'The Traitors' Banishes Major Reality TV Winner

A major Banishment was the centerpiece of 'The Traitors' Season 2, Episode 6 ("Backstab and Betrayal").

By John Connor Coulston - February 3, 2024 02:12 pm EST

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The Traitors said goodbye to one player with a very successful past. At the Banishment ceremony featured in Season 2, Episode 6 ("Backstab and Betrayal"), the group eliminated a former reality TV winner. Spoilers for The Traitors Season 2, Episode 6 ("Backstab and Betrayal") lie ahead. (Click here for Peacock subscription info.)

The bell tolls for Dan Gheesling. Dan was a pre-season favorite, due to his ranking as one of Big Brother's greatest players. He had won Big Brother Season 10 and was the runner-up in Season 14, so his reputation proceeded him. However, he had largely abandoned reality TV for a career as a Twitch streamer, so The Traitors Season 2 marked his first reality TV appearance in more than a decade. It seems like his reputation, "ring-rust" and more caught up to him in Episode 6.

Gheesling, who was one of the titular Traitors, was axed after longtime suspicions amongst the cast. Peter Weber ultimately led the charge to banish Dan. resulting in a nearly unanimous decision. (Pete cast his vote for Parvati Shallow, just to publicize his suspicions of her in case the Traitors murdered him next.)

However, Dan made a big move on his way out, trying to steer the winds of banishment towards fellow Traitor Phaedra Parks. It was a dramatic move that ultimately flopped. The Traitors viewers have criticized the whole ordeal and Dan's overall run. Scroll on to see what fans are saying about his Traitors Banishment.

Dan Made Some Very Bad Decisions on 'The Traitors'

Dan being so quiet, choosing to murder Bergie, and then not opting to kick Parvati while she was already down and instead do a hail mary on Phaedra was probably the single-worst trinity of decisions ever on the Traitors but his BB legacy will always be intact. #TheTraitorsUS pic.twitter.com/6kCV4pAxzQ
— Jordan 🍿 (@jordansveto) February 2, 2024

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"Dan's Fatal Flaw"

Meanwhile Dan’s fatal flaw is he’s great at strategy but underestimates people’s abilities. He did it with Ian in 14 and did it with several people now in Traitors. I think there are BB players who could absolutely kill it as a traitor. Like I think Taylor Hale would kill it
— Kyle (@kylejsir) February 3, 2024

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Dan "Spiraled"

Watching the latest The Traitors US, Dan spiraled. That was a baaaad move!
— em (@imanyuwell) February 3, 2024

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At Least Dan's Final Move Raised Tensions

Dan made the most intense move on the traitors and my heart has never beat so fast from a tv show
— Tamra’s Opinion (@realhousegfs) February 3, 2024

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Did Dan Even Have a Chance to Go Undetected?

On top of that, Dan was NEVER winning the traitors. Him just being there after 10 years away made him suspicious. It was obvious that he wouldn’t be there if he was not a traitor, and even if he had been a faithful, they still would’ve suspected him and banished him.
— collective effervescence (@kelli_pope) February 3, 2024

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'Big Brother' Fans Were at Least Glad to See Dan on TV Again

Regardless of how it went, I never thought we'd ever see Dan Gheesling on reality TV again unless it was under extreme circumstances.#TheTraitorsUS knew the assignment by making him a Traitor. I loved to watch his scheming, his theatrics, and the rise and fall of him and… pic.twitter.com/EcBULG0gga
— Mike Bloom (@AMikeBloomType) February 2, 2024

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Johnny Bananas Gloats

I take solace in the fact that I never had a chance to play 😆 Turns out I wasn’t Dans biggest threat, his insecurities were. Dude got outplayed by a Bachelor, Bergie, then ate up by a housewife. That wasn’t a banishment it was a MURDER 💀 #TheTraitorsUS @DanGheesling
— Johnny Bananas (@johnnybananas) February 2, 2024

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How to Watch 'The Traitors'

The Traitors is streaming via Peacock, with new episodes dropping on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. All of Season 1 is available and six episodes of Season 2 are now up. Season 2, Episode 7 will be released on Thursday, Feb. 8. A new episode of The Traitors: Portmortem, a behind-the-scenes look at that week's episode, will also be released that night. (The U.K. and Australian versions of the program are also available to watch while you wait for new episodes.) Click here for subscription info.

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