It starts as any popular reality show does - with the promise of drama. But when it comes to reality TV, New Zealand often lacks in spice - so, will The Traitors be any different?
Based on the smash success of the 2021 Dutch series De Verraders, the internationalversion of the show, titled The Traitors, has had fanfare in the UK, the US and even Australia. Now, the murder mystery-like party has been picked up by Warner Bros Discovery ANZ for a Kiwi version.
Featuring some familiar faces such as host Paul Henry and beloved Kiwi celebrities like Matt Heath, Mike Puru, Kings and Brodie Kane, the show also stars some everyday people you may never have heard of before - but you’ll love them just as much as the celebs.
Set in a luxurious secluded lodge in rural New Zealand, the group of 19 contestants must embark on some truly simplistic solo and group missions - like playing a game of pool and solving riddles - that will help them build up a prize worth $70,000, which sounds pretty simple. Except it’s not.
Hidden among the cast are three traitors who are secretly selected by Henry on day one of the game. Working with each other, they must eliminate - or “murder” - the “faithful” contestants, while the “faithful” cast members must try to uncover the traitors and get rid of them entirely.
There are 19 competitors - three traitors and 16 faithfuls. Photo / Warner Bros Discovery
It sounds fun, it sounds competitive and it sounds very, very sneaky. And it is - especially because the biggest plot twist of all is that if the faithful contestants banish all the traitors, they share the prize money. But if a traitor prevails, they will steal all the money. Cue evil genius laugh.
Given the international hype surrounding the show, does its first New Zealand episode live up to expectations?
One thing the show definitely got right is the casting of their game-maker, the host and the man who gives the competitors their tasks - Henry.
At first, I was hesitant about the choice. Maybe it’s because I’m too young to really understand the Henry effect, or maybe I’m just sceptical. Either way, I owe Henry an apology, because he is in fact the creme de la creme of reality TV hosts.
Warner Bros Discovery ANZ's new show 'The Traitors' found its perfect host in Paul Henry. Photo / Warner Bros Discovery
Bringing an eccentric mixture of sass, seriousness and fun to the show, he is the voice of reason while also being the voice of chaos. After the first 55 minutes of viewing, you’ll have peace in knowing that whatever goes wrong, this season is going to be hugely entertaining because Henry is there with his vibrant commentary.
The first episode of The Traitors proves it has potential – mainly because it races through the most boring part of a reality show, the introductions. Despite reaching the end of the episode and having absolutely no clue who anyone is, bar, of course, the well-known Kiwi celebs, I’m not mad about it.
Introductions are overrated, and when entering a reality show, I want to decide for myself who is the villain, the sweetheart and the personality hire. It adds spice and flair, and is the reason I’m tuning in in the first place. It’s my own personal Guess Who?
But what may be my favourite part of the entire production is that it’s child’s play. Sure, the competitors are trying to win real adult money, but everything they do, from keeping secrets to being ordered to play hide and seek with some silver coins, feels like they’ve relinquished all of their adult responsibilities and have gone away to school camp for a week.
Even when the traitors - Radio Hauraki host Matt Heath, professional poker player Dan Sing and competitive ballroom dancer Loryn Reynolds - meet in their black hooded gowns in a super-secret room at midnight and decide who to “murder”, there is a nostalgic element. It feels like travelling back in time to the days when you used to play witches and wizards with your childhood friends. Their evil giggles only solidify that they, too, are enjoying the fun of it all.
Warner Bros Discovery ANZ's new show 'The Traitors' has arrived. Photo / Warner Bros Discovery
The cast aren’t the only ones who lean into this vibe. Henry also leans into the child’s play atmosphere and easily slips into the role of dad, treating the competitors like they’re his own children. Calling them “chickadees” and “darlings”, he praises them with phrases of affirmation like “aren’t you clever” when they do something right and gives them rules like “when the clock strikes midnight, no story, straight to bed”.
It’s light and fluffy in parts, despite the show aiming to be one revolving around deception, and it feels like exactly the thing reality TV is missing at the moment.
While we all love a Married At First Sight dramatic dinner party or a sneaky Celebrity Treasure Island confession cam moment, watching The Traitors’ fun and vibrant - yet somehow serious - episodes is proof that reality shows don’t need to be nasty to be good.
Lillie Rohan is an Auckland-based reporter covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2020. She specialises in all things relationships and dating, great Taylor Swift ticket wars and TV shows you simply cannot miss out on.
