The Traitors & 6 Other Reality TV Shows to Obsess Over If You Love Betrayals
Since its first series in 2022, we’ve all been a little bit obsessed with The Traitors. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman (and her fringe), the game show is underpinned by three values: deception, strategy, and backstabbing.
The reality series is, in essence, a modern murder mystery and an exercise in reason and deduction. What makes it most interesting is the different approaches players have: while some will do anything to look out for number one, others will remain determined to preserve their integrity. But let’s face it — the ruthlessness of this game is what makes The Traitors such a compelling watch.
The latest civilian series, which had a peak of 9.6 million viewers during its finale, came to an end earlier in 2026. And, to be honest, nothing has really hit since. But what you might not know is that there are plenty of other reality shows out there to fill that void; it’s just a matter of finding them. So, we’ve gathered them all up for you for your convenience. To learn more about how to fill that void (and a little bit more about The Traitors itself), keep reading.
Let’s start with the OG of this list: The Traitors is set in the backdrop of a stunning Scottish castle where a group of contestants set out to win a cash prize. The majority of players are labelled ‘Faithfuls,’ while a handful among them are labelled ‘Traitors.’
To win the prize fund, the Faithfuls must figure out who the Traitors are. Meanwhile, the Traitors must avoid detection while “murdering” other players and secretly sabotaging the challenges they undertake to build said prize fund. If the Traitors, in turn, reach the end without being caught out, they are the ones who go home with the money.
To uncover the Traitors, the group will engage in daily roundtable discussions, and it’s here where the fun really begins. It’s lies, betrayals, and backstabbing galore, and even the most seasoned players can lose their composure by the end of it. Fundamentally, The Traitors is a game of psychology — it’s all about who gets psyched out first.
The Mole originally aired on ABC in the 2000s before being brought back by Netflix — and it’s safe to say that it is pretty similar to The Traitors. The game effectively involves 12 contestants working through several challenges to build up a cash prize.
But the twist is that among these players is a secret Mole, whose goal is to sabotage the challenges. One-by-one, these players get eliminated until only one remains — the question is, will it be the Mole? The one major difference between The Mole and The Traitors is that the Mole’s identity is also hidden from viewers, which, in my opinion, makes it a hell of a lot more exciting.
In a way, Million Dollar Secret is basically The Traitors in reverse. The American Netflix show consists of twelve contestants living in a fancy lakeside estate, and right from the outset, one of them is awarded the $1 million prize. The thing is, the contestant, dubbed ‘The Millionaire,’ has to try and keep it hidden from the other players. The other contestants take on the role of ‘Hunters,’ and must work together to work out who the Millionaire is: voting to lock them out in an evening ‘Elimination Dinner.’ If the Millionaire is discovered, the same process happens again.
The game adds to this tension by making contestants undertake trust-related challenges. If they win, they will get a clue about who the Millionaire really is. The Millionaire, in turn, has their own ‘Secret Agenda’ they must complete each day to arouse suspicion in the house and gain an advantage. It’s deception and strategy galore in this game, and it may well be right up your street if you’re a The Traitors fan.
The Circle, which originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK, is all about a particular kind of deception: catfishing. The contestants all live in the same block of flats, but never actually see each other. Instead, they stay in their own individual flats and communicate with each other via messaging profiles. Here’s where the deceptive part comes in: some of these contestants’ profiles aren’t exactly genuine. They may present a slightly changed version of themselves or play as another person completely.
Throughout the game, the players rate each other, with the higher-rated players becoming ‘Influencers.’ Meanwhile, players are eliminated via ‘Blocking.’ The highest-rated player at the end wins. While The Traitors might seem more ornate, The Circle is extremely modernised – but it still comes down to trust and deceit. So, think of it as The Traitors with a little bit of Black Mirror thrown in.
What happens if you put all of reality TV’s biggest baddies together in one house? In House of Villains, a US reality show, we find out. The series, which includes the likes of Tiffany Pollard as contestants, is effectively a hybrid of The Traitors and Celebrity Big Brother. In order to be named America’s Ultimate Supervillain (and win $200,000), these bona fide bad guys must compete with each other in weekly Battle Royales, which test both physical and mental strength. The winner is named ‘Supervillain of the Week,’ is granted immunity, and can choose three villains for ‘Banishment.’
These villains will then compete in a ‘Redemption Challenge,’ the winner of which is taken off the Supervillain’s ‘Hit List.’ The fate of the remaining two is then determined in the ‘Banishment Ceremony,’ while the ultimate winner is decided by a jury of eliminated contestants.
Being only villains, there’s plenty of room for drama, so if it was that aspect of The Traitors that appealed to you, House of Villains would be a good choice to check out next.
Let’s get the obvious part out of the way first. No, there isn’t any actual murder in Squid Game: The Challenge. Yes, it is ironic that a reality show was made from Squid Game. Still, the Netflix reality show is pretty faithful to the source material, with 456 players undertaking games like ‘Red Light, Green Light’ and the Dalgona challenge, to win $4.56 million.
Mirroring the OG Netflix series, these players aren’t immune to a little bit of double-crossing and betrayal to get ahead. In one especially outrageous moment in the second season, a man even lied about having a baby on the way to elicit sympathy. It’s a moment that’s almost on par with Charlotte’s fake Welsh accent, and it’s this kind of ruthlessness that makes the show perfect for The Traitors fans.
This South Korean game show is very heavy on the strategic side of things. Over an intense seven-day period, the celebrity contestants must compete in a range of puzzle-based games for the chance of winning 500 million won. On the surface, the game is pretty simple: the contestants begin with one ‘Piece.’ By participating in two daily matches, the ‘Main Match’ and the ‘Prize Match,’ the players will have the opportunity to win more. If a contestant is left with no Pieces, they are eliminated.
The Devil’s Plan puts a huge emphasis on intellectualism, and the contestants really have to use their brains not just in the games themselves, but in how to win the show as a whole. This means there’s a lot of plotting, strategising, alliance-making and betrayals going on.
So, if you consider yourself a smarty-pants and really enjoyed the cutthroat aspect of The Traitors, The Devil’s Plan might be for you.
