The Traitors BBC1

[JaneJeffer]

Can't see a thread. What is this shite?

Yes. And anyone who goes on the show must be willing to be a traitor. I'd say most people would want to be one. Much more fun, more screen time and potentially more prize money!

But that's not her argument for voting for him

Her argument is some mad shit about him and Arran, which actually happened when he voted for Alyssa 😂

Which is why Wilf voting for Alyssa is genius as Maddie now has to accuse him of being a traitor and for voting both the other traitors off

But as Claudia reminded us in the first episode when we thought Amos and Kieran were gone...it's called The Traitors!

I wish we could see a bit more of Amanda's interactions and how she's managing to escape suspicion.

"Which is why Wilf voting for Alyssa is genius as Maddie now has to accuse him of being a traitor and for voting both the other traitors off"

And to her credit she seems to be doing just that, even though she herself seems to know how it makes her look, she is sticking to her guns. I like her for this, being right is more important to her than being popular.

I don't actually follow her logic for it at all. Something about Arran voting for someone else when everyone was voting for another person? If everyone is voting for someone other than you, it makes sense to go along with it because it keeps you out of the firing line. That's as much of a motivation for voting as finding a traitor.

Still, she's right about Wilf. I wonder how it would look if we didn't have the advantage of knowing who the traitors are. I'm starting to dislike Meryl a bit because she keeps telling Maddy off for her theories, but that's because I know Maddy's right (her conclusion, anyway!). It can't be that obvious if it took them this long to get a traitor and Wilf still isn't fully busted.

Really enjoying this, the psychology is fascinating. But I've only seen the first episode and the last two so maybe I'm misunderstanding this but I thought that all the votes for banishment had to be written down before going round the table saying who they'd voted for. Is that wrong? Because why would Amanda be shocked at Wilf voting for Alyssa if she was planning on doing the same?

Yeah, I don't get that. Unless maybe she and Wilf had a private conversation without Alyssa, she's a particularly good player to the point of having some sort of powers of divination or, what I think is most likely...it's been manipulated in some way.

The show has been done already in other countries and as others have said, the basic premise isn't anything new, so I guess the producers have had a chance to look at how it's played out elsewhere and work out how to best direct it even from its first British season.

I'm finding the editing hard, knowing what's authentic and what's set up. I would like it to be as authentic as possible. With that in mind though I think some contestants may have friends and family questioning their behaviour. Amanda is so naturally deceitful it is quite scary.
Claudia is fab, they couldn't have chose a better host. She suits the role perfectly.
The cliffhanger endings are annoying as it means the next episode wastes 5 mins on a recap that we don't need. Im also not sure I like that it's not all on the iplayer, our viewing habits are much more fast paced and it's hard to keep the momentum going with waiting a week between episodes.

I think giving the traitors any additional challenges that risk outing them would ruin the game. If they were more easy to identify by being caught or observed 'doing something' they'd get voted off sooner and the element of thrill would be lost. As it is, they are all equally being judged on personality and behaviour, so the traitors are hiding in plain sight. And the way the programme is set up, the viewers are led towards siding with the traitors. We know who they are, we see them choosing who to murder, we are in on the secret. I'm fascinated by the psychology of it.

And also if I remember correctly, Claudia said that Amanda had the casting vote. Why? What if she'd voted for someone other than Wilf or Alyssa? Unless I have completely misunderstood, I think we're being played by the programme makers.

I agree that what it's missing is opportunities to get actual hard evidence on who's a traitor. You can see why so many people suspected Thom and Alex after they kept their relationship secret, although with the benefit of knowing who the traitors are, you can also see that they crack under pressure...

I wonder if maybe they could do something like setting it so that if a task fails, the lost prize money goes to a different pot that traitors will get if they win? Or maybe that's too unfair because it means traitors could win so much more. Then again, how will it work out at the end if there are several traitors in the game? They split it between them? Or do a Prisoner's Dilemma/Split or Steal?

God, I definitely don't side with the traitors. Even though it's only a game I do think it's messing with some of their heads a lot. And for traitors to do that for money strikes me as very cold. Alyssa seemed really upset about being accused and the betrayal by Wilf. Unless they're all actors and we're all being fooled.

"Amanda is so naturally deceitful it is quite scary."

It's just a game, and she more than any of them seems to be approaching it from that angle, she's having fun with it.

I've never watched a show with more male emotion. It's fascinating.

I actually don't think it's the money that's the main motivation at this point. I think it's more the feeling of not wanting to be outwitted or taken for a fool, and wanting to be the smartest one in there. Plus the atmosphere is immersive and intense...several of them have said they need to remind themselves it's just a game. There may be a bit of a Stanford Prison Experiment thing going on.

It's been very hard seeing some of the contestants brought to tears (with the exception of Alex, all young men so far, although I guess we don't know what's edited out). It does make me worry a bit. The burying alive thing was awful. I'd have walked at that point, I couldn't do that. They don't have to stay...

It's just a game, and she more than any of them seems to be approaching it from that angle, she's having fun with it.

Yes I agree. But her threat to Wilf implied that she is pretty ruthless and does want to win. If I were Maddy and still suspicious of Wilf I'd be really nice to him but absolutely pile on the guilt about Alyssa and how it may affect her mental health etc. Unlike Amanda he seems to be very close to the edge emotionally so I'd try to push him over it!

I don't think Amanda comes across as having fun, she seems very serious and in it to win it. This was before the threat to will. To me she seemingly loves the power of manipulation, maybe it's the editing showing her in that light but she's revelling in being everyone's friend and then killing them off

I'm loving this programme - I'm so glad Tom has gone as he really annoyed me with his 'I'm an expert at reading people' crap. I liked the guy who reminded me of Harry Styles (Ivan?) - thought he was very good in the challenges too .

I'm not analysing it too much as realise how heavily edited it must be - just look at the different clothes being worn in the big yellow chair vs breakfast or challenges but its nice lighthearted television that doesn't tax the brain too much and reminds me of The Hunted in it's first series and The Murder Game from many years ago!

Oh I loved the first series of The Hunted but after that the producers decided that actually it was too easy for the huntees so made it stupidly complicated and unfair and the result was crap.

Do the contestants know Aaron has adhd? It was announced to viewers when he was outside taking the break after the infamous wilf vote but it seems with how maddy is going on and on about this incident that they don't know he has adhd

It is literally the point of the game to lie and deceive though, you can’t have a go at the contestants for playing the game well. Just like in the Circle when people get annoyed at someone being a catfish. 120k isn’t loads of money but for some people it is, I don’t blame them for being ruthless and wanting to win. It’s not real life.

Yes, it's, like bluffing in poker or Cheat! You're allowed to lie and deceive in the rules of the game, in fact it's set up to encourage it.

It's pretty common to enjoy a safe outlet for "immoral" behaviour. If you strongly disapprove of someone playing a game like this well, you either won't make it through the auditions, or they might put you in as a sacrificial lamb to see what happens to you. Although you'd need to be prepared to be selected as a traitor...

I LOVED the circle. Gutted it got axed tbh.

In terms of the production interference, I'm amazed that contestants aren't thinking along these lines if they see X get the deciding vote multiple times.

Surely you'd start throwing the possibility around even if you couldn't say 'the producers are fucking about' if you are that determined to win the prize money!!!?

Its not like there hasn't been enough reality tv in the past 25 years.

Especially since most people who apply for all these shows are fairly obsessive about them. Or maybe the producers automatically only select people who aren't utterly cynical? (I don't quite see how they manage that).

They have not changed the order of revealing names for TV - the edit is clear enough that Amanda has had last vote twice.

Its a massive clue.

I love this programme. I was sad to see Alyssa go, I thought she was playing the game really well, far better than Wilf before he stabbed her in the back. Amanda is amazing too, literally nobody suspects her. The faithful really seem to have no clue and tend to follow each other at the round table. I think Alex was a good choice to recruit - I'm sure she will accept and I'm looking forward to seeing her reaction when she sees it's Amanda! It's getting a little bit samey and the tasks are quite boring so it definitely needs a few more twists to liven it up!

I think some of them are so grateful that their own name didn't come up that they are prepared to vote with the crowd. Safety in (stupidity) numbers.