‘The Circle’ season two entertains fans, leaves them wanting more

“The Circle” reality TV show is an entertaining watch and has received praise from fans.

Photo by Feeling the Vibe Magazine

“The Circle” reality TV show is an entertaining watch and has received praise from fans.

As season two of “The Circle” has come to an end, fans have been raving about how addictive the show truly is. Season two of this reality show recently ended, with the finale hitting Netflix on May 6. 

If you are unfamiliar with the program, eight contestants compete in essentially a popularity contest for a prize of $100,000. The contestants can interact with one another, play ice breakers and stir up drama via “The Circle” which is the show’s social media platform. However, there is a catch: the contestants cannot see each other while playing the game. 

They are confined to their own room and are only able to interact through the platform. While some choose to display an honest and accurate profile, contestants are also able to choose to play as a “catfish” and make up an entire character for themselves. Then, at the end of every episode, one player is voted off the show and is ultimately forced to reveal their identity. 

After watching and enjoying the first season of “The Circle,” I was so excited to find out that the show would be renewed for a second season. And for the most part, I was pleasantly surprised. 

“After watching and enjoying the first season of “The Circle,” I was so excited to find out that the show would be renewed for a second season. And for the most part, I was pleasantly surprised.”

— Margot Richlin '23

Typically, I don’t enjoy shows with super long episodes because I often lose interest, but this show is an exception. Each episode ranges from 45 minutes to an hour, and every single minute is intriguing. 

There are many reasons for this show’s addictive nature, a big one being relatability. “The Circle” is a major representation of social media in our current world and how nobody can be trusted online. Since contestants are not forced to tell the truth, or act truthfully, players are required to use their best judgment to decide what is fake and what they can trust.  This attempt to distinguish what is fake and what is real is similar to the challenge we face when using social media in the real world where fake news is often broadcasted.  

Although the show is an entertaining watch, it does lack some fundamental aspects of a traditional reality TV show. In both seasons the competition is obviously unfair from the pilot episode. Contestants who are in the show from the very beginning tend to have much better luck than newcomers who are often eliminated shortly after their arrival. When newcomers join the show, they are too behind on past drama to catch up and therefore are unable to insert themselves into previously formed alliances and friendships, making their time on the show short-lived. 

Aside from the unfair competition, “The Circle” is otherwise satisfactory. I would recommend this show to anyone who enjoyed season one or anyone engrossed in social media and reality TV. 

Prepare to become quickly obsessed with this show and spend endless nights watching episodes on repeat. Overall, I would say that I enjoyed season one more than season two because the drama was more entertaining and the atmosphere felt more real and raw. I would rate season two of “The Circle” a 7.5/10 and would tune in to a third season if the show were to be renewed.