In just a few short years, The Traitors has become one of the best reality shows of all time. In addition to the US version of the show (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription), there are also a number of international versions including U.K. and Australia. Just like the American version, The Traitors U.K. is bringing celebrities into the castle... and I’ve got concerns.
The cast of The Traitors Season 3 is full of reality TV royalty, after seeing folks like Parvati Shallow and Sandra Diaz-Twine helped make the second season an Emmy nominated hit. It was recently reported by Variety that The Traitors U.K. will follow suit and bring celebrities into the game. But I'm concerned that the actual gameplay might suffer as a result.
The all-celebrity cast of The Traitors Season 2 in America helped make for some truly iconic television. Folks like Phaedra Parks were endless soundbites machines, which helped to make the show such a viral success. But the gameplay during the latter half of the season suffered, and fans were upset about how Season 2 ended.
While there isn't a cast full of reality TV royalty, the international version of The Traitors have had some of the best gameplay and strategy of the franchise. There aren't any preexisting relationships or alliances based on what show they were on, allowing contestants to vote each other off and battle until the end. So while they might not be as meme-able, those seasons offer next-level strategy.
So with The Traitors U.K. doing a celebrity season, I am definitely concerned that the actual gameplay will suffer. Obviously I can be proven wrong, and it should be interesting to see if it will be nearly as entertaining as the US version of the competition series. The comparisons are going to be real, especially since The Traitors uses the same challenges or the U.K. and US versions.
Another concern I have about The Traitors U.K. going with a celebrity cast is exactly who will make up the cast. Will it feature celebrities that folks on the other side of the bond will know and recognize, or will it be more niche for the U.K. audiences? There are some big shoes to fill, after the American version featured iconic faces from The Real Housewives, Survivor, Big Brother, and The Challenge.
The same report by Variety confirmed that Season 4 of The Traitors U.K. is coming, in addition to an upcoming season that'll feature celebrities. And as such, there will likely be plenty of comparisons from the fandom. We'll have to see how it all shakes out, and which of the upcoming installments end up providing the best gameplay.
The Traitors is streaming now on Peacock. Check the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
