The Circle might be the weirdest new show on Netflix right now — and that’s saying something when it’s competing with a Fast & Furious animated series and a sitcom about crime-fighting doctors. The dystopian reality show, which follows a group of people as they compete via a fake social network to become the most popular influencers and win $100,000, just wrapped its first season on Netflix. So when can we expect The Circle Season 2?
Short answer: We don’t know. Other answer: More episodes The Circle are coming sooner than you think, just not in the way you might think.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is The Circle?
If you’re new to the show, here’s a quick summary. If you’v already binged Season 1 on Netflix, feel free to skip ahead.
The premise of The Circle is equal parts basic and confusing. Based on a UK reality TV competition, the series hinges on a faux social network, also called The Circle, that’s half Tinder and half group chat. Each contestant is sequestered in their own fancy apartment, and the only way to communicate is via the Circle, where everyone is able to create their own carefully manicured profiles.
The twist (sort of?) is that not everyone is who they claim to be. Of the eight original contestants, two are catfish, using images of someone else and posing as that person in both group and one-on-one conversations (all communication is written). Everyone else is obsessed with identifying and outing the catfish in their midst, though it’s never really clear why that matters.
The only thing that actually matters is the daily ratings where each player anonymously rates everyone else. Those ratings are tallied to reveal who’s the most and least popular. The two top “influencers” then pick one person to “block,” meaning eliminate from the competition. Being popular is important, but so is not appearing as a threat. Whether or not you’re a catfish doesn’t seem to really matter.
So that’s The Circle. It’s one thing to describe it, it’s another to watch it for yourself — especially when the two catfish end up accidentally catfishing each other…
So what’s The Circle Season 2 release date?
Short answer: There is none. Netflix hasn’t officially renewed the show, at least not publicly. Then again, considering its popularity and what I assume is a pretty low production budget, it’s probably only a matter of time.
In the meantime, Netflix is also producing versions for France and one in Brazil. So, at the very least, you’ll be able to watch a foreign language version before too long.
You could also watch the original British The Circle, assuming you have a Channel 4 login. That show ran for two seasons before ending, which might just be a clue as to how long the U.S. version will stick around.
The Circle Season 1 is streaming now on Netflix.
