8 Shows to Watch When You're in 'Traitors' Withdrawal
For your daily dose of backstabbing.
Peacock's Mafia-style competition show The Traitors has been one of the hidden delights among the vast world of reality TV shows. ("Hidden" in that it lives on a streamer that's not Netflix/Max/Hulu.) Hosted by Alan Cumming, the campy, devious romp is a murder-mystery that brings together former reality stars to betray and manipulate, as a handful of "Traitors" fight to stay in a Scottish castle and steal the cash prize from the "Faithful." Season 2 reached new levels of entertainment by populating the series entirely with popular reality stars, gathering fans of several reality genres into one passionate online fanbase.
With season 2's finale airing on March 7, many fans are facing a serious case of post-Traitors blues. Assuming you're already familiar with legacy shows like Survivor, The Challenge, and Big Brother, here are eight shows that will help sate your craving for more of The Traitors (at least until season 3 premieres).
'The Traitors U.K.'
For viewers who just can't get enough of gameplay in the Scottish Highlands, the original U.K.-based Traitors is also available to stream. Instead of Alan Cumming as host, this iteration has the quippy Claudia Winkleman. And instead of reality stars, all of the U.K. contestants are civilians. Keep in mind: critics who've watched both have noted that the U.K. series is notably less ruthless than the U.S. version, and there's more talk about the "integrity of the game." So check out The Traitors U.K. if you're the type of viewer who got mad at Kate's shenanigans in season 1.
'The Trust: A Game of Greed'
This new Netflix competition is designed to be the ultimate test of trust (hence the name). Eleven people arrive at a summer villa and learn that they're already won their share of a prize pot of $250,000. The challenge lies in how many people will actually walk away with money; each week contestants can anonymously vote to eliminate people from the house, and if someone gets even a single vote, then they're out. In between each elimination vote, the players take part in challenges that force them to reveal controversial secrets and hidden alliances, as they learn who in the house is a team player, and who's only in this for themselves. Watch The Trust if you have any theories about the inherent selfishness or selflessness of human nature, or if you just want to see some grade-A backstabbing.
'The Mole'
Netflix's reboot of this cult classic series (which ran on ABC from 2001-2008) gathers 12 contestants who compete physical and mental challenges to build up a group prize pot, while the secret Mole sabotages the rounds. Each of the non-Mole players (the Faithful, you could call them) get eliminated one-by-one until either only one player is standing, be they Mole or not. (In a fun twist, the audience also stays as in-the-dark about the Mole's identity!) This show is definitely more on the Survivor/Challenge side of the reality universe, but there's just as much betrayal and intrigue as its predecessors.
'Surviving Paradise'
This Netflix series is for viewers who like a bit of schadenfreude with their reality competition concepts. Imagine if the next cast gathered for Too Hot to Handle were suddenly plopped into a game of Survivor—that's literally Surviving Paradise. In the first episode, a group of 12 strangers settle in at a textbook reality villa before they're unceremoniously shuttered to the wilderness, where they're left to cook rice and beans in a cauldron and *shudder* use outhouses. Through challenges and strategizing, they can make their way into the villa, but shifting alliances means a player can never rest on their laurels too much. If the trailer clip of one contestant comparing the show to Fyre Festival intrigues you, this series is worth a try.
'House of Villains'
If you tune into The Traitors for the quips thrown across the Round Table more than any of the challenges (basically those of us who rooted for Phaedra all through season 2), then your next reality binge should be House of Villains. This is another competition show filled entirely with already-famous stars, but instead of casting across the reality archetypes, the E! series goes straight for the villains. We're talking Johnny Bananas. Tiffany "New York" Pollard. Vanderpump Rules' Jax Taylor. Omarosa!! Just in case those names thrown into one dwelling isn't enough, the show puts them through challenges and encourages them to flex their manipulative muscles, all for the chance at the title of "America’s Ultimate Supervillain"... and $200,000.
'Snake in the Grass'
This short-lived competition series from USA Network instantly makes the list due to it featuring four future Traitors alums: Stephenie Kendrick, Rachel Reilly, Cirie Fields, and Janelle Pierzina. Filmed in the Costa Rican wilderness, the show has 32 contestants, split into four players per episode, who must complete a series of challenges to discover the "Snake" among them. The lone Snake is tasked with getting through 36 hours undetected; either the lone saboteur or the three innocents will take home the $100,000 prize. It's a quick binge at eight episodes, and the show's cast also features former Survivor players, as well as a couple of Naked and Afraid alums.
'Claim to Fame'
This ABC series is an underrated gem that emerged from a wild concept: Can you guess the A- or B-list celebrity to whom this random person is related? Hosted by Kevin and Frankie Jonas (genius), the show's overall premise is pretty simple: After challenges that reveal identity clues, two people are voted to be "guessers" each week. If one of them guesses the other's celeb relative wrong, they're eliminated. Not only is it fun to play along, there's plenty of room for strategy within the gameplay.
'The Circle'
It may be surprising that The Circle is the second Netflix recommendation on this list, especially since Squid Game: The Challenge is also on the platform. (I cannot put a recommendation for that one on my conscious, but you do you.) However, The Circle is unique as a competition based on pure catfishing; it's a popularity contest done entirely through online chats, and the contestants (who are kept in separate, brightly-decorated apartments) have to use their wits to determine who's genuine and who's not. Even though the stakes are much lower, it's just as fun to see someone pull off a scheme or spectacularly fail.
