“HOW can we really hammer home that this show is set in Scotland?”
The Jouker imagines that the TV executives over at the US broadcaster Peacock had just that discussion during planning for its version of the hit show The Traitors.
Picked up by the BBC after the runaway success of the UK’s Claudia Winkleman-led version, The Traitors US leans perhaps a little too heavily into Scottish stereotypes…
There’s Alan Cumming doing a full Scottish brogue and walking about the castle in only the finest tartans, sweeping shots of glens and lochs, red stags standing about … and Groundskeeper Willie.
Except this ginger-bearded groundskeeper is called – in true Scots style – Fergus.
His job seems to amount to standing about and looking stereotypically Scottish. But then at one point he is seen comedically (maybe) chasing a peacock around the castle grounds, so he must have some kind of role.
Either way, the inclusion of the character has led to mockery on social media.
“Who the HELL is Fergus and why do we need him to polish a stag?” one user asked.
US: what is Scotland? UK: Erm, you might remember awful stereotype Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons? US: Aye.
— Gary L Wales (@GaryWales) January 14, 2023
Another responded: “US: what is Scotland? UK: Erm, you might remember awful stereotype Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons? US: Aye.”
“They’ve put a Groundskeeper Willie character in there, which I can only assume is to help the Americans understand where they are??” a third wrote.
While a fourth said they had turned the show off after it “immediately introduced a stereotypical Groundskeeper Willie type guy”.
Another user wrote: “I don’t care for #TraitorsUS so far. They’re all too over the top, and it’s way too over-produced. The addition of the ‘Groundskeeper Willie’ guy (as they’re in Scotland) doesn’t really work.
“Alan Cumming is great though.”
Well that’s one thing the Jouker can agree with at least.
