Reality television has seen its share of clones before. When one show becomes successful, it's only natural that others will want to copy the same formula. That seems to be the case with Fox's new series, The Snake. Many people compare it to The Traitors. However, the series creator has pointed out a key difference between the two shows.
However, that isn't even the biggest issue to come from the public's reaction to this new competition show. While the authenticity of reality shows has always been called into question, The Snake has seen a whole new level of speculation. There are many viewers who believe the contestants on the show are actually paid actors.
People Are Comparing The Snake To The Traitors, But There's One Key Difference
Fox has launched what many are calling their version of The Traitors. That series is called The Snake, because it contains many twists and turns as the season unfolds. Comedian Jim Jefferies is hosting the show. Jersey Shore creator SallyAnn Salsano is behind this latest series, which is planning on taking over this summer.
“SallyAnn brings her uniquely original voice to Fox with this fresh take on the strategy competition series and a universally appealing concept that will captivate audiences,” Fox Television Network president Michael Thorn said in a statement. “Trust me — The Snake lives up to its name.”
SallyAnn recently spoke with ScreenRant about the series and what fans can expect from the competition. "I think to be shocked and unlike every other reality show where it's this is our show and these are the types of challenges we do, it is like a roller coaster ride of surprise challenges, things that are seemingly like Mickey Mouse, and then things that are outrageously scary and or disgusting," she said. "So every week we told our competitors, you don't know what to expect. And just when you think you've figured the game out, it will change."
The show is being described as a “social survival of the fittest” competition. The 15 contestants featured on the show all work in “various persuasive professions.” The winner of the competition received a $100,000 prize at the end. The show will no doubt be compared to The Traitors, but there is one key difference. The contestants on The Snake are fully aware of whom the snake is. On other shows, the contestants usually aren't aware, giving the mole an ability to climb higher in the competition.
“Each contestant must leverage their unique skills, training and powers of persuasion as they face a multitude of challenges designed to showcase the traits needed to be successful in the game," the network explained. “The winner of each challenge becomes The Snake, earning control of The Saving Ceremony, an explosive, chain reaction elimination where it’s not about who wants you gone, but who is willing to save you.”
The network continued, “The Snake doesn’t just hinge on winning challenges — it’s about winning people over. The social aspect of the game never stops — connections are everything whether you’re making friends, faking friends, or sparking romantic connections. Promises are put to the test during the Saving Ceremony as players do everything in their power to avoid being picked last by The Snake, hoping to escape elimination.”
SallyAnn explained, "The thing that makes this really interesting, I think, is that on most competition shows, it's a group vote, right? Everyone goes and hides and writes on a secret ballot and votes in a secret. And then they form these packs and it's group decision. And you could lie and you never have to own up for what you're thinking or what you're doing. Like I could be like, 'Oh my God, I love Amanda. Amanda, you're so great.'"
"But then behind her back, be like, 'F******* get her out of here,'" she continued. "But like, on this show, there's nowhere to hide. So it's one person is all you need to save you. And basically, here's how the game works. If you win the competition, you become the snake. The snake is immune. When you get to that week's saving ceremony, which is our version of elimination, it sounds nicer, but it's actually even more brutal. Because it's like, everybody's playbook is actually an open book. Like people normally have a playbook and it's secret."
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However, SallyAnn said that this show is different, because "your playbook is out in the open." She added, "So let's say I'm the snake. I win, I pick Amanda. Amanda then chooses to save you. Everybody gets one pick. And then when you get down to the final two, the snake decides who goes home."
SallyAnn Revealed Which Contestants Are Becoming Fan Favorites
Jim has shared his excitement about his latest hosting gig. And being a comedian, of course, he had to throw in a snake joke. “I’m thrilled to be hosting The Snake, a show about making friends and faking friends,” he said. “I’ve been training for this job my whole life. Growing up in Australia, and now living in Hollywood, I’ve been around plenty of snakes.”
"He brings that perfect mix of class and cutting humor, making him the ideal guide through this twisted, over-the-top ride," SallyAnn told OK! Magazine about Jim's hosting skills. "We adore him. I feel so lucky to have him aboard this crazy train."
SallyAnn also revealed the contestants which have become fan favorites so far. "This cast came to play, and some got played," she began. "We’ve got MacLaine, the sweet-but-savvy Colts cheerleader; Kathryn, a ruthless tech manager; Frank, a hilarious makeup artist who can read a room like nobody else; an ex-con who once faked out a police lineup; a detective who gathers intel for a living; a poker player who claims he can call anyone’s bluff; and an OnlyFans creator who’s a total bombshell — but far more than meets the eye. And yes, there’s a pastor — bless him."
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"Everyone brought something surprising. What people said to each other versus what they said behind closed doors? Shocking. Oh, and yes — there’s romance too," she continued. "It’s like a riddle: what happens when you throw a pastor, an ex-con, a detective, a lawyer, an OnlyFans creator, and a cheerleader into the jungle for a reality competition? Tune in and find out."
Some Fans Have Speculated That The Contestants On The Snake Are Paid Actors
However, while viewers have been tuning in, it hasn't exactly been received with universal acclaim. In fact, one Reddit thread revealed some fans believe the show is scripted. One fan wrote, "Every contestant is a caricature of some stereotype. I feel like they're actors. When people speak irl there are pauses, ums, erms, occasional stutters. These people speak in complete, coherent sentences. People aren't speaking over one another, which is something that happens irl especially if you have a group of 3+ people."
Someone agreed, writing, "I believe majority of these people are actors, and a few non actors sprinkled in to try to keep some authenticity. If you google Devonte his actor’s page/profile comes up. Pastor and the ex con were dead giveaways for me as being actors."
However, some people defended the show. Someone argued, "It's a competitive show, they can't script it." Another commented, "That’s because it’s edited after the raw footage. There’s a difference between edited and scripted." One viewer suggested "maybe the editors can edit out the stutters," while another theorized that "it is scripted to a point but these people are not professional actors."
During her conversation with ScreenRant, SallyAnn explained her reasoning for casting the show in this way. "I think that this show is cast the way people actually view each other," she said. "Like normally, like there's a young girl, there's an older girl, there's a hot girl, there's a regular person. This show is all about archetypes. Like we are all taught as humans to not judge a book by its cover. But as humans, we like only judge a book by its cover. Like I don't care who you are, you are judging every person every single day."
According to Sally, the team "cast archetypes first and then people second." It was important to her that The Snake had contestants who fell under the category of the archetypes already laid out. She said, "We went about it in the way that's like, 'What would be the wildest mix of people that you would want to see?'"
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SallyAnn also explained why the people who fit these archetypes would be great at this particular competition. "The way that we thought about it was all of these people think that they could win anybody over," she said. "They could talk anybody into anything and they could manipulate any room that they walked into. Well, what happens when you put 15 mass manipulators together that have this skill and see who can win?"
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