The Circle USA is full of loneliness and boredom – it’s perfect for a pandemic

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. After a winter spent stuck indoors and not seeing friends, I don’t want to watch beautiful people frolic around in swimwear, but rather TV that speaks to the national mood without directly referencing the pandemic. All the while, people form connections based on what they’re told and who they believe they’re talking to, while those deemed least popular by their fellow players are “blocked” and eliminated. It’s a frustrating yet instantly recognisable scenario, only topped by watching flirt-with-a-heart-of-gold Joey dictate to the computer: “I’m currently naked in the bathroom shaving my body, wanna help me with my back?” Trust me, nothing will give you an existential crisis about the fundamental ludicrousness of sexting like this show. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free When a contestant is blocked from the Circle, they’re given the opportunity to visit another player, with the remaining contestants anxiously pacing in their rooms as they await the potential arrival after weeks spent alone.