Les Traîtres (France)/Season 2

***Les Traîtres Saison 2*** is the second season of *Les Traîtres (France)*. This season saw a larger cast compared with its predecessor, as well as a new filming location in the Château de Val.

## Background

While *Season 1* was still being broadcast, it was such a success that M6 instantly recommissioned the show for a second season. Filming took place over 10 days starting from March 6, 2023, with temperatures near or below freezing point during the recording period.

The filming location - the Château de Val in Cantal - and names for some of the *Season 2* participants were leaked by *Le Parisien* on March 9, 2023. The remaining participants were then confirmed by *Ouest France* on March 10, 2023, with politician and presidential candidate Jean Lassalle's participation officially confirmed by M6 on May 15, 2023. M6 subsequently began a gradual rollout of the cast, confirming the names that were previously reported.

On June 20, 2023, the second season was officially confirmed to launched on July 12, 2023, including a larger potential prize and following the previous season's broadcast schedule of two weekly episodes on the same night. Although the season saw lower average ratings, it remained the leader in key viewer demographics, with M6 committing to a third season on July 22, 2023.

### Aftershows

A standalone reunion episode, ***The Reunion: Les Traîtres*** was broadcast immediately after the finale, featuring some of the contestants returning to discuss their experiences alongside previously-unseen footage.

## Unique Characteristics & Twists

* **Pre-existing Relationships:** Engaged influencer couple Juju Fitcats and Tibo InShape, alongside mother and son Nathalie Marquay-Pernaut and Tom Pernaut, were cast on the show together; both pairs were competing as individual contestants.
* **Fake Starting Elimination:** At the start of the game, Éric asked the contestants to rank themselves based on how good at lying they felt they were. The two contestants who placed themselves as the worst liars were informed they would be Banished immediately. However, it was later revealed in Episode 2 that their Banishment was faked, and they returned to the game after taking part in a Mission in disguise.
* **Modified Death Row:** Unlike in other versions where three contestants were put On Trial, this season's Death Row required the Traitors to include four contestants on it, including one Traitor.
* **The Attic:** In Episode 7, instead of access to the Armoury, teams that won their designated Mission instead had access to the Attic, containing the notes and thoughts of Murdered contestants and who they suspected were Traitors.
* **Jury of the Banished:** In Episode 9, a jury mostly comprised of Banished Faithfuls interrogated those remaining, who each had to plead their case on why they were a Faithful. After deliberation, the jury would choose the one contestant they thought likeliest to be a Traitor.

## Contestants

 **Winner: Traitor**

 **Finalist: Faithful**

 **Finalist: Faithful**

 **Banished: Traitor**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Traitor**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Banished: Traitor**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

## Voting History

1. ↑  Caroline and Nobert were seemingly eliminated after ranking themselves as the worst liars in the group. Caroline and Norbert were fake eliminated. They later returned after Episode 2's Mission.
2. ↑ Gennifer used the Dagger with her vote, making it count twice.
3. ↑ Caroline returned to the game after the Mission in Episode 2 (with Norbert). She could not be voted for, but also could not vote, at the next Banishment.
4. ↑ Andy used the Dagger with her vote, making it count twice.
5. ↑ Caroline returned to the game after the Mission in Episode 2 (with Norbert). She could not be voted for, but also could not vote, at the next Banishment.

## Season Overview

### Episode 1

*Airdate: July 12, 2023*

* **Fake Eliminated:** *Caroline & Norbert*
* **Traitors Selected:** Charlotte, Guillaume & Juju
* **Mission Synopsis:** Buried Alive
The 16 contestants were randomly divided into 2 teams led by Jean and Kristofer, who were buried alive in coffins filled with creepy crawlies and locked with 2 padlocks. Their teammates were then divided into 2 groups, with a group of 4 rowing out to the lake to find the right padlock codes from 2 out of 12 coloured boxes. The other 3 were sent to the castle turrets, where they had to find the correct knife out of 3 that allowed them to unfurl a coloured banner when cut. The coloured banner would tell the rowers which boxes had the correct code for their team to retrieve. The faster team would gain access to the Armoury.
* **Prize Earned:** €2,500 out of €2,500
* **Armoury Access:** Andy, Claude, Guillaume, Juju, Kristofer, Natasha, Tom & Vincent C
* **Shield:** Vincent C

### Episode 2

*Airdate: July 12, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Kheiron*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Church Match
The 15 contestants were divided into 2 teams of 7 (with Jean opting to sit out). The teams competed across 5 rounds. Each round, 1 member from each team would face off against one another, obtaining hints from Éric in the confessional booth to find a specific riddle in the grimoire, describing an item or symbol they had to find from amongst the congregation. They had to sit out after participating, and could not help solve the riddles for subsequent rounds. The team that found more items first after 5 rounds would gain access to the Armoury.
* **Prize Earned:** €2,500 out of €2,500
* **Returned to Game:** *Caroline & Norbert*
* **Armoury Access:** Andy, Claude, Gennifer, Guillaume, Juju, Kristofer & Vincent D
* **Shield:** Kristofer
* **Banished:** *Tibo* (13-2)

### Episode 3

*Airdate: July 19, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Claude*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Barrel Roll
TBC
* **Prize Earned:** €6,000 out of €-
* **Armoury Access:** Norbert
* **Shield:** Norbert
* **Banished:** *Kristofer* (11-1-1-1-1)

### Episode 4

*Airdate: July 19, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Natasha*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Spot the Differences
TBC
* **Prize Earned:** €3,000 out of €-
* **Armoury Access:** Andy, Jean, Juju, Laura, Nathalie & Tom
* **Shield:** Andy, Jean, Laura, Nathalie or Tom *(not confirmed)*

### Episode 5

*Airdate: July 26, 2023*

* **Banished:** *Guillaume* (4-3-3-2-1)
* **Recruitment:** Norbert *(accepted)*
* **Mission Synopsis:**
TBC
* **Prize Earned:** €8,000 out of €
* **Armoury Access:** N.A.
* **Shield:** Vincent C
* **Dagger:** Andy & Gennifer
* **Banished:** *Caroline* (TBC)

### Episode 6

*Airdate: July 26, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Laura*
* **Mission Synopsis:**
TBC
* **Prize Earned:** € out of €
* **Armoury Access:** Charlotte, Gennifer, Nathalie, Norbert & Vincent C
* **Shield:** Gennifer
* **Banished:** *Vincent D* (9-1)

## Viewership

Viewership began at around the same levels as last season's finale, with the show in third to fourth amongst France's major channels, although it remained the leader in the key FRDA-50 demo. This was attributed to the more intense competition it faced compared to its run the previous year. It subsequently began climbing over its run, a testament to its audience appeal. It also fared well on catch-up.

## References

1. ↑ (FR) « Les Traîtres ». On sait quand sera diffusée la saison 2 du jeu de M6 | Ouest France — June 21, 2023
2. ↑ (FR) Les Traîtres 2023 : où a été tournée cette nouvelle saison ? | Télé Star — July 10, 2023
3. ↑ (FR) « Les Traîtres » sur M 6 : découvrez les premiers participants de la deuxième saison | Le Parisien — March 9, 2023
4. ↑ (FR) « Les Traîtres » sur M6 : découvrez les noms des candidats de la saison 2 | Ouest France — March 10, 2023
5. ↑ (FR) « Les Traîtres » : Jean Lassalle au casting du jeu sur M6 | Huffington Post — May 15, 2023
6. ↑ (FR) LES TRAÎTRES - SEASON 2 INÉDITE | M6 — June 20, 2023
7. ↑ (FR) « Redevenir troisième est un beau challenge » : le directeur des programmes de M 6 réagit aux faibles audiences | Le Parisien — July 22, 2023
8. ↑ (FR) The reunion: les traîtres sur M6 | M6 Pro — August 9, 2023