Topic: The Circle

[redwings8831]

Has anyone heard of this show or watched either of the first two seasons? I came across it recently and managed to binge 40 episodes in the last 10-12 days .

Basically, 8 players move into an apartment complex but are kept completely sequestered from each other for the entirety of the game. Each apartment is soundproof and are on different floors/staggered throughout so they can't hear anyone else. All communication between the players is done through a custom made voice-activated social media platform called "The Circle", which players use to have one-on-one chats, group chats, play games, etc. At the end of each round, the players rate each other and the highest rated players become influencers, where they get to eliminate someone from the game. Usually, when someone gets eliminated, someone new moves in and this continues until the end where they then get down to the final four and have one last rating to determine the winner.

All of that seems pretty straight-forward but the one thing that makes the show is because these players never meet each other, they are free to go into The Circle and portray themselves however they want. Each player creates a profile when they join but they can change/lie about anything (age, gender, sexual orientation, job, etc). The pictures and information they add to their profile can be fake and this they can catfish each other as much as they want to. Below is a scene from a catfish season 1.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/fzBWVTdZphw" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/fzBWVTdZphw</a>

There have been two seasons so far in the UK. The first one was last fall and the second ended last week. All of those episodes are on Youtube (linked below) and Netfilx recently announced they are creating US, Brazilian and French series, which are coming in 2020. Both UK seasons were great but I highly suggesting watching season 1 before season 2 as watching 2 first will spoil 1.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWH1zOPc-Ul1QFlxTNjHW4Q/playlists

[redwings8831]

https://twitter.com/circlenetflix/status/1204463398655643648

The US season starts on January 1st. It is will be over three weeks on Netflix. 

[redwings8831]

The first four episodes of the American season were released on Netflix this morning and they also put a cut-down version of Episode #1 on YouTube.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/9-m4gFdrQ8M" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/9-m4gFdrQ8M</a>

[Musicon]

The very first year is still the best for me so far, the US version concentrated too much on younger people and showmance aspects, played it safer.

[BourkieBoy]

Thanks heaps for letting to forum know about this amazing show Redwings! I just finished watching both the two versions of the UK series & also the Netflix American version!

I do quite like the series! There were of course some pretty boring episodes in all three seasons, however, overall, The Circle was a very good series and I'm looking forward to hopefully some more seasons? Can anyone confirm if we are getting a third UK season?

[WindsorSue]

The Hollywood Reporter announced today that Netflix has picked up two more seasons of The Circle US. No date is set for filming, but they suspect it won't be until 2021.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/love-is-blind-circle-renewed-two-additional-seasons-at-netflix-1286171

In addition, it was announced earlier this month (on March 9) that the UK will produce a Celebrity version this summer. I am sure those plans will now need to be pushed back??
http://realitybox.co.uk/a-celebrity-version-of-the-circle-is-coming-to-channel-4/

Seeing as how the UK, US, Brazil and France versions are all produced by Studio Lambert out of the same apartment block, I think it's safe to assume they plan to film one right after the other again.

[BourkieBoy]

The Sun is reporting that the broadcaster will see a star-studded lineup play the game, which features contestants communicating only via social media app known as ‘The Circle’ using real or fake aka catfish identities. Emma Willis will return as host.

“Producers have already started putting out the feelers to some celeb names to see if they’ll be free for filming,” a source told the tabloid.

The winner of the £100,000 prize will donate the cash to charity. The news comes after fans enjoyed last year’s series two twist that saw Richard Madeley make a brief stay in the apartments and Zoe Ball’s son was also a regular contestant.

“They want to get a mixture of showbiz names, sports stars and older celebs so they can draw in a wider audience,” the source added. “At the moment it’s mostly watched by youngsters, so they would like to broaden that fanbase.”

The Circle returns to Channel 4 this summer.

http://realitybox.co.uk/a-celebrity-version-of-the-circle-is-coming-to-channel-4/

[redwings8831]

There has been a ton of The Circle over the last month with the six episode UK celebrity version airing in Mid-March and then immediately followed by the 3.5 week UK Season 3 which ended on Friday.

And now the US Season 2 is starting on Wednesday, with four episodes dropping each week on Netflix.

Even as someone who didn't know who any of these UK celebrities were, it was a quick fun season and UK S3 was the best of any full UK/US season to date. Below is the trailer for the US S2 and the UK episodes should be available on dailymotion if you don't have a VPN (or live in the UK).

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/NkVomtJZ7uM" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/NkVomtJZ7uM</a>