How ‘The Traitors’ saved its season with Danielle cliffhanger

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who’s 100% faithful — to the reality competition “The Traitors.”

In this week’s newsletter, Screen Gab editor Matt Brennan shares his thoughts on the U.S. edition’s recently concluded third season, streaming recommendations for your weekend and more.

ICYMI

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Justin Baldoni’s tumultuous road to the center of a Hollywood scandal: The actor-director built a career blending his Bahai values and storytelling. Now allegations involving Blake Lively and “It Ends With Us” threaten his image.

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Vincent D’Onofrio breaks down the ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ reunion we’ve all been waiting for: Back as Wilson Fisk in “Daredevil: Born Again,” the actor discusses returning to “Daredevil,” how the diner reunion came together, Fisk’s marriage counseling and more.

Conan O’Brien navigates the Oscars through song, dance and awards: The comedian and former late-night host led the ceremony replete with musical numbers and nods to L.A., filmmaking and the current political climate.

Turn on

Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

‘Toxic Town’ (Netflix)

Self-dealing politicians rewarding cronies; nervous whistle-blowers; riled up mothers taking on the government; and a selfless lawyer sticking with a case across decades: All inform this splendidly executed, fact-based, four-hour U.K. drama. Written by playwright and screenwriter Jack Thorne, most recently known for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” it’s based on the Corby toxic waste case, in which a cluster of birth defects were associated with the careless removal and transportation of waste from decommissioned steel mills. There’s something inherently dramatic, suspenseful, enraging and exciting about the material — it’s not the first time we’ve seen this sort of legal drama, and it’s an especially good time to add another to the list. But what takes the series to a higher level is the work of a great cast, including Jodie Whittaker (you know her, the 13th Doctor), Aimee Lou Wood (currently seen on “The White Lotus”), Robert Carlyle (“The Full Monty”), Rory Kinnear (so many things) and Brendan Coyle (Mr. Bates of “Downton Abbey,” not nearly so nice here). Even in small scenes, they animate the personal story inside the political. — Robert Lloyd

‘With Love, Meghan’ (Netflix)

Will I be harvesting my own honey in this lifetime? No. Do I often comment on the beauty of an egg yolk? Honestly, in this economy, maybe I should. But I have spent an afternoon fashioning giant bows out of pink plastic table cloths from Dollar Tree for affordable Galentine’s Day decor (thanks for the tip, TikTok!) and, in my head, I am Ina Garten’s West Coast bestie. I fear I am the target audience for a celebrity lifestyle series like “With Love, Meghan.” Domestic doyennes like Garten and Martha Stewart certainly bring more genuine knowledge and skill to the format, but while there is nothing groundbreaking about this Netflix offering — it’s too well-tailored, too beige and too precious — there’s still something fascinating in observing the former “Suits” star-turned-monarchy defector make a balloon arch or assemble tea bags with bath salts. Maybe it’s the joy she has in doing it, sometimes leaving the viewer with the same look of dumbfound curiosity and wonder that guest Mindy Kaling has seeing the host make star-shaped cucumber sandwiches for an imaginary children’s party. Or maybe it’s the fact that her doing it enrages people. I’m not a hate-watcher: It’s the distraction I need. Plus, as someone who will find any excuse to host so I can make themed invites on Canva, the overly curated content that is “With Love, Meghan” is definitely my vibe. Who doesn’t dream of making beeswax candles, topping naked cakes with berries and writing on labels with picture-perfect penmanship? — Yvonne Villarreal

Catch up

Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone’s talking about

As a reality fan who generally avoids competition series, the occasional “Top Chef” or “Project Runway” excepted, I approached Peacock’s Emmy-winning “The Traitors” with a fair amount of skepticism: If I didn’t find “Survivor” castaways or “Big Brother” house guests compelling, what could I possibly see in a glorified game of Mafia?

Three seasons into the U.S. edition, hosted by Alan Cumming at a sumptuously appointed highland castle, I’m eating Scottish crow. Though the money-earning “missions” remain a snooze, the real game play, in which a super-majority of “faithfuls” try to sniff out the traitors in their midst, has proved highly addictive. I’d even go so far as to call the format’s confrontational roundtable meetings, where cast members lob accusations, sow confusion and “banish” their brethren, better television than a “Housewives” reunion. And, unlike a contrived season of Bravo’s shady flagship, “The Traitors” has already shown the capacity to course-correct.

After all, the current season of “The Traitors U.S.,” which concluded Thursday, seemed destined to be plagued by its ham-fisted start. A trio of reality-competition “gamers” joined the proceedings midstream; a spate of entertaining but feckless contestants were eliminated early on; and unprecedented levels of traitor-on-traitor bickering threatened to derail their usual gleeful scheming. But “The Traitors” is all about trust, and I should have trusted that the format would come through as it always has. With the emergence of “Big Brother” veteran Danielle Reyes as the season’s anxious anti-heroine, diabolically plotting to steal the prize money despite heavy suspicions of her loyalty, the series steered itself back on course — and set up one of the best reality-TV cliffhangers in recent memory.

I won’t spoil the outcome of last night’s finale by telling you whether Reyes, who we last saw locked in a life-or-death tie at the roundtable, lived to betray another day. I’ll simply say that “The Traitors” has my loyalty because it can turn on a dime, or a knife in the back. I guess I’ll be checking out the Australian version in the offseason. — Matt Brennan

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

A little bit “Succession,” a little bit “Goodfellas” and a whole lot of funny, “Deli Boys” (Hulu), the first Asian American / Pacific Islander-centered series from Disney’s Onyx Collective brand, leaves no viewer expectation unturned. From the surprisingly bloody pilot on, creator Abdullah Saeed’s tale of polar-opposite brothers (Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh) who inherit a very different family business from the one they planned on defies convention; stay tuned in particular for “Never Have I Ever’s” Poorna Jagannathan playing deliciously against type as a crime syndicate consigliere. Showrunner Michelle Nader stopped by Screen Gab recently to discuss what’s so “radical” about its depiction of Pakistani Americans, what she’s watching and more. — Matt Brennan

READ MORE: ‘Deli Boys’ is a quirky and smartly written crime comedy

What have you watched recently that you’re recommending to everyone you know?

“Sly Lives: aka The Burden of Black Genius” on Hulu. Questlove directed this documentary and it’s a beautiful exploration of Sly and his singular talent.

What’s your go-to comfort watch, the film or TV show you return to again and again?

My comfort watch is “Seinfeld” [Netflix]. I have specific episodes that I watch for certain feels. But in general Season 4 is my go-to.

The Pakistani American community at the heart of “Deli Boys” has often been erased or villainized in Hollywood film and television. What blind spot or misconception were you most adamant about avoiding or combating with this series?

Abdullah was very intentional about making a show about a family. Not just a Pakistani family. They are Pakistani and illustrate the richness of their culture but that wasn’t the goal of the series. That is the radical new perspective.

Between “Deli Boys,” your ABC sitcom “Shifting Gears” and the projects you’ve got in development, you’ve got to have a hectic schedule. What’s your go-to convenience store (or other) snack when you are stressed?

My favorite snack is a glass of orange wine.