‘The Traitors: New Blood’ Trades Celebrities for Civilians in Latest Season

The reality competition series "The Traitors" has returned for a new season, dubbed "The Traitors: New Blood," featuring an entirely civilian cast instead of celebrities. Hosted by Alan Cumming, the show invites 22 contestants to a Scottish castle to compete for a $250,000 prize.

The familiar format remains: Cumming designates some contestants as "Traitors" and the rest as "Faithfuls." Each night, the Traitors secretly murder a Faithful, while the Faithfuls attempt to identify and banish the Traitors during daytime deliberations. New twists for this season include the Traitors having the ability to recruit another contestant to join their ranks, and an increase of $15,000 to the prize pot each time a Traitor is successfully eliminated.

The season premiere introduces the contestants as they travel by steam train to the castle. One participant, Joe, a funeral director from Long Island, likened the journey to "goin’ to Hogwarts, except everyone wants to murder each other." The show aims for these non-famous contestants to generate as much entertainment as the celebrity casts from previous seasons.

While the core gameplay loop of dramatic banishments and clandestine meetings persists, "The Traitors: New Blood" leans into its premise with "big personalities" and a tone described as less campy than previous iterations. Potential standout contestants identified early on include Kim, a lawyer who initially tried to conceal her profession; Michael, a lawyer embracing his role; and Joe the funeral director.

Initially, the Traitors chosen by Cumming select two additional contestants to join them in the "Turret," though their identities are not revealed at the end of the premiere episode. The series is available on NBC and Peacock. The reviewer suggests that while this civilian version may be more "rough around the edges," it still delivers the essential elements of a compelling reality competition. [SOURCE1]