Does The Traitors rely too heavily on ‘pointless’ cliffhangers?
What do you think of the conversation-starting cliffhangers in The Traitors?
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The Traitors has made an explosive return to our screens for the second series but some viewers have made the same complaint about the show.
Despite loving the series, fans of the show have questioned why The Traitors have used cliffhangers when at times they have appeared to be "pointless". It begs the question: does The Traitors rely too heavily on cliffhangers?
Often the cliffhangers are used when the traitors are choosing who they want to seduce or who they want to murder off from the game. The identity of the person who has been seduced or murdered is then revealed at the start of the follow-up episode. Most episodes have ended with a cliffhanger this series but have they had a huge impact on how the show plays out?
Have your say in Yahoo's poll
While social media is awash with the complaints from viewers over the series, do you agree or do you love the cliffhangers on The Traitors? Let us know your opinion by casting your vote in our Yahoo poll above: does The Traitors rely too heavily on cliffhangers?
We take a look at some of the major cliffhangers that have sparked conversation on social media from viewers watching at home over the past few weeks. Do you think all of the cliffhangers have been totally pointless or have some added to the drama of the show? One thing is sure though - the cliffhangers have got people talking on social media about the show.
Ash reveals she is a traitor
Arguably Ash revealing she was a traitor was one of the most moaned about cliffhangers on The Traitors so far. When traitor Ash was banished from the roundtable, The Traitors wrapped up the episode before she had the chance to tell the rest of the group that she was lying to them.
"I want to say you are an absolutely magnificent group of people," she told the group. "It's been an honour and a privilege." Then the episode dramatically ended before Ash had the chance to share she was in fact a traitor.
The cliffhanger was heavily criticised on social media as people claimed it was "pointless" when viewers already knew she was a traitor. Among the comments, one person wrote: "You really have to cut these cliffhanger stunts out, particularly like the one with Ash. It was pointless and achieved nothing. It's a sure fire way to have viewers switch off. Traitors is good the way it is, don't spoil it."
"If ever there was a cliffhanger for a cliffhanger's sake... Pointless and, dare I say, irritating The Traitors." Another added. "Why would they end with a cliffhanger when we know the outcome????? Bit pointless x The Traitors."
More viewers at home moaned, "An utterly pointless cliffhanger The Traitors", "That cliffhanger was pointless The Traitors" and "What a bloody pointless ‘cliffhanger’ The Traitors". Others added: "Episode 5 begins with the resolution of the most pointless cliffhanger in the show's history, as the person we already knew was a Traitor revealed themselves to be a Traitor."
"Oh Lord, The Traitors why are you making us watch them all walk in with suspenseful music when we know who's gone...this as bad as the pointless cliffhanger last night."
Diane's fate
Viewers were left on the edge when fan favourite Diane was handed the poisoned chalice by Miles and the episode ended. Many fans went into overdrive speculating what had happened: did Diane swerve the drink? Did Diane survive death somehow? Or perhaps, in a major twist she would be made a traitor? All was revealed the following week where none of those things happened.
It sparked huge conversation on social media as people waited until the following week to find out what happened. On social media, one person questioned: "Me and the Mrs debating what's happened to Diane on The Traitors."
More people shared their thoughts on social media platform X: "Did Diane drink, or did Diane not drink? That is the question. The Traitors."
"The only important question I’m asking today. Do you think Diane will drink from the chalice?" More Traitors fans took to social media to ponder what was going to happen: "Manifesting for Diane to do this in the first minute of tonight's The Traitors."
"I honestly think the Traitors ran out of time. Ie: even if Diane does drink, it doesn't matter as it was after midnight... Holding out for this potential miracle!" And another added: "Everyone being stressed about Diane being murdered tonight and me just sitting unbothered cos the way she treated Anthony made me uncomfortable The Traitors."
Some people even speculated she could have become a traitor. One person predicted: "In Othello (the book they opened to get the chalice) there was no literal poison used but instead symbolically described Lago poisoning Othello's mind to change him."
Another questioned: "I just seen a TikTok explaining how in the book Othello, Iago "symbolically poisoned Othello's mind to change him" and that this is why the poisoned chalice found in that book by the traitors will not poison Diane but will actually CHANGE her, into a TRAITOR?"
Viewers were served up a twist in The Traitors where the whole group had the opportunity to guess who had been murdered by the traitors in plain sight during the funeral procession through Ardross Castle's grounds and earn money for the prize pot.
As the final beckons this week, TV bosses are likely to have a few more cliffhangers up their sleeve for the last three episodes. The final airs on 27 January, this week on Friday.
