RECAP: “The Circle” (U.S.) Season 7, Episodes 1-4
“The Circle” is back for Season 7 on Netflix, and if the first batch of episodes is any indication, this season is feeling like a great hybrid of the warm & fuzzy vibes of the O.G. seasons, with the gamesmanship and dramatic twists of the more recent ones. I tore through the first four episodes without a break. I want “The Circle” to suck me in so bad that Netflix has to ask me if I’m still watching. And that’s exactly what happened with Season 7.
I’m going to ascribe this season’s success (so far — it could very easily go off the rails) to a few things:
I genuinely like all of these players. Every single one of them. Some of them I like more than others. Some of them I like as people, but have issues with their gameplay (Deb/“Rachel” what are you doing?!). But it is rare that I am on completely on board with every single member of a cast, and last season, I disliked probably a good third of them. So this is a welcome change of pace!
The twists are TWISTING. Let’s set aside the twins for the moment, and focus on the big curveball this time out: The Disruptor Button. Very little information was given to the players before this was hard launched, just that it could help or hurt their games. In the first four episodes it was used three times, and has already had major impacts on the game. It saved one person (or team, really) about to be evicted; it gave another person tremendous power in the game (which in turn led to them gaining major favor with other players); and with the cliffhanger, it seems to have seriously screwed two more players. Previous “Circle” twists like the Spice Girls or the AI player have had limited sway over the game, but the Disruptor really changes things up. It’s kind of like a wild-card version of a “Survivor” advantage, and it has really ratcheted up the drama VERY quickly this season
These people are almost all playing. Four episodes in, I think everyone is in at least one alliance, some people have multiple alliances or sub-alliances. Nearly everyone in the cast was paired off with a “Circle” “spouse” by the end of Episode 2. The game is moving very fast, and while some of these people have made colossal strategic errors, some of them are playing very good games so far.
It’s also funny. I laughed out loud numerous times, both at the antics of the players, and at host Michelle Buteau, who feels much more engaged this time around.
Read on for my current power rankings of the “Circle” 7 players, listed from who I think is playing the worst game, to the best. Disagree with my takes? Drop yours in the comments!
“Rachel” (Catfish Player Deb, 54, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Deb/Rachel is the only player who I think is actively playing poorly. And that bums me out. I immediately liked Deb from the start. She’s quite endearing when left to her own devices, and the moment she shared with Savannah, in which Savannah discussed her awful traumatic experience and Deb shared (with viewers) that her son died at 22 — I’m dead inside, but that got me. I was rooting for Deb, and I still am, but she’s just not playing smart. As an IT professional on a college campus, I can see how she convinced herself that she would be a) tech savvy and b) have enough of a grasp on youth culture to interact with this predominantly Gen Z cast, but she simply doesn’t. She made numerous glaring errors in the various player games, and most of the competitors are convinced she is a catfish at this point. While she initially tried to pivot, and wisely created a girls’ alliance with “Gianna” and Jadejha when she knew she was in danger, she then went completely off the rails during the second blocking. “‘The Circle’ is not for the weak.” THE CRINGE. “#IAmThatBitch” — ma’am. Conservatively 70 percent of the contestants know she’s a fraud, and she’s alienated at least 40 percent of them. Her only strong alliance at this point is with “Gianna,” who I think will see what a liability she is, ESPECIALLY now with this profile-switch twist. “Rachel” is basically fucked at this point and I think she has 0 chance of winning “The Circle.”
Garret (30, Los Angeles, California)
I want to be Team Garret, for many reasons. First, he is a total snack. Second, he seems like a fun, sweet guy. And very flexible! As our only (I believe) LGBTQ representation in this house, I am automatically inclined to be in his corner. But so far I don’t think he’s playing well. Coming in Day 2, Garret (and Madelyn) were at a bit of a disadvantage, especially with this group, which paired off FAST. Garret came in far too hot, with a mostly naked profile pic that was — in the words of Jadejha — “the fakest shit I have ever seen.” I get that it was for a charity calendar, but I was screaming at my TV, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Then for the thirst-trap photo, he put up an up-crotch Speedo pic. Listen, if this was Grindr, I would be sliding into his DMs, no question. But read the room, my dude. It comes across very Pick Me and attention seeking, and it turned off most of the members of The Circle. Not very demure. Not very mindful. I understand that Garret was a later-in-life gay, and that can have a profound impact on your social skills. It can also lead you to want to live out LOUD loud to make up for lost time, and I so appreciate that. But this is not strategic. Based on the edit, he didn’t do a whole lot of relationship building after the VIP Party, until both main alliances realized he was an unclaimed vote and brazenly tried to pick him up. This puts Garret in a great position going into the second leg, but can he play this smart? There’s potential there, but he’s going to have to get his head into the game to capitalize on the opportunity.
Madelyn (25, Franklin, Georgia)
Madelyn came in Day 2, but unlike Garret — who came in very Look At Me — Madelyn kept it fairly restrained. That’s surprising given that she is an OnlyFans model who knows how to attract people with her sexuality. I thought her profile pic and “thirst” pic were smart choices, less overtly sexy and more beguiling. Madelyn seemed to have a fairly good read of the game, picking out “Andy” as her likely best ally fairly early on. But I’m concerned about what happens to her now that she and “Rachel” have to swap profiles due to the Disruptor Button. She said flat-out she’s not good at pretending to be someone else, and “Rachel” is already coming in with tons of baggage. She’ll get intel on “Rachel” alliances with “Gianna,” Jadejha (which is shaky after “Rachel” had her tantrum), and, potentially, Garret (although that one feels VERY dubious to me). So that’s useful. But she will be playing AS “Rachel” through the next elimination, and the cards are very much stacked against her right now. So she’s in big trouble, and all because she was desperate for that Disruptor Button. Bad move!
Darian (29, Houston, Texas)
I think Darian is playing a pretty good game thus far, it’s just a very laid-back one. And I’m just never going to get too excited about that kind of play style. Darian does have a man alliance (the guy alliance) as well as his “Circle” wife, Jadejha, with whom he seems VERY solid. Darian is attractive, seems very likable — more than one person has referred to him as the “funny” one although we haven’t gotten a lot of that in the edit — and seems pretty down-to-earth. What concerns me is he seems increasingly desperate to use the Disruptor Button, having opted in the last two of the three times it was up on screen. His position in the game is completely safe. He actually went UP in the rankings for the second round. I think it’s foolish for someone who has no reason to be stressing to take such a desperate move, especially when they know it can mess up their game.
Kevin (23, San Diego, California)
This is a tale of two sections, because in E1 & E2 I thought Kevin was playing a pretty great game. I was impressed by how quickly he drew in Savannah, how smart he was about the lifeguard lie, and the way he played the Disruptor role to maximize potential alliances via the VIP Party. But although he was the No. 1 influencer, he misplayed his hand numerous times from the elimination on. In fact, he arguably misplayed it beforehand, when he didn’t anticipate The Circle “outing” him as the Disruptor sending invites to the VIP Party, alienating his existing alliances with “Andy” and Savannah. The fact that he didn’t think for even a second that Savannah might be lying to him when he “apologized” to her makes me think he’s actually quite naive, and his terrible response to “Rachel” and “Gianna” gunning for him in the post-Savannah-blocking Circle Chat was worrying. I think “Rachel” was actually right here, when she said that Kevin’s mistake was making too many alliances with too many people too soon. If everything goes your way, that’s a great play style. But that almost never happens, and that’s when you end up having to make terrible decisions that you then have to justify, like ousting the person everyone knows you’re “coupled” with. That was a terrible move by Kevin. He did, however, bounce back, immediately setting up a new romance with Madelyn (which will get complicated by the whole profile-switch twist with his mortal enemy, “Rachel”) and then setting up the “band alliance” with “Andy” and Garret. But that many alliances means that Kevin is highly exposed right now, and I think it’s likely he’s going to be accused of playing multiple sides before too long. He is smart, and he is making moves, but he may be TOO smart for his own good.
“Andy” (Catfish Player Heather, 26, Nashville, Tennessee)
“Andy” was playing brilliantly the first 2.5 episodes, earning the top-influencer spot in the first blocking, and then wisely owning up to the decision after “Gianna” was spared due to the Disruptor button. That was good game play. Realizing that everyone else had paired off, and seeing newbie Madelyn as the only option for a “couple” was another smart move, as was informing the bro alliance of his new relationship. I think “Andy” was doing a lot of things right, and I very much like Heather as a person and a player. She seems very savvy and has a good read on people. I think the second ranking was almost a fluke — I think people assumed “Andy” was fine, I don’t think it was a result of malice toward “him.” The fact that Kevin made the decision to axe his “Circle” boo, with whom he had been fairly public about being aligned, to save “Andy” shows what a good game “Andy” is playing. Episodes 3 and 4 were a tough spot, but I think “Andy” has more potential to weather that than some of the other less-strategic players.
“Gianna” (Catfish Players JoJo and Nicky, 24, Staten Island, New York)
At first I was convinced I would dislike the twins. It’s a stunt casting, and they’re a LOT, which usually does not play with me. But I actually love these two. They are hilarious. The number of times I LOL’d at their reactions… “You gotta be shittin’ me, bro!” Classic. They ARE Staten Island. It’s like the island budded off parts of itself and they somehow found their way into the Circle house. Amazing. It was very smart for them to align themselves with “Rachel” right off the bat, even if I think that’s a losing battle long-term. I thought they played both the “Andy” situation (publicly forgiving “him” but privately keeping “him” on the shit list) and the blocking with Kevin very well. They showed a lot of good strategy and judgment in these four episodes, and while I do think they’ve pissed off several of the players at this point, I don’t think those are lost causes (except Kevin). These two knuckleheads were genius casting and I hope they last the entire season.
Jadejha (24, Houston, Texas)
I think Jadejha is playing a very reserved game thus far, but she has positioned herself very well. She was ranked third in the first rankings, fourth in the second. She has a very strong alliance with Darian (it’s crazy that those two both live in Houston — I actually think this could be a real showmance, they seem genuinely smitten with each other), she has ties — if she wants them — with “Gianna” and “Rachel,” and for now she is essentially protected by the bro alliance because they all know she’s booed up with Darian. Jadejha has made no enemies publicly, although she has a good read on several of these players privately. She knows that “Rachel” is a catfish. She finds Garret corny. She clearly sees Kevin as a ticking timebomb. Jadejha has yet to make a big move in this game, but I do think the bond she has forged with Darian will take them both very far into the game, and she is smart to want absolutely nothing to do with the Disruptor Button thus far. She’s great.
ELIMINATED: Savannah (22, Texarkana, Texas)
Man, what a bummer. I liked Savannah so much. Incredible backstory. So lovely. Fun. Likable. So likable that she was an influencer in the first rankings, and then in danger — and ultimately booted — in the second. I think she played a good game, she just got screwed by trusting someone who was making numerous alliances, and ultimately he had to protect numbers. I hope Savannah does not feel too badly about this showing. While she could have done a few things differently, I do not think she was a bad player. It was a mistake not to reach out to “Gianna” and attempt to defuse that situation. And she could have done more outreach to the newbies, although I was impressed that she instinctively saw Madelyn as a threat to Kevin’s attention (and she was right!). I thought that convo with her and “Rachel” was wonderful to watch, and I appreciated that she wouldn’t assuage Kevin’s guilt in their in-person meeting, and borderline blew up his spot in her farewell message. And I especially appreciated Solomon and his adorable outfits. Farewell, Savannah! You will be missed! You’re great, really.
What do you think of this season overall? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
