Are the audience the best Traitors of them all?

The Traitors UK Series 2 has almost drawn its conclusion – but while the cast have mostly been terrible detectives, have the audience been the jewel in the crown all along?

It’s with a collective sigh of relief that we can confirm that appointment-to-view television is back and ballroom dancing. Across the UK – and beyond, thanks to the wonder of global streaming – viewers are sitting down at an assigned time to collectively experience a bunch of strangers throwing each other under the bus around a wooden table. Almost like a cinema trip, but with more cloaks.

It’s this model that means The Traitors UK is continuing to climb from strength to strength in its second season – but it doesn’t stop there. Recurring viewers have transitioned from a game mostly played impeccably well (thanks to original cast members such as Wilf, Amanda, and Maddy), to a gruelling slog of obvious missed signs and oblivious behavior. This has led to two traitors being guaranteed to make the final, but does that even matter?

Regardless of gameplay, fans have widely agreed that The Traitors has managed to up the ante with Series 2. The twists and turns have doubled in quantity, the drama is intensely more shocking, and the round table reactions are instantly explosive. Taking a step back, none of these listed delights have anything at all to do with the cast – and everything to do with the audience watching.

A pantomime villain, a Di-con, and a terrible traitor

It only takes a brief scroll through social media to see that none of the cast would be who they’ve outwardly become without the helping hand of the audience. This began fairly early on with Paul, a Claudia-chosen traitor who immediately responded like the cat who got the cream. Becoming a favorite among the other contestants, viewers dubbed Paul a pantomime villain as he reveled in his own strategy with the eerie potential of actually being a criminal. Banishing himself to the dungeon in Episode 3 to take down Ash, the faithful didn’t catch onto Paul’s deceit until he threw Miles under the bus at the round table. Meanwhile, social media held him – and his frequent crocodile tears – accountable.

On the other side of the coin, an unexpected social media icon emerged in the form of 63-year-old retired teacher Diane. From the moment she entered the castle, a plethora of memes and humorous observations followed her every move, bolstered by the fact that everything that came out of her mouth was worthy of merchandise. With five days of suspense over whether she drank from Miles’ poisoned chalice, the internet imploded with theories, memorials, and cries of despair. Since being murdered, Diane has already had numerous media appearances and a potential wine deal.

The shoe is on the other foot for faithful-turned-last-minute traitor Ross, with viewers coining the secret relationship “Diana Ross.” Following in his mother’s footsteps after her departure, Ross went on to serve what can only be described as a fine sense of ‘campery.’ From the exceptionally delivered wink in the back of a jeep to his reaction to being drafted into the traitor’s coven, Ross was able to fuel the fire that Diane had already ignited for viewers. The audience happily held the rope Ross was feeding – up until he was branded as simultaneously being the worst traitor and worst faithful.

The Traitors viewers are the gift that keeps on giving

No matter the cast member or the storyline, it’s the audience who has undoubtedly molded The Traitors UK Series 2 into what is likely to go down as one of the best series of all time. The ability to have real-time conversations about unfolding televised events has re-revolutionized how we consume the shows that we love – and as viewers, we’re in the driver’s seat toward change. If The Traitors audience hadn’t responded to the show in the manner shown over the last month, we’d have all switched over to Love Island All Stars a long time ago.

On top of this, the ‘memeification’ of modern communication has not only helped viewers to express their opinions but also connect with each other. Sure, it would be just as easy to convey our delight in Miles’ panicked face without utilizing its image, but would that match the intensity of the game if we didn’t? Would we be able to access our primal emotions in a way that could resonate with others? At the end of the day, The Traitors is nothing more than a game, and an incredibly entertaining one. As viewers, we’re playing a parallel version along with them.

As UK Series 2 draws to a close, the spirit for Series 3 is arguably renewed. While many weren’t sure if the show’s second outing could follow in the footsteps of Series 1, the answer to the future installments can rest assured in the knowledge that success is almost completely out of the producers’ hands. As long as Claudia Winkleman, 22 strangers, and a large wooden table are showing up to a Scottish castle year after year, The Traitors will be a success – because of us watching.