ALERT! Netflix announced today the release window for its hit reality competition series The Circle – and it’s closer than you imagine. The streamer is marketing it as “the spiciest season” ever, which begs the question: how? The competition follows a group of people who interact through the “Circle”, a social network in which you can present yourself as anyone you like. The most popular person in the Circle chat gets a cash prize after being voted by members of the competition.
For the new season, Netflix has kept the rollout strategy it has been using for its most popular reality series: dropping a certain number of episodes every week, as opposed to releasing the full season on the same day. This helps keep the buzz of reality competitions going, as well as preventing people from giving major spoilers – fans have time to catch up before the final episode is released.
Known for delivering plot twists on top of plot twists, The Circle frequently finds ways to outsmart its contestants, who think they know the ins and outs of the game. In Season 3, for example, an eliminated contestant was able to return as a “clone” of another player, and the members of the Circle chat had to figure out who was the real one and block the other. It didn't go well for them, but it was highly entertaining for us. The series also features a bunch of smart elements designed to confuse contestants, which works every time.
Netflix hasn’t officially announced Michelle Buteau as a returning host, but chances are the comedian will once again narrate the contestants’ everyday lives with funny quips and be there at the final episode to introduce all participants – fake and real – to each other and announce who is the most popular member of the Circle. The cash prize in the previous seasons was $100,000, but the synopsis suggests there’s a bigger amount of money waiting for the top influencer this time around.
The Circle became extremely popular and relatable at the height of the pandemic, as it had contestants locked inside an apartment, talking to each other through social media and being able to hide who they really are with fake (or “catfish”) profiles. In the game, you need to be the most popular player so you won’t get voted out (or “blocked”) from the Circle. Contrary to most reality competitions, eliminated players are substituted, and no competitor knows each other until they are blocked or revealed in the finale.
Netflix premieres Season 4 of The Circle on May 4, with four episodes. Got that? Season 4, May 4, 4 episodes. In the following two weeks, the streamer will drop four episodes on Wednesdays. On May 25, the final episode will be released and the winner of the season will be crowned.
Check out the announcement clip below:
Here’s the official synopsis for the new season:
The Circle is back for Season 4, and we’re turning the heat up higher than ever! What else would anyone expect from the spiciest season yet? More catfishing, more drama, more money, and surprises await as a new set of contestants compete in challenges to earn the ultimate cash prize as top influencer.