What if you lived in the same building with neighbors you could never communicate with face-to-face?
No human contact. No cell phones. No communication with the outside world. Just social media.
This was the premise of the new Netflix series called ‘The Circle’, which numerous viewers tuned in to find out just exactly what the show was about. There were no obvious hints given from the show’s title, and not enough buzz on social media to give away the goods, so in natural curiosity, most of us decided to watch for ourselves.
Initially, I didn’t know what to expect. On the Netflix home screen, I noticed bold neon colors, a girl with a single rainbow-striped crop top on the advert photo, and a giant apartment building with a larger than life hot pink neon circle protruding from the building. At this point, the only aspect that made sense was the giant pink circle. But alas, I kept watching.
The narrator, comic Michelle Buteau, was very bubbly and expressive, to say the least. Her lighthearted humor and witty tone carried me through the uncertainty of events for which I was preparing to tune in. We only saw a few short scenes with Michelle as she introduced the show in episode one, however, throughout the season she wasn’t visible to viewers. I appreciated this format because she didn’t take away from me learning about the cast and enjoying their personalities and unique storylines.
What I Enjoyed Most from the Show
My single favorite aspect of the show was the apartment decor; yes, I can be an interior design geek sometimes! I give massive credit to the designers of the show and if I could, would like to personally thank them for the great job they’ve done. Although the rooms were tiny in size, they looked very comfortable, clean, and modern. I adored the color schemes, furniture choices, artful wall decor, and adorable kitchen appliances of each space that ironically seemed to fit with each contestants’ personality. “Do I have a favorite room?” I’m glad you asked! Personally, I would have loved to live in Sammie’s apartment. I love all things artistic and colorful, and to me her room exudes a fun/quirky/cozy vibe, and had just enough white to contrast the bright pink and blue colors. I think I would’ve felt right at home in Sammie’s apartment.
Now, moving on to the contestants–if I had to pick my top 3 favorite contestants, they would be Mercedeze (whose real name is Karyn), Chris, and Shubham. These three stood out to me the most because of their authentic nature, effortless ability to hold a conversation, and their honesty. I enjoyed everything about each of their personalities–from watching Mercedeze prepare meals in her kitchen whilst making shady comments on the DL, Chris’ uplifting energy and quick wit, and Shooby’s (his fellow contestants gave him this awesome nickname, not me) strategic thinking and empathy for his day 1’s. I enjoyed seeing each of them interact and form close-knit virtual bonds with the rest of the cast, and I think these three made the show an absolute joy to watch.
What Would I Rate ‘The Circle’?
Overall, on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest), I’d rate ‘The Circle’ a 4.5. I give it this rating because although I enjoyed watching it and was hooked early on, I felt there could have been a more diverse cast. If Netflix decides to renew for season 2, it would be great to see more young women of color–like Black, Indigenous, Asian, and Middle-Eastern. On the male side, it would be nice to see the same mix of races. I think we saw a larger percentage of white men and women present on the show and towards the middle of the season, the new contestant pool became very bland. In an effort to enforce inclusivity and diversity, I also believe including those with disabilities and handicaps could be a game-changer and even more deeply, speak to the nature and lessons behind the show. Sometimes it can be easy to forget that everyone doesn’t have the same abilities as we do, and often these populations can go ignored, especially on social media.
Another cool twist would be to add an older population to the cast–like adults in their 60s and up. Holistically, I think it would allow us to see how the older and younger generations communicate, how our language has evolved over the years, and acknowledge the barriers that we face between our generations.
Will there be a Season 2? 👀
I’m happy for the success of ‘The Circle’ and truly hope Netflix comes out with season 2. I love that the show teaches acceptance of oneself and others, strong communication skills, authenticity, and the importance of building relationships. The essence of ‘The Circle’ reiterates that I need to be mindful of how I view myself and others, and that no matter how I judge someone, it does not reflect their true character.
What Would Jen Say? 