This is my first time watching The Traitors (please no spoilers in case I go back). I've had multiple friends say I need to watch it, so I finally caved.
My main concern going in was that this would all be overhyped – nowhere near as 'clever' as people made out. And after S4E3 I'm afraid I'm finding myself asking – what is the point?
There doesn't seem to be any purpose to any part of the show. Both the Faithful and Traitors have the same common goal of getting to the end with the most money. It is pitched as a clever game of deduction and "social engineering". But there is no consequences to anything; all the discussion is based 100% on guesswork and vibes – the Traitors just need to fit in and not get caught.
I understand that the Secret Traitor is new this series. But why do we care about them? There has been no way of actually trying to figure out who they are, for us as the audience or for the other Traitors. Again, it's just complete guesswork. And their (shortlived) role seemed to have no purpose other than putting some limitations on the murder shortlist, which didn't seem to make much of a difference because there was no reason not to murder any but a few particular Faithfuls.
Mid-way through E3 I tried to change my reference frame. There clearly isn't any strategy-based gameshow element here; it's a reality TV show.
Through that lens, it essentially just becomes a popularity contest. People are "accusing" people because they had a funny look, or said something weird, or weren't very vocal at the roundtable, etc. Then you just have to form cliques to win others around to your way of thinking… The games just provide a backdrop to all that with no real consequence/drama – they seem to be so easy that you get most the money anyway, and it effects the Traitors and Faithful equally anyway.