The Reality stars with our host Alan Cumming. (BTW you don’t actually need to know who the are or what show they were on to watch The Traitors.)

How many of you out there watched the first Knives Out movie? Well, I did, and it remains one of my all-time favorite movie mysteries of all time (as is The Glass Onion) — second only to Clue. In any case, do you recall the scene in the bar where Ransom (aka Chris Evans) feeds a bowl of beans to our heroine Marta (aka Ana de Armas) and then reminds her about the time they played Mafia? 

This episode, which happened well before the movie’s start, is the lynchpin of Knives Out and the writers did an excellent job explaining its significance to the audience. Even if, like me, you’d never heard of the game before.

Fast forward to the last day of the Premier League’s 2022-23 season (soccer), where I, unfortunately, watched Leicester City get relegated. After the match ended, I started flipping through the programs on Peacock, trying to take my mind off the Foxes’ uncertain future.

That’s when I ran across The Traitors. 

What initially sucked me in was Alan Cumming, whose work I’ve always enjoyed. So, without any expectations, I started the first episode…..Little did I know that I was about to watch a cutthroat game of Mafia (or Werewolf as it’s also known) played out for real money amongst some stunning scenery. 

And let me tell you, I am hooked.

The first season of the American version took twenty people, half reality show veterans, half ‘regular’ people, and whisked them off to a castle in Scotland. Where, after hanging out for a few hours, three people are selected to become Traitors whilst the rest of the group remain Faithfuls. 

The Faithful’s only job is to weed out the Traitors, and if they do so by the last episode — they split the prize pot betwixt them. However, if a Traitor remains undetected in their midsts, then the Traitor will win the entire pot, leaving the Faithfuls out in the cold.

Now, the Traitors’ don’t sit idly by, waiting to be sussed out. Each night, for one reason or another, they “murder” one of the Faithfuls. 

Alan Cumming, as the moderator of the game and, therefore, an agent of chaos in his own right, swans in and out of frame wearing a puckish smile and pulling off some absolutely fantastic fashion. 

The second best part of The Traitors (Alan Cumming’s being the very best) is the viewers know who is who from the outset. Allowing you to wince when a Traitor makes a critical mistake or shout at the TV as the Faithfuls vote out yet another Faithful.

There’s more to the show than just this — but I don’t want to ruin the surprises in store for you. Even better? The Traitors has been renewed for a second season! 

However, if you can’t wait, Peacock has the UK and Australian versions as well! I suggest watching the Australian version and then the UK — if you want to binge them all. Since both the UK and American versions are shot in the same castle and feature similar (but not the exact same) elements, the Australian version helps break things up.

Seriously, The Traitors is such a fun show. I cannot recommend it enough!