Why are the ‘Big Brother’ stars so bad at competing on ‘The Traitors?’

Peacock’s newish hit show “The Traitors” and CBS’ long-running show “Big Brother” have a lot in common.

Both reality series are games of social strategy. They reward players who are cool under pressure, adept at persuasion, and capable of lying to a person’s face. So, why are some of the greatest “Big Brother” players of all time so bad at “The Traitors?”

Read More: Who has been eliminated on season 3 of ‘The Traitors?’

All three seasons of “The Traitors” have featured a “Big Brother” alum as one of the titular turncoats. Season 1’s Cody Calafiore, who placed second on “Big Brother 16″ and won “Big Brother 22,” struggled with his “traitor” status from the very beginning.

The New Jersey native was universally liked on “Big Brother 22,” which is why he’s one of only four champions to win with a unanimous vote. He performed well in competitions and forged strong bonds that kept people from targeting him. What he didn’t do much of was backstab his fellow houseguests.

He was therefore unprepared for the task of murdering one of his castmates each night on “The Traitors” and seemed nervous throughout the game. He didn’t put up a convincing fight when suspicion fell on him and was the first season 1 “traitor” to be banished.

During a January 2023 interview with Us Weekly, Calafiore explained why his “Big Brother” success didn’t translate to “The Traitors.”

“You don’t make a decision in ‘Big Brother’ [where] somebody goes home and everybody’s like, ‘Man, oh man, that is horrible. How could they do that?’ In ‘Big Brother,’ there’s a group of people that know, ultimately, the decision that’s being made,” he explained. “So, you’re doing it together as a group. This didn’t feel like that.”

You can get through “Big Brother” telling only minimal lies. You might have to tell someone they’re safe from eviction so they don’t campaign hard to stay or kiss up to a Head of Household so they don’t target you. But the “traitors” must lie through their teeth for the entirety of the game, and not everyone can handle that.

Calafiore isn’t known as a ruthless “Big Brother” player, so it’s not exactly shocking that he wasn’t the best “traitor.” But two other “Big Brother” legends known for their cold and calculated gameplay, Dan Gheesling and Danielle Reyes, have also performed poorly on “The Traitors.”

Widely considered the best “Big Brother” player of all time, Gheesling won season 10 and placed second in season 14. Unlike Calafiore, who made very few mistakes during his winning season, Gheesling is known for getting himself out of hot water with bold moves.

During season 14 of “Big Brother,” Gheesling staged his own funeral when his eviction from the game seemed certain. He gave personal shout-outs to each player, bringing several people to tears, and apologized to Head of Household Frank Eudy, who was targeting him.

He also blindsided his closest ally, Danielle Murphree, by telling her she was dead to him to make the rest of the house think he was alone in the game. He later told Murphree that he didn’t give her a heads-up about his plan because he wanted her tears to be convincing. Savage, but smart, because his plan worked. Eudy’s ally Jenn Arroyo used the Power of Veto on Gheesling later that week, and he escaped eviction.

Gheesling exhibited zero of that finesse while on “The Traitors.” Several people suspected him from the start, but he did little to clear his name. He played a quiet game, refusing to name anyone as a “traitor,” which raised alarm bells for the “faithfuls.”

Once he and fellow “traitor” Parvati Shallow became prime targets for banishment, Gheesling tried to shift the blame onto Phaedra Parks, who was also a “traitor.” The problem was that everybody trusted Parks, and no one trusted Gheesling. He didn’t provide a compelling enough case and came off like a “traitor” with his back against the wall.

Gheesling would have been smart to betray Shallow rather than Parks, as many people already suspected her. But he fell into a trap that’s common among “Big Brother” players: picking one ride-or-die — in this case, Shallow — and refusing to go against them, no matter what.

Reyes adopted a similar tactic in season 3 of “The Traitors,” which is currently airing on Peacock. Just as she picked Jason Guy as her one true ally in “Big Brother 3,” Reyes decided early on to be loyal to her fellow “traitor” Bob the Drag Queen above anyone else.

Since Bob’s banishment, Reyes has spent her energy scheming against both of her fellow remaining “traitors,” Carolyn Wiger and Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano. As she plans to further destabilize the already rocky “traitor” dynamics, Reyes has gotten sloppy with her gameplay.

In episode 5, she made a shockingly bad move during a riddle-solving mission. She passed up the opportunity for a shield twice in a row, making her seem like a “traitor” with no fear of being murdered.

When Dolores Catania pointed out the suspicious behavior, Reyes was legitimately surprised. It didn’t even occur to her to pretend she needed safety. Seriously? Coming from someone considered one of the best “Big Brother” players to never win the game?

Reyes thought five steps ahead in “Big Brother,” but in “The Traitors,” she makes decisions moment to moment, with zero forethought.

She wanted to curry favor with other players by giving them shields, but didn’t think about how that would look suspicious; she murdered Jeremy Collins because he suspected her of treachery, not caring that players could easily trace the kill back to her; she wants Wiger out because she finds her hard to work with, but isn’t considering the fact that Mariano is the bigger threat, and Wiger would work with her to take him down.

Perhaps the reason Reyes isn’t living up to her reputation on “The Traitors” is how fast the game moves. “Big Brother” is a marathon — seasons range from 71 to 100 days long — while “The Traitors” is a sprint that films over the course of a few weeks. She’s acting fast without thinking things through.

It’s hard to watch “Big Brother” titans be such tepid and tragic “traitors.” At least “Big Brother 2″ champion Dr. Will Kirby only appeared on “The Traitors” as the host of a mission during season 2. Although there’s still time for him to destroy his legacy on “Deal or No Deal Island.”

“The Traitors” airs on Peacock Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST.

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