‘The Traitors: New Blood’ is off to a strong start

Fresh blood is filling the halls of The Traitors’ castle. The Traitors Season 5, also known as The Traitors: New Blood, is the all-civilian version of the global smash hit. Instead of celebrities and reality TV icons, the cast consists of superfans and everyday citizens.

Think of it like The Traitors Season 1, where half of that cast were non-reality TV contestants. The spirit of the game is still the same, but there’s a different air running through the Scottish hills. And based on the first four episodes, The Traitors: New Blood season is proving to be just as cutthroat and dramatic as its celebrity cast.

Celebs vs. civilian.

From a structural standpoint, the game follows the same format of The Traitors that we know and love. There’s still the morning breakfast, the challenge, the strategizing, the roundtable, and the murder in the Traitors turret. If you loved the first four seasons, there is nothing glaring about The Traitors: New Blood season that would drastically set this apart. This is still the same game.

The only difference, however, is its cast. The Traitors: New Blood can’t rely on the long-standing histories of its cast, their past feuds, or their previous reality TV experiences. These are everyday citizens. They’re people who are fans of the show and want to compete. Based on the first four episodes, the tone is refreshing. This cast knows what they’re getting into, and they’re coming specifically to play the game. Many of whom want to make their mark and jump into the action – sometimes to their detriment. So, a gameplay-hungry group has been a strong positive for pushing the strategy forward.

The downside, however, with an unknown cast is that we can’t rely on those past histories to fill the gaps. If someone hasn’t been on camera, we don’t know anything about them. Unfortunately, there are some Faithfuls who have been non-existent so far; beyond their votes, they’re getting lost in the shuffle. As the numbers dwindle, we’ll have a better sense of the group. However, The Traitors’ editing should learn from this season; the show needs to spotlight and build its cast. Clearly, the same editing and pacing tricks don’t work in this environment.

A new batch of players.

Speaking of the cast, there is an interesting mix of characters, ranging from deep strategists to obvious Faithfuls. It’ll be interesting to see if The Dolls alliance makes a run for it into the season. The Dolls has been mentioned a few times, including scenes of them meeting together to strategize. This could be foreshadowing someone from the group doing well, or them turning on each other. But the most glaring hint is that they’re the only main alliance currently being highlighted with a group name. When that happens, it means something important is coming.

The Traitors dynamic between Tomica, Katie, and Joe has been entertaining, so far. The Traitors: New Blood did a great job by selecting Tomica & Joe first; their dynamics blend so well together. Granted, they could easily turn on one another soon, but their vibe gave off “allies who want to work together” energy. And with Katie in the mix, who seems sweet and outgoing, it’s a strong healthy group. If the trio can keep the energy going, we could be witnessing a powerful Traitor combination.

Betrayal in the castle.

The first big twist of The Traitors: New Blood is a variation from previous recruitment twists. If you’ve watched the first four seasons or international editions, like The Traitors: Canada Season 3, you’ll be familiar with this. Someone was always going to die between the narrowed down list – both accomplices weren’t going to join the Traitors. They knew it, we knew it. The stakes of the competition add to all the fun.

Xavier made the worst error by targeting Katie, his accomplice competition. Sure, if Katie got banished at the roundtable, he’d be joining the Traitors automatically. However, he had no foundation built to get her banished. Simply throwing out her name and saying you feel “suspicious” isn’t enough, especially with no evidence. He came in hot, merely going off on his “feelings” as a way to convince the others. Now, she’s fighting for her life because he sabotaged her game.

Though, the true error comes from the damage it showed to Tomica and Joe. If Xavier is already going after Katie (a mere accomplice), there’s nothing to stop him from doing the same against the Traitors. In the game of The Traitors, he’s going to do and say anything to protect himself. The group is only in the first two rounds; Joe and Tomica are going off what they’re seeing to make their decisions. Unfortunately, the evidence is there that Xavier would turn against them to benefit himself, regardless of what damage it causes. That’s not a secure strategy this early on.

Paranoia wins out.

The first four episodes of The Traitors: New Blood captures the messy paranoia and in-fighting of a Traitors season. Firstly, Victor needs to keep rebuilding the trust after “A New Dawn is Rising”. He didn’t make a mistake by grabbing a Shield, but he could’ve waited a little bit longer. Most of the theories leveled against him stem from the others being frustrated that he went for a Shield. There was nothing in his actions that screamed “Traitor!” Players like Abby L. were just mad and finding a reason. Like the connection to him being sweaty – that is one of the strangest theories that The Traitors has ever done.

Kriste learns a very sobering life lesson, one that needs even more hammering home. She leveled the accusation against Madeline based on misinformation that she misheard. Let’s remember that she dug and hammered it in, justifying her confirmation bias that she found a Traitor. It’s a mistake that many have made before, but it’s still a serious error. The others shouldn’t have easily swept it under the rug – Madeline and Victor weren’t given the chance.

And it’ll be interesting if the seeds planted by Xavier banishes Katie. Logan and Jay both steer the targets her way and her days in the castle may be numbered due to all the suspicions. However, Katie’s banishment could have another negative blow back. Xavier’s sabotage and Logan’s campaigning led their murders, and Jay acted like a frustrating fool during the challenge to goad her. Even if she gets banished, it paints a picture that he purposely targeted and antagonized her during a pivotal challenge. Faithfuls, even the most innocent, have been banished for causing chaos to the group. Jay needs to watch his back because he could be his own undoing.

The bottom line.

The Traitors Season 5, aka. The Traitors: New Blood, Episodes 1-4 is shaping up to be a heated and exciting game. The civilians are getting into the mix, throwing out wild theories and going in for the kill. The Traitors trio looks to be a welcoming and fun group, and the Faithfuls have a good selection of personalities. While some players have faded into the background, it’s still early enough for more to emerge into the game. It’s a slow start for the momentum, but there’s plenty of potential for this to be an entertaining season.

The Traitors: New Blood airs new episodes on Thursdays at 8/7c on NBC.

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Images courtesy of NBC.