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Based on a Dutch television show De Verraders, The Traitors US is a reality competition show on Peacock where Alan Cumming gets to perform high camp as the host to a game of betrayal and murderrrrrrr. Essentially, it's a game of Mafia or Werewolves, with Survivor or Fear Factor like challenges mixed in between to earn prize money, and immunity idols (shields). Each the traitors meet in secret, and decide whom they will murder. In the morning, the cast gets to learn who met their untimely demise as they all meet for breakfast. They then spend their day trying to figure out who the traitors are, and then meet in the evening at the roundtable to deliberate, and ultimately vote someone out. Only then do they learn if they were a faithful or a traitor. Season 1 was cast with half reality show veterans, and half normal people, and while they tried to keep up, it was the reality show veterans who stole the show, especially Kate Chastain from Bravo's Below Deck where she was known for her no nonsense attitude, and sharp witted tongue. Due to her RBF, her fellow faithfuls naturally assumed that she was a traitor, and gunned for her all season, which only resulted in her trying to sabotage challenges because she saw how poorly the rest of the cast were playing, and that it was clear that a traitor would win.  Season 2, we have a cast of only reality show veterans, athletes, and relatives of athletes.  What better way to get to know them than to take a look Vulture's Brian Moylan's power rankings before the season began. 1. Parvati Shallow  Where you might know them from: Winner of Survivor: Micronesia — Fans Vs. Favorites and runner-up of Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, perhaps the best season of the reality stalwart. Relevant reality skills: Last season, I said, “If they make Cirie Fields a traitor, she’ll win the whole thing,” and she did. This season, I’m saying the same about Parvati, Cirie’s former ally. She is flirty and fun and makes friends easily, but is also behind some of the greatest blindsides in Survivor history. Her biggest stumbling block will be her ongoing feud with Sandra Diaz-Twine, who beat Parv in the finals of Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains. Will be best as: Traitor 2. Dan Gheesling  Where you might know them from: The only Big Brother player to end up in the final twice, including winning Big Brother 10. Relevant reality skills: On his second season of BB, his eviction was so assured he staged “Dan’s Funeral,” considered the greatest move in the history of the game. After surviving his own funeral, the former teacher made it to the very end. A strategist and a gamer with an aw-shucks demeanor, Dan is never not a threat. Will be best as: Traitor 3. Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu  Where you might know them from: Winner of Love Island season eight with Davide Sanclimente. Relevant reality skills: Her lover Davide’s taunt that she is a “liar, actress” turned into a meme, but it’s those exact skills that are going to make her perfect for this game. She’s charming and likable with a bitchy side, perfect for offing the competition. Will be best as: Traitor 4. Phaedra Parks  Where you might know them from: The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Married to Medicine. Relevant reality skills: This former lawyer is one of the smartest and funniest weapons in Andy Cohen’s vast arsenal of smart and funny weapons. But don’t get it twisted; Shady Phae Phae sure can read a bitch and once made up a lie about a castmate that was so terrible she got kicked off RHOA for it. Phaedra’s mix of sincerity, humor, and utter ruthlessness will make her a formidable opponent. Will be best as: As a Traitor she could win; as a Faithful she’d be the comedic relief we need. 5. Janelle Pierzina  Where you might know them from: The best Big Brother player never to win. Relevant reality skills: Cirie was known as the best player to never win Survivor and look how she did! Janelle came in third twice on Big Brother, including an all-stars season where she got shanked by ally Mike “Boogie” Malin at the very end. It doesn’t speak well to Janelle’s ability not to be deceived by a traitor. However, she also appeared on Snake in the Grass, a Traitor-esque game show that also starred, you guessed it, Cirie. Will be best as: Traitor 6.Trishelle Cannatella  Where you might know them from: A famous drunken hot-tub threesome on The Real World: Las Vegas, as well as several seasons of The Challenge. Relevant reality skills: Her showings on The Challenge have been wildly inconsistent, either lasting until the finals or getting eliminated early, so things could go either way for her. But her history makes her likely to be underestimated, which could work in her favor. Will be best as: Faithful 7.Tamra Judge  Where you might know them from: The Real Housewives of Orange County. Relevant reality skills: One of the all-time greatest Housewives, she’s known for bringing drama and confrontation to what was to that point an otherwise sleepy show. Tamra is a great judge (ha!) of character, unafraid to speak her mind and shout that it is “my opinion!!” If she rooted out Vicki Gunvalson’s grifter boyfriend, Brooks Ayers, she can find herself a traitor. Will be best as: Faithful 8.John Bercow  Where you might know them from: The former Speaker of the House in the U.K. Parliament. (What’s he doing here and not on Strictly?) Relevant reality skills: Anyone who lived in England during the Brexit period will have anxiety dreams marked by his shouts of “order!” in the House of Commons. Since most players will have no clue who he is, he could be a dark horse — a career in politics is great practice for whipping the votes against someone to be eliminated. However, considering an investigation found that he was a “serial bully,” he may not go over so great with his fellow cast members. Will be best as: Faithful 9.Shereé Whitfield  Where you might know them from: Designer of renowned fashion brand She by Shereé, who has been on this little thing called Real Housewives of Atlanta a couple of times. Relevant reality skills: Perhaps the best fighter (both physical and verbal) in Housewives history is also the woman behind “Who gonna check me, Boo?,” one of the most memorable moments in the franchise. The mistress of Chateau Shereé is known as the “bone collector” for bringing gossip back to the group, which suggests she could lead the charge during banishments. However, she is not known for being the most eloquent when under the gun. Will be best as: Faithful, but Shereé flaming out as a Traitor would be epic. 10.Sandra Diaz-Twine  Where you might know them from: The first-ever two-time winner of Survivor during the iconic Pearl Islands and Heroes Vs. Villains seasons. Relevant reality skills: She’s not known as “The Queen” for nothing. She perfected the strategy of “anyone but me,” which could be very helpful in this game. However, Sandra was never much of an alliance builder, and her gruff exterior could make her appear like a traitor. Also, her rivalry with Parvati Shallow could derail her whole game. Will be best as: Faithful Marcus Jordan  Where you might know them from: Being Michael Jordan’s son and Larsa Pippen’s boyfriend on The Real Housewives of Miami. Relevant reality skills: This dude is dating the ex-wife of his father’s former bestie and rival, Scottie Pippen. If that’s not some traitor poo poo, I don’t know what is. Will be best as: Traitor 12.Peppermint  Where you might know them from: RuPaul’s Drag Race season nine. Relevant reality skills: She came in second on her season of Drag Race, but it’s unclear how far charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent will get you in the Traitors castle. Sweet and quick to laugh, Peppermint should be a breath of fresh air, or at least keep your breath fresh. Will be best as: Faithful 13.Peter Weber  Where you might know them from: He came third in Hanna Brown’s season of The Bachelorette and returned as The Bachelor for season 24. Relevant reality skills: The United Airlines pilot had long-term relationships with not one, not two, but three of the women from his season. Maybe skipping from one allegiance to another will help his game here — or make everyone think he’s a traitor. Though Arie Luyendyk got to the end of the show last season, it’s still unclear if Bachelor skills translate to anything other than playing the field. Will be best as: Faithful 14.Deontay Wilder  Where you might know them from: He’s like a boxer or something? Relevant skills: Sports? Ew, David! As a reality buff, I have no clue what he offers, but I have a feeling that several of the male contestants — CT, Johnny Bananas, Dan Gheesling — will want to chum up with him because of his professional bona fides and potential challenge mastery. But this is a game about emotional violence rather than physical violence, so let’s see if he can adapt. Will be best as: A Faithful, I guess? 15.Maksim Chmerkovskiy  Where you might know them from: Seventeen seasons as a professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars, including one win with Meryl Davis. Relevant reality skills: We know this guy has the moves, but how will he handle the stress of a situation that is more mental than physical? You can’t rumba your way out of getting murdered. He will slay at the challenges though. Will be best as: Faithful 16.Carsten “Bergie” Bergersen  Where you might know them from: Love Island USA season five. Relevant reality skills: The former Dairy Queen manager has come a long way from his fast-food roots. He struggled to find love on his season and ended up with Taylor Smith and finished third. Known for being sincere and friendly, he might be too much of a dupe to root out the traitors. Will be best as: Faithful 17.Kevin Kreider  Where you might know them from: Bling Empire, Netflix’s reality version of Crazy Rich Asians. Relevant reality skills: This model sure is real, real pretty. And like the stereotype of real, real pretty models, he hasn’t really shown much in the way of intellectual heft. Unless, like Quentin last year, he gets dragged to the end because he’s more clueless than a virgin who can’t drive, he doesn’t stand a chance. Will be best as: Faithful 18.Chris “CT” Tamburello  Where you might know them from: The Real World: Paris and more appearances on The Challenge than Lacey Chabert has been in Hallmark Christmas movies. Relevant reality skills: With seven victories, he is the only person in Challenge history to win more money than Johnny Bananas, but he is also the only contestant to be disqualified from the show twice for physical violence. While he doesn’t play as dirty a game as Johnny, I have a feeling no one in the house will trust him. Will be best as: Faithful 19.Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio  Where you might know them from: Literally every reality show ever produced, but most famously for winning more than $1 million over seven seasons of The Challenge. Relevant reality skills: This is a guy who once kept $275,000 in winnings rather than split it with his partner, and is such a villain he was on the cast of, you guessed it, House of Villains. No one is going to trust him, and the only thing that will keep him from getting voted off early is that he will be able to perform in the physical challenges. Will be best as: He’s screwed either way. 20. Mercedes “MJ” Javid  Where you might know them from: Bravo’s regrettably canceled Shahs of Sunset. Relevant reality skills: Being from the docusoap world, MJ has never really played a game. In fact, on Shahs she spent most of her eight seasons running around as a ditzy, drunken mess. She doesn’t seem to have what it takes to deceive as a traitor or to figure out who else is. Will be best as: Faithful 21. Larsa Pippen  Where you might know them from: The Real Housewives of Miami, kissing Kardashian asses, and selling feet pics on OnlyFans. Relevant reality skills: Larsa, who recently managed to make a co-star’s cancer diagnosis all about her, is perhaps the most narcissistic and oblivious Real Housewife, and to stand out in that crowd really means something. Also, she threw a “welcome home” party for her boyfriend, Marcus Jordan, after he was gone for five days. Between her lack of awareness for others around her and not wanting to be separated from her boo, she’s absolute toast. Will be best as: It honestly doesn’t matter. Wild Card: Kate Chastain  Where you might know them from: The freakin’ Traitors. She was the breakout star of season one and also seasons two through seven of Below Deck. Relevant reality skills: It’s still unclear if Kate will actually be joining the game, but it sure seems likely. In a new trailer for the second season, Alan Cumming says there is a “new guest” in the castle. We then see Kate arrive with her bags, saying, “Did you miss me?” and a shot of her at the roundtable asking, “Who do we hate?” It sure seems like she’s in the game, but The Traitors loves to fool us. (Dr. Will Kirby, a Big Brother legend, also makes a cameo in the trailer but looks less like he’s joining the game and more like a special guest star.) Unlike everyone else, Kate has played this game before and finished fifth. However, the only reason she did so well was that her distaste for this game made almost everyone in the cast hate her. Who knows how her shtick will go down the second season, but one thing is certain: Her quips and put-downs against the rest of the cast will surely be entertaining. Will be best as: An ornery Faithful, just like last time. Nihonniboku fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Feb 16, 2024 |
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Feb 16, 2024 20:43
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Boy these last couple of episodes you really feel the producers railroading the game hard
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Feb 16, 2024 23:09
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mp5 posted:Boy these last couple of episodes you really feel the producers railroading the game hard Probably, but how so?
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Feb 16, 2024 23:48
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mp5 posted:Boy these last couple of episodes you really feel the producers railroading the game hard yknow what on a show like this i don't mind it.
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Feb 17, 2024 00:35
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Thanks for making a thread! In case anyone is unaware, UK Season 1 and Aus Season 1 are streaming on US Peacock. New Zealand Season 1, UK and Aus Season 2 are streaming on 10play. One of the SA streaming threads turned me onto this show. I put it on as background noise while working on work reports and got hooked. It is very good for "can just listen, look at it every few minutes, but don't need the visual cues too much" kind of background noise. I also had a few episodes on while playing video games. US Season 1: first one I watched so it set a bar, I suppose. At first I was irritated at Alan Cumming just reading a silly script but got over it quick - he is having too much fun not to be infectious. UK Season 1: lots of crying. Very emotional people. The host cries too. She's into it, love her. I'd seen her on Big Fat Quiz show, but nowhere else. She's great. Aus Season 1: The ending grouping turned out interesting. The host was so very Australian. I like the flavor, I suppose you'd say. UK Season 2: I've already kind of forgotten it. Aus Season 2: the dumbest players I've seen on a tv show. And every episode topped a previous dumb one. But the ending is some chefskiss stuff, I tell you what. I've started the NZ season but it isn't grabbing me. First minutes of episode 1 They did the "if you want to leave now, race up the hill and there's $10k for the taking. No strings." bit. And the Professional Gamer was the only one who went for it, no shame. Good on him.
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Feb 17, 2024 01:19
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Nihonniboku posted:Probably, but how so? Bringing in Kate, the banishment that didn’t happen, the Peter murder that didn’t happen. Just a real bummer after the first half of the season being pretty fantastic! Haven’t watched this week yet but I suspect it’s curtains for Bergalicious
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Feb 17, 2024 03:04
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mp5 posted:Bringing in Kate, the banishment that didn’t happen, the Peter murder that didn’t happen. Just a real bummer after the first half of the season being pretty fantastic! I suspect they brought in Kate because Deontay quit and they needed the numbers. Peter's murder didn't happen because he successfully lied to Dan and Parvati about who had shields. I do agree that the producers are probably intervening a lot, producers are making a TV show and not necessarily a fair competition, but I'm not sure those are examples of their intervention. I think where producers have definitely interfered were the two episodes where they made half the cast at safe. Then there is a moment at the end of this week's episode, you'll see.
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Feb 17, 2024 03:15
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They were always gonna add Kate I’m pretty sure. I also even think the safety chain was a pre-planned twist because otherwise they could’ve just done the ultimatum that episode. But recruitments and ultimatums are totally built in to keep the traitors going on through the end of the episode order. So I guess that’s producer intervention but it’s also a mechanism everyone knows about going in. One strategy is to just not banish the most obvious traitor to avoid them getting replaced by a harder to peg new recruit. Instead you take longer shots, and they maybe could’ve even kept Phaedra for later if not for her having a lot of friends backing her up to where the window or opportunity for that shot could close. I feel like Sandra and John screwed up by not voting Phaedra. It’ll get harder and harder to get the numbers for it, and to avoid murder if you’re not one of her bravo buddies. Parv wasn’t targeting them but now they’re gonna be in danger for the next murders, however many are left anyway.
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Feb 17, 2024 04:24
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Nihonniboku posted:I suspect they brought in Kate because Deontay quit and they needed the numbers. Peter's murder didn't happen because he successfully lied to Dan and Parvati about who had shields. I do agree that the producers are probably intervening a lot, producers are making a TV show and not necessarily a fair competition, but I'm not sure those are examples of their intervention. Yeah I wasn’t talking about the shield, I was talking about doing the Safety Chain instead of both a banishment and the murder (which would have been Peter)
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Feb 17, 2024 04:35
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one funny thing is that I looked up John Bercow and apparently his political career got blown up due to him bullying staff and being abusive. Kind of shocking after seeing his persona as sweet old man here
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Feb 17, 2024 04:51
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Fast Luck posted:one funny thing is that I looked up John Bercow and apparently his political career got blown up due to him bullying staff and being abusive. Kind of shocking after seeing his persona as sweet old man here Until this week's episode lol
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Feb 17, 2024 06:37
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Yeah, much better episode this week even if there was pretty much only that exact option for the remaining Traitor.
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Feb 18, 2024 01:48
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I've not watched Competitive Reality outside of Drag Race for years, but my friends talking about it and looking at the cast (SANDRA! JANELLE! DAN! PEPPERMINT!!!) made me checking it out and I've binged all episodes in the last four days. I'm enjoying it, but I'm looking forward to a "civilian" season more next. UK 1 and 2 are already queued up.
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Feb 20, 2024 03:26
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Pinwiz11 posted:I've not watched Competitive Reality outside of Drag Race for years, but my friends talking about it and looking at the cast (SANDRA! JANELLE! DAN! PEPPERMINT!!!) made me checking it out and I've binged all episodes in the last four days. That's what Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang were calling for on the latest episode of their podcast. I need to check out UK. And Matt insists that Australia season 1 is the best season of reality TV he's seen in years.
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Feb 20, 2024 04:39
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These loving cliffhangers!
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Feb 23, 2024 05:07
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Nihonniboku posted:These loving cliffhangers! 
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Feb 23, 2024 05:31
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Nihonniboku posted:These loving cliffhangers! they are out of control this season
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Feb 23, 2024 10:02
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Imagine Survivor ending right in the middle of Jeff reading the votes. It's bullshit man
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Feb 23, 2024 15:12
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it's total binge poo poo to keep you streaming into the next episode but they're releasing weekly so it just sucks! and AND it's episode 8 or something people are already in it now. knock it off! Anyway I could see it going either way but we saw a lot of setup for MJ voting Phaedra, although possibly just to build the cliffhanger suspense. I wonder if certain people are set on never voting Peter or never voting Phaedra, or if one of them turns up faithful after this vote if they'd all pretty much relent and just vote the other after. Would be so funny to get a Kate traitor win after all this. Joins the show late, joins the traitors at the last possible moment... wins??
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Feb 23, 2024 15:19
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Kate is the only person I want to win
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Feb 23, 2024 15:30
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Nihonniboku posted:Kate is the only person I want to win This
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Feb 23, 2024 15:48
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Kate or Sandra for me, everyone else can take a walk
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Feb 23, 2024 17:15
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Has this gotten better since UK1? It was nice spoiled mafia speccing but that ending was awful from a game perspective and I have no interest in it if that's happened again.
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Feb 23, 2024 17:56
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Sighence posted:Has this gotten better since UK1? It was nice spoiled mafia speccing but that ending was awful from a game perspective and I have no interest in it if that's happened again. I've only seen this version, so I can't compare. Seasons 1 and 2 have been a big hit though, and season 1 won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program.
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Feb 23, 2024 18:52
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The US version is imo a lot better than the UK because they pretty much just have people from Reality TV shows and the odd athlete/politican thrown in too. It makes it way more trashy, but in a good way? Stand outs are the Bravo women who are catty as all hell and indulge in the show's premise. This season has slapped, but it's irking me a bit that the odds are so titled against Faithful making any meaningful progress. Two of the traitors this season were pretty awful at it, and it's a shame they aren't letting the last remaining one float on her own for at least an episode as consequence. Absolutely painful hearing the traitors complain about how Peter thinks he's so smart, when he in fact, is and had them dead to rights. Misplayed his hand on the Parvati vote, but anyone voting for him is a dumbass and deserves to lose. Wild that anyone would look at how people in his pose keep dying and go "yeah, he's probably doing it". Nihonniboku posted:Kate is the only person I want to win
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Feb 23, 2024 18:58
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CatstropheWaitress posted:Absolutely painful hearing the traitors complain about how Peter thinks he's so smart, when he in fact, is and had them dead to rights. Misplayed his hand on the Parvati vote, but anyone voting for him is a dumbass and deserves to lose. Wild that anyone would look at how people in his pose keep dying and go "yeah, he's probably doing it". My favourite bit so far was the pool table scene where Sandra explained to the people in the room, as if they were children, how basic arithmetic works 
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Feb 23, 2024 19:09
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Anyone who has played mafia should not be shocked to see peter in the position hes in rn lol
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Feb 23, 2024 19:27
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Rappaport posted:My favourite bit so far was the pool table scene where Sandra explained to the people in the room, as if they were children, how basic arithmetic works It wasn’t just basic math Sandra was explaining, she was also outlining why having an alliance that ideally actually has traitors in it, is better than Peter And Pals Peter’s totally cooked next week btw there is no chance MJ goes against the Bravo crew while Peter’s team is still around
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Feb 23, 2024 20:06
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im going to say MJ does banish Phaedra. Sandra blew them off and was like "I'll listen at the round table see ya then" but MJ made a big deal about being willing to do it and then there were a lot of shots of her listening to the frankly very strong case against Phaedra, stronger than the ones even on Dan and Parvati. Also honestly Peter's defense of himself was really strong. If people think clearly enough the faithful should have this in the bag. If Peter survives here, we know he's faithful for sure, John is considered the "faithful of the faithful," Trishelle and CT will have very strong faithful bona fides. The traitors can't kill all these people and they won't banish each other. They might banish Sandra after they get Phaedra though. If they do banish Peter instead at the current round table, i think they'll still have numbers to all turn on Phaedra next vote (only Sherea and Kate would probably resist at that point) and probably can still win. Kate isn't exposed per se but a lot of the faithful are semi-confirmed.
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Feb 23, 2024 20:25
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Sandra seems to have buddied up really well with the power alliance in the Bravo group, I don’t think she’s going anywhere
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Feb 23, 2024 21:39
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Nihonniboku posted:I've only seen this version, so I can't compare. Seasons 1 and 2 have been a big hit though, and season 1 won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program. You'd know if it had, the comparisons would be everywhere in the space. I won't describe further so you're not spoiled as despite my intense distaste for that portion the rest of it is solid and the incident itself is still a great discussion point. Sounds like I'll be catching up on this then.
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Feb 23, 2024 21:57
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https://www.instagram.com/p/C3oiU0pL_h0/
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Feb 24, 2024 19:57
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If Phaedra gets banished, how far into the game do the traitors get to make ultimatums?
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Feb 25, 2024 17:13
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Propaganda Machine posted:If Phaedra gets banished, how far into the game do the traitors get to make ultimatums? From limited research I would be very surprised if there was only one Traitor even as deep as Final 5 or 4.
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Feb 25, 2024 23:14
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During my binge, I was wondering how the how handled the possibility of all of the Traitors being discovered prior to the end of the episode count but then the Recruitments and Ultimatum answered that. I'd like to read a general overview of the Traitor rules, but I'm hesitant to search for one until I've got caught up on the rest of the series I want to see.
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Feb 26, 2024 01:09
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Supposedly the UK season 2 that just ended was really good. I don't know when I'll have the time to watch it but it's on my list for sure.
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Feb 26, 2024 03:41
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i think after they go through a certain threshold of players they have the option to End The Game
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Feb 26, 2024 03:51
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The final endgame firepit only happens at final 4. That, plus the recruitment mechanic, is why Peter's Bloc Of Five Faithful was actually extremely counterproductive for winning
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Feb 26, 2024 05:22
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