Netflix’s new reality competition show,Million Dollar Secret, just premiered, and it’s already garneringcomparisons to the reality competition juggernautThe Traitorsin that one contestant onMillion Dollar Secrethas a secret—and they’re hiding in plain sight. One person among the 12 original competitors is secretly the millionaire (the person who has a box full of cash), and they need to conceal their identity throughout the season to be the one holding the money in the end. The show has twists, turns, and challenges that force each contestant to use physical and mental prowess to succeed.
One contestant onMillion Dollar Secretseason 1stands out for me:Sam Sepulveda is a 41-year-old New York City cop who hid her identity on the show, which is allowed. Sam has set herself apart by being savvy and extremely skilled at reading people.
I’m convinced that Sam will end up being the millionaire in the end, if she can keep her identity as the millionaire a secret.
The millionaire title rotates, as contestants have the chance to transfer the money randomly if they feel like the others are onto them. They can get the money back in later rounds, so some have relied on this twist as a technique to get the heat off them, in the hopes they’ll be able to gain the money back later. All that matters is who is holding the money at the very end, so it’s wise to transfer it if it’s too early in the season.
Sam’s A Cop
Sam Is Also A Model And A Mom
Early on in the season, host Peter Serafinowicz lets the contestants know that they are allowed to hide their true identities from the rest of the cast. Sam, who’s a New York City cop and Instagram model, chose not to disclose her occupation, instead telling the rest of the group that she lost her job at a dental office during Covid and was now a stay-at-home mom. Sam does have a son, Ollie, which she revealed on the show.
“Oh yeah, by the way, I’m a New York City cop. I’m not telling any of these people that. Cops know things. We’re really good at reading people.”
Sam’s decision to hide her actual job was extremely smart. She has a tough exterior, but a disarming, sweet nature that throws off the cast, who probably wouldn’t dare to think that Sam’s actually a NYC cop. Sam shed some tears in an early episode, talking about how she would use the prize money to expand her family because she faced fertility problems. This was a tactic to get the others to trust her, and feel closer to her, and it worked.
“One of my strategies is to get these people to trust me. And to build these alliances, you want to give them something to believe in your, so that they can trust you. So I am ready to turn on the waterworks to see who I can connect with.”
Sam has clearly been studying human behaviorfor a long time as part of her job. She knows the way to endear herself to others and get them to trust her is to be warm and inviting towards them. She’s keeping her cards close to her chest, but outwardly, she’s acting like she’s just like the rest of them: an innocent person trying to find the real millionaire. In actuality, by episode 5,Sam is the millionaire, and she eliminates her friend, Lydia Blair, using her millionaire’s advantage, in order to throw off the scent.
Sam Is Extremely Intelligent
Sam Relies On Her Skills As A Cop
While the rules ofMillion Dollar Secretstipulate that players don’t have to be honest about their backgrounds on camera, Sam isn’t the only one who disguised her job.Sydnee Falkner claimedto be a bottle service girl from Scottsdale, but she’s actually a fitness influencer and medical sales specialist from Alaska. Sam clocked Sydnee’s lie immediately after she asked Sydnee which bar she worked at in Scottsdale, and Sydnee floundered with her answer.
“Immediately, I know she’s lying. Sydnee couldn’t name not one bar out of all the bars that are there. I’ve been there one time and I could probably name more than she named. She’s going to be so deceitful.”
As the first millionaire, Lauren Jean had to complete an agenda challenge that involved hugging every single cast member within a certain time frame without acting too suspicious. Sam immediately picked up onLauren’s odd behavior. In a confessional, Sam called Lauren out, saying, “Lauren is hugging everybody. What is that about? Possibly a secret agenda.” Sam was right, of course, but it was still early in the season, so she couldn’t really use her intel.
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When Sam had to complete a millionaire’s agenda, which was to say the words, “Do you hear that ring?” to three cast members (and one has to agree with her), Sam brilliantly slipped it into the water balloon challenge. Nobody suspected a thing when Sam began chanting, “Do you hear that ring?” as her teammate, Chris Allen, shot a water balloon directly into the “ring” that encircled another cast member’s face. It was hidden under an animal mask. After Chris nailed the shot, everyone chanted, “Do you hear that ring?,“not knowing they were helping the millionaire gain more power.
Sam hasn’t played a flawless game, though. She’s fumbled a few of the challenges, and I was especially surprised to see her botch the clay pigeon shooting challenge. Since she’s actually a cop, I was sure she’d nail the shooting challenge. But Sam buckled under the pressure and missed her shot.Then again, maybe it’s just part of her long-term strategyto come off as non-threatening to the rest of the cast, so she inadvertently may have helped herself.
Sam Manipulates People Into Trusting Her
Sam Attempts To Bond With Others To Gain Trust
One of Sam’s biggest strengths isthe way she’s always watching. She immediately picks up on unusual behavior from her castmates, despite not knowing them well. Sam noticed that Lauren was acting suspicious during her hug agenda, and she was vocal about it in her confessional. In the meantime, while she’s observing, she’s also laying the groundwork for the others to trust her.
She cries about not being able to have kids, knowing that it will endear her to others.
Normally, when someone’s vulnerable, and sharing their emotions, they appear weak. But, in Sam’s case,she’s relying on that perception to help her win everything. She wants the others to think she’s just a mom who wants to have more kids, because it will make her less threatening to the rest. It’s a brilliant strategy, and I think it proves that Sam is the smartest one in the cast.
Sam’s strategy is paying off, because even though she has been a suspect at times, each time, she’s able to deflect attention to the others, which has kept her in the game. Sam’s cleverness is an asset, and I’m convinced that she’ll outsmart them all to come out the victor with the million dollar prize in the end.
