The Traitors (Australia)/Season 1

***The Traitors Season 1*** is the first season of *The Traitors (Australia)*. It was regularly broadcast from Sundays to Tuesdays on Network 10 at 7:30pm starting from October 16, 2022 except for the finale, which aired on Sunday, November 13, 2022. This was the first edition of the show to air internationally with a civilian cast, instead of the typical celebrity-filled versions.

The show received generally positive reviews, although it struggled to find an audience. Network 10 decided to give the show more opportunities, renewing it for a second season that is already filming and airing on August 13, 2023.

## Background

Network 10's development of the Australian franchise was first announced on February 28, 2022. A casting call for the show was then released on March 1, 2022, with actor Rodger Corser confirmed as the host on May 25, 2022.

Executive vice president and chief content officer of Paramount Australia and New Zealand Beverley McGarvey revealed to TV Tonight on July 9, 2022 that filming for the series was underway at The Robertson Hotel, describing the show as a Agatha Christie-style murder mystery set in a Downton Abbey-esque country manor, and a preview of the show was released together with Network 10's other upcoming offerings on July 12, 2022.

The first official promo for the show was released on September 12, 2022, and a number of contestants were teased, starting with Michael "MK" Kuzilny on September 27, 2022. The official launch date for the series was confirmed on October 4, 2022, with a full cast reveal on October 10, 2022.

The show was critically well-rated for its take on a murder mystery-like format, though some reviewers wished for it to be more fast-paced and exciting in storytelling. Ratings-wise, it was noted for underperforming expectations and finishing behind programming on rival TV networks, although its viewership was still not as dismal as some of Network 10's other series for the year, such as *The Real Love Boat Australia* and *The Challenge: Australia*. The show also gained renewed attention due to the later success of the British and American editions, with the Australian series subsequently available in the US on Peacock from February 15, 2023.

Even though the show is not formally renewed by Network 10 yet, its official Instagram page put out a casting call January 20, 2023, seeking prospective applicants available to film sometime between April to May in 2023. On April 28, 2023, an official renewal for *Season 2* was announced.

### Aftershows

Unlike other editions of the show, some of the final words for Murdered contestants were not broadcast on the main episodes. Instead, they were bundled together with other content, such as contestant recaps and interviews with Banished contestants, on 10 play as online-exclusive ***Web Extras***. A total of 18 clips were released for Season 1.

## Unique Characteristics & Twists

* **Enhanced Shield:** Unlike other editions of the show where the Shield could only protect against Murder, the Australian version of it was considerably more powerful, protecting its holder for *both* the next Banishment and the next Murder. Because of its more powerful nature, contestants competed in Shield Challenges to win it, instead of obtaining it randomly through accessing the Armoury like in other editions.

## Contestants

The 24 contestants selected represented a diverse range of Australian civilians in terms of age, ethnicity, sexuality, profession and geography. There were contestants from most Australian states and internal territories, except for the Northern and Australian Capital Territories.

 **Winner: Traitor**

 **Finalist: Faithful**

 **Banished: Traitor**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Traitor**

 **Banished: Traitor**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Traitor**

 **Banished: Traitor**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Quit: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

## Voting History

1. ↑ Instead of a Murder, the Traitors picked three contestants to undertake a bonus Silver Mission that could potentially increase or decrease the prize fund.
2. ↑ Angus and Kashindi were tied for the most plurality of votes. They were ineligible to vote again in the tiebreaker, while the other contestants voted to Banish one of them.
3. ↑ Rodger offered the final three two options: to either end the game immediately if they unanimously voted *Share*, or hold another Banishment if there were any votes to *Vote*.
4. ↑ At Breakfast the next day, Rodger announced that Chloe had left the game. She was eligible to be Murdered the night before.

## Season Overview

### Episode 1

*Airdate: October 16, 2022*

* **Traitors Selected:** Angus, Claire, Marielle, Nigel
* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$12,000 out of A$20,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Murdered:**
* **Banished:** Jack (20-2-1)

### Episode 2

*Airdate: October 17, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$0 out of A$24,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Murdered:**
* **Banished:** MK (16-2-1-1)

### Episode 3

*Airdate: October 18, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$22,000 out of A$36,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Murdered:**
* **Banished:** Kashindi (11-5) after tie (4-4-3-3-2-1-1)

### Episode 4

*Airdate: October 23, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$14,000 out of A$28,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Murdered:**
* **Banished:** Olivia (7-6-2-1)

### Episode 5

*Airdate: October 24, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$20,000 out of A$30,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Murdered:**
* **Banished:** Angus (7-5-1-1)

### Episode 6

*Airdate: October 25, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$30,000 out of A$30,000
* **Bonus Prize Earned:** A$40,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Murdered:**
* **Banished:** Claire (9-3-1)

### Episode 7

*Airdate: October 30, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$20,000 out of A$20,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Murdered:**
* **Banished:** Matt (9-1-1)

### Episode 8

*Airdate: October 31, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$12,000 out of A$20,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Recruitment:** Alex (Accepted)
* **Banished:** Dirk (8-2)

### Episode 9

*Airdate: November 1, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$14,000 out of A$20,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Murdered:**
* **Banished:** Marielle (4-1-1-1-1)

### Episode 10

*Airdate: November 6, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$16,000 out of A$24,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Recruitment:** Kate (Accepted)
* **Banished:** Nigel (5-1-1)

### Episode 11

*Airdate: November 7, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$10,000 out of A$18,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Murdered:**
* **Banished:** Teresa (4-1-1)

### Episode 12

*Airdate: November 13, 2022*

* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:** A$40,000 out of A$40,000
* **Armoury Access:**
* **Shield:**
* **Banished:** Lewis (3-1), Kate (2-1)

## Viewership

The show struggled out of the gate with ratings, placing firmly in fourth out of Australia's five big TV channels during its entire run. However, the show was also always in the top five audience gainers from its overnight figures.

## Trivia

* With 24 contestants, this season has the biggest cast in the entire franchise thus far.
* This is the first season of the entire franchise to air with a civilian cast.
* With 20 votes received, Jack Rodgers sets the international record for most votes cast against a contestant at a Banishment.
* Chloe Campbell is the first contestant in the entire franchise to Quit the show.
* Alex Duggan is the first winner in the entire franchise to achieve a solo victory (and by extension, a solo Traitor victory).
* This season currently has the most number of original Traitors, with four chosen at the start of the game (while other versions have all selected three).
* This season is tied with *The Traitors NZ/Season 1*, *Forræder (Denmark)/Season 1*, and *Az Árulók/Season 1*, the officially-licensed season with the most number of Traitors: six original and Recruited Traitors total.

## References

1. ↑ Who Will Uncover The Traitors?. *Paramount Australia & New Zealand*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
2. ↑ The Traitors - Casting Call | Have you got what it takes to play the ultimate game of strategy and deception?…. *Channel 10 on Facebook* (March 1, 2022). Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
3. ↑ Rodger Corser Gets Set For A WhoDunnit Like No Other.. *Paramount Australia & New Zealand*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
4. ↑ Knox, David (July 9, 2022). Audiences ready for something new, says 10.. *TV Tonight*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
5. ↑ TV That’s Sooo Good.. *10 Insider on YouTube* (July 11, 2022). Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
6. ↑ https://twitter.com/TheTraitorsAU/status/1569251972531867652
7. ↑ Is MK Guilty As Charged? Welcome To The Ultimate Game Of Deception.. *Paramount Australia & New Zealand*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
8. ↑ Perry, Kevin (October 4, 2022). CHANNEL 10 confirms launch date for intense new psychological series THE TRAITORS with RODGER CORSER. *TV Blackbox*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
9. ↑ The Traitors 2022: Meet The Full Cast. *10 play*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
10. ↑ Fowler (October 8, 2022). Channel 10 reality show The Real Love Boat suffers low ratings in premiere week. *news.com.au*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
11. ↑ Cartwright, Lexie (December 15, 2022). The Challenge Australia finale records ‘zero’ viewers in Brisbane. *news.com.au*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
12. ↑ McCarthy, Tyler (February 15, 2023). Need More 'The Traitors'? Stream UK And Australian Versions On Peacock Now. *USA TV Network*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
13. ↑ Blue doors and Traitors: 10 gives a glimpse at its slate for the rest of 2023. *Mediaweek* (April 28, 2023). Retrieved on December 19, 2023.
14. ↑ Alex Walks Away With The $250,000 Traitors Fortune. *10 play*. Retrieved on December 19, 2023.