Skip to content
MovieCove
The Circle

The Circle

Things are about to get spicy.

2020–2024Ended7 seasons90 episodes~48 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

Status and strategy collide in this social experiment and competition show where online players flirt, befriend and catfish their way toward $100,000.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Circle?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Circle streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about The Circle?

The Circle earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Fun.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Content

Reception

Is The Circle worth watching?

The Circle's Midcredits score is the 53rd percentile of all shows, from 9.5K ratings across 2 sources. 73% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

53rd percentile

Better received than 53% of shows

76th percentile among Game-Show58th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)50th
Approval (how many liked it)55th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

71 /100

50th percentile of all shows

70th percentile among Game-Show55th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

73% liked it

55th percentile of all shows

77th percentile among Game-Show60th percentile among 2020s
73% rated it 7–1027% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

90th percentile

9.4K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Game-Show92nd percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 38% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show's format isolates contestants and forces them to interact solely through a social media interface, creating a unique but polarizing reality competition.

Fans praised

  • addictive binge-worthy format
  • genuine emotional connection to contestants
  • fun social experiment concept

Detractors panned

  • overproduced and heavily scripted
  • unlikable attention-seeking cast
  • tedious repetitive gameplay

What stands out

Originality70

fresh concept but repetitive execution

AtmosphereDivisive65

immersive but feels manufactured

HumorDivisive65

often unintentionally funny or cringey

TensionDivisive60

ratings and eliminations create suspense

Emotional impactDivisive60

heartfelt bonds vs forced sentiment

CharactersDivisive55

mix of likable and grating personalities

Pacing45

drags especially in later seasons

Plot and storyDivisive40

predictable winner trajectories

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Episodes

7 seasons

Season 7 · 2024 · 13 episodes

  • S7E1

    The Disruption Begins

    Sep 11, 202461 min
  • S7E2

    It's MY Party…

    Sep 11, 202455 min
  • S7E3

    Battle of the Influencers

    Sep 11, 202456 min
  • S7E4

    Press to Impress

    Sep 11, 202448 min
  • S7E5

    Circle Wedding Crashers

    Sep 18, 202449 min
  • S7E6

    Reading Between the Lines

    Sep 18, 202449 min

Watch experience

What is The Circle like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and charged — a slow-burn watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseJoyful
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
PlayfulWry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Unscripted · 15% of showsNew arc each season
ToneThe show treats its catfishing competition with earnestness by the participants, but the premise inherently involves playful deception.
The rideTension builds during alliance-forming and eliminations, often peaking in the finale; lighter moments come from players' humorous interactions.
StructureEach episode follows a standard three-act structure: introduction of players and tasks, gameplay, and elimination.
Episode formatEach episode follows a fixed reality competition format: introductions, challenges, ratings, eliminations, and final ranks.
Season formatEach season brings a new cast of players and a self-contained competition arc, though the overall format repeats.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe show is entertaining and leaves you reflecting on identity and deception in social media.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeAs an unscripted reality competition, the show has no plot archetype; each season consists of self-contained games.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6% (this title)
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

IdentityDeception · 6% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe show explores how participants curate and perform online identities, often contrasting their real selves with strategic personas.
StanceThe show neutrally follows players as they navigate the social game, neither celebrating nor condemning the deception inherent in the format.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalRealistic
PopSupportive music · licensed compilation
Settingisolated apartment complex where players communicate only via a purpose-built social media app
MusicUpbeat pop tracks underscore strategy conversations and cliffhanger moments.

Content guide

Is The Circle okay for kids?

TV-MA

The Circle is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at mild (26/100), language at moderate (57/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (30/100) and frightening material at minimal (2/100). Overall it is heavier than 1% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • Austria14
  • Czechia18+
  • Hungary16
  • Poland16
  • ROAP
  • SingaporeM18
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 20% of all showsHeavier than 1% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 1%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 11%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 27%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 8%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 1%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 27% of TV-MA shows.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does The Circle have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Circle?

Cast

Dakota Raine Mounts
as Myself

Crew

More like this

What are shows like The Circle?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like The Circle include Dating Naked: UK (2024), Perfect Match (2023) and Wipeout (2008).

Like this, but

Explore by

What other shows share a tag with The Circle?

Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.