It’s been about a year since Season 3 of The Traitors. You remember it, don’t you? The one where the Traitors all turned on each other. The one where Danielle Reyes was constantly over-acting. The one where Dylan Efron and Gabby Windey somehow became America’s sweethearts.
If you haven’t watched it yet, stop what you’re doing and binge the whole thing. I’ll wait.
As much as I loved that season, I also kind of hated it. The Traitors themselves completely blew up the game, turning it into an every-Traitor-for-themselves free-for-all that derailed what could’ve been an all-time great season. Season 4 seems very aware of that criticism — and wastes no time course-correcting.
Back to the Castle
Twenty-three celebrities arrive at Alan Cumming’s house* (*not actually Alan Cumming’s house), otherwise known as Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands. The cast is a true grab bag of reality stars, athletes, and performers: Rob Rausch, Mark Ballas, Colton Underwood, Eric Nam, Stephen Colletti, Lisa Rinna, Donna Kelce, Dorinda Medley, Porsha Williams, Natalie Anderson, Candiace Dillard Bassett, Tara Lipinski, Michael Rapaport, Rob Cesternino, Kristen Kish, Monét X Change, Ian Terry, Caroline Stanbury, Ron Funches, and Johnny Weir.
Right away, I’ll admit something — outside of Lisa and Dorinda, I’m not deeply familiar with most of this cast. I don’t really watch Housewives, but my wife does, so by osmosis alone I know enough to understand the dynamics. Dorinda, of course, I remember vividly from last season… mostly because she barely lasted long enough to unpack.
Almost immediately after everyone assembles, Alan drops the first bombshell of the season: one of them will instantly be selected as a Traitor.
No warm-up. No bonding. Not even a courtesy drink. Alan really said, welcome to Scotland, let’s ruin your life.
THE TRAITORS — “Let the Cards Fall as they Will” Episode 401 — Pictured: Alan Cumming — (Photo by: Euan Cherry/Peacock)
The Secret Traitor Twist
Alan presents 23 boxes. One contains a Traitor card. The rest are empty. Each contestant opens their box privately and attempts to maintain a poker face.
Some do better than others.
Michael Rapaport, in particular, looks way too pleased after opening his box. At this point, his only two emotional settings seem to be giddy and furious, and he flips between them with impressive speed.
Then comes the real twist.
For the first time ever, the Traitor’s identity is not revealed — not to the audience and not to the other Traitors who will be chosen later. Ron Funches perfectly captures the moment when he says he’s “nervous and excited in a way that makes me have to poop a little,” which honestly feels like the only reasonable response.
As a viewer, this is thrilling. We’re no longer watching from above — we’re in it. We’re Faithfuls now. Alan promises the identity will eventually be revealed, but for now, the Secret Traitor walks among everyone else, completely undetected.
Traitors hiding in plain sight and we don’t even get to know who it is? That’s bold, and I love it.
Early Bonds and Familiar Faces
As players mingle, pre-existing relationships start to surface. Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir are longtime besties, but smartly decide to keep that quiet. The Housewives are friendly, though that doesn’t necessarily mean loyal. Michael Rapaport is openly thrilled to be around them — his giddy mode fully activated.
Donna Kelce, meanwhile, stands out in the best possible way. She’s not here with a strategy, she doesn’t know anyone, and she’s just here to have the experience. She feels like America’s mom accidentally wandered into a murder mystery — and if she gets eliminated early, Swifties will absolutely lose their minds.
Choosing the Traitors
That evening, Alan summons everyone to the round table to select the remaining Traitors. Blindfolded, they sit as he taps three shoulders.
The Traitors are revealed to be Lisa Rinna, Candiace Dillard Bassett, and Love Island USA’s Rob Rausch.
Before even being chosen, Lisa had already declared in confessional that she wanted to be the most iconic Traitor ever. Manifestation works fast in Scotland.
Candiace, however, immediately makes things harder than they need to be. While pretending to speculate as a Faithful, she openly suggests that Lisa might be a Traitor — a move so risky it almost feels accidental. Whether it sticks remains to be seen, but it’s the first crack in what should be airtight Traitor gameplay.
Two Housewives and one Love Island guy as Traitors in Episode 1? This is already shaping up to be messy, and I’m here for it.
The Turret and Another Twist
When the three Traitors meet in the turret, they bond quickly and pledge loyalty. That confidence doesn’t last.
Alan arrives with yet another twist: none of them are the Secret Traitor. Worse, they won’t know who that person is. Every night, the Secret Traitor will submit a shortlist of names, and the Traitors must choose a murder victim from that list.
It sounds fun until you think about it for more than five seconds. No cloak. No turret bonding. No allies. Being the Secret Traitor suddenly feels less powerful and more isolating.
THE TRAITORS — “Let the Cards Fall as they Will” Episode 401 — Pictured: (l-r) Yam Yam Arocho, Donna Kelce, Colton Underwood, Caroline Stanbury, Johnny Weir, Maura Higgins — (Photo by: Euan Cherry/Peacock)
Challenge One: Coffins
For the first challenge of the season, the players are taken to a Scottish loch where 100 hollow wooden coffins float ominously on the water. Alan, dressed impeccably as always, explains that twelve coffins contain money worth $2,500 each.
Here’s the twist: anyone with a coffin placed in their grave will be eligible for murder that night. Anyone without a coffin earns a shield and immunity.
What a way to kick off Season 4.
The players split into teams, loosely guided by Rob R., Rob C., and Stephen. Any semblance of strategy immediately collapses under panic and time pressure. Alliances form, break, and reform mid-row.
Lisa, of course, is loving every second of it. “The Faithfuls are in a tizzy and I f—ing love it,” she says, fully aware she’s safe no matter what.
The gamers are furious. No one is thinking long-term. Coffins are flying into graves without much logic. But chaos is kind of the point here.
THE TRAITORS — “Let the Cards Fall as they Will” Episode 401 — Pictured: (l-r) Donna Kelce, Dorinda Medley, Rob Rausch — (Photo by: Euan Cherry/Peacock)
Fallout and Accusations
Those left with coffins — Donna Kelce, Michael Rapaport, Eric Nam, Ian Terry, Ron Funches, Dorinda Medley, Rob Cesternino, and Mark Ballas — are forced to stay behind and fill their own graves while everyone else heads back to the castle.
Michael takes this extremely personally, immediately switching to furious mode.
Back at the castle, Candiace stirs things up again by telling Porsha that Michael suggested targeting the Housewives. The problem? That’s not exactly what he said. Porsha confronts Michael, which leads to nearly the entire cast confronting Candiace.
She walks it back. Claims people misheard her. Says she’s heard “whispers.”
The tension lingers — and so does suspicion. Even Lisa and Rob start to worry that Candiace isn’t flying under the radar nearly enough.
THE TRAITORS — “Let the Cards Fall as they Will” Episode 401 — Pictured: (l-r) Candiace Dillard Bassett, Lisa Rinna, Rob Rausch — (Photo by: Euan Cherry/Peacock)
The First Murder Decision
When the Traitors gather to decide their first murder, they receive the shortlist from the Secret Traitor — and that’s when another bomb drops.
The Secret Traitor doesn’t know who the Traitors are either.
Rob Rausch finds himself on the list alongside Ian, Mark, and Eric. Obviously, he won’t choose himself, but it’s a brutal reminder that someone else is steering this game in the shadows — with their own agenda.
THE TRAITORS — “Let the Cards Fall as they Will” Episode 401 — Pictured: Secret Traitor — (Photo by: Euan Cherry/Peacock)
So… Who Is the Secret Traitor?
Secret Traitors? That’s brand new.
Based on the hints sprinkled later in the episode, it appears to be a woman. My first gut instinct is Dorinda. She’s been here before, barely got a chance to play, and this feels like the perfect redemption arc.
She rose from the bogs of Scotland… maybe this time, she’s here to burn it down.