With The Traitors exploding in reputation and worldwide variations popping up world wide, I’ve been anticipating Peacock to announce the truth competitors program would begin filming two seasons a 12 months as a substitute of 1. That’s been the Survivor mannequin for a very long time, and it might make sense for Traitors to double down, given how buzzy the present has gotten. Effectively, that announcement lastly got here yesterday, although the specifics are a bit of completely different than I’d have guessed.
We’re getting two seasons of The Traitors subsequent 12 months in The USA, however the second isn’t going to air on Peacock. It’ll be broadcast on conventional community tv by NBC, and extra apparently, it’ll characteristic civilian contestants as a substitute of celebrities. That’s what the British model does, and it ought to assist remedy the largest drawback the US model of The Traitors has.
To be clear, I completely, positively love what Peacock has achieved with The Traitors. I’m an enormous fan of different actuality reveals; so, I’ve cherished the prospect to see legends from Survivor, Actual Housewives and different hit reveals in a completely completely different context. The casting division (which received an Emmy for his or her work) has achieved an awesome job of blending collectively seasoned actuality competitors gamers with random, inexperienced celebrities you’d by no means guess. The dynamic has led to a variety of unimaginable roundtable moments and seasons which have delivered each single time.
However the issue with casting celebrities is that, for probably the most half, they don’t actually care concerning the cash. I’m not saying they don’t wish to win or they don’t like cash. I’m saying, given they’re receiving an look price for being on the present, the cash itself doesn’t really feel like a major motivator. You’ll be able to inform based mostly on how little they fight within the challenges and the way unexcited they appear when cash is added to the prize pot.
That’s in stark distinction to the British model, which casts a variety of on a regular basis folks with regular, on a regular basis jobs. It’s apparent how decided they’re to win, particularly for the cash. They fight means more durable within the missions, which is why they really feel extra core to the present. They really feel the sting of getting kicked out greater than their superstar counterparts, and you’ll inform how heavy it sits with them to vote out somebody who they know is hoping to win as a way to purchase a home or change their life in a significant means.
The primary season of the US model of Traitors had half celebrities and half common folks. I actually loved the dynamic however wasn’t terribly stunned to see the present shift to all celebrities, given they obtained many of the screentime, aside from a number of normie standouts like Quentin, Christian and Andie. I get why. Many of the celebrities gave much more attention-grabbing and energetic confessionals.
The present has benefited in subsequent seasons from having extra of these dynamic personalities. They’ve generated a variety of must-watch moments (like Bob The Drag Queen and Boston Rob on the roundtable), and a variety of viewers have talked about falling in love with the characters, even when they’re assembly them for the primary time on The Traitors. Polished actuality veterans simply know how you can create good, watchable moments, however as a lot because the present has gained by their presence, it has misplaced a way of urgency and a few of the ardour.
For awhile, I hoped the present would return to a half superstar and half on a regular basis folks format, however I feel splitting them into completely different seasons is even higher. That stops the inherent energy dynamic from being a problem, and it leaves open the chance to have an all-stars season sooner or later that might mix gamers from each. So, I like the transfer, particularly as a result of they’re bringing again host Alan Cumming, who has actually crushed his internet hosting function contained in the Scottish fortress.
Season 4 of The Traitors, which options all celebrities, is predicted to hit Peacock early in 2026. As at all times, it contains a stacked forged and even has some enjoyable Olympic crossover, given it’ll air proper earlier than the 2026 Video games in Italy. We don’t have a particular date on the brand new civilian model, which I assume might be Season 5 (possibly?), however given the filming isn’t scheduled to happen till the Spring, I feel it’s doubtless it received’t air till the autumn of 2026. I can’t wait.