The Traitors: New Blood Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Wake of the Living Dead

A cliffhanger can intrigue fans enough to tune in continuously. It can also annoy them and make them tune out. The Traitors: New Blood Season 1 Episode 5, “Wake of the Living Dead,” may need to figure out where it lies in that category.

It’s leaning towards the too-many-cliffhangers realm, especially now that there will only be one episode a week. Traitors by nature is intriguing. We don’t need the cliffhangers to keep us watching.

“Wake of the Living Dead” spends the majority of it setting up the big murder in plain sight. Then leaves everyone in the dark about who dies. We have to wait another week to find out. This could grow tiring soon.

Traitors: New Blood could have easily killed someone. Then start the next intriguing thing as the cliffhanger, especially when it’s already becoming a new stressor for fans of the Traitors.

Comedy relief Victor has finally stumbled into something useful. He realizes that Joe and Tomica were acting suspiciously with the apples. He and Abby have successfully figured out the apple is the key to the murder.

Tomica and Joe should be afraid, but both have already done a really good job of incorporating themselves into the group. Additionally, Victor has consistently been seen as sketchy. It’s unclear whether anyone will believe him.

Abby also led the charge this week to banish someone. This may make them not trust her as much because of her wrongness. Plus, Jay has put a lot of suspicion on himself.

Tomica and Joe could escape next week, but this is a more interesting Traitors: New Blood mystery than who they killed in plain sight.

“Wake of the Living Dead” is the first episode this season where it feels like the producers aren’t using their short time usefully. However, that could just be because this is the first week with only one episode, instead of two.

We also had a week-long hiatus, so anticipation may have been too high. The episode didn’t match our hopes for its return.

However, episodes shouldn’t need companions to work. They should work on their own. As long-time, multiple-version Traitors watchers, we know cliffhangers are the norm.

Nonetheless, it may be a flaw in the system.

The episodes may need to always come out in pairs or less cliffhangers that feel like they’re dragging the story along. There is just something very off about the pacing of “Waking of the Living Dead.”

Even the Banish Ceremony feels like it drags.

The cliffhanger from two weeks ago made it seem more exciting than it turns out to be. The talk quickly shifts from Katie to others. Then another Faithful leaves. The Faithful seem to have promise, but that’s quickly leaving as the season continues.
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Most likely, the Faithful will successfully get out a Traitor next week. However, if they do banish Tomica or Joe, then that sets up the other to go as well.

Katie may go from the most suspected Traitor to the least in a matter of a few episodes. This would definitely shift the season, and could be an interesting watch. Guess we will have to see.

Overall, Wake of the Living Dead” is a fine episode. It’s entertaining enough but the cliffhangers will start to feel excessive. It doesn’t feel worth the wait.

What did you think of this episode of The Traitors: New Blood? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!

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The Traitors: New Blood airs Thursdays at 8/7 C on NBC.

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