The Traitors UK is the greatest reality show of all
It’s murder on the castle floor, plus a rebooted Mr & Mrs Smith and the fabulous 80s nostalgia of The Greatest Night in Music.
As we head into February, it’s time to welcome a new bunch of exciting TV shows, including action series Mr & Mrs Smith, a new season of British drama Trigger Point, and a fascinating documentary about how 1980s charity single ‘We Are The World’ was made. Just as well, because there’s a Traitors UK-sized hole in my heart after the second season came to its jaw-dropping conclusion last weekend. If you’re not usually a reality TV fan, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. It’s clever, funny and compelling – which means it’s probably not like any other reality series you’ve seen before. / Tara Ward
The Traitors UK breathes new life into reality TV
Season two of The Traitors UK (Three Now) came to a dramatic end this week, and with it, one of the most thrilling reality shows I’ve seen in a long time. For those yet to discover the delights of the award-winning series, The Traitors is a murder-mystery game that takes a group of strangers, chucks them in a Scottish castle and asks them to knock each other off. Three people are secretly chosen as Traitors (responsible for “murdering” the other players one by one), while the rest become Faithfuls (they must turn detective, expose the Traitors and banish them from the game, before they themselves are murdered).
In a delicious twist, the Faithfuls and Traitors have to work together to raise money for the prize pool by competing in a series of delightfully weird missions. If the Faithfuls weed out the Traitors at the end of the game, they win the money, but if a single Traitor remains standing at the end, they take all the cash. It sounds complicated, but in reality, The Traitors is simple. It’s an intriguing game of strategy, skill and luck, and season two delivered oodles of heart-stopping, mind-boggling, absolutely gripping telly. Here’s a few thoughts on why The Traitors UK is so bloody good.
It feels like a Shakespearean tragedy
What’s that sound? It’s old mate Shakespeare rolling in his grave, wishing he’d thought up this classic battle of good and evil. The Traitors is pure theatre, from the dramatic Highland setting to the big tartan curtains in the castle, to the traitors lurking in those long, dark cloaks. Tragic heroes everywhere! Hubris aplenty! Greed and revenge for all! If murder be the food of love, then crack on, as The Bard loved to say.
But also, it’s absolutely bonkers
See again: those cloaks, those missions, someone saying “am I or amn’t I” and meaning it. Also, every one of host Claudia Winkelman’s outfits was gorgeous and suitably ridiculous, and surely I cannot be the only one spending their free time Googling “where can I get Claudia’s coat that looks like Dougal from The Magic Roundabout”? Didn’t think so.
It features a cast of regular people
The Traitors UK reminded me how fun it is to watch a cast of quirky regular people who, by virtue of only being themselves, make truly captivating television. While The Traitors NZ features a mix of celebrities and “normies” together, the game seems to unfold more organically with a fully civilian cast. Players like clairvoyant Tracey and chess master Anthony arrive as strangers and must quickly build relationships to survive the game, and with such a diverse mix of ages, backgrounds and personalities, we get to watch people who are essentially just like us play a game that’s like no other.
These strangers arrive without preconceived ideas about who their mysterious competition is, which is different to The Traitors NZ, where half the cast attended each other’s weddings. Plus, this season’s Traitors were more ruthless and calculated than last season, and you’ll rarely see those sort of shady shenanigans from a celebrity influencer whose livelihood depends on securing that lovely new teeth whitening campaign. You heard it here first: please put regular people in everything.
12 episodes is the perfect length for a reality TV series
The Traitors UK only has 12 episodes, but I hereby petition (ie I write my name in chalk on a piece of slate) for every TV show to be no longer than this. It’s the perfect length to pull you into the drama, get you hooked and then leave you wanting more, and it means the tension never wanes. Imagine if Love Island or Married at First Sight were only 12 episodes?! Good luck to one and all.
Maybe Claudia Winkleman is the best traitor of all
It’s a wild idea, but so is banishing a player because they didn’t raise a glass of water during a toast. Claudia Winkleman plays the perfect game as host of The Traitors, treating the Traitors and Faithfuls exactly the same, never dropping her guard or playing favourites. She is equal parts aloof and kind, stern and darkly funny, and she also doesn’t mind running into the dining room and cackling like she just stole the immunity shield. The way she shut that coffin lid in episode seven? Give her all the BAFTAs.
The finale was the best episode of reality TV…ever?
I haven’t shouted so much at the television since the first Survivor finale when Susan dropped her famous “snakes and rats” speech. Without spoiling it, this finale was a masterful piece of television that climaxed with a shocking, unpredictable, emotional final banishment. I’m still thinking about it days later. It was a tactical masterclass – The Traitors at its finest.
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Why you should watch: Mr & Mrs Smith (Prime Video)
It’s the reboot of the 2005 blockbuster you never knew you needed. That’s right, the action film that brought Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie together is now a Netflix series starring Donald Glover (Atlanta) and Maya Erskine (Pen15), who play two lonely spies assigned to be husband and wife for a mission. In between all the fighting and killing, they inevitably fall for each other.
The series has plenty of Killing Eve vibes, with a fierce mix of dark humour, murderous hijinks and magnetic chemistry between the leads. As well as Glover and Erskine, there’s a stellar supporting cast which includes Sharon Horgan, Parker Posey, Sarah Paulson and Michaela Coel. However, if you’re more of a classic Mr & Mrs Smith fan, the original Brangelina extravaganza is on Netflix.
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The second season of explosive Jed Mercurio drama Trigger Point (TVNZ+) has landed and apparently it “goes harder than ever”.
Sofia Vegara plays a real-life Colombian drug lord in new drama Griselda (Netflix), which dropped last week and quickly became the streaming service’s most popular show in NZ. Definitely one for Narcos fans.
If you’re looking for something stunningly beautiful to watch, don’t miss Cristóbal Balenciaga (Disney+), a new four part drama about the life (and divine couture) of the iconic Spanish fashion designer.
Why you should watch: Priscilla (in theatres now)
Sofia Coppola’s new film about Elvis Presley’s wife has garnered plenty of praise, including from The Spinoff’s own Sam Brooks, who thinks this is Coppola’s best film since Marie Antoinette. “The vibe of Priscilla is, as per usual, absolutely impeccable. It is quiet, beautifully art directed, and so delicately rendered that it could almost float away.
Among all the design elements, most striking are the costumes – the gorgeous, meticulous work of costume designer Stacey Battat – and the hair and makeup. Priscilla’s sense of style is clear even as a teenager, and while Elvis expresses his need for control by dressing his young bride up like a doll, as Priscilla asserts her independence, she also asserts her own style – literally her most potent form of both expression and rebellion. As the film draws to a conclusion, we see Priscilla find her way to the person, or at least the image, that we all now know.”
More pop culture stories from The Spinoff this week:
Is it you or is it me? It’s definitely not me, so are you Shortland Street’s mystery baby?
Don’t miss all the new shows and movies dropping to a streaming service near you.
Alex Casey has everything you missed from AM and Seven Sharp’s return for 2024.
Breakfast’s Chris Chang reveals his live TV nightmare in My Life in TV.
Meet the brave souls getting hitched on the new season of Married at First Sight: Australia, which begins on Three on Monday.
Duncan Greive wonders what happened to the brilliantly oddball spy drama Slow Horses.
See Gone By Lunchtime live at Q Theatre!
Gone By Lunchtime is taking the stage to bring its unique blend of insight, humour and irreverence to a very special live episode. Join The Spinoff’s Toby Manhire, along with Annabelle Lee-Mather (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Māmoe) (executive producer of The Hui) and Ben Thomas (former press secretary in the Key government), as they boldly step out of the studio and in front of an audience to cast a curious and caustic eye on New Zealand politics. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see the 2023 winner of Best Politics Podcast (NZ Podcast awards) brought to life a Q Theatre as part of PodFest at Q.
When and where
7.30pm, Thursday 15th February
Q Theatre Rangatira – 305 Queen St, Auckland CBD
Click here to get your tickets now!
Why you should watch: The Greatest Night in Pop (Netflix)
In January 1985, the biggest superstars in American music gathered together to record a charity song for African famine relief called ‘We are the World’. They only had one night to do it, and The Greatest Night in Pop tells the fascinating story of how the record-breaking single was made. There’s incredible footage from the day itself, as well as current-day interviews from music legends like Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper, as they look back and wonder how on earth it all happened.
The star power in this documentary is extreme. From Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder to Diana Ross and Tina Turner (not that one), the doco captures all the personalities and behind-the-scenes drama that unfolded through the night. It’s a quick watch at just over 90 minutes, but the fabulous 80s nostalgia and personal memories make it a treat to watch. Prince’s bodyguard! Lionel Richie’s jackets! Kenny Loggins, as we live and breathe! Let’s get that guy back to number one.
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Prepare for your heartstrings to be pulled with Choir (Disney+), a new six-part documentary series series that follows the Detroit Children's Choir as they prepare for a performance of a lifetime.
A new season of the always delightful Grand Designs UK kicks off this Sunday (TVNZ1 and TVNZ+).
Before we pop off…
Ever wondered why all the best reality TV show formats come from the Netherlands? This has all the answers.
All hail Meghan Markle: Suits was last year’s most streamed show in the US.
Don’t believe everything you see on Friends: please stop pissing on stings.
And to end on a bright note, here’s a nice story about an 86-year-old Manawatū man who really loves his tall sunflowers.
That’s it for Rec Room for this week. If you liked what you read, why not share Rec Room with your friends and whānau.