As someone who considers himself apt at the deceptive arts, I think the Mole is one of the most entertaining shows on television.
This is because unlike other reality shows, people have to be openly deceptive. The winners require the ability to maintain competitive advantage and understand other people’s theory of mind. It’s cerebral and backstabby.
It’s also the prisoner’s dilemma all the way down. Playing to maximize the potential reward is irrational because there’s a tradeoff between winning it and the likelihood of winning through exemptions.
It also begs the question of how to approach exemptions, in theory exemptions would be most valuable later in the game, but later in the game, people can leverage their already built competitive edge.
I’d love to be on it
Isadore Johnson's Website 