The first day of 2025 saw the launch of a new season of the hit BBC television show The Traitors. In this psychological game show hosted by Claudia Winkelman, 22 contestants are sent to a Scottish castle to compete against each other for a prize of £120,000.
It is, however, a game show with a twist: some contestants are ‘Faithfuls’ while others are ‘Traitors’. Each night, the Traitors figuratively ‘murder’ a contestant, while the Faithfuls seek to ‘banish’ a Traitor. With its unexpected twists and colourful characters, the third season of The Traitors promises to be gripping.
The themes that move us
But why is The Traitors so popular? It is for the same reason that Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries, The Lord of the Rings, and the Harry Potter series are popular. They are all stories hinged on the themes of trust, loyalty, betrayal and deception. For some reason, these themes resonate with us deeply. They move us and disquiet us.
From the camaraderie of friends catching a killer, to the loyalty of Sam Gamgee or Ron and Hermione, there is something beautiful about faithfulness. From the manipulation of a murderer to the deceit of Saruman and Voldemort, there is something unsettling about treachery – even treachery in a game show.
The Christian understands why these themes stir us. Trust, faithfulness, betrayal, and treachery are motifs of the universal human story. We hear overtones of these themes in literature and on TV because all good stories echo this cosmic story.
This ‘story’ is in fact the truth about the universe which we learn about in the Bible. Human beings were created by a God who is described as ‘faithful’ (2 Thess.3:3), who cannot ‘lie’ (Num.23:19), and who is ‘trustworthy in all he promises’ (Ps.145:13). We were created to enjoy this God in a mutual relationship characterised by trust, fidelity, and obedience.
Treacherous humanity, faithful God
But, in the Garden of Eden, a great tragedy ruined this relationship. Rather than trusting God and remaining faithful to Him, we disobeyed and betrayed His trust. Instead of heeding God’s truth, we listened to the serpent’s lie, becoming liars ourselves. Ashamed of our treachery and sin, we hid from our Creator ‘among the trees of the garden’ (Gen.3:8). Because of the seriousness of our betrayal, God ‘banished’ us from His presence in the garden (Gen. 3:23).
Despite our unfaithfulness, God is ‘good and his love endures forever’ and ‘his faithfulness continues through all generations’ (Ps.100:5). Even after our deceitful rebellion, God continued to pursue us. His pursuit of His people culminated in the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world.
On the cross, Jesus experienced the banishment we deserve by facing the penalty for our sins so that we can be forgiven. Having risen from the dead, He now invites us to repent of our treachery and believe in Him. By trusting Christ, we can now enjoy the relationship for which we were made – a relationship with our Father defined by faithfulness and forgiveness.
The Traitors is a popular show. During the next few weeks, we’ll hear about it everywhere. Many of our friends, families and colleagues will watch it, discuss it, and analyse it. And, as we take part in these conversations, let’s remember that the programme’s main themes – the themes that make it so popular – provide an opportunity to consider the gospel’s glorious message.
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