Pop Culture

‘The Good Guys’ Think ‘The Traitors’ Has a Casting Problem—But They’re Still Obsessed

February 25, 2026

On The Good Guys, Ben Soffer and Josh Peck turned their attention to one of reality TV’s buzziest franchises: The Traitors. And while they were quick to acknowledge the show’s massive popularity and undeniably strong premise, their overall verdict was more complicated. In their view, The Traitors has all the ingredients of a prestige reality hit—a gothic castle, high-stakes strategy, and a theatrical host in Alan Cumming—but something isn’t quite clicking this season. The issue, they argue, isn’t the format. It’s the casting.

From underwhelming reality crossovers to early eliminations of the most entertaining players, the duo didn’t hold back. Here’s what they think is working—and what’s not—on this season of The Traitors.

Reality stars don’t always deliver outside their original shows

Peck says his issue isn’t with The Traitors concept itself, but with the type of casting. “I think there is something really not good about reality star competition shows,” he says. His reasoning? “I think when you take reality stars out of the singular thing that they’re great at, which is their mini world of being a hot mess, you realize how mediocre they are.”

Think about it. Many of these contestants thrive in the specific environments that made them famous. But when they’re dropped into a strategy-based format like The Traitors, that same energy doesn’t always translate. He notes that there’s “clearly a circuit” of these competition shows and acknowledges that “it pays well,” which explains why so many familiar faces keep appearing.

Soffer agrees, noting that the current cast feels less compelling. Without contestants who are either strategically sharp or undeniably entertaining, the tension falls flat.

Why they think Michael Rapaport was sent home too soon

Soffer and Peck both agree that Michael Rapaport was one of the most entertaining presences on the season—which is why his early exit felt like a loss. Peck points out that Rapaport “has been a successful actor for 40 years,” adding that watching someone who is “in the business of entertainment” brings a different level of energy to the screen.

Soffer agreed: “I do think they sent home probably the most entertaining or second most entertaining person on that show.” He even recalled one of the standout moments from Rapaport’s exit, when his casket was lowered and viewers could hear him say, “You miserable f*cks.”

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Peacock (@peacock)

Colton Underwood isn’t winning them over

If Rapaport’s departure felt premature, Colton Underwood’s presence hasn’t exactly filled that entertainment gap. When Peck asks Soffer, “Are you compelled by Colton Underwood?” Soffer is blunt: “Like, no, no, not at all.”

Soffer goes on to describe what he’s been seeing this season, saying Underwood is “not making a great first impression.” According to Soffer, he’s “really just like a bully,” and has “bullied people every single week into following him and taking his horrendous swings and misses.”

‘Survivor’ cast? ‘Painful’

While Soffer and Peck acknowledge that crossover casting is part of the show’s formula, they weren’t impressed by the Survivor representation this season. “The cast of Survivor, not really that interesting,” Soffer states. Peck quickly followed with a single-word assessment: “Painful.”

Soffer adds, “I don’t know why they’re on it,” questioning what some of the contestants are bringing to the format. That said, he did carve out one exception—Rob. “Rob, who’s one of the Traitors…he’s incredible at the game,” Soffer says, explaining that at least strong gameplay makes someone compelling to watch. “So at least if you’re gonna have somebody on, make them be incredible at the game.”

Alan Cumming is the real star

If Soffer and Peck have frustrations with parts of the cast, their feelings about Cumming were the exact opposite. “I love him,” Peck says. Soffer agrees, calling him “genius” and “brilliant.”

They were especially taken with the theatricality Cumming brings to the role. Soffer describes how he enters scenes “in this beautiful wardrobe” with “his shoulders are back,” saying it looks like “he’s walking on the stage of the Royal Shakespeare Company except he’s with a bunch of reality stars, which makes it even better.”

The one genius thing the show is doing

Even with their casting critiques, Soffer and Peck agree there’s one element of The Traitors that feels undeniably smart: the shopping integration. Peck points out that the show features QR codes on screen that allow viewers to purchase items directly from the castle in real time.

“What I think is genius,” Soffer says, explaining that viewers can scan and buy décor from the show. “You literally click it, you’re like, you want the candelabra…you’re looking at this sick scene in an Irish castle and you can buy it.”

He also ties it back to a bigger trend in the media. “It also goes to show like just the world that we’re heading into with live shopping and all of that. It’s just, it’s wild.”

Are you a fan of The Traitors? Listen to the most recent episode of The Good Guysto hear their full conversation on the reality show.