Main Menu

Tip jar

If you like CaB and wish to support it, you can use PayPal or KoFi. Thank you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the site - Neil.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Support CaB

Recent

Welcome to Cook'd and Bomb'd. Please login or sign up.

March 29, 2024, 01:59:53 PM

Login with username, password and session length

The Circle (US)

Started by BritishHobo, January 02, 2021, 05:39:20 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

BritishHobo

The full series of this American version of the C4 reality show has dropped on Netflix, although I believe it alreafy aired in the US a while ago.

I'm enjoying it a lot so far. Refreshingly they haven't made any changes at all to the format, the look, the structure, anything at all - in fact it's stripped to the good basics, losing the pointless live shows. Being in the same building and everything, it literally feels like just another series of the UK version but with US contestants. Binging also means not having to suffer the annoying forced cliffhangers.

I'm roughly halfway through I believe, and as with the UK series I love everyone in their own way. I could see a similar 'OG' final four thing happening as did in series 1, with
Spoiler alert
Shub, Sammie, Joey and Chris
[close]
at the end, obviously just missing the
Spoiler alert
Catfish surprise element.
[close]

Anyone else seen this, or making their way through it?

DrGreggles

Never heard of it. What's the big idea?

Ja'moke

I watched it when it aired last year (the second season is meant to be out soon). It's really good and has one of the nicest casts of any reality show.

I thought going in that the American version might be more strategic and cut-throat than the UK one (which I'm fine with), but surprisingly that wasn't the case. In fact, the UK version was more competitive, especially in the second series.

BritishHobo

Quote from: DrGreggles on January 02, 2021, 05:44:23 PM
Never heard of it. What's the big idea?

I'll defer to Ja'moke, who described it perfectly in the original thread:

Quote from: Ja'moke on September 21, 2019, 01:23:18 PMThe best way to describe it is a cross between Big Brother, Gogglebox, and The Mole. While some of the contestants are annoying as fuck (that's the Big Brother comparison), the concept is intriguing enough that if you stick with it for a couple of episodes you'll find yourself becoming strangely addicted.

Basically, it starts with 8 contestants living in an apartment complex. Each of them lives in a separate apartment and can't see one another. They can only communicate via social media (an app made specifically for the show). All of them select a profile photo and create a bio. There is a main group chat, but they can also private chat with each other. There is a newsfeed where The Circle sometimes posts "hot topic" articles to get them debating. Every couple of days, the contestants have to rate each other out of 5 stars. The top two highest-rated become "influencers" and must then "block" one of their fellow contestants (which means that person is eliminated).

What makes it interesting, and gives it its strategic element, is the fact you can pretend to be anyone. So while some of the contestants are just themselves, others create a fake persona. For example, one guy pretending to be a girl (using his girlfriend's photos). An over-the-top gay guy pretending to be straight. A sweet Welsh girl pretending to be a granddad. And so on. This is where The Mole comparisons come in.

Also, when a contestant is eliminated, they can choose to visit one of the other players. That leads to some tense interactions (the finale episode where the final four contestants meet is brilliantly compelling). Oh, and after someone is eliminated, a new player enters the game (this eventually stops). The overall winner receives £50,000.

BritishHobo

Quote from: Ja'moke on January 02, 2021, 07:04:27 PM
I watched it when it aired last year (the second season is meant to be out soon). It's really good and has one of the nicest casts of any reality show.

I thought going in that the American version might be more strategic and cut-throat than the UK one (which I'm fine with), but surprisingly that wasn't the case. In fact, the UK version was more competitive, especially in the second series.

Really true. I was expecting it to be big and bombastic, full of proper obnoxious 'characters' just trying to have their moment. But the format really works so well at actually just showing people be kimd and empathetic. As you say, there's been nothing like the 'circle of trust' gamesmanship, as fun as that was.

I'm near the end, and my favourite turn of events so far has been
Spoiler alert
the Adam/Rebecca relationship, which in theory appeared to be a really complex, emotionally-precarious situation with the potential for real upset and heartbreak - but in reality actually had zero stakes whatsoever. Watching 'Rebecca' go through the emotional wringer over Adam's feelings was so funny knowing that both of them were just pretending. And the pure relief in their meeting was incredible.
[close]
Exactly the kind of moment that makes this show so good.

Its biggest flaw is still the late-game players who only really serve to take up screentime before inevitably getting kicked out quickly because everyone obviously wants to keep the people they've already had time to bond with. You pack these people in and then just waste time getting rid of them again and leaving behind the ones who were already there.

That aside, it's as tense and horrific as ever, and constantly makes me want to throw up. I love it.

Ja'moke

The only thing I'd add to that is they changed the rating system after Series 1 (UK). Instead of rating each player out of 5 stars, each person rates the other players from favourite to least favourite.

Just completed watching the US version on Netflix after enjoying the UK series's. I found it to stand up well, it's a great concept which has the kind of tactical gameplay and genuineness that used to be part of the magic of the golden era of reality tv game shows. The later entrants struggled to make much of an impact, and the
Spoiler alert
Sean reveal
[close]
was a bit naff and cliched. I felt
Spoiler alert
Joey
[close]
was a worthy winner.