Why the UK Traitors Just Might Win It All In the End
Is it just me or does this seem like an easy sweep for the Traitors?
At this point, the Faithfuls might as well hand over the prize money themselves. In a spectacular turn of events, the latest episode of The Celebrity Traitors saw all three Traitors — Maya Jama, James Acaster and King Kenny — voted the most trustworthy contestants in the castle. I would pay unspeakable amounts of someone elses money just to be in the room with all the Faithfuls as they watched this episode. As if fooling an entire room of celebrities wasn't enough, the Faithfuls rewarded their deception with a game-changing advantage: a double vote at the Round Table. If the Traitors weren't already laughing behind closed doors, they certainly had reason to start.
And yet, what makes this season so compelling isn't simply that the Traitors are playing a brilliant game. It's that the Faithfuls are playing a unhelpful one. With the finale approaching, I'm increasingly convinced that the Traitors are going to win and I have my reasons.
Where Is The Hero?
Across The Traitors franchise, there's usually a Faithful who emerges as the protagonist. They gather a group, build alliances, connect the dots and gradually gain enough influence to steer the Round Table. For example, Dylan Efron and Colton Underwood from The Traitors US. Whether they're right or wrong, there's someone willing to take charge of the investigation.
This season? Not so much.
The Faithfuls have theories. They have suspicions. Occasionally, they even stumble across a genuinely good idea. Their problem is that they seem determined to apply those ideas in the least productive way possible.
The latest episode was the perfect example. They kept on pointing out that the Traitors would seduce a trusworthy Faithful to throw them off yet failed to consider their most trusworthy allies, their murderers.
This trio of Traitors are playing excellent together but what exactly is it about them that makes this win feel like it's already their?
Maya Jama: The Leader
Let's be honest: when I talk about the Traitors playing a magnificent game, I'm largely talking about Maya Jama.
She's an OG Traitor that has managed to make some key plays while her name goes unscathed at every Round Table. Maya isn't just surviving this competition, she's shaking it up. Her social game is excellent, her composure at the Round Table is impressive, and though she's not the loudest at the table, like any good Traitor her actions speak louder. She influences conversations and along with her fellow Traitors chooses perfect targets to misdirect the castle.
In my eyes, she's the clear leader of this Traitor trio.
James Acaster: The Perfect Passenger?
James Acaster. Sweet, faithful, James Acaster. He's an interesting case because, socially, he's doing exactly what a Traitor should do. He's likeable, funny and seemingly unthreatening. His position in the castle makes him an unlikely suspect, and that kind of goodwill is invaluable in a game built on deception.
But there's a difference between being a good game player and being a playmaker.
A game player understands how to survive. A playmaker changes the direction of the game. Maya is doing the latter, while James sometimes seems content to let everyone else take the lead.
Consider the blindfold challenge, when James chose to remain in his spot rather than move alongside Maya and Kenny. Matter of fact, He didn't even have the courage to take his blindfold off and help from where he stood. His reluctance to participate in the Traitors' sabotage created a very different dynamic from the one Maya and Kenny were prepared to embrace. And while staying put might have seemed like the safer option in the moment, it also highlighted a potential weakness in the trio: James isn't always willing to take the same risks as his fellow Traitors.
King Kenny Is the Recruitment They Needed
If Maya is the leader, Kenny might be the most valuable member of the team. He has integrated himself into the group, earned the trust of the other contestants and shown that he's willing to participate in the game rather than simply benefit from the work of his fellow Traitors. Kenny is active at the Round Table. He's prepared to make risky decisions. And, crucially, he seems comfortable with the fact that being a Traitor means occasionally having to make a move that could backfire.
In episode 7, the Traitors had to sabotage the Faithfuls by messing with their puzzles while the were blindfolded in order to add to the prize pot. This is a risky challenge for the Traitors because with their sense of sight taken away, the Faithfuls must rely on hearing. This didn't stop Kenny from proving he's here to play as he was the first to spring into action.
What I find particularly interesting is how well Kenny seems to complement Maya. They both have those social instincts and strategic vision to guide the game, while also bringing an eagerness to participate and execute the plan. Together, they have the potential to become a iconic pairing.
And this might be controversial, but I genuinely think the two of them could be enough. James is a useful asset, especially because his social game keeps suspicion away from him. But Maya and Kenny are the ones I would be most concerned about if I were a Faithful.
But hey, who asked me?