The Traitors: New Blood, Ep. 10: Wyatt Gillespie, Jay Vinnedge, Shane Beatty, Kriste Lewis, Katie Fites, Victor Vollbrechthausen, Abbey Benjamin, Clyde Moser, Ben McDonnell, Joe Vanella — Photo: Euan Cherry/NBC
Spoiler Alert: This recap reveals events from Episode 10 of The Traitors: New Blood.
When we last left the Highlands, a roundtable was imminent, and Wyatt, Joe, and Kriste all faced the chopping block. This odd break in structure had me reminiscing on a not-too-distant past, when Peacock still ran The Traitors and things seemed to make more sense. A murder, then a breakfast, a mission, and finally a banishment at the roundtable. With the strict forty-five-minute network TV window, it’s impossible for this to all happen in one episode. Hence the weird pacing and awkward editing.
Kriste begins the discussion by bringing up her Wyatt theory once again. I thought Abby L’s murder would take her name out of the equation. Yet here we are weeks later, and the world’s dumbest Faithful is still in the hearts and minds of these players. She calls the murder of Abby a “double bluff,” which to me seems like a really big risk with zero reward. However, we’ll soon see that a certain Traitor was listening very carefully when Kriste described this strategy. Kriste also calls out the so-called “boys’ clique” and admonishes Shane for being unable to look past the “bro code” and spot a Traitor in his midst.
Victor has other plans, and “Fruitgate” makes its final appearance (hopefully) at the roundtable. His accusation against Joe is met with strong defenses, as the funeral director claims his friendly demeanor is simply a part of his personality, not a disarming strategy. But if we are to learn anything from Victor, it’s that if you are loud enough for long enough, the audience will eventually come around, and Joe is banished from the game.
Victor is on cloud nine, and who can blame him? He facilitated the banishment of two Traitors in back-to-back weeks, something I have never seen on this show. But this is Ardross Castle, and nothing this good lasts long. With both of his prime suspects gone, Victor is in a very precarious position in the game. He’s safe for at least one more night (as the current holder of a shield), but a smart Traitor would take him out at the very first chance.
At Joe’s banishment, we get a waterworks display from Jay. Now I’m all for masculine vulnerability, but whenever people get overly emotional in this game, I simply roll my eyes. He’s not actually dead, Jay. He’s probably got his feet up at a Hilton right outside Heathrow, all on NBC’s dime. Not a bad afterlife if I do say so myself.
The tears come back to bite Jay, as many players consider this behavior suspicious. It calls to mind Danielle’s shaking sobs back in season three — a performance so melodramatic, it became an online meme overnight.
Despite Jay’s tear-streaked distraction, Ben is all business, and his suspicions of Katie continue to mount. Meanwhile, Victor seems totally oblivious to Katie’s Traitor status. He decides his tenure as “Traitor Hunter” has come to an end, and his on-screen audition for Love Island takes center stage. Clyde makes fun of Victor’s obvious flirting, telling the pair to “enjoy their time in the villa.”
That night, “the Teeny Traitor” has a partner in crime to recruit. She chooses Shane, which is the perfect move. He’s established himself as a good Faithful, and people actually want to listen to him. Victor might have some motion at the roundtable, but now that “Fruitgate” is over, I have a sneaking suspicion the rest of the cast would rather not hear from that corner of the table again. Plus, Shane’s spot in the “boys’ clique” provides both him and Katie protection from the castle’s best sleuths.
Shane agrees to join the fold, and the pair decide between Abby B, Clyde, and Ben for their first murder.
The next morning, Ben is revealed to be the duo’s victim. Katie cites the “double bluff” strategy for her reasoning, claiming “no one would believe a Traitor would kill someone who publicly begged not to be murdered.” Maybe not the move I would have gone with. Clyde and Abby B would have both been unlinkable to Katie, but since she has survived both original Traitors, I have to give her some credit.
Jay and Victor have a catfight at the breakfast table, and as annoying as he may be, Victor is objectively right when he tells Jay that he is much better at this game. Jay’s claim is that Victor seemed totally confident right before Joe’s admission as a Traitor, while the rest of the cast still seemed unsure. What he fails to realize is that this is classic big ego behavior. I wonder how Jay’s viewing experience has been throughout this season. Does he still consider himself a “body language expert” after so many false accusations? Meanwhile, Clyde vows to get revenge for Ben, and he begins homing in on Katie.
We get to the penultimate mission, in which players must build a shield puzzle from pieces hidden in a trough. At certain intervals, the players blindfold themselves, and the Traitors have the ability to steal pieces from the other players’ puzzles to build their very own shield, earning the entire group an extra $26,000. This begs the question, why can’t the Traitors have their own prize pot? Wouldn’t it make for better TV to have the goal of the Traitors be to sabotage the Faithful’s mission? There is often online discourse on how to fix the gameplay of The Traitors and missions like this are firm proof that improvement is both possible and necessary.
Throughout several frustrating rounds, the Traitors are able to complete their puzzle and sabotage the shields of various players. But Clyde is listening carefully, and the heavy footsteps of Shane paired with an obvious self-destruction of his own shield draw Clyde’s suspicion.
Clyde also notices the Traitors’ puzzle was originally completed incorrectly, matching perfectly with Katie’s failed attempt at solving her own. Will Clyde take the place of Victor as head “Traitor Hunter?” With the finale next week, there are still many questions to be answered.
I’m personally rooting for a Traitor win. If this season has taught us anything, it’s that everyday Faithful do not have the chops to make it far in this game. I also have a sneaking suspicion that whatever next week’s outcome is, this will not be the last we see of Victor.
The Traitors: New Blood airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock. Visit peacocktv.com.
That is the question one Faithful was left with at the end of last week's episode. Alan reveals that Shane holds the Power of the Pardon (won during the last challenge for having the most gold) and must provide an answer. Despite voting for Victor's banishment only moments before, Shane single-handedly saves Victor's game.
At first, this move puzzled me. Even if Shane suddenly believes Victor to be a Faithful, why save him? The game only progresses if people go home: Traitors and Faithful alike.
However, Shane decides that "Fruitgate" has a little more juice. "Why would a Traitor run around speculating about a murder in plain sight?" he asks. To no one's surprise, Jay has something stupid to say. His retort? If Victor were seeking to frame another Traitor, such a move would make him look like a good guy. Traitor-on-Traitor crime is never a good strategy. Someone get this "body language expert" out of the castle ASAP.
Spoiler Alert:This recap reveals events from Episode 9 of The Traitors: New Blood.
At the end of last week’s episode, the castle is in high spirits. The Faithful have finally pulled their heads out of the sand, and Tomica has become the first Traitor banished this season. Is it a coincidence that all it took was the murder of Abby L? I guess we’ll never know. But this is The Traitors, and peace never lasts long within these walls.
Alan hosts a Highland Feast, and the players take turns sharing why they chose to play. Abby B and Kriste bond as mothers, and Ben admits that he’s never felt so accepted by a group of straight men before. Personally, I’m here for the lying and the backstabbing, but I suppose a feel-good segment every so often isn’t going to kill anybody. Or is it?
Spoiler Alert: This recap reveals events from Episode 5 of The Traitors: New Blood.
When we last left off, Jay was about to do his big one, and by that I mean finally provide some sort of clarity as to where his boundless suspicion lies. He’s a body language expert after all, right? Don’t make me roll my eyes.
However, I’ll give credit where credit is due because his accusation did happen to be right on the money. Jay accuses Katie (and Kristie tangentially) at the roundtable. Now the problem is his evidence is a little weak, and considering the two people he’s accusing are some of the most vocal against his obnoxious Faithful antics, it's not really a good look.
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