The Traitors (American TV series)
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The Traitors (also known as The Traitors US outside of the United States) is an American reality television series based on the Dutch series De Verraders. It is hosted by Scottish actor Alan Cumming.[1] The first season was released on Peacock on January 12, 2023. In February 2023, the series was renewed for a second season.[2]
| The Traitors | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | The Traitors US |
| Genre | |
| Based on | De Verraders by Marc Pos |
| Presented by | Alan Cumming |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 11 |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Production company | Studio Lambert |
| Original release | |
| Network | Peacock |
| Release | January 12, 2023 – present |
Following the premise of other versions of De Verraders, the show features a group of contestants participating in a game similar to the party game Mafia – in which a small group of contestants become the titular "Traitors" and must work together to eliminate the other contestants in order to win the grand prize. The remaining contestants are "Faithfuls" and are tasked to discover and banish the Traitors by voting them out in order to win the grand prize.
The American show is closely related to its British counterpart, with both being produced by Studio Lambert for the BBC and Peacock. They share the same location, props, and missions, with the main difference being the hosts.[3]
Format edit
Twenty contestants arrive at a castle in the Scottish Highlands with hopes of winning a share of the $250,000 prize. The players are referred to as the "Faithful" but among them are the "Traitors" – a group of contestants selected by the host, whose goal is to eliminate the Faithfuls and claim the prize for themselves. Should the Faithful contestants eliminate all the Traitors, they will share the prize fund, but if any Traitors make it to the end, they steal the money.
Each night, the Traitors come together and decide upon one Faithful contestant to "murder" and that person leaves the game immediately. The remaining Faithful contestants do not know who has been eliminated until the following day when that person does not enter the castle for breakfast. The group then takes part in a mission to add money to the prize fund. Some challenges also offer an opportunity for players to visit the Armory where one player is secretly awarded the shield which gives the player immunity from being murdered, but not from the banishment vote. An attempted murder on the shield holder will result in no player being eliminated.
At the end of each day, the players participate in the Round Table, where they discuss who to vote out before individually voting for a player to be banished. Players cast their votes privately then reveal their votes in turn to everyone. They may give a brief rationale for their vote. The person who received the most votes is eliminated and reveals their affiliation. When a Traitor is eliminated, the remaining Traitors are given the opportunity to recruit another player.[5][6]
Once the game has reached the final four, the remaining players participate in the final challenge. The players are given a choice to "Banish Again" or to "End Game." A unanimous "End Game" vote concludes the game, while a single vote to "Banish Again" results in another banishment vote, followed by another choice between "Banish Again" or "End Game." When the game ends, if all remaining players are Faithful, then the prize money is divided evenly among them. However, if any Traitors remain, they win the entire pot.
Series overview edit
| Season | Contestants | Episodes | Originally aired | Winner | Runner(s)-up | Prize | Traitors | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||||||
| 1 | 20 | 11 | January 12, 2023 | February 28, 2023 | Cirie Fields | Quentin Jiles & Andie Vanacore | $250,000 | Cody Calafiore Cirie Fields Christian de la Torre Arie Luyendyk Jr. (from ep. 7) | |
| 2 | 21 | — | January 12, 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | |
International broadcasts edit
In the United Kingdom, the series was acquired by the BBC as a companion to its British version, with episodes released on BBC iPlayer the day after the American release, January 13, 2023, and linear television airings for BBC Three and BBC One.[7][8]
In Australia, the series was made available to stream on 10 Play in March 2023, as a companion to the Australia version broadcast by Network 10.[9]
In Canada, the show is available to stream on Crave.[10] The Canadian version of the series began on Oct. 2nd, 2023 on CTV.[11]
Companion series edit
The Traitors Postmortem edit
Sponsored by State Farm, it was announced that during the second season that a new web program named The Traitors Postmortem would be introduced. An after-show program featuring additional footage and interviews with eliminated contestants, that would air Peacock and on Peacock's YouTube channel.[12]
Reception edit
Television ratings edit
The Traitors became the number one original reality series on the streamer,[2] with the premiere of the season being BBC Three's most-watched show since the relaunch of its linear television.[13]
Awards and nominations edit
| Year | Association | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Critics' Choice Real TV Awards | Best Competition Series | Nominated | [14] |
| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | Best Streaming Reality or Competition Series | Nominated | [15] | |
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Competition Series | Nominated | [16] | |
| TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Reality | Nominated | [17] |
Other awards edit
| Year | Association | Category | Nominees | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Casting For a Reality Program | Erin Tomasello, Jazzy Collins, Moira Paris and Holly Osifat | Nominated | [18] |
References edit
- ^ "Alan Cumming To Host Psychological Competition Series 'The Traitors' For Peacock". Deadline Hollywood. April 22, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ a b Tinoco, Armando (February 2, 2023). "'The Traitors' Renewed For Season 2 At Peacock As Andy Cohen Hosts Season 1 Reunion Special". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
- ^ Bryan, Scott (January 12, 2023). "'The Traitors' Was a Sensation in Britain. Can It Conquer the U.S.?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- ^ Rhymes, Shameika (January 17, 2023). "Can You Stay At The Scottish Highlands Castle In 'The Traitors?'". USA Insider Official Site. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ SYFY Wire (April 29, 2022). "Peacock nabs psychological thriller competition 'The Traitors' hosted by 'Bond' vet Alan Cumming". SYFY Wire. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ USA (December 7, 2022). "Alan Cumming Hosts Peacock's 'The Traitors' In Remote Scottish Castle – What To Know". USA Network. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ "BBC acquires The Traitors US". BBC. January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ Goldbart, Max (February 3, 2023). "'The Traitors' U.S. Premiere Becomes Most-Watched BBC Three Show Since Linear Relaunch". Deadline. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ "Sleep with One Eye Open: Traitors US and Traitors UK Now Available on 10 Play". March 23, 2023.
- ^ "U.K., U.S. & Australian Versions of "The Traitors" Now Streaming on Crave". April 9, 2023.
- ^ "Trust No One. Suspect Everyone. Casting Revealed for New CTV Original Reality Series The Traitors Canada, Beginning Oct. 2". Bell Media (Press release). September 18, 2023. from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ Busch, Caitlin (December 14, 2023). "The Traitors Season 2 Trailer Teases "Betrayal, Sabotage & Murder" with an All-Star Celebrity Cast". NBC. from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ Goldbart, Max (February 3, 2023). "'The Traitors' U.S. Premiere Becomes Most-Watched BBC Three Show Since Linear Relaunch". Deadline. from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
- ^ Coates, Tyler (June 16, 2023). "'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars,' 'Taste the Nation With Padma Lakshmi' and 'Top Chef' Lead 2023 Critics Choice Real TV Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. from the original on June 23, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
- ^ Moye, Clarence (July 11, 2023). "2023 Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards: 'Yellowjackets,' 'The Boys' Lead All Nominees with 14 Nominations". Awards Daily. from the original on October 24, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
- ^ Schepp, Calie (May 7, 2023). "MTV Movie & TV Awards 2023: See the complete list of winners". Entertainment Weekly. from the original on November 23, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (August 7, 2023). "'Succession' and 'The Bear' Dominate TCA Awards; Mel Brooks and 'The Carol Burnett Show' Honored (FULL WINNERS LIST)". Variety. from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
- ^ "Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program Nominees / Winners 2023". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
External links edit
- Official website
- The Traitors at IMDb