competition, the Traitors should have a hidden objective that either contradicts or runs alongside the main group’s goal. There could be a separate reward called “The Traitor’s Share” which would only be awarded to a Traitor if they win. This pot can be gradually filled every time a Traitor manages to secretly complete tasks during each challenge, not necessarily through sabotage as that can remain private with The Mole. To make it more challenging for the Faithfuls, the Traitors should be required to work covertly in a way that allows the Faithfuls to notice suspicious activities.

Additionally, it’s essential to introduce more contests where players are compelled to make social decisions and antagonize one another. The rafting challenge in this season’s premiere was a spot-on demonstration. The team had a collective objective, indeed, but at each milestone, they faced choices between being self-centered or altruistic. Those who acted selfishly were rewarded, while the selfless found themselves stranded and dejected on the lake. Fortunately, we narrowly avoided Dorinda going off like a Berkshire wildfire during those hours, and such tension should occur regularly.

Nullify the “Traitor Angel” Strategy

The “Traitor Angel” strategy is a tactic that becomes evident when you’re deeply involved in Reddit forums or listening to podcasts related to Survivor. This strategy stems from Season 2, where Sandra Diaz-Twine, on Survivor, essentially manipulated the game during a poolside meeting. Essentially, the “Traitors” game is similar to any elimination show, and if you have a strong enough alliance, you can decide who gets eliminated. Since winning the game isn’t about removing the most Traitors but surviving until the end and then eliminating the remaining ones, it would be wise for alliances to vote out members perceived as threats and keep potential Traitors within their ranks, as it’s more beneficial to have them loyal rather than risk eliminating them and starting over with new potential Traitors.

The strategy known as “The Traitor Angel” suggests focusing on identifying a traitor, forming an alliance with them, and ultimately expelling them to win the game while pocketing the prize money. It appears that both Britney and Dylan may have been following this approach with Danielle, and they’ve admitted to it. (Britney and Danielle emphasized during the reunion that Danielle never revealed herself as a traitor because it would violate the rules, but Britney still suspected.)

This approach works well for Loyalists, but it’s detrimental for Traitor producers, as they prefer not to disclose a method that bypasses the core mechanics of the game. Consequently, if they can’t broadcast the Strategy of the Traitor Angel on air, they must devise ways to make the game more intricate, rendering that strategy less beneficial.

A proposal put forth by Tony Vlachos following his elimination suggests encouraging votes against Traitors and potentially penalizing votes against Loyal players. For instance, if a player votes to expel a Faithful member and they are indeed banished, the voter could be considered guilty of murder for that night. Alternatively, a successful vote to remove a Traitor rewards the voter with a hidden advantage to use later on in the game. To make it more strategic to bring a Traitor to the end, the show should increase the risks associated with this play.

In the final moments before the game began, an unexpected element was added – the Seer, who could privately question any other player about their loyalty and receive a truthful answer. However, this addition came too late in the season to have much impact. Nevertheless, it’s a fascinating concept. Since The Traitors is essentially a rebranded version of Mafia, the creators might consider incorporating additional roles like the Prosecutor. This role would aim to rally the group to eliminate one specific player; if they fail, they are eliminated instead. This game, while quite absurd, becomes even more intriguing with Alan Cumming’s flamboyant performances. There should be no restrictions on the number of twists he can introduce into the game.

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, here’s how I would rephrase it: If “The Traitors” is indeed a series centered around paranoia and suspicion, the game mechanics should intensify these elements. Instead of simply declaring, “I swear, I am 100 percent loyal!”, the characters should present evidence to support their claims. For instance, “I witnessed Derrick taking a chalice from the chapel during the competition, and I think the book about the Boston Tea Party left on the floor points towards Rob. Moreover, as the Witness, I know one of the Traitors was in the kitchen during the murder that occurred last night.

More clues. Fewer vibes. Scheana for season four.

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2025-03-08 03:56