If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider.
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In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure Island reboot, which gave hope and comfort to a nation during Covid-19 lockdown, or the enduring love story of Art and Matilda from The Bachelor NZ season one. Now, we can add season two of The Traitors NZ, the reality competition of cunning and intrigue that has delighted and impressed since the first moment it hit our screens.
If you haven’t touched The Traitors NZ yet or reality TV usually isn’t your thing, I urge you to reconsider. The Traitors NZ is the reality format that’s swept the world, a murder-mystery game of luck and strategy that sees the “traitors” pick off the “faithfuls” one by one while the faithfuls try and work out who among them are the murderers. It’s less of a reality TV show and more an insight into the complexities of the human condition, and many times this season, I’ve found myself squealing with shock or dropping my jaw in amazement at what unfolded. I have been gripped by every single episode. It is, ultimately, a bloody good time on the telly.
It’s never too late to fall into The Traitors NZ’s open grave, so here’s five (relatively spoiler-free) reasons why this is the best season of NZ reality television ever made.
The cast is perfect
Last year’s Traitors NZ celebrity cast is dead and buried, and the show is all the better for it. This season features a diverse cast of everyday New Zealanders who each bring their own logic and emotions to the game. There’s a police officer, a landscaper, an occupational therapist. There’s 70-year-old clairvoyant Jackie, stern Dunedin teacher Siale (a key player in the powerful “Pacific Ring of Fire” alliance), and Noel, the quiet 22-year-old writer who mysteriously lists his home towns as both New York and Invercargill. It’s a petri dish of New Zealand society, and they’re all really likeable players. There’s no obvious villain here, no one character that you’re supposed to loathe. This is critical to the show’s success, because no matter who makes it to the end, we need to be invested in what happens.
The gameplay has been extraordinary
Both the faithfuls and the traitors are fascinating to watch as individuals, but the magic happens when they get together. Some players work quietly in the background while others stir the pot with glee, and there’s no shortage of tactics and strategies. Plus, because none of the players are celebrities who attended each other’s weddings and attend PR launches together every other week, every single player is here to for the right reasons. After the show ends, they’ll go back to their everyday lives, so they’re playing with nothing to lose – other than the $100,000 prize.
“It works so much better when you’re strangers, because you’ve got to build relationships quickly,” traitor Whitney told The Spinoff in an upcoming My Life in TV interview. “It really didn’t affect me to murder people, because you’re a stranger. I’ve got no loyalty to you.”
It’s incredibly well made
The production values on this season of The Traitors are as strong as Paul Henry’s collection of scarves and brooches. The gothic Claremont Castle setting provides the haunting atmosphere, and every episode is filled with stunning shots of the Canterbury countryside. The missions are impressive, from the treasure hunt inside a room of haunted dolls to a tense quiz that featured exploding mines. And what could be more beautiful than digging your own grave in front of this view?
The pace of the edit is tight, the cliffhangers are infuriatingly well timed, and despite being a well-known international reality TV format, the surprises keep coming. The players seem to have the freedom to make unexpected moves (Mark’s decision this week will surely see him go down in Traitors history), while the round table banishments are dramatic and unpredictable. There’s no weak link, and with few precious episodes left in the season, it feels like anything could happen.
It’s not afraid to take the piss out of itself
Like Celebrity Treasure Island, there’s a charming sense of self-deprecation to The Traitors NZ. This show knows it’s built on a ridiculous concept (deciding guilt based on the way someone gulps water? No further questions, your honour), and it leans in hard to all its absurdity and nonsense. Paul Henry in a dressing gown feeding a silky haired pup a fresh croissant for breakfast? Very normal. A pretend funeral that goes on so long that the players start falling asleep? That’s what we’re here for.
It’s showing New Zealanders in a new light
New Zealanders aren’t usually into hostility or confrontation, but The Traitors demands that we ditch our reserved demeanours and say what we really think. In fact, it’s probably the perfect game for us, given that we can be all relaxed and understated one moment and then strike like Team New Zealand up on both foils the next. Even when we do embrace confrontation, we do it in a uniquely chill way – like Bree asking clairvoyant Jackie if she’ll still knit her a jumper even though she just voted to banish her, and Jackie calmly replying “no”. A beautiful stitch up, indeed.
The Traitors NZ screens Mondays and Tuesdays at 7pm on Three and streams on ThreeNow.