Scandoval Is an Annoying Distraction in The Traitors Season 3

Greetings, comrades and adversaries! Gather ’round for another thrilling season of Peacock’s Emmy-winning reality competition series “The Traitors“. Beginning 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, Season 3 is underway, brimming with its signature deceit and surprises. However, one persistent challenge for this year’s rendition of the American adaptation of “Traitors” is the lingering shadow of Scandoval that darkens the Scottish Highlands castle where the series unfolds.

For individuals who may not have been following recent events in the reality TV world over the past two years, “Scandoval” is the term used to describe the shocking revelation made public in March 2023. This revelation exposed that Tom Sandoval, a cast member on Vanderpump Rules, had been unfaithful to his long-term girlfriend and fellow castmate Ariana Madix during a seven-month affair with another castmate named Rachel “Raquel” Leviss. The affair was revealed shortly after Season 10 of the show began airing, causing an international sensation on social media. The aftermath of this public betrayal led to a flurry of endorsement deals and new opportunities for Madix, while Sandoval gained infamy as the “most hated man in America” according to a 2024 New York Times Magazine profile.

Given that scandals involving infidelity have been a recurring theme on the TV show “Vanderpump Rules” since its debut in 2013, the reaction to recent news was intense, to put it mildly. However, Sandoval’s initial response only served to escalate the situation further. In his since-deleted Instagram post, he neglected to acknowledge or even mention Madix. After a year of contemplation, in an article for the NYT Magazine, he compared his predicament following the scandal to that of George Floyd and O.J. Simpson. This lack of self-awareness seemed to resurface frequently.

After that point, Sandoval made an appearance in another season of Vanderpump Rules (before Bravo announced in November 2024 their plan to completely re-cast the series), as well as a season of Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. Neither role seemed to help improve his public standing significantly. Just before the Season 3 premiere of The Traitors, a trailer was released on Peacock where Sandoval expressed enthusiasm that “people are starting to take me seriously.

Based on the first three episodes, it appears that Sandoval’s presence isn’t as well-received as one might expect. Right from his entrance at the castle in Episode 1, there seems to be a lot of disdain towards him. “Oh my gosh. Look who it is?” Nikki Garcia from Total Bellas exclaims upon seeing Sandoval on The Bachelorette, Gabby Windey.

“I’m not saying hi to him,” Windey responds.

Following a private conversation with host Alan Cumming before the start of the first round table, Sandoval expresses his preference for loyalty rather than deceit, stating, “I’m not sure I could thrive as a traitor.

Suppose I tapped you, how would that make you feel? Would it seem like I had deceived you, Tom?” To which Cumming responds, and Sandoval confirms the feeling isn’t pleasant. “It doesn’t feel particularly good, does it?

In a twist orchestrated by Cumming, Danielle Reyes from Big Brother, Carolyn Wiger from Survivor, and Bob the Drag Queen from RuPaul’s Drag Race are identified as the initial traitors. Sandoval’s tactic of swiftly removing his blindfold and scrutinizing his fellow competitors’ expressions provokes some revealing reactions. “Tom is giving me a fierce stare,” Bob expresses in a private moment. “I’m thinking, girl, please stop staring at me.

Initially, Sandoval initiates the game by attempting to accuse Chrishell Stause of being a traitor, which is the first direct reference to Scandoval. In a confessional, Chrishell remarks, “Tom is already trying to implicate me. Firstly, who behaves like that? Secondly, I’m aware Tom harbors bias against me because I am friends with his ex. Given what he did to Ariana, I have formed an opinion of him already. So if the ship is sinking, he goes down with me.

And that’s just the first half of the very first episode.

Later, in Episode 2, three more contestants were introduced: Rob Mariano from Survivor, Derrick Levasseur from Big Brother, and Wes Bergmann from The Challenge. As Sandoval attempted to share his theories about the traitors with the newcomers, Bergmann rejected the ideas he considered as propaganda coming from Sandoval.

It’s clear that all contestants in the Traitors game are already well-known reality TV stars from different shows, which means personal biases can play a role. However, much of the strife, such as the feud between Reyes and Britney Haynes from Big Brother, seems to originate from past betrayals on other competition shows rather than real-life disagreements. Additionally, Sandoval’s persistent efforts to restore his image by staying in the reality TV spotlight are becoming quite tiresome.

In my opinion, if Sandoval aims to win over the audience, embracing his villainous past could be more appealing than trying to depict a profound transformation into an honest man. However, at this moment, it appears we might just have to wait and see if his history fades as the storyline gains momentum.

Fortunately, by the conclusion of Episode 3, Scandoval hasn’t significantly influenced the overall narrative of the series so far. However, it’s undeniably becoming a tedious side issue in a program that already brims with self-generating drama.

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2025-01-10 06:06