Alan Cumming returned to his Scottish castle, where 23 celebrities ready to be cunning and cruel as they fight head-to-head in the fourth season of Traitors.
The Emmy Award-winning competition series Peacock returns with the same killer gameplay mechanics and a new twist that will make even viewers question who they can trust. The first four episodes of Season 4 premiered on Peacock on Thursday, January 8, with a massive premiere that quickly introduced fans to the 23 cast members, which included numerous Real Housewives alums, Olympians, Survivor winners and other celebrities who found out whether they should play the game as Loyalists or Traitors.
But before they entered the castle, Cumming announced a new element: he would choose the “Secret Traitor” in front of everyone. The identity of this player will remain hidden from everyone, including spectators, until the very end of the game. Later, he chose his group of Traitors, and the Faithful went to expose them.
By the end of Episode 3, several players have been exiled, some have been killed, and one traitor has been discovered. Read on for a quick recap of all the plots and drama that went down.
Episode 1
“Secret Traitor” twist
The premiere begins with all players arriving in a darkened castle. After briefly meeting each other and meeting some familiar faces, they learn of Cumming's turn of events in “Secret Traitor.” Each player has a square with their name. One by one, they approach Cumming and he reveals if their box contains the Grim Reaper card, confirming their role as the Secret Traitor. Their identity is hidden from the public. Everyone then moves into the castle and gathers around the Round Table, where Cumming chooses the other traitors.
After secretly walking around the room several times, he selects three traitors to join his turret: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Lisa Rinna, former Real Housewives of Potomac star Candace Dillard Bassett, and Rob Rausch from season six of Love Island USA. Later that night at the turret, the three learn about the Secret Traitor (who wears a special red cloak) and their power. Each week, Secret Traitor compiles a list of players to kill until all Traitors have a chance to unite.
First mission
The first mission requires the cast to split into groups of three and find coffins marked with dollar signs on a lake. The coffins are then placed in one of the player's graves, meaning they are at risk of being killed. In the end, nine players end up on the chopping block.
Tension
Back at the mansion, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams confronts actor Michael Rapaport after hearing from Dillard Bassett that he wants to attack all the Housewives. But Dillard Bassett says Williams misheard her, leading to even more confusion. At the end of the episode, Cumming announces to viewers that the Secret Traitor has selected four of the nine at-risk players to be shortlisted for murder. Three traitors receive a letter from the Secret Traitor with four names: Rausch, Ian Terry from Big Brother, Mark Ballas from Dancing with the Stars and singer-songwriter Eric Nam.
Episode 2
First murder of season 4
The episode begins with a Traitors tradition where all but one of the players come to breakfast. Viewers discover that the Traitors have decided to kill Ian Terry. In his final confession, a disappointed Terry says: “I had a feeling this would happen. I just don't know what I could have done differently. But, you know what, that's the biggest compliment in this game.”
Second mission
Before players set off on the second mission, Williams messed up again, accidentally saying she “killed” Terry, causing comedian Ron Funches' ears to perk up. More drama unfolds during the mission, this time between Survivor winner Yamil “Yam Yum” Arocho and British Love Island star Maura Higgins. Players will have to transport three players on the throne back to the castle. Along the way they will have to make several stops and collect gold or shields. The last players on the throne will be safe from assassination when they reach the castle. Arocho takes Higgins' place on the throne, ensuring his safety for the night, and Rapaport interrupts the conversation, claiming that he also needs the shield. He continues to call out to Arocho in front of everyone as they return to the mansion. Meanwhile, Williams gets it wrong again by mentioning that there are four traitors, adding to the list of evidence Funches is collecting.
First exile
In the first roundtable, Survivor winner Natalie Anderson begins by explaining why she thinks Donna “Mama” Kelsey is a traitor. But Funches' theory about Williams is more compelling. The vote was tied, but Williams received one more vote than Kelsey and was ejected. Standing on the Circle of Truth, Williams says, “I came and tried to fight for the housewives, and I almost got the feeling that I was going to be the one who was going to help us find the Traitor for the first time. I am the Faithful.” The group is stunned, and Funches says in his confessional that he feels like he's put a target on his back.
Murder in plain sight
Towards the end of the second episode, the traitors are tasked with carrying out a secret murder in plain sight. The Traitors must find a set of Tarot cards hidden in the kitchen that reveal the Secret Traitor's second list. They then need to take the card of the person they want to kill and burn it in the fireplace in the breakfast room. If successful, they will be able to meet the Secret Traitor and unite. If they fail, no murder will occur that night and they will have no control over the next murder.
Rausch notices a painting of the red reaper in the kitchen and immediately realizes that this is where the Tarot cards are hidden. Meanwhile, Dillard Bassett sets up a Conga line to distract the rest of the players. But The Revenant star Rob Cesternino isn't fooled. He tells Big Brother alum Tiffany Mitchell that he suspects a murder is happening in plain sight and she needs to be on alert. He also shares this theory with Dillard Bassett and Ballas.
Rausch hands the tarot cards to Rinna and they discuss the shortlist: “RuPaul's Drag Race” star Monet X Change, Olympic figure skater Tara Lipinski, “Top Chef” host Kristen Kish and Cesternino. The two traitors sneak away to the breakfast room before consulting with Dillard Bassett and burn one card, killing the player.
Episode 3
Second murder
The next morning, all the players arrive safely for breakfast, except for one: Cesternino. We see flashbacks in which he learned his fate. “I don't know how they got me. I'm leaving without regret. Traitors, I'll get you next time,” he says.
Second exile… traitor revealed
Rapaport suddenly starts targeting Arocho's shield from the last mission again, confusing several players. Cumming arrives and shocks the players by revealing that there will be a morning meeting of the Round Table and an expulsion. Many players meet and agree that they will vote Kelsey out. Kelsey tries to defend herself and suggests that Rapaport is a traitor.
But the players stand firm in their decision to banish her. They all vote to remove her from the game except Rapaport, who voted for Arocho, and Kelsey, who voted for Rapaport.
Standing on the Circle of Truth, Kelsey says, “I know I'm a sacrificial lamb, and I know it's been a pleasure getting to know each and every one of you. On that note, I think I'll go… but you've become a Traitor!”
Kelsey then reveals herself to be the Secret Traitor who was chosen by Cumming when they first arrived. The episode rewinds to show the moments when she secretly met with Cumming and made her shortlists. Kelsey says in her confessional that her strategy was to be a sweet mom by day and a “devious traitor by night.” She says that in her shortlists she targeted players who lay low and did not speak out.
Reflecting on her performance, she says, “Playing a traitor was hard, but I gave it my best. It was a dream come true.” Emotionally, she adds: “These are tears of happiness that I can do this at this point in my life. It's just the joy of being in the game.”
Third mission
Cumming asks each player to team up with the person they trust the most. Funches is the odd man out, so he will automatically be shortlisted for murder. Duets choose one person to be placed in a cage, while the other will search for skulls and place them in a tower. Kish, Real Housewives of Dubai star Caroline Stanbury, Rinna and Nam's co-stars have failed, meaning they are in danger.
At-risk players are left behind and tied to trees, where they wait to see if they will be killed by traitors face to face. Having made a decision in the turret, the Traitors go into the forest and meet with each player. He begs us to save our lives in the game. Kish says she won't ask. Stanbury says she is not ready to go, and Funches threatens the traitors.
He says that if they don't kill him now, they will regret it later. “Show me your faces!” he shouts as the episode ends.
Episodes 4 and 5 of Traitor Season 4 will air on Peacock on Thursday, January 15th at 6:00 pm PT/9:00 pm ET.
