The Traitors Season 4 kicked off with a three-episode premiere on Thursday, January 8, on Peacock. A new crop of players entered Alan Cumming’s Scottish castle with dreams of murder, banishments, and leaving Scotland richer than they arrived. Some players surprised fans with their natural sleuthing abilities, while others failed to gain favor in the castle. The first three episodes claimed four sacrifices. Two players were murdered by the Traitors, and the other two were banished by their comrades at the roundtable. Let’s unpack the first four eliminations together.
What the first four The Traitors 4 contestants eliminated should have done differently
The Traitors is a tricky game. One small mistake can ruin your chance at victory, so you must move carefully through the castle. The first four eliminated players now serve as a cautionary tale to those remaining. A guidebook on what not to do if you want to live another day. Each eliminated player made a misstep or two that led to their early demise. Let me explain.
Ian Terry – Murdered by the Traitors
Ian Terry didn’t have a chance to show off his strategic chops in the castle, but his brainy reputation still cost him the game. The Big Brother winner became the Traitors’ first sacrifice after finding himself on the murder shortlist in Episode 2. The list, compiled by Secret Traitor Donna Kelce, included four names: Ian, Mark Ballas, Eric Nam, and Rob Rausch. Of course, the Traitors weren’t going to murder one of their own, so Rob’s name was not a contender. That left three names for the Traitors to consider. They weighed the options, but it was hard to ignore Ian’s threat level when compared to a singer-songwriter and a dance pro. Ian has a Big Brother win under his belt, which tells the Traitors that this is a man skilled in deception and manipulation. He didn’t stand a chance.
In some ways, Ian’s elimination was a case of bad luck, but he could’ve used his time in the castle more wisely. Ian didn’t go out of his way to make strong connections with new people, which made him expendable to Donna and the Traitors. He had the gamers in his corner, but they had no power in the Turret. The Traitors saw murdering Ian as an opportunity to eliminate a skilled player from the game. And since he wasn’t connected to many people, they didn’t worry about his departure causing backlash.
Porsha Williams – Banished at the roundtable
You can make a case for why Ian’s exit is not his fault, but there is no denying Porsha Williams dug her own grave. The Bravo star told multiple people, “I killed Ian,” which, you know, made people suspect that she killed Ian. She was questioned at the roundtable and failed to deliver a convincing argument, putting the nail in her coffin. She was banished despite a fellow housewife coming to her defense. The kicker was that Porsha actually was a Faithful. Ah, a false confession. She will be missed.
Rob Cesternino – Murdered by the Traitors
Rob Cesternino built a media empire on being a reality TV super fan, so he arrived at the castle ready to play. The Survivor alum made connections in the castle, but he was unable to conceal his intelligence, making him a prime target for the Traitors. He found himself on the second shortlist for murder in the company of Monét X Change, Tara Lipinski, and Kristen Kish. The Traitors were aware of Rob’s intellect and suspected he had the best chance at uncovering their identities.
Rob could’ve done a better job concealing his knowledge of the game. He correctly predicted that the Traitors were plotting a murder in plain sight, and suspected the conga line led by Candiace Dillard Bassett was a decoy method. Very smart. However, he made the mistake of divulging this information TO A TRAITOR!
Donna Kelce – Banished at the roundtable
Donna was selected for the coveted role of Secret Traitor in Episode 1. A title that SURELY holds the same cultural relevance as Taylor Swift’s future mother-in-law. Donna tried to avoid suspicion by laying low and avoiding game conversations. Unfortunately, her distant presence raised some alarm bells. Her fellow players wondered why she appeared disinterested in talking strategy and forming relationships. In Episode 3, she became the second player banished, and the first Traitor to be caught by the Faithfuls.
Sometimes, a Traitor can overplay their hand by talking too much or trying too hard. But Donna went too far in the other direction. She hardly engaged with the game at all, prompting questions about her intentions in the castle.
The Traitors is available to stream on Peacock.
TELL US – WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THE FIRST FOUR PLAYERS TO FALL? WHOSE ELIMINATION BROKE YOUR HEART THE MOST?
