Well there, Circle Fam, it’s that special occasion that only rolls around twice a year; that’s right, a new season of Netflix’s The Circle is just around the corner! Everyone’s favorite social media competition is back with 13 new episodes full of twists and turns. What’s at stake? Only 100,000 dollars and your reputation as the winner of The Circle? How do you win exactly? By forming alliances and bringing down your enemies.
Sounds cutthroat, doesn’t it? That’s part of the charm of The Circle, a show that requires players to charm the pants off their fellow competitors and bring glory to their name from the comfort of their couches without ever laying eyes on anyone else in the game. It sounds like me during the pandemic, however, without the witty narration of host Michelle Buteau to make my life seem all the more interesting.
As a psychologist, I can’t get enough of this wildly addictive social experiment, watching it religiously each week as it drops. That being said, season seven sees a return to form for the Netflix series, capturing the magic in a bottle that has been missing since season one. The Circle season 7 has skyrocketed to one of my favorites from the series, with new game features and some entertaining personalities amongst the competitors. Ready to find out why this season is at the top of the pack? Well, Circle, you heard our readers…take us to Circle Chat and let the games begin!
[Warning: Light spoilers from The Circle Season 7 are below!]
The same old Netflix game…with a few twists
The statement “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems to be the mantra for so many game shows on television, which makes perfect sense. Audiences tune into a game show and expect some form of consistency. You know precisely what you’re going to get each time you turn on Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy: the same experience each and every time. People want consistency from a game show, as it allows them to quickly shut their minds off and enjoy what the show offers. It’s what brings people back day after day, or in some cases weekly.
Interestingly, The Circle is exactly the same show it’s been for the last six seasons, but it is also different in its execution. Yes, we still have a plethora of contestants scheming to win the $100,000 prize by making real and fake connections along the way. At its core, The Circle is a popularity contest mimicking the social hierarchy of high school. However, no one knows who is actually behind the photos, which adds a layer of distrust to the show. I mean…more distrust than the fact that everyone is doing everything in their power to get their hands on the jackpot.
This aspect of the show has never changed because it’s such a fundamental aspect of the series. What does change are the personalities that come into The Circle, and those who enter are top-notch this season. There wasn’t a single person amongst the bunch that I disliked with a passion; however, some stood out for one reason or another. There will be those you love to hate, looking at you, Kevin Fernandez, who plays an intense game that at times feels unnecessarily aggressive. However, my favorites are Nicky and Jojo Scarlotta, twins who are the epitome of Staten Island. They are hilarious and work well together, proving that two heads are definitely better than one. And, of course, who can forget the loveable Garret Caillouet, who plays possibly the most genuine game I’ve seen in the show.
I could go on and on about how fantastic this new Circle Crew is because I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them for what they brought to the show. Even when they were strong or aggressive, it didn’t deter from the enjoyment that the show brought to me as the viewer. Perhaps part of that is due to the narrations by Buteau, who pokes fun at the players on what they say and do, but there is magic in season seven that has been lacking from some of the more recent seasons.
In fact, I couldn’t tell you who was on the last few seasons, except for many a few faces who made it all the way, but there isn’t a contestant this season that I won’t be following on social media. They felt like friends…in the weird parasocial way that you get as a viewer of a game show, but I digress.
However, The Circle continues the tradition of spicing things up with a new function, The Disrupter. Much like in past seasons, people are sent out of the game at the whim of influencers, much like popular students in high school. However, when players use the disruptor mode, it throws a wrench into the gameplay. Similar in style to The Inner Circle, the disruptor’s main goal is to mess up the gameplay of the influencers and potentially keep those in the bottom ranks in the game longer.
At first, I missed The Inner Circle, as it felt like such an integral part of the show, but truthfully, being a disruptor is just the same mechanics in a new package. Now, players can play a more strategic game from the same television they are making alliances, and disrupter is available to all. The catch? You have to be the first to accept the role, as it’s offered to everyone at the same time. First come, first serve, and it’s not always private who gets it, meaning that winning the approval of others might become even more difficult if whatever action the disruption takes messes up everyone else’s game.
It added a level of drama, especially as players became more desperate to make it another day in The Circle. It’s nail-bitingly exciting, as you’re never quite sure what will happen and who will end up on top of this new aspect of the game. It felt like a refreshing change that keeps viewers on their toes.
Be sure to catch The Circle on Netflix
There’s so much to love about The Circle that I could write 20 articles and still have more to say. I didn’t initially watch the show; it wasn’t until it was in its third season that a friend urged me to check it out, but I was hooked from the first episode and always look forward to the new batch of episodes. If you’ve dropped off of the show, season seven is the perfect time to pick it back up, as the contestants are a funny bunch and the game has never been this exciting. Alright, Circle, send message.
The Circle will stream weekly on Netflix.
You can check out The Circle, which drops episodes weekly, only on Netflix.