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A player tied to Oregon went home this week when The Traitors’ next two episodes aired on Peacock on Jan. 15. Things aren’t looking great for the Beaver State’s two remaining players either, each on opposite sides of the game. There’s a pot of up to $250,000 on the line as Traitors murder Faithfuls and Faithfuls eliminate Traitors (or each other). If even one Traitor makes it through the final elimination ceremony, they will take it all.
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars winner Monét X. Change proved wise to convince the Faithfuls to question one another about the elimination ceremony and see what discrepancies arose from players tied to trees. Comedian Ron Funches, who is still believed to be a Traitor, correctly suspects there are three Traitors, but incorrectly assumes another Faithful is one of them. Actress Lisa Rinna’s recollection is seen as suspicious for being overly detailed, as Change later notes would be for someone who saw the elimination ceremony multiple times as it was filmed. Real Housewife Caroline Stanbury was murdered.
After breakfast, singer and former Real Housewife Candiace Dillard-Bassett, a Traitor, worked with Big Brother alumna Tiffany Mitchell, a Faithful, to whip votes to banish Funches. Colton Underwood, a former Bachelor, confided in Change, Love Island’s Rob Rausch (a Traitor) and dance choreographer Mark Ballas that he wants to banish Mitchell, seemingly to their collective confusion. Change confides in Dillard-Bassett, who doubles down that she wants Funches gone.
Alan Cumming summons the players to a field near woodlands, where 10 wood effigies stand near a fire pit. They must split into teams to find spears in the woods, light them on fire and ignite the effigies. As they do so, they must name a player who can be murdered by the Traitors that night. Change, now suspicious of Rinna, partners with her, Dillard-Bassett and singer Eric Nam. Funches partners with Mitchell, Johnny Weir and Survivor winner Yamil “Yam Yam” Arocho. Funches is the first person chosen to be murdered. Change chooses Mitchell, who chooses her as immediate retaliation. Michael Rapaport is chosen next, followed by Tara Lipinski, Stephen Colletti, Rinna (chosen by Ballas, who worked with her on Dancing With the Stars), Love Island contestant Maura Higgins (chosen by Funches, who suspects her as a Traitor), Weir and Arocho.
Funches seems to think he’s headed home as the Round Table elimination ceremony begins, but Underwood brings up his conspiracy against Mitchell before anyone can speak his name. Mitchell emotionally defends herself against Underwood, but his confidence seems to sway other players. Dillard-Bassett and Higgins eventually do accuse Funches, who in turn accuses Higgins. Nam, who was tied to a tree at the end of the previous episode, reveals that he heard a laugh that sounded like Mitchell, a detail he had chosen only to reveal when the moment seemed right. Rausch helps sway Faithfuls toward Underwood and Nam’s case. In a surprising upset, Mitchell is eliminated almost unanimously.
But as the fifth episode starts, it becomes clear that Change’s suspicion of Rinna proved to be her undoing. Though capable in physical challenges and forming an alliance with Dillard-Bassett, Change’s smarts got her murdered. Funches remains the primary suspect at breakfast. Knowing he needs to form new alliances after his toxic friendship with secret Traitor Donna Kelce, Funches confides to Ballas and Nam that he suspects Rapaport and former Real Housewife Dorinda Medley are Traitors. The players must split into teams to drag statues across the Ardross estate to reactivate a fountain after searching for locations in its murky water. Under the statues are shields. If nobody takes one, everyone is safe, but if anyone takes one, the rest of the players are vulnerable to murder (we’ll find out if Faithfuls betrayed one another on Jan. 22 when the next episode(s) drop).
Rapaport and Underwood fight loudly before the Round Table ceremony. Rapaport was already suspicious that Underwood was a Traitor, and was upset that he was able to convince him that Mitchell should be eliminated (Funches and Underwood surprisingly did not bond over the shared experience, yet). The argument resumed during the Round Table, which turned ugly as Rapaport made a homophobic jab at Underwood about being able to keep a secret. (Underwood is also known as “the gay Bachelor” for coming out after his season aired). Rapaport ultimately sealed his fate, as more than two-thirds of the remaining players voted for him to be removed from the game. Funches still caught votes, but has survived another episode.
The Traitors airs Thursdays at 6 pm PST on Peacock.
