Now That The Traitors Is Done, I'd Like To Recommend House Of Villains

The Traitors Season 4 finale left me with a strong desire to consume more reality TV. The reunion provided some mess, but it just reminded me that I have to wait a whole year before the next season. Thankfully, a civilian edition of the show will likely premiere later in 2026. However, that’s not confirmed.

The wait will be long, but it may not be torturous because House of Villains recently made its Peacock exclusive debut. I have been watching the series since its premiere, but I am excited to see if it becomes even better on the premium streaming service. I also realized how it can be an entertaining Traitors replacement.

Warning: House of Villains And Traitors Spoilers Are Ahead. Proceed With Caution.

House Of Villains Doesn't Take Itself Seriously, In A Different But Similar Way To The Traitors

The Traitors is all about murder, mystery, and great TV moments. It’s a show that sometimes involves a lot of emotional investment from the contestants. Additionally, it sometimes even leads to feuding and betrayal. It’s a show that takes itself very seriously at times, but also embraces its goofy nature. It has so many viral silly moments, from Rob Rausch meowing to Tom Sandoval trying to imitate the pitch of a doll.

The Traitors is a show that knows how to lean into comedy as much as it knows how to embrace drama. House of Villains is all about comedy. It’s a bunch of reality TV stars who were labeled villains for one reason or another, and now are enjoying getting to have fun with the title.

The series doesn’t run away from a chance to find comedy in everything. There have been some serious moments of betrayal, but then it’s paired with Tiffany Pollard reading people for filth without giving a single damn. It’s beautiful.

House of Villains could provide some lighthearted entertainment for reality TV fans who need a show that wants to have fun with its premise.

House Of Villains Also Has A Mashup Of Reality TV Stars

The Traitors cast reveal has become a major annual event for fans of the show and reality TV in general. I now know to expect next season’s cast around June. This year may even have two cast reveals if NBCUniversal decides to do a double cast reveal by unveiling the reality TV star and civilian cast. I love seeing what reality TV stars make the cut. As a Big Brother and Survivor fan, I am especially excited to see which former contestants make the cut.

The mashup of reality TV stars and celebrities really adds an unexpected layer of entertainment to the casting process that doesn’t exist with most shows. You’re not only excited to see which ones of your favorite reality TV stars make it on the show, but you start to imagine how these people can co-exist in the house.

House of Villains has a similar level of intrigue with the cast. It also makes you wonder what reality TV stars will be labeled as villains. Almost every cast member of this Peacock show has supporters and haters. Therefore, many are considered villains for some reason or another, but they’re also beloved.

An additional perk of The Traitors and House of Villains is that it sometimes brings back reality TV stars who have not been on reality TV in a while, or at least rarely make appearances on other shows. I am loving seeing Paul Abrahamian on House of Villains. Paul hasn't appeared on reality TV since they almost won Big Brother 19 in 2017. It’s been almost a decade since they made their last Big Brother run.

Seeing some of these reality TV stars is like seeing friends you haven’t seen in so long, but the vibes are still there. It’s like no time has passed. I hope The Traitors and House of Villains continue to bring these people out of reality TV retirement.

The Challenges Feel Useless On The Traitors And House of Villains

I have watched almost every English-language edition of The Traitors. Therefore, I know that the weekly challenges work better on some versions than others. Besides providing viral moments, they aren’t that interesting on The Traitors US. Sometimes the producers change parts or leave out parts of them that made them compelling in the other versions.

I also sometimes mentally checked out during some of the challenges because they’re not that interesting. Most of the time, they are also low stakes. The only purpose of them is to add money to the prize pot, but it’s almost impossible to perform so badly that no money is added at all.

House of Villains challenges have much greater stakes because they help give someone power or safety. However, they still feel a bit useless because it’s all about the drama that comes from them, but that drama is played for laughs more than anything else. This makes the House of Villains challenges also feel as useless as they do on The Traitors US, despite actually being a huge part of the show and game.

House of Villains Is Also A Captivating Show For Fans Of The Strategy On The Traitors

Every season of House of Villains involves strategy. However, Season 3 seems the most strategic thus far. There are sides of the house, alliances, plotting, and scheming. These players have been living up to their reality TV villain labels. It’s been fun to watch the strategy combined with the show’s overall silly aura.

As more of a gamer/competition show fan, I love a show with some strategic gameplay. We often get that on The Traitors, even when there are not many contestants who are known as gamers who make it that far. Both of these Peacock series are ones that have strategy within their DNA. They wouldn’t make sense without some strategic aspects, but I still appreciate them for showcasing strategic prowess.

The Eliminations In Both Series Add Some Suspense And Drama

I actually really care about who gets murdered and banished on each episode of The Traitors. I end up caring about the Faithfuls and the Traitors. Sometimes, I also just want to see a Traitor fall or prevail. The banishment or murder could stand in the way of that victory or defeat. These things are sometimes the most important part of a Traitors Season or episode.

I also care who gets eliminated in House of Villains. Sometimes it’s just because I want to see a villain leave already. Eliminations can definitely alter my enjoyment of a season. It’s not just about the production of a show, but who makes it to the end.

House of Villains and The Traitors are not a one-to-one substitution, but their similarities and differences make them a fun pair. Plus, they’re two of the best shows on Peacock.