# The Circle (2020)

> Online players flirt, befriend and catfish their way toward a $100,000 prize in this social experiment competition.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/81857

## Facts

- Seasons: 7
- Episodes: 90
- Episode runtime: 50 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: reality
- Created by: Tim Harcourt
- Network: Netflix
- Cast: Michelle Buteau, Shubham Goel, Nikki Glaser, Mel B, Emma Bunton, Jonathan Van Ness, Lance Bass, Lil Yachty
- TMDB rating: 7.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9581768/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: playful, flirtatious, gossipy, competitive, breezy

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series positively, appreciating its playful social experiment and competitive twists across seasons.

## Synopsis

The Circle (2020-2024) is an American social experiment reality competition created by Tim Harcourt for Netflix. Hosted by Michelle Buteau, the show places contestants in separate apartments where they communicate only through a chat platform, building online profiles and forming friendships, flirtations and alliances without meeting face to face. Players such as contestant Shubham Goel (Self) must befriend rivals while concealing or revealing their true identities, because the goal is to be the last one to earn a shared cash prize of $100,000. Each episode is built from messaging, rating and strategic moves that can make or break relationships, and the seven seasons keep the format consistent while players reinvent themselves. The tone is playful, bright and gossipy, with flirtatious banter and the sting of being caught out. Fans of Big Brother, Survivor and Are You the One? will find the same blend of strategy and social drama here, delivered as a glossy streaming show with a competitive edge and a steady stream of twists in who is really behind each profile.

## Shows like The Circle

- [The Circle France (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/85299)
- [Squid Game: The Challenge (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/126968)
- [The Traitors Canada (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/151897)
- [Catfish: The TV Show (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/42481)
- [Lip Sync Battle (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/55443)
- [Dating Naked UK (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/176566)
- [Too Hot to Handle (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/85593)
- [Million Dollar Secret (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/191031)
- [Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/83159)
- [Beast Games (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/155504)

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