Since 2020, The Circle (US) has been one of Netflix‘s most popular reality TV shows. The competition blends social media strategy, popularity contests, and catfishing into a unique format, forcing contestants to form bonds without ever meeting face-to-face. While on The Circle’s app, players either present themselves honestly, exaggerate parts of their personalities, or fake a completely different identity, and the result makes for an incredibly entertaining watch.
Reality TV fans have enjoyed The Circle’s thrilling and fresh premise for seven seasons, and after waiting nearly two years for an update about the show’s future, fans can now rest assured that it’ll return for an eighth installment. While Netflix declined to renew The Circle after Season 7, which ended in November 2024, Season 8 was recently announced with surprising twists. Per Deadline, the reality series will get a new streaming home, see shake-ups to its potential contestants, and change how the audience interacts with the show.
The Circle is Now Moving to Hulu
The Streaming Service is Making Exciting Changes to The Circle’s Format
After seven seasons on Netflix, The Circle is now moving to Hulu, which has ordered a new installment of the reality competition series from producer Studio Lambert. The Netflix game show aired from 2020 to 2024 and created three international versions of the originally-British reality show, including the US series. Although many fans are referring to Hulu’s revival as “Season 8,” the streamer described the show as a “new” version of The Circle, rather than a direct continuation.
Still, the core premise will remain intact: players will compete in a game of popularity while isolated from each other and only communicating via The Circle’s social media app. However, Hulu’s edition will include a few notable changes. First, celebrity contestants will now be allowed to compete alongside everyday players. Audience voting will also play a role, with The Circle adopting a “fast turnaround” format for the social experiment filmed in real time, akin to reality shows like Love Island. There’s currently no release date confirmed.
The Circle’s Confirmed Future is Great News For Reality TV Fans
There Are Still Plenty of Other Great Reality Shows For Netflix Subscribers, Though
In recent months, it seemed clear to The Circle fans that the show wouldn’t continue, considering the long gap between Season 7 and any updates regarding the show’s future. But the Hulu pickup finally provides an answer. Netflix had found huge success with The Circle’s fun format that stepped away from the typical romance drama of previous reality shows, and with the introductions of audience voting and celebrity contestants, it looks like things will only get more interesting and unpredictable.
With its signature mix of deception, strategy, and popularity, the next era of The Circle is officially underway. There are still plenty of options on Netflix for reality TV fans, including Perfect Match, Love is Blind, and Too Hot to Handle, all of which have found great success for flipping the scripts of typical romance competitions. However, a new streaming home and fresh twists will hopefully reinvigorate The Circle’s concept for many seasons to come.
- Release Date
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January 1, 2020
- Directors
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Tom Lowry
- Franchise(s)
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The Circle
