We're in the middle of Big Brother Season 26, and The Traitors was just granted a big renewal, so many reality game show fans are having a ball at the moment. That's especially true on the heels of the premiere of yet another big show on USA Network that takes elements from both of those shows plus The Circle and turns it into yet another can't-miss game: The Anonymous.
With a cast that features contestants ranging from Big Brother Season 23 winner Xavier Prather to the "oral sex guy" from Netflix's documentary on Fyre Fest, they're just the icing on the cake. The Anonymous shines on its intriguing gameplay, which has the potential to entertain fans for many seasons. As someone who took the time to check it out in between streaming Big Brother, here's why I highly recommend it.
The Anonymous Taps Into Big Brother's Social Element By Having Contestants Live Together
The dormitory-style living situation in The Anonymous reminds me of Big Brother, as all the contestants are living in this picturesque house waiting for their next competition. The challenges are more collaborative than Big Brother, but there's definitely some gamesmanship in setting yourself up for success and making a case to diminish the contributions or efforts of others once you're in private.
For that reason, I'm reminded of Big Brother rather than The Traitors or maybe Survivor. In The Anonymous, you're playing the game on multiple levels at all times and have to be polished on all fronts, or you're likely headed home. Those who aren't playing the game will be eliminated quickly, which has me excited about this show's potential.
The Anonymous Takes The Circle's Digital Gameplay And Kicks It Up A Notch
The Anonymous hails from the same people responsible for The Circle, so if you watch and think the A.I. interface and chat looks very similar, that's why. Half of the episode features the contestants in isolation, using a chatroom in which their identity is only identified by an image they select in private upon entering the room. Everyone might have their guess on which player is behind each image, but there are no guarantees.
As some who have been online know, people can be a lot bolder when speaking anonymously. Such is the case of The Anonymous, in which contestants are doing everything they can to paint a target on someone's back and prevent others from discovering their identity.
After a healthy round of smack talk, everyone attempts to guess the identities of each picture. The person with the least number of correct guesses will be informed that they are "Anonymous" and have the power to eliminate anyone in the game that round who received at least one vote. That's a huge advantage, given they can take out anyone from the least voted or most, so there's plenty of incentive to ensure no one finds out your true identity.
It's similar to The Circle, which I once called a great Big Brother substitute, but it takes it all a step further. All of these contestants must then return to living together after all these intense conversations, and as one may guess, it can get heated. Paranoia runs rampant early, and all of a sudden the friendly vibes are out the door. It gets cutthroat quickly.
Overall, I give the thumbs up to The Anonymous, and think it'll become one of the best new reality shows – if not the best – in the 2024 TV season. Assuming reality television fans can pry themselves away from all the shows they're currently enjoying, this one is definitely worth a watch.
Catch The Anonymous on USA Network on Mondays at 11:00 p.m. ET. It'll be a show worth setting the DVR for, if you don't stay up that late, but let me say that I will be up and watching future episodes given what I've seen thus far.
