How does ‘House of Villains’ work?

We’re now a few episodes into E!’s brand-new reality competition franchise House of Villains, and it’s been quite the ride already. Ten notorious reality TV stars moved into the Villains’ Lair in pursuit of a $200,000 cash prize.

But, that’s not all they’re playing for. Host Joel McHale revealed in episode 1 that after the dust settles, the player who beats out the rest will also earn the title of “America’s Ultimate Supervillain” — that’ll look great on their entertainment resume.

The contestants range from a money-nabbing Challenge star to a Bachelor alum with a mended heart. Every person on the cast has made a name for themselves in large part due to their on-screen villainy.

Whether it was a moment, like Jonny Fairplay’s dead grandma lie, or their overall persona — enter The Apprentice’s Omarosa — they all earned a spot on the first season’s roster. Here’s who showed up:

• Tiffany “New York” Pollard from Flavor of Love 1
• Corinne Olympios from The Bachelor 21
• Omarosa from The Apprentice 1
• Tanisha Thomas from Bad Girls Club 2
• Anfisa Arkhipchenko from 90 Day Fiancé 4
• Jonny Fairplay from Survivor: Pearl Islands
• Johnny Bananas from The Challenge
• Bobby Lytes from Love & Hip Hop: Miami
• Jax Taylor from Vanderpump Rules
• Shake Chatterjee from Love Is Blind 2

So, how does House of Villains work? In this article, I’ll break down the structure of the game step by step. And don’t worry, I’ll keep it spoiler-free.

A quick note: this article is based on three episodes of House of Villains. Because it’s a new franchise, there may be twists and turns that shake up the game’s format. If that’s the case, the article will be updated accordingly.

The villains battle in competitions and The Stronghold spells the end to one of their games every round of play

House of Villains is structured like most reality competition shows. The contestants vie for power and safety to avoid elimination. And every round of play ends with someone booted from the game.

Determining the ‘Supervillain of the Week’

First, the cast competes for the week’s ultimate power position, coined “Supervillain of the Week.” By earning the house’s top spot, the reality star isn’t just safe from leaving the game during that round of play, they’re also faced with a decision. The Supervillain of the Week is charged with nominating three other contestants for possible elimination. Those three players make up the Hit List — more on that later.

To determine who ascends the throne, the contestants face off in a Battle Royale. The individual-based competitions range from physical to mental and strategic challenges, and they’re designed to award one winner.

A select group of cast members enjoy a luxury reward

When the Supervillain of the Week is crowned, they not only have to write the Hit List, but they also have another choice to make. By winning the day, they get to embark on a luxury reward alongside two other villains. And who gets to join them is completely up to the week’s champion. The trio heads out after freshening up from the challenge.

The ‘Hit List’ is drawn

When the three return to the Villain’s Lair, it’s time to see who is in danger of going home. The remaining contestants make a trip down into The Stronghold through a secret passage in the mansion. There they’re greeted by McHale, and once the Supervillain of the Week takes a seat in the middle of the group, he asks them for their Hit List.

At that point, they share the three names. One of those three players is guaranteed to have their game end during the round of play. However, they have an opportunity to save themselves from the Banishment Ceremony.

A nominee secures their safety

Kind of like Big Brother with the Power of Veto or Survivor with its Immunity Challenges, House of Villains features competitions for players to earn safety. The three reality stars making up the week’s Hit List duel in the Redemption Challenge.

Whoever comes out on top of the challenge erases their name from the list, while the other two remain with their head squarely under the guillotine. At that point, no competition will save them — only their social and strategic abilities will.

A villain’s campaign ends via an anonymous vote

After wheeling, dealing, and annoying their housemates, the cast heads back down into The Stronghold for the Banishment Ceremony. The Supervillain of the Week assumes their spot in the chair, while the two on the Hit List are strapped into their own chairs on the other side of the room.

After the two make their final pleas to the cast, the voting begins. The Supervillain of the Week and the two nominees aren’t allowed a vote. Instead, they watch as every other contestant takes a turn in the private voting area.

Once all the eligible villains have their say on who leaves the Villains’ Lair, the votes are tallied. Whoever receives the most votes is then (literally) ejected out of the game by the Supervillain of the Week.

And that’s that. A new round of play begins after that, beginning with the Battle Royale to determine that week’s ruler.

If you haven’t seen House of Villains and you’re ready to make the leap (I absolutely recommend it), then you can catch up on the season via Hulu, Fubo TV, or NBC’s website before watching the new episodes that drop on E! every Thursday.