The Traitors has a new twist – one that might ruin the show

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Traitors season four, episode one.

The star of The Traitors has always been, and always will be, the game itself.

Whether it’s celebrities worth millions competing for charity or civilians stabbing each other in the back for a life-changing sum of money, The Traitors has never faltered because the cat-and-mouse, traitors versus faithfuls format is bulletproof. 

Every single series, British or international, has been extraordinary because the game always surprises and never fails.

But for series four, there’s a new twist, one that throws the rulebook out of the window when it’s the rules themselves that make The Traitors so sensational.

There’s a secret traitor among this new line-up – a traitor whose identity even we, the public, are kept in the dark about.

Stephen, Rachel and Hugo are this year’s traitorous trio, killing off their unsuspecting faithful while they sleep.

Barrister Hugo describes himself as an ‘evil teddy bear’, openly admitting he’ll be merciless until he either reaches the final fire pit or is banished at the round table. 

I can’t imagine he’ll survive the series without being thrown to the wolves by his two comrades, who have already expressed concern about his ruthless gameplay.

Stephen is a cybersecurity analyst who says spending much of his life as a closeted gay man, playing a version of himself to others, will stand him in good stead.

Rachel has all the qualities of a great traitor. She’s calm, savvy, and has the potential to be popular enough to pass as a faithful, but quiet enough to slip under the radar.

As they removed their hoods and glared at each other for the first time, excitement burst out of them. Every single player bar one had previously pleaded with Claudia Winkleman to be made a traitor, and here were the three that were chosen.

Or so they thought.

Their bubble burst when Claudia revealed the existence of a secret traitor. They were livid.

When Claudia initially unveiled the sight of a new, red cloak, I was momentarily thrilled. The Traitors has never experienced such a dramatic shake-up and, three civilian series and one celebrity season in, I understand why it might feel like the right time to pull the rug from under traitors, faithful and viewers alike.

Unfortunately, they’re not alone. I too feel slightly betrayed by the twist, which feels like a step too far.

But it’s not.

As the twist continued to unravel, it felt more and more like a grave error.

The Traitors is perfect in part because for viewers, being privy to who is pulling the strings – and watching the puppets tie themselves in knots getting it wrong – is fascinating and powerful, particularly in the opening episode, when the faithful have absolutely no evidence beyond a hunch but still possess the standard misguided conviction.

Yet there isn’t a single clue for us viewers pointing to the existence of the secret traitor in episode one. We’re as blind as the actual traitors, who seem lost, confused and rattled that a silent assassin stands in the way of their complete control.

The first mission of the series was an instant classic: 100 coffins floating in a lake, with three teams tasked with dragging them out of the water and placing them into ready-made burial plots featuring gravestones with players’ names. The plots filled by the end of the mission indicted those who were at risk of murder.

Ten players were vulnerable, but the traitors were only allowed to choose their first victim from three names that had been selected during the mission.

Essentially, it stripped all strategy from their hands. Watching the traitors strategise is an essential part of the game – something I didn’t fully appreciate until it was taken away.

Presumably, we’ll eventually be made aware of the secret traitor’s gameplay, but until then – whenever that may be – the twist feels clunky, desperate and completely unnecessary.

As it stands, it’s unclear how long the secret traitor will retain all the power. Hopefully not long, and most of the series will revert to the exact formula that has proved a winner every time without fail.

Season four boasts yet another flawless cast with players immediately exciting enough to provide all the entertainment we need. Fiona will inevitably follow in the footsteps of Amanda, Diane and Linda as this year’s ‘hun’, destined for appearances at gay bars up and down the country for the foreseeable future.

Then there is an as yet undiscovered mother-daughter alliance in Judy and Roxy; two players, Ross and Netty, who are genuinely stunned to recognise each other after more than a decade apart, and Amanda, who is keeping her past as a police detective under wraps.

It has the promise of one of the most exciting line-ups across all series of The Traitors, but my first impression is that it will be needlessly overshadowed by the ongoing hunt for the secret traitor, something I currently care very little about.

I’m fully open, and almost prepared, to being proved wrong as the series unfolds. Perhaps the secret traitor will turn out to be a stroke of genius that breathes new life into the game.

But right now, I can’t see how any more intrigue could be pumped into a show that only just peaked weeks ago with a record-breaking Celebrity Traitors. I have no doubt there will come a time when the format needs to be tampered with to keep it alive – but that time isn’t now, particularly when it’s still finding a new audience.

My excitement about the secret traitor has already waned after one episode. Power needs to be handed back to the traitors – and, more importantly, the viewers – before it’s too late.

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