The Traitorsis more than justgrade-A reality TV. It’s actually an interesting insight into people’s characters, andhow they handle moments in which their fight of flight mode needs to be engaged, or when they have to make out a dangerous player among all perceived non-threats. ThoughThe Traitorsis actually an elevated game of Mafia, its production value allows for the game to show different sides to every person.
The Traitorsin the US consist ofreality TVstars, butThe Traitors UKconsists of unknown players, and while meeting new players is fun, having well-known reality stars in one room, notorious for being strong personalities, brings a wholly different ballgame. These people were sharp and notable in their reality shows, andnow must face-off against people like them. I never believed I would relate to some of reality TV’s biggest meanies or most prominent personalities, but this show made me realize people are layered and can have things in common even with someone who is their opposite.
The Traitors (US)
10Kate Chastain
Seasons 1 and 2
Kate Chastainjust doesn’t care about the antics and the theatrics and the drama of it all, and as someone who reacts similarly to drama, I can understand her. Kate was a participant in seasons one and two ofThe Traitors, and she’s the only returning player. In season one, Kate was an honest, no-nonsense Faithful, whose personality made people believe she was a Traitor. Even in season 2, when she was recruited as a Traitor,Kate remained true to her ability to roll her eyesand spew brilliant one-liners.
I really liked Kate because of her unimpressed attitude towards certain very loved players. I am rarely impressed, too, and it takes a lot to make me awe and sigh, and soKate’s attitude mirrored mine very often while I watched her.Not to say Kate, or I, for that matter, are boring duds that don’t care about anything - I’d sayKate knows what she likesand goes for that, and that’s another thing I found likable about her. Her perceptive nature and the ability to read people was also a pretty cool trait to have, and she’s just one of the coolestThe Traitorscontestants around.
9Carsten “Bergie” Bergersen
Carsten Bergersen, often better known as Bergie, wasinitially aLove Island UScontestantbefore ending up on season 2 ofThe Traitors. Bergie is an archetypal nice guy,someone who can be considered too pure for the world of deceit and lieslikeThe Traitors, but his gentle demeanor was what got him to strategically slip under the radar. Though he seemed meek and quiet, Bergie had his finger on the Traitors' pulse and, with the right alliance, gathered enough courage to stand up for the Faithfuls. As a Faithful himself, Bergie got “murdered” close to the final.
I didn’t really relate to Bergie from the beginning, but his ability to follow his gut while staying calm and giving his best in games where he knew he’d dominate felt more and more like something I could relate to.Bergie was also underrated because of his gentle personality,and often overlooked whenever he’d try to give advice or get someone to listen to his opinions. I can have a hard time expressing myself in large groups, so I understood Bergie in some ways while he was onThe Traitors.
8Tom Sandoval
Yes, I knowTom Sandoval is a villain, and I don’t condone cheating on a partner, but while watching him, I went from rolling my eyes backwards to slowly being like “yeah, he’s kind of weird in a good way.” Now, I don’t know Tom, of course, but it seems likeThe Traitorscanget thebest and the worst out of people, andTom had to face some massive obstacles to become a neutral figureon the show. He never denied his wrongdoings, accepted the hate that came towards him, and moved forward authentically.
Sandoval was a Faithful in season 3 ofThe Traitors US, and his tactic wasn’t really a tactic - it was just being himself, working hard for the team, and though he overplayed at moments, his head was often in the right intuitive place. I felt for Tom by the end of the show because I understand how hard it can be to make a mistake and live with it; admittedly, I’ve never cheated, but I have done things I regretted. He also realizedit’s best to take things on the chin and move forward as his best self, regardless of what people think. In the end, I think I kinda liked Tom Sandoval for his chaotic, ridiculous gameplay - even if he didn’t reach the end.
7Bob the Drag Queen
Bob the Drag Queenis one of my favoriteRu Paul’s Drag Racecontestants. Bob’s humor and style are often at the forefront, buthe’s also shown great intelligence and common sense. In season 3 ofThe Traitors US, Bob was a Traitor, and a great oneuntil Boston Rob Marianostarted getting paranoid;they had an iconic argument, and their conflict started a general rift between all the Traitors that lasted until the finale. The thing I noticed with Bob is the slightly aggressive defensiveness; I didn’t dislike him after those arguments withDylan Efronand Rob, but rather found something I could relate to there.
As someone with a strong anxiety disorder, constantly being “on” is exhausting; having to be aware of things I do and say without being misunderstood or overwhelmed can be hard work. I don’t doubt Bob’s hypervigilance comes from his personal background as a gay, Black man, which I am, obviously, not, butI found those small parts of him relatable because of how he tried to protect himselfwhile trying to not get upset. I react similarly when faced with an awkward truth (a lot of us do), so I understood his reaction wasn’t intentionally hurtful, but rather the anxiety of being exposed as a Traitor. Bob is iconic, and I’d say I admire him a lot more than relating to him, though this moment felt quite relatable.
6Parvati Shallow
Parvati Shallowis one of the greatestSurvivorplayers of all time, and being on The Traitors was kind of a natural progression for her. Parvati is known for being able to charm and talk her way in and out of situations,seeing advantages and downsides to every outcome. She got caught as a Traitor onseason 2 ofThe Traitors, but she dealt some real damage before that. With Parvati, though, what I really admired and felt I could (or should) relate to, was her perseverance in the face of trouble. She had a really uphill battle during her Traitor run, but she fought until the end.
Parvati isknown fromSurvivoras a dangerous player, because she reads people well and knows what to say.But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing all the time. Understanding people by observing them can also come from a place of empathy, believe it or not, and Parvati seems to be more than just the designated bad girl. I’ve never had to use my wits and charm for villainous activities, but there were times I had to tap into that baddie inside to succeed, whether it was a job interview, a date, or overcoming a bad day. I can relate to Parvati for always being able to find a balance between honoring herself and listening to others.
5Ciara Miller
I’ll admit, I haven’t seenSummer House, but I was impressed byCiara Miller on season 3 ofThe Traitors. She was stylish and cool, but most of all,she was authentic and genuine, even in angry moments. Ciara was often a target because of her aggressive demeanor when pressed, finally being banished as a Faithful. Ciara’s defensiveness made people believe she was a Traitor, and I felt for her when she stood and proclaimed her innocence. Ciara’s fight or flight response caused her to fight, which people often label as too direct and aggressive.
It was interesting to see how, when faced with danger and accusations, Ciara handled it all. Suddenly, facing trouble, her demeanor was of a scared girl who tried to scrap her way out of a bad situation. I felt for her in that sense, though my fight or flight response is often in the middle, which is to freeze. I could relate to her trying her best to stay afloat, andfighting until the very end, knowing who she is and why she’s there. Ciara also won three protection Shields, meaning that, when her survival instinct kicked in, it served her in all the best ways.
4Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğluwasfirst onLove Island UK, and she stirred the pot there quite a lot. With her hot and cold romance with Davide Sanclimenti, it was obvious Ekin-Su was fiery, emotional, and impulsive. I am all those things, and the more I watch Ekin-Su, the more I feel for her. InThe Traitorsseason 2, she was a Faithful, and got “killed” by Parvati after she gave her a poisoned chalice.Ekin-Su didn’t stand out much amongThe Traitorscast, but she stayed her best self; with her mostrecent venture onLove Island All Stars, I could see Ekin-Su as someone insecure but working hard to love herself.
HerThe Traitorsgame wasn’t long, but with everything that was known about Ekin-Su, she was expected to bring chaos, drama, and messiness. Yet, when she was put with other, Traitor-worthy contestants, Ekin got a bit lost in the crowd. As someone emotional,getting lost in a crowd of strong-minded people can be overwhelming. She still put her best foot forward and made sure to be seen and heard, and that’s something I can appreciate at any time. Ekin-Su is one of the most misunderstood reality TV contestants, but she’s also pretty iconic for her wild antics.
3Gabby Windey
“I’m not succumbing to the pressure of the awkward silence,” is just one of theiconic lines Gabby Windey, formerThe Bachelorettestar and one ofThe Traitorsseason 3 winners, said during her time on the show. Gabby is effortlessly cool, and I relate to her because of her general attitude ofbeing kind of chill about most things, and letting her intuition take over; she’s also very funny, and I love to crack jokes and make people laugh, sometimes at my own expense.
Arguably, Gabby is much more iconic overall than asThe Traitorsplayer. Her podcast, Long Winded, is full of unruly and chaoticwisdom that’s relatable to so many people. Gabby’s vibe of being fed up with a lot of things, yet simultaneously enjoying life and friendships is pretty darn relatable. It’s hard for me to balance my desire to be alone with the desire to socialize, andit feels like Gabby Windey always has a one-liner that encapsulates a feeling I have. I loved that Gabby ended up being one of the four winners onThe Traitors US, even if she wasn’t totally strategic - just mostly herself.
2Carolyn Wiger
As an avidSurvivorfan, I was happyto see Carolyn Wigeronseason 3 ofThe Traitors US. Carolyn reached the final three on her season ofSurvivor,andthough she didn’t win, she became famous for her unfiltered social gameand quirkiness. Still, what many people didn’t really see in Carolyn was that she’s very clever and has the ability to see a few steps ahead. She had a similar fate inThe Traitors, where she was a Traitor, and gave herself away after getting more nervous about being revealed.
As someone who was bullied in school and often overlooked, I’ve always had a hard time fitting into large groups of people. It’s also hard for me to filter my thoughts and actions to fit into a group better, because it’s exhausting and not who I want to ultimately be. Carolyn’s gameplay felt relatable becauseshe tried to get a word in and usually had smart, common-sense takes, but was often pushed aside by stronger personalities. She would get defensive, sure, but that’s also pretty normal when someone wants to express themselves and gets underrated often.
1Dylan Efron
Dylan Efron and Gabby Windey were my two ultimate favorites, after Carolyn Wiger and Bob the Drag Queen. Efron is bound to get more fame and recognition after his run on season 3 ofThe Traitors US, but I’ve been following Dylan on social media for a while because of his love of nature and adventurous spirit. I’m not as brave, but I also really love to travel and spend time in nature;people with such interests generally tend to be a lot more intuitive and calm, which Dylan was for most of his time onThe Traitors. Also, we’re both Aquariuses, only seven days apart, so that’s an instant relate-factor for me.
Dylan’s game was solid, andhe’s proof that a person can be honest without being mean; that someone can tell the truth based on their personal perception and nothurl insults at someoneat the same time; someone who can still have fun and find joy in a cutthroat competition of deceit, knowing it’s a game. It’s no wonder he was one of the winners, then; he was a Faithful, and people could feel that energy from him, since no one’s ever doubted his loyalties. Season 3 ofThe Traitors USwas special, and had arguably the best cast yet.
