‘The Circle’: Is the Netflix Reality Series Staged?
The Circle premiered in early 2020, and ever since then, fans cannot get enough of the Netflix reality competition series. But as is always the case with every reality show, many wonder how much of it is real and what is staged for the cameras. Read on to learn everything you need to know about how The Circle producers make the show.
‘The Circle’ has run for five seasons on Netflix
The Circle Season 1 premiered in January 2020, and the show was an immediate hit. It came at the right time — before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic struck the world and quarantine happened. So what else could anyone do but watch other people quarantined in an apartment building in England competing for $100,000?
And since the first season, the show has continued to be a success for the streaming service. There has been five seasons total, with The Circle Season 5 airing its finale in January 2023. And we expect that there are more iterations to come.
As fans know, The Circle contestants can either enter the Netflix series playing as themselves or as catfish. And every now and then, the cast members have to rate one another. Typically, whoever claims the top two spots become influencers, and they have the power to block people from the game. Ultimately, only five people make it to the end of The Circle, and the person who ranks first in the finale wins $100,000.
What is real and what is fake in the reality competition series?
After being on the air for three years, some behind-the-scenes secrets are bound to spill out about The Circle on Netflix. And although the competition and results seem to be real, the producers do stage some elements of the show.
For example, when a blocked contestant visits another player and they knock on their door, producers knock on everyone’s door to get their reaction and build suspense. Another fact that might shatter the illusion of the show is that sound effects like “Alert!” are added in post-production. So the contestants are told to react to a sudden noise they can’t actually hear.
Some former cast members also shared that the producers limit the number of chats per day. So they have control over who talks to who.
And last but certainly not least, executive producer Tim Harcourt explained how the chats work during an interview with Vulture. He said, “The app is a proper piece of chat technology, a bit like WhatsApp, I suppose, with bells and whistles and lots of extra bits. [But] when you talk to the Circle, there’s a producer who’s transcribing what you say.”
So behind the screen is a crew member furiously typing away while a contestant in The Circle tells them what to write.
Has Netflix renewed ‘The Circle’ for season 6?
Sadly, Netflix has yet to announce what the future holds for The Circle. But there is no doubt in our minds that The Circle Season 6 is a go.
The reality competition series pulls in many viewers worldwide. And it’s constantly a hot topic of discussion on social media while a season is airing. Plus, producers put out a casting call for season 6 in late 2021, so Netflix may have already filmed season 6.
All seasons of The Circle are available to stream on Netflix.
For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.
