Hotel quarantine, even before hotel quarantine was even a thang!
You have to admit, it’s pretty funny that the only Reality TV competition we can safely hold during a pandemic, is a show where everyone are already socially distanced! And it’s pretty funny how the contestants are so willing to agree to be locked away for a fortnight of total isolation, in hotel like quarantine, as long as they have a shot at $100K at the end of the experience. Perhaps that’s the key in improving mandatory hotel quarantine for travellers, dangle a potential cash prize in front of everyone?
But for those who are unfamiliar with Netflix’s Reality TV game show ‘The Circle’, it’s essentially like ‘Big Brother’, but instead of a large share home where contestants live and sleep together, the Circle contestants are completely isolated from one another. Imagine a serviced apartment from a popular hotel chain, and it’s a bit like that- with occasional use of spa and gym facilities, but all times the contestants are isolated from one another. All interaction is done through an App called the ‘Circle’, and all of their communication is done via text. So plenty of opportunities for misinterpretation- and that is what the producers are hoping for. And if there aren’t enough drama from that alone, then the Circle throws spanners into the mix, by manufacturing scenarios and opportunities for contestants to anonymously back-stab one another! Nice hey?
In every second episode, the contestants are made to rank their fellow contestants , with the outcome being that the two contestants with the most favourable rankings, they are made ‘Influencers’; given the power to block other contestants from the game, evicting them from the Circle building. And at the following episode, a new contestant is brought in to replace the old (this occurs 4 times). But because all interaction is done over an app, contestants can enter the Circle as someone else, a term called Catfishing. And it’s this factor which makes things very very interesting. And surprisingly, when people find out that they’ve been catfished, they don’t really hold it against that person- I guess it’s a part of the game, and expected.
In season 1 we already loved this format, but in season 2 all of your favourite features of the game are still there, however a few more surprises are introduced- so the second season is even better and more fun! The contestants this year also seem to be savvier, as I guess they had seen seasons 1 and perhaps The Circle France and Brazil, so they all seemed quite switched on, except for Chloe. Haaha. But that’s why we liked Chloe. And that’s why season 2 was so binge worthy. We smashed through the 13 episodes in less than a week.
Things we’ve learnt:
If you’re going to catfish someone, at least use your own gender and someone younger than you. Because when you assume a fictitious character who you’ve never lived a day in their shoes, you’ll eventually slip up and you’ll pay for that slip-up (or not……).
In general, people don’t like drama in their lives. Thus don’t rock the boat or come in all guns blazing! Be harmonious and diplomatic, even if it pains you to do so. Well,…….. At least just to their face.
And the last thing I’ve learnt, is that it’s so easy to fool others on social media, that case on any form of digital communication. As exhibited on The Circle, so this show actually acts as a fantastic reminder to all, to be very careful when online, as there are some pretty weird people on the internet.
In the end, The Circle was entertaining for us, fascinating to see how people played the game when they can sit behind anonymity. So if you want to check out The Circle for yourself? Click HERE! For us, we’re looking forward to Season 3.
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