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The Anonymous Creators Explain How the Social Competition Series Really Works
Eliminations in every episode, a smart-talking smart house, and more to look forward to in The Anonymous.
Standing out in the ever-growing crowd of A-plus competition series out there requires one hell of a hook. Deal or No Deal Island introduces a new format to a beloved game show. The Traitors features A-list celebs backstabbing each other in a Scottish castle (and Alan Cumming's ever-entertaining delivery of the word "murder"). And The Anonymous, which premieres on USA Network on August 19, keeps its players guessing by letting them hide behind virtual handles as they lie and deceive their way to the finale.
How to Play The Anonymous
"The Anonymous is a reality show, it’s a game of social strategy," executive producer Tim Harcourt explained in a new video interview with the series' producers. "Players interact with each other but also have the chance to talk to each other anonymously behind a digital handle in a place called 'The Hideout.'"
RELATED: Meet the Cast of USA Network's The Anonymous: Liars, Deceivers & Reality Vets
Hidden away in their individual pods, "they’re trying to work out which player is behind which handle, and the players that are best at hiding — the best at not being found out — have power in the game and the power to eliminate their competitors."
The game, he explained, takes place in two different worlds: "One half played in the real world with their fellow contestants where they’re being nice and polite and trying to get on with everybody. And then one half in these hideouts where they’re operating behind these anonymous handles to say what they really think and really feel."
As the video shows, one deceit takes place between contestants Andy King and Jack Usher. Outside the pods, they're perfectly buddy-buddy and seem ready to go in on an alliance. But put them in their Hideouts, and Jack is singing a different tune ... without Andy knowing who's badmouthing him.
DANI the "Puppet Master"
"The whole concept of the show is it's run by effectively a smart house and that smart house is called DANI," executive producer Toni Ireland explained. "And DANI tells them what they need to do each day, what the parameters are, what the rules of the game are, and DANI is sort of the puppet master of the whole thing."
Executive producer Stephen Yemoh added: "DANI’s ability to change the game up for them has made it really interesting and it’s made a good sort of relationship between the players and DANI because they have a sort of respect for DANI.
"But they also have a frustration with DANI because you don’t know what DANI’s gonna do next," he continued.
An Elimination in Every Episode of The Anonymous
While many competition series will ease into the drama, The Anonymous goes full tilt from the first moment. Ireland put it best when she revealed the elimination process.
"Every single episode is absolutely jam-packed with reality, with format, with drama, there’s [an] elimination every single episode, so the drama keeps going every time," she teased.
How to Watch The Anonymous
The Anonymous kicks off with a three-episode premiere on Monday, August 19 at 11 p.m. ET/PT on USA Network. Episodes will also air simultaneously across Bravo and SYFY on premiere night and repeat in primetime daily on USA throughout the week. New episodes will then premiere every Monday on USA Network at 11 p.m. ET/PT.
