A few years ago, Peacock released a TV show that would manage to bring together some of the most devoted and niche fandoms out there: Bravoholics, Bachelor devotees, Survivor and Big Brother loyalists, and theater geeks. We know, it sounds impossible to actually unite all those audiences. But leave it to legendary and international treasure Alan Cumming to make it happen.
We’re talking about The Traitors, the U.S. version of a Dutch show that has spawned installments around the globe, including the UK and Australia. The U.S. edition is hosted by stage and screen icon Alan Cumming, who invites contestants to “his” castle in Scotland to compete in a series of challenges — with a devious twist.
When the show finally came to the U.S. in 2023, the contestants were a mix of household names (from a former Bachelor lead to Olympian Ryan Lochte) and unknowns. Come season 2, they switched the casting strategy to use only recognizable figures — mostly reality TV stars — and it was a huge success. With season 3 premiering this week, stalwart fans are dying to know how this season will unfold and the uninitiated are wondering what all the hype is about and if they should jump on the bandwagon. We’re here to address those questions and more with a Traitors breakdown and season 3 premiere recap. Find out whether you should tune in, who’s a Faithful, and who’s a Traitor this season.
Should you watch The Traitors?
If you like competition shows, reality TV drama (as seen on The Bachelor or The Housewives), celebrities, random British aristocrats, mystery, games, theatrics, or Cumming specifically, the answer is yes. Oh, and if you’re simply a fan of Scotland or Tartan, you should definitely tune in.
We don’t know anyone who doesn’t like at least one of those things. The show truly appeals to almost all audiences.
How does The Traitors work?
The competition show pits reality stars and other public figures against each other in a game of (fictional) survival. If you’ve ever played the game Mafia, you’ll be very familiar with the setup.
At the beginning of the season, Cumming chooses a few Traitors in secret. Everyone else is a designated Faithful. The traitors come together once an episode to anonymously “murder” a Faithful via a letter delivered in the dead of night. All the while, the Traitors must attempt to go undetected, convincing their castmates that they’re also Faithfuls while everyone tries to sniff out and “banish” the Traitors. There’s money to be won by the contestants who make it to the end — if the Faithfuls win, whoever is left splits the pot equally. If just one Traitor remains, they take the whole stash for themselves. Each episode features a challenge that adds to the prize pot and offers the contestants opportunities to get shielded from the murders that will occur later in the evening.
Who’s in The Traitors season 3 cast?
If you’re more interested in the reality stars they’ve recruited, we see you. Here’s who’s competing on this season of The Traitors as of now. Keep in mind, Cumming likes to bring in contestants as the season progresses.
- Bob Harper (The Biggest Loser)
- Bob The Drag Queen (RuPaul’s Drag Race)
- Britney Haynes (Big Brother)
- Carolyn Wiger (Survivor)
- Chanel Ayan (The Real Housewives of Dubai)
- Chrishell Stause (Selling Sunset)
- Ciara Miller (Summer House)
- Danielle Reyes (Big Brother)
- Dolores Catania (The Real Housewives of New Jersey)
- Dorinda Medley (The Real Housewives of New York City)
- Dylan Efron (Down to Earth with Zac Efron)
- Gabby Windey (The Bachelorette)
- Jeremy Collins (Survivor)
- Lord Ivar Mountbatten (British Royal)
- Nikki Garcia (WWE Hall of Famer)
- Rob Mariano (Survivor & Deal or No Deal Island)
- Robyn Dixon (The Real Housewives of Potomac)
- Sam Asghari (Actor & Model)
- Tom Sandoval (Vanderpump Rules)
- Tony Vlachos (Survivor)
- Wells Adams (Bachelor in Paradise)
- Wes Bergmann (The Challenge)
- Derick Levasseur (Big Brother)
Who’s a Faithful in Traitors season 3?
The first three episodes of the season just dropped, and we now know who the Faithfuls are, at least for now. Keep in mind this list can change weekly as people get recruited to become Traitors.
- Bob Harper (The Biggest Loser)
- Britney Haynes (Big Brother)
- Chanel Ayan (The Real Housewives of Dubai)
- Chrishell Stause (Selling Sunset)
- Ciara Miller (Summer House)
- Dolores Catania (The Real Housewives of New Jersey)
- Dorinda Medley (The Real Housewives of New York City)
- Dylan Efron (Down to Earth with Zac Efron)
- Gabby Windey (The Bachelorette)
- Jeremy Collins (Survivor)
- Lord Ivar Mountbatten (British Royal)
- Nikki Garcia (WWE Hall of Famer)
- Robyn Dixon (The Real Housewives of Potomac)
- Sam Asghari (Actor & Model)
- Tom Sandoval (Vanderpump Rules)
- Tony Vlachos (Survivor)
- Wells Adams (Bachelor in Paradise)
- Wes Bergmann (The Challenge)
- Derick Levasseur (Big Brother)
Who are the Traitors?
Cumming originally picked three traitors:
- Bob The Drag Queen (RuPaul’s Drag Race)
- Carolyn Wiger (Survivor)
- Danielle Reyes (Big Brother)
After a late introduction, he added:
- Rob Mariano (Survivor & Deal or No Deal Island)
Who was murdered in the first three episodes of The Traitors season 3?
This was a tough start for Housewives fans. The Traitors targeted the tight-knit group of ladies, who are always much more astute and cunning than anyone unfamiliar with the show anticipated. Here’s who got the axe so far:
- Dorinda Medley (Real Housewives of NYC)
- Chanel Ayan (Real Housewives of Dubai)
Who was banished on The Traitors season 3, episodes 1, 2, and 3?
The contestants come together for a roundtable deliberation each episode to point fingers and make arguments about who they feel is a traitor. Some end up having to use the time to defend themselves. Then they all vote in the hopes of getting a murderer out of the castle and protecting the Faithfuls. So far, they’ve banished:
- Wells – faithful
- Tony – faithful
Unfortunately, they’ve failed to detect any Traitors so far, but it seems some in the castle are catching onto suspicious behavior.
How and when to watch Traitors season 3
While Peacock dropped three episodes this week, the rest of the episodes will drop one by one on the streaming platform every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.
