The Circle - General Discussion

[Mabinogia]

9 hours ago, Melina22 said:

I was surprised when I read last night that the US version of this show is filmed in England. I guess it makes sense to use the building the UK show already had all ready. 

Thank you. I've been wondering where it was filmed but I keep forgetting to look when I have free time. 

 

49 minutes ago, amazingracefan said:

You always get the motives for catfishing in this show, but the reality is the producers want some people to catfish for the drama so they'll always script the motivations for them anyway. 

Maybe that's why I am enjoying Seaburn/Rebecca so much. He seems to be catfishing just for the sake of it, and he also seems to be having a blast doing it. I also love how Rebecca, probably because it's his GF, is an actual person to him, like he seems to be getting into another character as opposed to Alex, Sean and Karyn who just picked someone so they could be thought of as pretty. 

What I find really interesting is that the most popular guy there, Shooby, is not model handsome, not 6 pack ab swimsuit ready, didn't lie about it, and everybody loves him. That kind of blows the "nobody likes us uggos so we have to pretend to be beautiful" folks. 

I used to watch Bachelor as a sort of sociology experiment, but I really hated the show. The Circle has that sociology experiment angle as well, but I find I am enjoying the hell out of it. I find most of the player both horrible and lovable. Like, I can't stand Joey but I also kind of adore him and think he's a huge sweetheart. I didn't really like Karyn, well Mercedeze I didn't like, but loved Karyn. 

I would say the three I totally adore (and don't dislike at all) are Shooby, Sammie and Rebecca/Seaburn. 

The only one I loathe completely is Alex/Adam. He is just gross to me. I feel like he is living out some kind of gigolo fantasy and if this is the person he would have been if he was "hot" I'm glad he looks the way he does. UGH! 

[Melina22]

42 minutes ago, Mabinogia said:

That kind of blows the "nobody likes us uggos so we have to pretend to be beautiful" folks

It seems to me that regular looking people are going to be way less threatening to the other players, plus way less likely to appear to be catfish. This is a show where the goal is to be liked, not dated. Maybe if this show lasts several seasons, the strategy will evolve and people will realize this. 

[Mabinogia]

4 minutes ago, Melina22 said:

It seems to me that regular looking people are going to be way less threatening to the other players, plus way less likely to appear to be catfish. This is a show where the goal is to be liked, not dated. Maybe if this show lasts several seasons, the strategy will evolve and people will realize this. 

Good point. I mean, look what happened to the actual model, Alana, and professional basketball player. Both gone because people didn't think they were who they said they were. haha

It would be interesting to see a "hot" RL person, say someone like Alana, pose as a less fit, maybe nerdier type to see if they can get people to like them without using their looks. 

[amazingracefan]

The 2018 show had a guy being his girlfriend and another person trying to look less glamorous initially (though she was still playing herself). 

[GonnahearmeRoar]

Read about this show yesterday and just binged and finished episodes 1-8. I love it! Are UK’s two seasons on Netflix? Going to have to find! 

Want to move into Joey’s suite. Love the paint colors and decor. Joey making that cake had me cracking up. Can tell his Ma does everything for him. 

[Melina22]

I'm having a problem accessing the UK seasons. So frustrating. 

[GonnahearmeRoar]

59 minutes ago, Melina22 said:

I'm having a problem accessing the UK seasons. So frustrating. 

Oh no. I want to see them too. 

 

[GoldaVining]

I love Rebecca/Seaburn's apartment. I am not a girly-girl but I adore that peachy pink apartment! I just swoon when I see it.

I'm fine with Miranda being gone although Alex/Adam is so gross in his messaging/circle interactions that I would have been happier with a double elimination. Miranda was sort of sweet but so desperate. I hope she isn't this desperate in her real life. Perhaps her tragic childhood makes her extra needy, which is totally understandable. I do sincerely feel terrible about her backstory -- that's brutal -- and with no family to fall back on during hard times, maybe she needed the money the most.

It was shocking to see how genuinely lovely Joey is at heart. So irritating with all his moronic shouting and bro, bro, bro banter, but such a lovely guy. Sammie and Seaburn and Shooby and Chris also all come across as genuinely good people. I don't know why I am shocked to find decent, good, genuine people, or maybe just shocked to find them on reality television. That said, I am not enjoying the new additions, Sean and Bill.

This is such a random show for me to watch. I don't participate in any social media -- no facebook, nothing, (is Primetimer considered social media? I was on TWOP back in the day) so I am baffled by the almost immediate attachments these folks are forming but perhaps that's just for the show and doesn't happen in real life. I agree with Sammie every time she dry heaves during the heavy flirting. Gross.

[2727]

I don't know what the point is of having Ed and his mother there, tbh. She does provide some comedy relief in her suggestions and interactions, if that was the intent.

Was there a goodbye video to the group from Miranda and I missed it?

Chris: "I feel like I'm at the STD clinic waiting for my results." My bet is that Joey will win, but Chris is a really fun hangout in the meantime. I felt for Sammie and her lament about "so much testosterone-uh!"

I give the casting department props for bringing in such expressive players who are able to voice/shout all their thoughts into an empty room. 

Spoiler for the UK version:

Spoiler

I only watched the first season, but the final four were all people who'd been there from the start. I expect that to be the case here, too.

Just because this was so funny:

[Melina22]

I'm really enjoying Rob and Tara's Circle recaps on RHAP. Last nights was especially funny, with Tim from The Circle UK 

[amazingracefan]

12 hours ago, GoldaVining said:

I love Rebecca/Seaburn's apartment. I am not a girly-girl but I adore that peachy pink apartment! I just swoon when I see it.

I'm fine with Miranda being gone although Alex/Adam is so gross in his messaging/circle interactions that I would have been happier with a double elimination. Miranda was sort of sweet but so desperate. I hope she isn't this desperate in her real life. Perhaps her tragic childhood makes her extra needy, which is totally understandable. I do sincerely feel terrible about her backstory -- that's brutal -- and with no family to fall back on during hard times, maybe she needed the money the most.

Flirting is a normal part of the game for those who enter later, that's always been the case with this show.  As with most reality shows the original contestants tend to have a much stronger position and more audience support.

[jiminycrispies]

I feel like they introduced way more people in the four new episodes compared to the first four and so I don't really care for the newer ones at all. Especially alex/adam he is the worst. I like the OG alliance that's going on between the original players. If any one of them win I wouldn't be mad. I think my favorite has to be Seaburn/rebecca right now. I'm really enjoying how into the game he is and his reactions and I can't believe no one has caught on that he's a catfish yet. I can't wait to see their reactions. 

[hnygrl]

I love this show! LOVE. This show! Who knew?

Joey (yeaaaahhh BUDDY) is quickly winning my heart away from Shooby. LOVE me some Shooby but there's just something so REAL about Joey. Melted (and had to fan myself a bit) when he asked PERMISSION to go in for the kiss (and what a kiss!).

This show though! SO GOOD! Karyn/Mercedeze...Should've just played as herself and to hell with what others think. She was so FUN, so SMART, so intuitive that it disappointed the heck out of me when she flubbed it all up.

Alex/Adam gotta GO. He's gross. And the dude who didn't come alone???? Um...wut?

[Meredith Quill]

10 hours ago, hnygrl said:

I love this show! LOVE. This show! Who knew?

Hee, I told ya's! 😄 

[Mabinogia]

10 hours ago, hnygrl said:

Karyn/Mercedeze...Should've just played as herself and to here with what others think. She was so FUN, so SMART, so intuitive that it disappointed the heck out of me when she flubbed it all up.

I loved her as herself, Karyn, but didn't like Mercedeze at all. She really should have done a Shooby and just put her own pics up. It seems to be working very well for him. He's got a great personality and I think Karyn did too, and it could have worked for her. 

[OoogleEyes]

Farewell, K

I want to cook dinner with you some day. Literally. Didn't everything she cook look delicious?

[Michichick]

I binged all the episodes yesterday and I’m enjoying it. I think Chris and Shubham are my favorites. To me, Chris’s voice sounds like Nick Verreos who was on Project Runway years ago. I loved Nick so that predisposed me to like Chris. But also I just enjoy Chris’s personality.

[UniqueHandle]

On 1/9/2020 at 5:40 PM, Mabinogia said:

Thank you. I've been wondering where it was filmed but I keep forgetting to look when I have free time. 

 

 

Filmed in England where they filmed season 2 of The Circle UK but the outside shots of The Circle US are of Chicago. 🤔

[Janc]

On 1/9/2020 at 11:03 AM, Melina22 said:

I was shocked she was going to tell several people! I can see her telling maybe one, but several? How will it even work if half of the players know her real identity and half don't? There's no way it'll stay a secret, and it's hard to imagine it not backfiring on her. 

In a way I'm glad she's telling though. I feel like there's something so demoralizing about trying to interact with people who think you're movie star gorgeous, all the while knowing you're... not. I can see someone like Alex not really caring, but you know Sean cares, and doesn't feel good about it. 

Spoiler

I think the 'big secret' she's about to tell is that she has a boyfriend and isn't single.... 

(above is not so much a spoiler but a prediction)

How is Shubam going to react when he sees his so honest BFF is a guy?   Don't get the point of the mom being there, she should be doing the messaging for Ed.  Joey really grated at first but he's not so bad now.

Edited January 13, 2020 by Janc
other thoughts...

[JenE4]

Shooby has this in the bag. Everyone loves him. I wonder if/when it’s going to dawn on people that he’s the person to beat and will realize they have to vote him out. Then again, if you’re responsible for voting out the one person everyone loves, they’re going to turn on you...unless you can somehow spin that you did it to give each person a fighting chance and they recognize it as a positive for themselves.

I also love Seaburn/Rebecca. I love how he “channels Rebecca” and gets really into it and has the best physical reactions. Case in point, look at his hilarious surprised face compared to the other surprised faces. He’s playing it a little too sweet and emotional, with the constant comments about crying all of the time. But it’s kind of hilarious that he and Adam are catfishing each other with these over-the-top declarations of love—especially the back and forth with each saying they got the other one eating out of his hand. I’m looking forward to the likely encounter of Adam being voted out (hopefully ASAP—don’t like that creepy dude) and most likely going to Rebecca’s room. I can imagine the reactions of each catfish realizing they were catfished!

I’ll miss Karen/Mercedez. I don’t really understand the catfish witch-hunt. Is this one of the objects of the game to suss out the catfishes? They only explained the rules that the most-liked person wins the money. She was a fun personality, so who cares that the photos were fake? Or maybe they think if the photos are fake, then the personality is fake, too? I think the catfish accusations thanks to Antonio’s clue was just a good excuse to axe a semi-popular player. I teared up a bit during her goodbye talk with Chris.

...Which brings me to my other favorite player. Chris is absolutely hilarious! While the others are entertaining for how they play the game or how they react to the game, Chris is the best just being himself. If the object of the game is to vote for the person who entertains you the most while you’re locked in isolation and who you’d most like to be actual friends with, them Chris would get my vote. (Bringing it full circle then Shooby #2.) 

The rest of them have their entertaining moments, but I think I find Joey and Sammy more annoying than likeable. The newer people have time and exposure working against them. Miranda hasn’t really worked her way into the inner circle yet; she’s trying too hard flirting with everyone. Adam was a turnoff from moment 1 acting like he’s on Tinder! And I haven’t seen the last episode yet, so I don’t know enough about Sean or Bill to form an opinion about either of them yet—other than it’s kind of funny that “Adam” could practically be using Bill’s actual pictures. Bill has the good looks and a good personality so far, though!

[JenE4]

I just watched episode 8. OMG, so action-packed!

I really hope that Joey and Miranda get together after the show. It’s crazy that Joey didn’t save her, though, because Shuby for sure would have saved Chris!

That’s hilarious that Ed has his mom there. She was cracking me up with her constant pleas for “emojos.” Funny that he and Sami have that connection both in PA and Miami.

Interesting that Sean is revealing her true self. It’s smart to tell all 3 because they can’t hold it against her then, I assume. “Rebecca” will probably feel guilty, but Seaburn will hold onto his secret because it’s too late to turn back now because someone else revealed herself.

[Kromm]

This utterly sucks, but is kind of appointment trainwreck TV at the same time.  The lack of actual interaction is part of the premise, but also a huge weakness too. 

Joey kind of turns my stomach, but I can see why he'd appeal to many people. I guess it's growing up with people not too different from him giving me wedgies and sneak punching me from behind in the school hallways. 

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by Kromm

[GonnahearmeRoar]

Can’t wait to see the individual, personal opinions of Sean’s reveal on private chat. Will others see that information as leverage to gain trust with others? Or, will it be revealed that the others don’t want a catfish to win? Seems being a catfish is negatively viewed by others. It’s a slippery slope. 

Enjoying this game so much! Counting down the days for the BB premier 😀

[amazingracefan]

15 hours ago, Kromm said:

  The lack of actual interaction is part of the premise, but also a huge weakness too.

There is interaction, it's just not face to face (except when people meet obviously).

[2727]

I just chose to spend over 16 hours of my allotted time on earth binging straight through season 2 of the UK show -- totally worth it!

So many fun twists and seat-edge moments. I was shouting at my TV like I was a Circle player and it was part of the rules.  

[GonnahearmeRoar]

2 hours ago, 2727 said:

I just chose to spend over 16 hours of my allotted time on earth binging straight through season 2 of the UK show -- totally worth it!

So many fun twists and seat-edge moments. I was shouting at my TV like I was a Circle player and it was part of the rules.  

I’ve tried Amazon Prime, US AND UK Netflix, Streams 4 Us, YouTube and more and can’t get it. 

[Melina22]

1 hour ago, GonnahearmeRoar said:

I’ve tried Amazon Prime, US AND UK Netflix, Streams 4 Us, YouTube and more and can’t get it. 

Same. What's weird is that the whole series was on YouTube. I was halfway through season 1 and totally hooked. And then it vanished. Weird. 

[queenbee9b]

11 minutes ago, Melina22 said:

Same. What's weird is that the whole series was on YouTube. I was halfway through season 1 and totally hooked. And then it vanished. Weird. 

I am convinced it is because a much of major magazines pointed out that it was online.  I googled and I saw it was mentioned in Oprah’s magazine,  and a couple of others and like the next day it notes they took them down.  
 

I think Karen should have been herself (I loved her), but I don’t think you can compare the women to Shooby.  I think women who aren’t “traditionally” attractive are judged much harsher than men.  Think of all of those 90s/early 2000s sitcoms with shlubby husbands and hot wives, so I don’t blame Karen and the new woman (whose name I am sorry I don’t remember!) chose to use other photos. 

[Mabinogia]

24 minutes ago, queenbee9b said:

I think Karen should have been herself (I loved her), but I don’t think you can compare the women to Shooby.  I think women who aren’t “traditionally” attractive are judged much harsher than men.

The interesting thing is, it shouldn't matter, this isn't a dating show. And yet every single of of them, regardless of their actual status, put single. Then I realized, a pretty good portion of their interactions are flirty. So, is that all the young people these days use social media for? To hook up? Is it just some weird aspect of being on the show? They all seem to think the best way to win is to cyber hook up with as many others as possible, as if just a friendship isn't enough. 

Very interesting. I mean, platonic friendships are growing, but for the most part the male/female interactions have involved some level of flirting and even some of the girl/girl interactions. Also interesting, while several of the females have admitted to being bi, and Karyn a lesbian, Chris is the only gay male, or at least the only admitted gay male. He's got no one to flirt with (and yet he and Shooby, who just isn't a flirt) are the most popular there. 

I just love the social experiment aspect of this. It's why I sometimes watch Bachelor as well, the social aspect of that show is just off the charts. 

I can't wait for the rest of the eps. And I wish I could watch the UK version. Come on Netflix, get the rights to the UK version!

[GonnahearmeRoar]

1 hour ago, Melina22 said:

Same. What's weird is that the whole series was on YouTube. I was halfway through season 1 and totally hooked. And then it vanished. Weird. 

I read about that and tried anyways on YouTube thinking maybe it was back to view. If you find a way, please let me know! 

[GonnahearmeRoar]

5 hours ago, 2727 said:

I just chose to spend over 16 hours of my allotted time on earth binging straight through season 2 of the UK show -- totally worth it!

So many fun twists and seat-edge moments. I was shouting at my TV like I was a Circle player and it was part of the rules.  

Where did you watch UK The Circle? I can’t get it and tried several services. 

[chilis]

On 1/13/2020 at 7:31 PM, Kromm said:

 

Joey kind of turns my stomach, but I can see why he'd appeal to many people. I guess it's growing up with people not too different from him giving me wedgies and sneak punching me from behind in the school hallways. 

 

I get that feeling.  I had it with him too, initially.  Annoyance, eye roll, get this wanna be Jersey Shore guy off my TV.  But, as it turns out, I think he is so far from "that guy."  I mean, he plays the role of "that guy," but he himself is a really decent man.  

Here's a quote from him (part of a much larger quote) about working in a gay bar:

"See, I grew up in Upstate New York where being gay wasn’t by any means ostracized, but was not nearly as accepting and open as it is here in Los Angeles, so I was never all that exposed to gay culture. So, with that being said, of course I had ideas of what this place might be like, but all of my ideas were really based on every dumb cliché us 90’s babies had seen in Comedy Films or Television shows, which I can tell you now, is a bad stereotype that needs to end. Also, being a young straight guy, I wondered if I would be accepted in this environment? I wasn’t sure. What I can wholeheartedly tell you today is that working at Oil Can Harry’s is by far, one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my life!"

This is a link to the article he's quoted in.  His contribution is the second from the bottom, right above information about how to get there.  I recommend reading the whole thing, because I couldn't decide which paragraph to post and didn't want to copy over a full wall of text.

He very well may have been a douche in high school, and he might be from time to time now, but I have rarely seen someone on reality TV who was so different than the archetype they were hired to fill.  

[crimson23]

I know a site where you can watch the Circle UK seasons.   Message me, 

[Melina22]

9 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

The interesting thing is, it shouldn't matter, this isn't a dating show. And yet every single of of them, regardless of their actual status, put single.

Maybe going in they all had preconceived ideas about how to win, most of which seemed taken straight from The Bachelor /Bachelorette. If The Circle continues, I can see strategy evolving, like it has in Survivor. Yet in some ways the early seasons are the best, because everyone is going in blind. It's so much fun seeing them use ridiculous strategies and making total blunders (Adam!). 

Well, it's the crack of dawn, but I'm going to get up and see if 4 more episodes have dropped. If so, I probably won't make it to breakfast without binging at least 2. 

Edited January 15, 2020 by Melina22

[2727]

We can start a new topic for Circle UK -- do you all think there's enough interest?

[Melina22]

45 minutes ago, 2727 said:

We can start a new topic for Circle UK -- do you all think there's enough interest?

I don't think the problem is lack of interest, but lack of access. 

Meanwhile, it's not even lunch and I just finished watching the US finale. It was great! 

[docmatt]

The thing that was so surprising about this for me was that, except for Rebecca, I liked all of the final five more at the end than I did at the beginning. It was a rare reality show for me in that my favorite won, but I would have been OK with four of the last five. 

[meatball77]

Loved the rest of the show.  The finale didn't work because it was streaming (I FF through most of it).

I think the thing that's so different about this show is that people were nice.  Except for Ed no one was negative and there was zero bullying.

[2727]

1 hour ago, meatball77 said:

I think the thing that's so different about this show is that people were nice.

It's such a balance! If someone plays strategically and blocks a popular person early in the game because they're a threat, that will likely get them booted if the other players find out.

Antonio tried to have it both ways and was slapped down. Chris was a "pocket gay" friend to all but aligned with no one.

Sammie was fun but had no game ... rank Joey #6, girl! Hopefully she's happy she stayed genuine and has no money. I'm voting for Chris as fan favorite. His mom's teeth!

Sean can bite me with being salty about her elimination. It was either that day or the next. Like, did she seriously believe the OGs would take her to the finale with them?

[meatball77]

And people can be supportive and also a bit salty that she lied to them.

I think the problem with the catfishes is that they used photos of girls who were too LA perfect.  Photoshopped with lots of makeup and extensions.

[Mabinogia]

2 hours ago, meatball77 said:

I think the thing that's so different about this show is that people were nice.  Except for Ed no one was negative and there was zero bullying.

I think that's why I liked the show. Even the catfish seemed to mostly do it from a non-vicious place and I like that most of them picked the people they liked, rather than trying to take out the popular players to further their own game. It was refreshing. 

[crimson23]

I enjoyed the show except for the format of the last episode.  I wish they would have announced the winner and then done the one on one interviews. It took too long to hear who won and I think they may have gotten different results.  To me, it looked like Shaboom thought he  won, and I'd like to have seen the more reaction to the winner from the cast.  It was all too lovey lovey before that announcement...if you think about it, they all handed it to Joey. 

[Cranberry]

We still have a couple days to vote for the fan fave! Maybe we can get Chris's mom those back teeth. https://thecirclevote.com/

[2727]

20 Burning Questions about some of the BTS stuff from the show's EP.

[docmatt]

3 hours ago, 2727 said:

Sean can bite me with being salty about her elimination. It was either that day or the next. Like, did she seriously believe the OGs would take her to the finale with them?

Sean misplayed the game. She expected it to be all about looks, and to win as the hot girl, and when nobody was playing like that. She pulled a blatant pity play with her real pictures which didn't fly with anyone.

[queenbee9b]

4 hours ago, meatball77 said:

And people can be supportive and also a bit salty that she lied to them.

I think the problem with the catfishes is that they used photos of girls who were too LA perfect.  Photoshopped with lots of makeup and extensions.

Good point that might be why “Rebecca” last so long.  She wasn’t an insta model, she was a real person.  She was beautiful but not in a fake too polished way.  Karen (my fav) was the worst wirh this - too perfect and then even more filtered.

[willgracefan]

16 hours ago, crimson23 said:

I enjoyed the show except for the format of the last episode.  I wish they would have announced the winner and then done the one on one interviews. It took too long to hear who won and I think they may have gotten different results.  To me, it looked like Shaboom thought he  won, and I'd like to have seen the more reaction to the winner from the cast.  It was all too lovey lovey before that announcement...if you think about it, they all handed it to Joey. 

I agree, the finale was too drawn out. I just wanted to know who won, I FF through most of it.

[crimson23]

5 hours ago, willgracefan said:

I agree, the finale was too drawn out. I just wanted to know who won, I FF through most of it.

I was on episode 11 and actually googled to find out who won...then finished watching it.  I did FF thru some of the interviews I didn't care about. 

[Cranberry]

I also loved everything besides the actual finale. I half paid attention as I did other stuff. I predicted the final five in the proper order, but I don't consider that too big of an accomplishment as it was fairly obvious which contestants were the most popular, and they all seemed to vote in the finals the same way they did throughout the entire show. It'll be interesting to see if people are more strategic in future seasons.

[GonnahearmeRoar]

Joey’s responses were great during the Biggest Rival. Think he earned himself a lot of respect and friendship. 

I didn’t know how it would end but I was spot on with who would be the last people standing. 

If I was cast on this show, I don’t think I would bother unless I was the original group of eight entering the game.