Netflix Bringing Back The Mole Reality Game Show

Netflix is bringing back The Mole, the reality game show that first aired on ABC in 2002 and ran through 2004, before a fifth and final season was released in 2008. The premise of The Mole sees contestants working together to fill a pot of money that one of them will ultimately win; during each money-making “mission” there is one teammate that is designated as “The Mole” who is really there to sabotage the fund-raising effort. At the end of a mission (or episode), the contestant who has the least information on the mole (as determined by testing) is eliminated from the game. Netflix has said the new version of The Mole will be a “re-imagining” of the show. 

Netflix made headlines earlier this summer when it debuted the classic version of The Mole on its streaming service. The show was originally hosted by CNN’s Anderson Cooper before Ahmad Rashad took over for Celebrity Mole in seasons 3 and 4. No word on who will be hosting the new version of The Mole. 

Netflix has been making a lot of significant bank from reality and/or game show content – especially since the 2020 pandemic hit. The Circle, Too Hot to Handle and Love Is Blind are just some of the reality/game show series that the streamer has ridden to multi-season success; other series like hip-hop competition Rhythm & Flow and The Great British Bake Off also help bolster Netflix’s reality TV content block. While The Mole may not have been the biggest smash hit show of its time, the concept could easily be retooled from a competition that needs a high-budget (for missions like bungee jumping, repelling, etc.) to a mystery/investigative competition carried out over technology, like The Circle (which has obvious advantages in saving budgetary costs). 

“It’s been incredible to see Netflix members everywhere respond to the raw, authentic stories of real people and real stakes,” said Brandon Riegg, Netflix Vice President of Nonfiction Series and Comedy Specials in a past statement. “We pride ourselves on creating a favorite show for any taste, and we’re thrilled fans embraced all of these series with such enthusiasm and shared passion. We look forward to sparking more joy for our members.”

Source: Vulture