Os Traidores/Season 1

***Os Traidores Temporada 1*** is the first season of *Os Traidores*. It is regularly broadcast Sundays on SIC at around some time from 9:00-11:00pm onwards, starting from April 9, 2023.

## Background

On January 25, 2023, SIC announced it was developing a Portuguese edition of *The Traitors* to combat rival TV station TVI's *O Triângulo*, with signups for civilian participants open on the same day. American-Portuguese actor Daniela Ruah was revealed as the host on February 17, 2023. Although the show was initially planned to debut against *O Triângulo'*s launch date on February 26, 2023, filming and thus the launch was delayed to accommodate Ruah's availability.

Filming took place during March 2023, primarily in the Montebelo Historic Hotel attached to the Mosteiro de Alcobaça. The hotel also hosted the show's press conference with Ruah and SIC's Director of Programs Daniel Oliveira on March 27, 2023. A trailer for the show was released on March 29, 2023, confirming its launch on Easter Sunday: April 9, 2023.

The show was well-received upon its launch, with both audiences and critics praising the show's relatively novel strategic format and Ruah's hosting. However, the show struggled with audiences despite its initially decent viewing figures, quickly falling to and staying in third place for most of its airing.

### Aftershows

    The day after the show's premiere on April 10, 2023, SIC broadcast an ***Emissão Especial*** hosted by Diana Chaves with guest panelists Cris Carvalho, Pedro Granger and Ana Garcia Martins (also known as A Pipoca Mais Doce or *The Sweetest Popcorn* in English, noted for her reality TV commentary).The group discussed the events of the episode, the contestants and their predictions about the game.

## Unique Characteristics & Twists

* **Secret Pre-existing Relationship:** Married couple Álvaro Marinho and Carla Pereira were cast together, competing as individual contestants. Unlike other instances of pre-existing relationships in the international franchise, this relationship was not initially revealed to both the audience and the other contestants, with production deliberately obfuscating Álvaro's and Carla's background information so the audience would be less likely to connect them.
* **Fake Starting Elimination:** At the start of the game, the contestants were instructed to select one of 20 numbered pedestals to stand on. Daniela then revealed that the contestant standing on a predetermined number had to leave the game immediately. This contestant later returned to the game when they reappeared during a Mission.

## Contestants

The cast was comprised of 20 Portuguese civilians representing a diverse range of ages, professions and backgrounds. Two competitors garnered particular public attention: Luís Henrique Avellar, the boyfriend of *Big Brother Portugal* finalist António Bravo; and Márcio Salgado, also known as Camaleão on TikTok.

 **Winner: Traitor**

 **Winner: Traitor**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Traitor**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

 **Banished: Faithful**

 **Murdered: Faithful**

## Voting History

1. ↑ The 20 contestants were each asked to select a numbered pedestal from 1 to 20. Cristiana chose 11, which was also preselected by production as an unlucky number, and thus she had to 'leave' the game. She later returned into the game during Episode 3's Mission.
2. ↑ António and Márcio 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. ↑ Carolina and Márcio were tied for the most plurality of votes. They were ineligible to be voted for again in the tiebreaker, with only Carla and Júlio eligible for elimination.
4. ↑ With the vote again tied between Carla and Júlio, and all the contestants effectively tied in number of votes received, Daniela announced that the contestants with the most past votes would be Banished. With 12 past votes, this was Márcio.
5. ↑ Unlike in other editions, Cristiana was allowed to both vote and be voted for at the Banishment after she returned.

## Season Overview

### Episode 1

*Airdate: April 9, 2023*

* **Fake Eliminated:** *Cristiana*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Age Sort
The 19 remaining contestants had one minute to sort themselves and find their position on pedestals numbered 1 to 20. They had to position themselves in ascending order of age (so the youngest contestant on 1, and the oldest on 20). They needed to be completely accurate in order to earn €500 for the prize fund.
* **Prize Earned:** €0 out of €500
* **Traitors Selected:** Carolina, Júlio & Liliana
* **Bonus Mission Synopsis:** Traitors' Dinner Task
Daniela tasked the Traitors with a secret mission: to sit next to each other in a row at dinner. If they succeeded, they would earn €1,000 for the prize fund. Daniela would announce to the group whether they passed or failed at the end of the dinner, but not what the mission details were.
* **Bonus Prize Earned:** €1,000 out of €1,000
* **Other Events:** The contestants were each given a medallion they had to place on another contestant they felt was most likely to be a Traitor.

### Episode 2

*Airdate: April 16, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Fátima*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Burning Crosses
The 18 contestants were split into 2 teams, each with the task of setting a giant metal cross on a beach ablaze within 20 minutes. 4 team members transported a teammate to the source of the flame on the other side of the beach, then collect and maintain it, while the other 4 team members built and soaked a wick to ignite the cross while tied in pairs. Each team that succeeded earned €1,000 for the pot.
* **Prize Earned:** €2,000 out of €2,000
* **Banished:** *Álvaro* (9-3-2-1-1-1-1)

### Episode 3

*Airdate: April 23, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Sónia*
* **Returned to Game:** *Cristiana*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Buried Alive
Carolina and Márcio volunteered to be taken away, and they were buried alive together with a returning Cristiana. The 15 remaining contestants were divided into 3 teams, each tasked with rescuing 1 teammate. They had to locate the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo without a map; there, they found a walkie-talkie and a map with some symbols at various locations. They could communicate with their buried teammate with the walkie-talkie, deciphering the symbols to locate and rescue them. Each team that completed a successful rescue within 30 minutes earned €1,000 for the pot.
* **Prize Earned:** €2,000 out of €3,000
* **Banished:** *Lara* (15-1-1)

### Episode 4

*Airdate: April 30, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Cristiana*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Telephone Game
The 15 contestants were divided into 3 teams of 5. Each team member was in charge of completing one segment of a 5-part relay race; at the end of each segment, they collected a numbered puzzle piece from their teammate, before relaying a message to them describing where the next pieces are, and returning to the starting point to help assemble the puzzle. Each team that successfully assembled their puzzle within 20 minutes earned €500 for the pot, and the fastest team to complete the puzzle won access to the Armoury.
* **Prize Earned:** €1,500 out of €1,500
* **Armoury Access:** João, Jonas, Júlio, Liliana & Márcio
* **Shield:** Márcio
* **Banished:** *Luís P* (6-3-2-2-1-1)

### Episode 5

*Airdate: May 7, 2023*

* **Death Row:** *Joana, João & Verónica*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Church Match
The contestants were divided into two teams, each on one side of a church. Each round, one representative from each team would enter a confession booth, where Daniela gave them a paragraph and line from the Book of Traitors their team had to find. The representative would then relay this information to their team, finding the line and receiving a clue to locate a specific clothing item only one person on their side of the masked congregation possessed. They only had one guess for each item; they received 1 coin per correct guess, with a maximum of 10 coins up for grabs for each team. Every 5 coins received earned €500 for the prize fund, and the team that earned more coins at the end of 10 rounds won access to the Armoury.
* **Prize Earned:** €1,500 out of €2,000
* **Armoury Access:** António, Carolina, Joana, João, Júlio, Liliana & Verónica
* **Shield:** João
* **Banished:** *Alícia* (6-3-2-1-1-1)

### Episode 6

*Airdate: May 14, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Verónica*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Kidnapped
Joana and João were kidnapped by the Traitors and brought to the Nazaré Lighthouse. The remaining 10 contestants then split themselves up into 2 teams of 5, with 3 members from each team staying behind in the monastery as 'mission control', and the other 2 in charge of locating the kidnappees. The kidnappees could only make 3 calls to the mission control and guide them to their location. There were some clues scattered around their environment, which they could use to free themselves and meet the others. Each team that located the kidnappees within 70 minutes earned €1,000, and the team that reached them first won access to the Armoury.
* **Prize Earned:** €2,000 out of €2,000
* **Armoury Access:** Jonas, Júlio, Liliana, Márcio & Paulo
* **Shield:** Júlio
* **Banished:** *António* (6-4)

### Episode 7

*Airdate: May 21, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *João*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Fork in the Road & Barrel Roll
The 10 remaining contestants were divided into 2 teams of 5. Each team entered a car, where they had to navigate to their final destination - the Ourém Castle - by correctly answering a series of questions about their fellow contestants, and then following the corresponding directions. Once a team reached the castle, a 10-minute timer began counting down for the contestants to make a single trip transporting whatever barrels scattered about the castle grounds they could - each with an assigned monetary value - to the finish line. One of the barrels also granted access to the Armoury if transported to the finish line.
* **Prize Earned:** €1,000 out of €2,000
* **Armoury Access:** *No one*
* **Shield:** *None*
* **Banished:** *Luís H* (4-3-2-1)

### Episode 8

*Airdate: May 28, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Jonas*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Escape Room & Target Practice
The 8 contestants made their way to the Castelo de Porto de Mós, where they were divided into 2 teams of 4. In the first stage, each team was dispatched to a castle tower, where they had 30 minutes to solve 3 puzzles. For the first puzzle, the teams had to retrieve a pen and paper, audio player and a Morse code translator, each hidden in a box full of disgusting animals. The message would tell them where to locate a key unlocking access to the staircase, at the top of which was a 4-digit padlock solved by adding up various numbers related to the Castle. Finally, they encountered a door scribbled full with equations, as well as a room full of numbered keys. They had to pick the right key to unlock the door - the only number from the equations that could not be erased. The faster team gained an advantage by starting the second stage, where the teams took turns to fire arrows at targets representing the opposing team. Once someone's target was hit, they were out. Each team that completed the first stage of the mission within the time limit earned €1,500, and the team that won the second stage also gained access the Armoury.
* **Prize Earned:** €1,500 out of €3,000
* **Armoury Access:** Carolina, Liliana, Márcio & Paulo
* **Shield:** Márcio & Paulo
* **Banished:** *Paulo* (7-1)

### Episode 9

*Airdate: June 4, 2023*

* **Bonus Mission Synopsis:** Roulette Bet
* **Bonus Prize Earned:**
* **Death Row:** *Carla, Joana & Pedro*
* **Mission Synopsis:** Laser Heist
* **Prize Earned:**
* **Banished:** Liliana (4-3)

### Episode 10

*Airdate: June 11, 2023*

* **Murdered:** *Joana*
* **Mission Synopsis:**
* **Prize Earned:**
* **Total Prize:**
* **Banished:**
	+ *Pedro* (3-2)
	+ *Márcio* (*past votes*)
	+ *Carla* (2-1)
* **Winner(s):** ***Carolina & Júlio***

## Viewership

Viewership dropped steadily after the show's premiere, with the program often finding in a definite third place against competitors like *O Triângulo* and *The Voice Kids*. However, the show did perform strongly in delayed viewing, occupying six of the top ten shows with 7-day timeshifted viewings for April 2023. It was also the third-most talked about show on social media during the same month.

## Trivia

* The Portuguese Faithfuls are the latest to Banish a Traitor, only doing so at their eighth Round Tables.
* This season saw the highest number of Banished faithfuls in the franchise- ten total.
* This is the first season that:
	+ Required a tiebreaker after two rounds of tied votes.
	+ Used past Banishment votes accumulated as a tiebreaker.
	+ Where multiple Shields were up for grabs in a single Armoury visit.

## References

1. ↑ (PT) SIC JÁ TEM PROGRAMA PARA COMBATER 'O TRIÂNGULO' | Nova Gente — January 25, 2023
2. ↑ (PT) Daniela Ruah é o novo rosto da SIC e apresenta ‘Os Traidores’ | SIC — February 17, 2023
3. ↑ (PT) “Os Traidores”: SIC prepara novo reality show, revelados novos pormenores! | Dioguinho — February 1, 2023
4. ↑ (PT) Alcobaça serve de cenário a novo reality show apresentado por Daniela Ruah | Região de Leiria — March 16, 2023
5. ↑ (PT) "Os Traidores". Já há data para a estreia do reality show apresentado por Daniela Ruah | MAGG — March 27, 2023
6. ↑ (PT) Post by ostraidoressic | Instagram — March 29, 2023
7. ↑ (PT) Os Traidores! Programa de Daniela Ruah gera onda de reações nas redes sociais | A Televisão — April 10, 2023
8. ↑ (PT) Opinião. ‘Os Traidores’ traíram quem já não tem esperança na TV | A Caixa que já foi Mágica — April 10, 2023
9. ↑ (PT) Soam os alarmes para Daniel Oliveira! Apesar dos elogios, ‘Os Traidores’ não está a convencer os portugueses | FLASH! — April 24, 2023
10. ↑ (PT) Ana Garcia Martins é a nova comentadora de "Os Traidores". Emissão especial é conduzida por Diana Chaves | MAGG — April 10, 2023
11. ↑ (PT) Conheça os dois concorrentes de “Os Traidores” que são casados | Holofote — April 13, 2023
12. ↑ (PT) “Os Traidores”: saiba quem são os concorrentes do novo programa de Daniela Ruah | NiT — April 10, 2023
13. ↑ (PT) TV: OS PROGRAMAS MAIS PROCURADOS NAS GRAVAÇÕES E COM MAIS REFERÊNCIAS NAS REDES SOCIAIS EM ABRIL | Meios & Publicidade — May 12, 2023