Recap: The Traitors US (Season 2, Episode 8)
Spoilers ahead!
*Lisa Kudrow voice, downtrodden* Well, they got it.
This week’s episode of The Traitors was inevitable. Production pushed things off Parvati’s banishment for one episode (although, some argue last episode’s circle of fire was done to save Peter from being murdered.) But the writing was on the wall for Miss Pah-ver-tee Parvati. The Faithfuls, with Pilot Pete at the helm (in the cockpit?) pretty much have The Traitors’ numbers. But are their days numbered?
Let’s find out.
Breakfast: Cream Cheese and Preserves
With Peter immune to murder, the episode opens with the Faithfuls discovering that Bergalicious is the latest murder victim. Womp womp. Phaedra’s breakfast tell, which Dan had failed to articulate properly, isn’t that she soothes Larsa or half-worries about Bergalicious as the murders are revealed. Phaedra’s tell is that she always comments on the food while the rest of the Faithfuls are talking game. This week, she looks for cream cheese and preserves.
I knew we were in for a rough episode when Trishelle mentioned again that Phaedra and Parvati were likely The Traitors. I was even more worried when Trishelle shared her plan with Peter: get Phaedra out first, while the Peter Pals have the numbers, then get Parvati (the more obvious Traitor) out. It’s annoying how right Trishelle is, and how she’s thinking three steps ahead. Her fashion (*burps*) still pales into what Peppermint would have brought, though.
Peter follows Trishelle’s advice too well and convinces Parvati that he’s on her side, ready to vote out Phaedra. This is picked up by MJ, who’s walking by, but not in cargo jeans. Honestly, I could watch a whole show of MJ eavesdropping and walking through places where people don’t want her to be. An MJ and Sheree detective show. Get on it, Bravo!
The Mission
This week’s mission takes place in the dreaded cabin, where the insects will be flying and the audience will be squirming. The first new twist to the cabin is that the mission is introduced by Dr. Will, who was on Big Brother? I thought he was named Dr. Wolf, due to the two wolves by his side. Dr. Wolf was not an exciting reveal for me, especially because I had hopes that other diabolical reality competition players, like Russel Hantz or Harry Dubin, would also make an appearance. Nope. Just rats. Actual rats.
This year’s cabin is also an escape room, with tunnels and faulty lights and, of course, insects and piss (?) being dumped on the contestants at random intervals. There is no joy in watching even Trishelle get bugs dumped all over her, but I did giggle at Sheree absolutely losing it.
Players could tap out and lose $1,000 - and four do. Trust me, I’d do it too, but the poor Faithfuls are going to end up splitting a few nickels between them with how little they’re winning in these challenges. How much have they won? Should I know, since I’m recapping? Meh.
The Roundtable
Dan really f*cked Phaedra by calling her out as a Traitor. There should be a rule about that. But there isn’t, so all of the Faithfuls are hearing out both Parvati and Phaedra to see where they might cast their votes. Although Phaedra may have been more prepared to read this time around, she’s obviously more nervous. The highlight? She tells Trishelle, “I’m not frantic like you.”
If Parvati hadn’t been on the chopping block for so long, Phaedra may have been voted out. But MJ, Phaedra, Sandra, John, Sheree, CT, and Kate all write down Parvati’s name. (John calls her “a duchess of deception and a mistress of murder.” He’s clearly seen Heroes vs. Villains.) Honestly, I am incredibly sad that Parvati is leaving the game. But I’m so intrigued to see what happens when Phaedra is running the game by herself, despite Sandra thinking she’ll be running the game by herself. Delusion!)
Will she? We’re not sure. At the end of the episode, Alan tells Phaedra she has to give one Faithful an ultimatum. (When’s the next season of Queer Ultimatum? I’ll recap that show…) Phaedra gives the ultimatum to Kate. This choice pays off immediately, as Kate is left in the castle dungeon as the episode ends. Will she become a traitor? Will she be murdered? Either choice will be iconic and on-brand for Kate.
Well, goodbye Parvati. We will miss you immensely, and we hope to see you on our screens (and in more issues of Paper Magazine) soon. Onward!