The Traitors Ireland is back, and it took all of a few minutes for suspicion to set in.
Twenty-three new players arrived at Slane Castle for season two, with alliances forming in the cars, people already being economical with the truth and Siobhán McSweeney waiting to turn the nerves up another notch at every possible turn.
***Spoiler Alert***
Siobhán McSweeney kept the contestants on their toes during the first episode
By the end of the opening episode, three Traitors had been revealed, nobody was safe from the first murder and a final twist had left one big identity under wraps.
Here are the key moments in episode one:
The game started before they reached the castle
Coffins, eerie music and Slane Castle glowing red in the darkness set the tone before the players had even arrived.
They were already sizing each other up too.
Denis decided not to reveal that he is a qualified psychotherapist, concerned that his people skills could make him look like a threat. Fionula stuck to drama teacher rather than mentioning that she is also an actor, while car salesman DJ told the group he worked in the parts department instead.
Elsewhere, Edelle had taken the three men travelling in her car under her wing, joking that they would be “my boys”.
Nobody had been chosen as a Traitor yet, but the bluffing had already begun.
Fionula, Páraic K and Carla got the tap
At the Round Table, McSweeney warned the group that “things are about to get real” before asking everyone to put on their blindfolds.
Then came the taps on the shoulder.
Fionula was the first Traitor chosen
Fionula was the first Traitor chosen, followed by Páraic K and Carla, and none of the three seemed disappointed with their new role.
Pádraic K was next to get the tap
Páraic declared it “game on”, while Carla was equally happy with the prospect of doing the murdering rather than becoming a victim herself.
Carla was the third traitor chosen
Once the blindfolds came off, the paranoia kicked in almost instantly. Edelle even managed to draw suspicion for the seemingly innocuous act of drinking some water.
Carla was already getting away with it
Some players immediately found themselves being watched. Carla had the opposite experience.
The newly appointed Traitor revealed that people were already telling her she was “definitely” a Faithful.
Naturally, she agreed.
It was an early reminder of how little it takes for a reputation to stick inside the castle, whether it is deserved or not.
The first mission quickly became about survival
For their opening mission, the group had 30 minutes to collect the pieces of an ancient Irish dolmen, assemble it and bring back enough money to add €6,500 to the prize pot.
Getting there was not quite so straightforward.
The contestants had to assemble an ancient Irish dolmen
At various points, players had to sacrifice themselves and be left shackled, making them vulnerable to the first murder. It did not take long for people to realise that carrying a heavy slab of stone might actually be the safer option.
There were disagreements over who should volunteer, whether €500 was worth sacrificing another player for and who was doing enough work.
Even the first team challenge had become a game within the game.
Donal gave up everyone’s immunity
Then came one of the more unexpected decisions of the episode.
Having successfully built the dolmen, the players who made it to the sacred circle had the chance to secure immunity from the first murder.
Donal had another idea.
Did Donal do himself any favours with his heroic act during the mission?
He suggested that, because others had sacrificed themselves along the way, everyone should stand outside the circle and face the same risk.
Nobody objected.
Donal was hailed as the hero of the mission, but his gesture had another consequence: not one of the 23 players was safe.
The Traitors suddenly had a full field to choose from.
There was still one more Traitor to find
Fionula, Páraic K and Carla finally came face-to-face at the first Traitors’ conclave, where the three began comparing notes and considering who might prove useful to them.
Then McSweeney arrived.
Fionula, Carla and Pádraic K during the first conclave
Her earlier warning that the Traitors’ selection process was not finished had not been a bluff. The trio were told to choose a fourth Traitor.
Laura, Sean A and Edelle were among the names considered before the three reached their decision.
A mystery player was invited to join them and took the Traitors’ oath, but their identity was kept from viewers.
And there was a further catch.
The new Traitor would have the final say on who would be murdered first.
So episode one ended with two rather important questions still hanging over Slane Castle: who is the fourth Traitor, and who have they chosen to murder?