Joe and Tomica need to be careful; their luck is running out on The Traitors: New Blood. “A Murder of Necessity” caught one lucky break after another as the Faithfuls slipped up. In any other season, we would’ve seen the Faithfuls rally around Victor’s “fruit theory”; however, this round proved that nothing is ever guaranteed. It’s an emotionally charged round, marked by poor moves.
An unsuspecting murder.
Niyyah’s murder in plain sight catches the momentum off-guard. As “A Murder of Necessity” notes, she was such a strong ally to Tomica; it makes no sense for the Traitors to pick off a supporting vote. The Traitors need allies to shift the votes in their way, especially to avoid being banished. We can blame this on the ticking-clock urgency; Joe just wanted to murder anyone. Dwindling the Faithful numbers benefits the group, so it helps in the short term to cause chaos and steer the round table. However, this blunder could hurt later on as the numbers get smaller.
As discussed in last round’s review, Joe needs to improve his subtlety. Victor noticed the strange behavior. It’s weird to constantly walk around holding an apple. Tomica’s fruit question on its own is vague and light, but when paired with Joe’s behavior, it’s a bigger connective thread. Granted, the group isn’t believing his debate; they’re choosing to see it as another crackpot theory. This will only last a short time if Victor keeps pushing the story.
Avoiding the truth.
The disappointment for “A Murder of Necessity” stems mostly from Morgan’s gameplay. From the obvious Faithfuls, Mark could’ve been an easy kill. His oblivious gameplay keeps him too trusting of Joe – he’s not playing a strong strategic game. If Victor hadn’t accepted anything that evening, he would’ve caught the apple. But even in his most golden retriever attitude, he’s going with the flow.
In the case of Morgan, she has first-hand evidence of Joe trying to kill her: he threw an apple at her. This is strange behavior on its own. However, throughout “A Murder of Necessity”, she’s laughing and downplaying Victor’s theory. Granted, he’s acting a bit paranoid, but he’s piecing together a theory based on the evidence in front of him. Instead of unpacking and connecting pieces, she’s treating it like a wild goose chase.
The Traitors has a history of Faithfuls losing because they close themselves off from noticing clues and evidence. Even the Traitors have been banished because they close off from discussing dangerous Faithfuls. Say what you will about Abby L’s and Kriste’s mishaps, they’ve at least explored the ideas. This approach could be her undoing if the Traitors get to her first.
Failed votes.
“A Murder of Necessity” focuses on two clear plots. First, the murder in plain sight, and, secondly, the round table. While the screaming head challenge was a lot of fun, it doesn’t matter to the bigger narrative. The Traitors: New Blood rushes through the challenge, pushing us towards the bigger drama for the banishment vote. This is a quick challenge to earn easy money – no shields, no issues, and no strategy.
The round table, on the other hand, is an emotionally-hitting climax. Despite Victor having a good theory, “A Murder of Necessity” is a case where The Traitors: New Blood had a specific outcome in mind. This vote had only one target: Michael. Sure, the Dolls alliance loves each other, but this is still a game to win a large sum of money. It’s understandable why they turned their attention towards him, a seemingly smart Faithful.
On paper, he has the qualities that make a good Traitor: smart, observant, communicative, and kind. Plus, his job as a lawyer gives him the skills to strategize and debate at the round table. If he wasn’t picked by host Alan Cumming, he could’ve been recruited. The debate is whether the Traitors would risk it to have such a smart member on their team. Though there’s nothing he could’ve said that would clear him of suspicion. He needed The Dolls to keep him; without them, he had no numbers and no support.
The outcome.
“A Murder of Necessity” is true to its name. The Traitors: New Blood picks off two victims for the sake of the groups, creating both chaos and heartbreak in its path. The Faithfuls still haven’t gotten a handle of targeting the Traitors, but those days could soon be over. While the Traitors successfully avoided implosion this time, Victor is hot on their tails. “A Murder of Necessity” is building toward an explosive decision, but how it affects the rest of the season could send us in two completely different directions.
REVIEW RATING
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The Traitors: New Blood Season 5 Episode 6 - 6/10
6/10
Justin is a fun-loving geek living in downtown Toronto, Canada. He’s an avid TV buff, movie fan, and gamer. He’s written for publications like Entertainment Weekly’s The Community, Virgin, TV Fanatic, FANDOM, The Young Folks, and his blog, City Boy Geekiness.
