The Traitors (U.S.) has returned for a third season and I am quickly remembering why the series snagged two Emmys last year. The competition show originated in the Netherlands in 2021 and has since spawned spinoffs in over 10 countries. The U.S. version premiered in January 2023 and featured a mix of reality TV celebs and “civilians.” Survivor star Cirie Fields made it to the end as a Traitor and stole the prize pot, becoming the sole victor of the first season. After Season 1, production chose to focus on only casting reality stars, which meant more big personalities and more drama.
The Traitors success is not puzzling. It has all the elements of a great competition show. The challenges are brutal, the strategy talk is plentiful, and the atmosphere is beautiful. Not to mention, Alan Cumming is an excellent host. I’m going on record saying The Traitors is the best reality show on TV right now.
Keep reading to find out why.
The Traitors is fresh
Most of the successful reality shows today have 10-plus seasons under their belt. Big Brother celebrated its 26th season last summer, Season 48 of Survivor is expected to air this Spring, and The Bachelor is (somehow) still producing new seasons after 23 years on air. While it’s certainly impressive that these shows have stood the test of time, the content is becoming a bit stale. The format of The Bachelor once felt revolutionary, but in the present day, it feels a bit archaic. The new twists added to Survivor have fallen flat with viewers, making them question if the show will ever be as good as it once was.
The Traitors offers something new. The concept of the show is riveting and fans tune in each week to see who will be murdered, and who will be banished.
The show’s newness makes the strategy talk more interesting than other long-running reality shows. These days, it’s rare for a Survivor or Big Brother player to come up with a new strategy that hasn’t been used in a previous season. Usually, they recycle moves made by previous players. But the contestants on The Traitors are looking at the game with fresh eyes. They are guinea pigs trying to figure out the best way to crack the system. I think that is why Big Brother legends like Dan Gheesling and Cody Calafiore struggled on the show because there is no rulebook yet.
The Traitors combines many fanbases
The Traitors casts stars from an array of reality series, including Bravo shows, The Challenge, The Bachelor, Big Brother, and more. They also throw in a few rando internet celebs as well. I’m so here for Zac Efron’s brother being in the castle this season. He’s being iconic! The combination of stars makes it so fun to be a Traitors fan. The series brings together so many fanbases that you talk about the show with pretty much anyone. I mean, I guess excluding people who don’t watch reality TV, but do those people even exist???
The Traitors forces reality stars to step out of their element and do something different. “Robyn Dixon is actually a good social strategist” is a sentence I uttered this year, which is crazy. It’s cool seeing the housewives play a game that is so different from their usual jobs. And I love seeing how the different franchises blend in the castle.
The Traitors has a fabulous host
A great host is essential and Alan Cumming fits the bill. The UK Native is a perfect fit for the Peacock series. He makes the show 10 times more fabulous with his amazing outfits and dramatic one-liners. A good host should feel like an extension of the show. Fans want to feel like the host cares about the series and isn’t just floating in-and-out reading lines. Alan is involved in every aspect of the show. He helps pick The Traitors, hosts challenges, and is present at every roundtable. I can’t imagine anyone else hosting the show but him. His performance on the show won him an Emmy last year, so clearly, I am not the only one floored by his hosting talents.
New episodes of The Traitors are released every Thursday on Peacock.
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