'The Traitors is the best reality show on TV - but there's a huge mistake in the new series'
There's no reality show on TV today that can top The Traitors, and if Shakespeare were still around, he'd be its number one fan.
The previous series had all the hallmarks of a Shakespearean tragedy, culminating in a finale now considered one of the most unforgettable moments in reality TV history. The climax saw Harry, the show's Traitor, make it to the final with just one obstacle between him and the prize pot: his close friend, Mollie.
As Mollie prepared to banish Harry after suddenly having second thoughts, the nation was on tenterhooks. However, at the last moment, she was persuaded by Harry, erasing his name from her blackboard and replacing it with another contestant. This meant Harry swooped in and claimed the entire prize pot, leaving Mollie with nothing due to her misplaced trust.
Now, with the third series in full swing, we're once again ready for all the unexpected twists, turns and treachery that make The Traitors such a standout show. Claudia Winkleman, the show's host, is a star in her own right, playing the role of a pantomime villain while donning a fabulous wardrobe that has me scouring Vinted every year for lookalike red leather gloves and turtlenecks.
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But all the drama of this year's series can't distract me from one glaring issue with the format. In a brutal twist that kicked off episode one, we witnessed the 25-strong group forced to eliminate three people, with the decision put to them on who would go.
The trio who left the show prematurely were among the personalities that shone the most in the minutes prior, meaning viewers were utterly robbed of some of the most entertaining cast members. Market trader and landscaper Jack, 24; outreach manager Fozia, 50; and the mysterious ex-British diplomat Alexander, 38, were all out of the door before the train had made it anywhere close to Ardross Castle.
Of course in previous seasons we have seen shock evictions happen in the opening moments, but to oust three in one fell swoop was as painful as it was dramatic.
Due to the twists and turns that we have come to expect of The Traitors, it's not a given that they are gone from the game for good. Going off previous seasons however, the outlook isn't great; we have never seen those eliminated in the opening moments make a return, as much as we'd like them to.
Meanwhile the first murder saw the early exit of Yin, 34, a doctor of communication with an analytical brain that put her immediately on the radar of the Traitors. One of her stand-out moments was her panicked declaration that she hadn't gathered enough "social capital" with her castmates to save herself from a murder.
While the nature of the show means numbers will dwindle at some point, if the biggest, brightest and most interesting personalities exit stage left before the game truly begins, it does make their casting in the first place feel a little... pointless. Perhaps that's part of the fun?
The Traitors continues tonight at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
