The Traitors

[Utter Shit]

Anyone been watching this? Fun gameshow on BBC2 based on the social deduction game Mafia/Werewolf.

There's a group of 20-odd 'faithfuls', but three of them are the eponymous 'traitors' who kill one of the faithfuls each night. The group have to work out who the traitors are, and vote someone out each day, gradually whittling the group down until there is a winner (tbh I don't quite understand how they get an individual winner but whatever) who wins up to £120k.

It's about halfway through the run and it's very entertaining. Loads of drama, mostly as a result of people getting extremely angry about being lied to by other contestants, despite that being THE ENTIRE POINT OF THE GAME.

[shoulders]

Have played this as a card game, it's good fun.

[Wentworth Smith]

Watching and enjoying the beginning and the end but the tasks drag it down, they need to make them more integral or rethink them if it is to continue.

Love how everyone leaps on a person despite zero evidence and with wildly flawed reasoning (someone is quiet, someone showed emotion). Fun when the two guys came back in and immediately saw everyone had lost their minds... and presumably they will now go the same way. Hope the ADHD guy wins as seems a decent sort and saw that bald camp guy was a tosser.

[madhair60]

would be better if it was The Trotters

[ishantbekeepingit]

The Cambridge Five all standing in a row wearing shades while Livin La Vida Loca plays

[Ja'moke]

It's great fun, but agreed that the challenges are pretty dull (although a bit more interesting now that they've added the Shield element). But all the traitor-y stuff is enjoyable.

It's also interesting watching this version after having seen the Aussie version, which felt a lot more light and upbeat. I guess us Brits are not emotionally stable enough for these backstabbing type of game shows. God knows what Survivor UK is going to be like when it returns next year.

[iamcoop]

Yeah, became obsessed with how fucking foul this is almost immediately.

Just brings out the absolute worst in everyone.

I 100% agree that the tasks are dull as fuck, I'm just waiting for them to end so I can watch everybody turn into complete cunts and scream at each other again.

My partner is obsessed with her theory that another twist is that

Spoiler alert

Aaron is Amanda's son. I think she's basing this on the fact that they both work in property and after his massive meltdown when everyone turned on him at the round table she said something like "I felt like I was watching my own son go through that" but I think if this was the case the viewer would've been told that information by now and also she's very welsh and he's very Essex. So she's WRONG WRONG WRONG.

[close]

It's a shame

Spoiler alert

John

[close]

left so early as he really was a fantastically nasty and narcissistic bully and I want more people like that please.

[BritishHobo]

I'm not sure I can bring myself to watch it, because every clip I've seen, everyone seems dialled up to 11 emotionally. It looks exhausting!

I always got the vibe from The Circle that UK contestants operate in this baffled middle-ground when it comes to these shows. In the US and Australia everyone gets into the spirit of it, but in the UK there's this bizarre thing where everyone is accusing everyone else of 'gameplaying', during the game they're all playing. Nobody has clean hands!

[jobotic]

Among Us?


Saw a clip and fucked if I'm watching a game show where everyone is screaming and shouting and crying. You don't get that on Tipping Point!

[JamesTC]

*enters thread ready to write Rodney Traitor joke*

would be better if it was The Trotters

*leaves thread*

[Alberon]

We chanced on the show in the third or fourth episode and we were both laughing about how shit it was.

Then we were hooked. It's utter wank, but watching them tear into each other based on apparently nothing is fascinating. Don't know where the BBC found all these people who are treating it as actually life and death, but I'm glad they did.

We record it and skip through the middle bit. Apparently there's some money up for grabs, but I don't care about that.

Attack someone for not being genuine! Kill Kill KILL!!!

I'm not proud of myself.

[Ja'moke]

I always got the vibe from The Circle that UK contestants operate in this baffled middle-ground when it comes to these shows. In the US and Australia everyone gets into the spirit of it, but in the UK there's this bizarre thing where everyone is accusing everyone else of 'gameplaying', during the game they're all playing. Nobody has clean hands!

Yeah, it's very odd. Probably due to years of Big Brother viewers voting out anyone who even shows a hint of "playing the game."

That's why I'm worried about Survivor UK, which the BBC is reviving next year. That's a show all about gameplaying, strategy, and backstabbing. They NEED to get the casting right for that show.

[Utter Shit]

These lot have lost the plot, a huge drama because one of them admitted to being an actor. She's had a couple of walk-on parts in soaps that require thousands of extras a year, she hasn't revealed herself to be Patricia Routledge.

[BritishHobo]

Were the traitor roles randomly assigned? If so it seems baffling that they keep getting so outraged and mistrusting about revelations like that (such as the bloke revealing he was in a relationship with another contestant). None of that stuff would have any bearing on who is a traitor, right?

[shoulders]

Maybe there should be tv game shows where you hunt and blackmail oligarchs and tech billionaires and redistribute their money.

[Utter Shit]

That twist was so dumb. Why would turning down the £3k prove that she is trustworthy? All that decision really shows is whether you think you have a chance of winning the big prize and are willing to risk a smaller guaranteed figure. It's a financial decision, nothing to do with trust.

[Snrub]

Were the traitor roles randomly assigned? If so it seems baffling that they keep getting so outraged and mistrusting about revelations like that (such as the bloke revealing he was in a relationship with another contestant). None of that stuff would have any bearing on who is a traitor, right?

The in-show explanation is they are chosen by Claudia after making their case on why they would be a good Traitor (assume the decision was actually made by the producers after listening to those reasons. Hope not though, Claudia is ace in this)

Agree, the twist was dumb. The money on offer was way too low - vs the amount potentially still to win - for it to work. 10k minimum and it gets more interesting.

[Alberon]

Claudia is perfect for this and playing it very well. Solemn in the boardroom bit and taking the piss just about everywhere else.

The tasks raise prize money but the point of them is to get the contestants to bond so the banishments and murders wind them up so much more.

Presumably this will get a second series, but I wonder if the shine will rub off now people understand how it works.

[Utter Shit]

My main worry is that as the show becomes popular, you get more fame-hungry twats applying. The joy of this show is that it's a relatively normal bunch.

[C_Larence]

I'm convinced I could get everyone in there to kill themselves within three days of the game starting. Go on, I heard a producer say you'd get more screen time if you do it

[seepage]

The joy of this show is that it's a relatively normal bunch.

Is that amount of crying and hyperventilating relatively normal?

[Ja'moke]

Presumably this will get a second series, but I wonder if the shine will rub off now people understand how it works.

I also wonder if in future series the contestants will realise that trying to find the traitors isn't that important in the early stages. There are 22 contestants, the majority have to be eliminated, whether traitor or faithful, so it's really a numbers game to start with.

[Blinder Data]

I'm loving this nonsense. you might as well fast forward the tasks though, they're useless. it's all about the roundtables - the battle between Wilfred and Alyssa, with Amanda delivering the final blow, was great telly.

the bunch they've selected are a bit too innocent. play the game, guys! I can't believe Alex refused to become a traitor - it would've added so much

I'm in awe of Amanda who is ice cold and should win it for her almost faultless performance. unfortunately for her I think she's been a bit too cool and now that the group is decreasing in size it won't be long before they latch onto her as the next unknown and herd mentality kicks in. I reckon wilfred to win it then have a mental breakdown due to guilt.

[Wentworth Smith]

I'm trying a different tack as nothing else has worked, and I didn't like the way they just turned on Amanda.

That's why I've chosen Blinder Data as a traitor. Sorry, I hope I'm wrong.

[Ja'moke]

Kieran has an easy shot of taking the full prize money now. Accept the traitor offer (I mean, it's either that or go home), get Wilf booted, job done.

[JesusAndYourBush]

I'm thinking choosing another traitor might turn out to be a bad move... what if one traitor gets the choice of 'share or shaft'.

[Utter Shit]

Is that amount of crying and hyperventilating relatively normal?

Yeah fair point, although the fact they all seem to be in that mindset suggests it's quite a stressful and emotional experience...I guess what I meant was that it doesn't seem performative, those heightened emotions feel like they are a result of the situations they're in and not either put on for the cameras or coming from people who have been deliberately picked because they're like that. Obviously the producers would  have had that in mind because they don't want 22 boring people, but it doesn't feel like latter day Big Brother where the plan was very clearly "let's get as many unstable fame hungry twats into the house as possible and wind them up".

[Utter Shit]

I'm in awe of Amanda who is ice cold and should win it for her almost faultless performance. unfortunately for her I think she's been a bit too cool and now that the group is decreasing in size it won't be long before they latch onto her as the next unknown and herd mentality kicks in. I reckon wilfred to win it then have a mental breakdown due to guilt.

Excellent prediction! I dunno if Wilfred will win it, but he's already having the breakdown.

I felt like that twist was a bit underwhelming...I mean it wasn't really a decision for Kieran to make, was it. There was no real upside to refusing to be a traitor, and even if you did consider staying loyal to the faithful (and falling on your sword in the process) was a reasonable choice to make, Kieran is probably the least likely of all of them to go that way.

The real twist for me yesterday was Meryl getting so excited about finally having a task that she had an advantage in, only to immediately be terrible at it anyway.

[Blinder Data]

I love that Wilfred's defence for betraying Amanda was "I don't trust her". Poor lass looked absolutely blindsided by his betrayal! It was a good move but probably came too early.

Getting another Traitor on board makes it more interesting for the viewer and clearly Wilfred needs some emotional support. I think he stands a good chance of winning it with Kieran or solo after throwing him to the wolves. But he needs to be careful because I could see Kieran deciding to reveal all if he feels under threat.

Kieran has an easy shot of taking the full prize money now. Accept the traitor offer (I mean, it's either that or go home), get Wilf booted, job done.

I think the heightened atmosphere, as well Kieran's inexperience with the role of the Traitor, would make this action difficult. I can't see him suddenly becoming as effective as double-crossing as Wilfred.

The producers should definitely not be afraid to change the formula to create situations that throw doubt (e.g. the "who do you trust most" at the table) because the Faithfuls take their role way too seriously.

[kalowski]

My kids love this but all I see is a bunch of worthless narcissistic wankers (and the people on The Traitors aren't much better ).