The Traitors UK has been a smash hit for the BBC this past month, with Series 2 viewing figures far surpassing those of Series 1. And with the show ending tonight, it seems like a good time to look ahead to Series 3.
The Traitors – which has contestants competing in a murder-mystery game for a huge cash prize – had the nation on the edge of its collective seats across 12 nail-biting episodes. And you can find out who literally just won Series 2 here.
The drama has come thick and fast, with Traitor Paul initially pulling the strings in Machiavellian fashion, before dark horse Harry proved to be even more diabolical, transforming from sweet and seemingly innocent, into baby-faced assassin.
Series highlights came in the shape of beloved mum Diane drinking from a poisoned chalice, and son Ross having to attend her funeral, then endeavouring to avenge her death. It was Hamlet 2, playing out on a BBC gameshow, and the action sent social media into meltdown, while audiences devoured it in record numbers.
What we want from The Traitors UK Series 3
So what does The Traitors have to do to stay on top? Series 2 was bigger and better than Series 1, resulting in huge viewing figures, with the BBC reporting that “The Traitors has cemented its place as the biggest entertainment show on demand/VOD across all broadcasters and streamers in at least the last two years.”
So how does the show maintain that position? The following are our suggestions, based on how this season has played out, what international Traitors are doing, and how other reality shows have succeeded and failed.
Keep fame-hungry wannabes out
I’m not usually a fan of reality TV, as too often their casts are filled with fame-hungry wannabes; narcissists who are less interested in the show they are on, and more focused on building their brand and securing sponsorship deals once filming has finished.
The Traitors has avoided this pitfall by casting nice, normal people who seem to be concerned with The Traitors, and only The Traitors. We’ll doubtless see Diane and Ross on Gogglebox in the near future, but it doesn’t feel like that was their purpose for entering the show.
The likeable lineup gives audiences multiple contestants to root for, and makes it genuinely upsetting when a good person goes out. So keep it that way, by keeping the wannabes out.
Change the game
For a reality show to have longevity you’ve got to change the game, to keep contestants – and as a by-product, the audience – on their toes. Series 2 of The Traitors did that masterfully by making shields available during tasks.
These medallions prevent contestants from being murdered, but grabbing one suggests you are putting your own needs before the needs of the team. Making you a seemingly bad Faithful. Which was fun to watch play out. But then puppet-master Harry figured out how to use this defence mechanism in a much more interesting way.
His claim that the Traitors had tried to murder him but were thwarted by his shield was brilliant, instantly deflecting any accusations that might have come his way, and keeping him in the game. It was a genius move, so we need more iterations like this to keep the Traitors fresh and unpredictable.
Keep celebrities out
I watched Season 1 of The Traitors US, and loved Alan Cumming as the host. Maybe more than Claudia (please don’t cancel me for that). But using reality stars as contestants was and is a huge mistake.
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Real Housewives and Below Deckers are just too knowing, and too self-aware, hamming it up for the cameras, and endeavoring to maintain whatever reputation they have built up in their previous appearances on TV. Making it all feel too contrived.
There’s an innocence to the civilian cast that makes the UK show more relatable. And therefore sadder when these normies are murdered. And much more shocking when they turn.
More connected contestants
In theory, the contestants should be meeting for the first time at the start of Episode 1. But The Traitors threw a spanner in the works during the first series by featuring a couple: Alex and Tom. Which was fun for a bit – but then Tom had a meltdown, revealed they were together, and pretty much scuppered both their chances of victory.
This approach worked much better in Series 2 thanks to mother-son team Diane and Ross. Firstly because – in a bizarre turn of events – contestants thought Diane was Paul’s mother. Then we learned the truth, and it was a blast watching the pair have fun with their secret, via jokes about her roast dinners, and nods and winks to the camera for the benefit of everyone watching.
What followed kicked the show into high gear, with the poison, the murder, the funeral, and the revenge mission making for scintillating television, and the best Traitors action in either series. So more of that connective tissue in Series 3, please.
Keep the audience in the dark
The current format of show works brilliantly, with the audience knowing the identity of the Traitors throughout, and therefore always one step ahead of the Faithfuls. So no issues there.
BUT, how about alternate edits where the audience is kept in the dark, having the same information as the Faithfuls, and therefore no idea who is right and who is wrong during the roundtable votes?
Stick this cut on iPlayer, and it would result in a completely different way of watching the show for those who enjoy the mystery, and want to play along.
Do a proper reunion show
Post-show podcast ‘Traitors Uncloaked’ – which also goes out on BBC 2 – is a blast. Ed Gamble is a fantastic host, while it’s it’s nice to see your favorite Faithful holding a glass of bubbly straight after they’ve been murdered.
Watching former contestants have the identity of Traitors revealed to them by other former contestants is also an hilarious addition to the format, as some of those reactions have been priceless.
Uncloaked featured all the winners tonight, with more contestants in the audience. But in future, let’s have a huge reunion show the night after, to discuss the twists and turns of those 12 episodes, while watching enemies become friends. Plus it’d be a relief to see that everyone is alive and well after all that death.
