With Season 4 in the bag, The Circle seems to be just getting started. Though many contestants over the past few seasons were well-deserving of the $100,000 prize, only a few were the lucky ones.
There were many lost along the way (catfish and non-catfish alike) that also deserved to be the last one standing due to their authenticity, but supposed strong alliances and personal strategies ultimately led to their demise. Of course, it’s a game but everyone loves an underdog story. Maybe The Circle “Allstars” is in order.
Ed (+ Tammy) – Season 1
The mother-son duo did their best playing as Ed, but it just wasn’t enough. Although they were quick to point out potential catfish, Rebecca aka Seaburn, Ed and Tammy couldn’t find their rhythm working together. Coming in halfway into the competition, there was already somewhat of a target on his (or their) back but for the most part, everyone welcomed Ed with open arms.
Their love for each other and the game made watching them an absolute blast. With Ed’s youthful charm and the maturity of his mother, their collaboration should have gotten them all the way to the end but perhaps they could’ve gotten further if they both went in individually.
Khat – Season 2
Khat made her entrance into Season 2 of The Circle about halfway through and wasted absolutely no time, accusing River aka Lee and singer Lance Bass aka Lisa, Lance’s assistant, of both being catfish. When blocked, she actually ended up helping Trevor aka Deleesa strategize on who to block next.
Although she didn’t make it to the end, she succeeded in showing the world who she is: a fighter. Yes, she did kind of come for everybody at one point which ultimately didn’t work out in her favor BUT she had strategy, which made it an unfair elimination in The Circle. Maybe if she had played well with others, she could have won.
Sean – Season 1
Sean came in pretending to be a thinner, model-type but later came out to the group as herself, a plus-size woman who works in plus-size fashion. Her private group chat with Chris, Sammie, and “Rebecca” was super supportive, calling her brave, and earned Sean even more respect within The Circle. She stated that she came in as someone else, not because she didn’t love herself as is but because people are just mean online.
She proved to be a trustworthy friend and her honesty was a breath of fresh air that moved her fellow contestants as well as the audience. If things had been a little different between Joey and his relationships in the game, he definitely wouldn’t have eliminated Sean. If she had come in as herself from the beginning, she may have had a fighting chance.
Michelle – Season 3
Michelle was done dirty by two contestants that were eliminated early in the game, sisters Ava and Chanel. This wife, mother of four, and occasional standup’s strategy was to brand herself as a motherly figure right out of the gate. And it worked… for a little bit. Alas, The Circle pulled a switcheroo and allowed the previous blockees a second chance by allowing them to play as another contestant.
After choosing to play as a fake Michelle, this completely ruined the real Michelle’s chances of progressing. It was difficult to watch as everyone slowly turned on this sweet, southern belle that was nothing if not honest. Perhaps if the cloning hadn’t happened and Daniel had vouched for her some more after their chat, she would have stayed. Luckily, the catfish behind the fake profile were eliminated directly after she left.
Carol (AKA John) – Season 4
Carol (played by Carol’s son, John) was a force to be reckoned with, befriending nearly everyone early on in the competition. Despite being in multiple alliances, Yu Ling eventually eliminated her, proving that no one is ever truly safe.
Although she wasn’t there, the real “Momma Carol” became a big fan of the show, giving her son all kinds of advice beforehand. The fact that they were so close made it really easy for John to make his catfish believable. If given another chance, John could probably win just by being himself. Also, having the real Momma Carol on would be so fun.
Daniel – Season 3
Daniel: the cutest thing to grace The Circle since Shubham from Season 1. His loyalty and authenticity are what drew the audience and fellow contestants in, including his “Circle Mama” Ruksana, proving to be one of The Circle‘s best friendships of Season 3. He always paid close attention to details in the chat and was the only one who believed the real Michelle when nobody else did.
He came into the game wanting people to underestimate him, hoping to come off as young and dumb, and ultimately proved to be “that bitch” and somewhat of a detective. Daniel always brought excitement and his enthusiasm was fun to watch. Maybe if Daniel hadn’t been so loyal to certain people, he could have strategized a bit more to make it to the top.
Ruksana – Season 3
Ruksana, wife and mother from New Jersey, was blocked too soon. She went in as her authentic self, a 4-foot-4-inch South Indian-American, claiming “real recognize real at the end of the day.” Everyone seemed incredibly shocked to see her go, especially her bestie, Daniel.
There’s nothing as upsetting as seeing this fun-loving person who deserves to win and is doing so well to have it all ripped out from underneath them. But that didn’t stop her from strategizing with Daniel on who to take out next on her way out. This pair could definitely win playing as a team, breaking up all the alliances along the way. No one could have predicted this elimination and it was by far, one of the most undeserved blockings in The Circle.
Bru – Season 4
TikTok star and radio host, Bru was a frontrunner from the very beginning, claiming that he was going to be everyone’s bestie and not have too many alliances. His strategy was simple: learn everyone’s secrets and use it against them. Bru appeared to be the first person to purposefully keep a possible catfish (“Momma Carol”) in the game because “it’s what’s on the inside that matters.”
He kept everyone on their toes, especially when asking Nathan a specific golf question relating to one of his pictures, proving to be one of his best game moves in The Circle. If it weren’t for Nathan’s last-ditch efforts to save himself, Bru probably would have made it to the finale. A “save” button should have been implemented immediately, swapping out one contestant for another.
Yu Ling – Season 4
The Circle was basically made for Yu Ling. She came in as a firecracker which got her super close to the title, coming in 3rd place. Yu Ling approached every situation with humor and somehow always knew just what to say. The shocker came when Imani aka Trevor, Deleesa’s husband, who she portrayed in season 2, surpassed her in the final rankings.
Although she might’ve come off as a bit shady at times, Yu Ling captured the hearts of many. She was entertaining and did what she had to to get ahead which included a lot of flirting. Ultimately, Frank was declared the winner, but since they were both there from the beginning and always genuine, a tie definitely should have been in order. Or she could easily kill it in some sort of “Finalists showdown” of all four seasons.
Alyssa – Season 4
Sex coach assistant, Alyssa planned to not go too hard too fast and claimed that “if she could get people to tell her about their sex lives, she could get them to tell her their strategies.” She had quite the journey in The Circle meeting Mel B and Emma Bunton of the Spice Girls aka Jared and being unnecessarily dragged by Nathan aka Alex in the Circle chat just to throw people off.
Neither Yu Ling nor Bru ended up passing the “antivirus software” onto her so she was ultimately blocked. She was always truthful and her excessive note-taking should have gotten her further in the competition. Unfortunately, she couldn’t shake the pot-stirrers. It would be interesting to see her alliance with Bru and Yu Ling versus other alliances.
