The Circle Recap: Never Give Up on the Good Times (Season 4 Episodes 2-4)

The Circle goes back to the 90s with three fun-filled episodes loaded with drama and shocking twists.

The three episodes that follow that spicy premiere are an absolute blast that will have you screaming at the TV, and singing and dancing along with the contestants which includes two VIPs—pop icons Mel B. and Emma Bunton of the actual freakin’ Spice Girls.

It is a joy to spend time with Scary Spice and Baby Spice (and Cookie) while watching this silly social media game show. It feels like you’re really hanging out with them. We are in on the prank, in the inner circle, so to speak, and I can’t tell you how giddy that makes me. 

Let’s recap!

ALERT! Spoilers ahead!

As the Spice World Turns

The Circle is a fascinating exhibition of the human experience under social media conditions. Add in a pinch of Scary Spice, a touch of Baby, and the game only gets more wild and fun.

From a truly memorable 90s dance party and Spice Girls trivia to cake decorating and big Circle shakeups, the excitement is nonstop, complete with a cliffhanger that has me on the edge of my seat for the entire week’s wait. 

Not shockingly, Parker—catfishing as her father Paul—is the first to be blocked. We could see this elimination coming from a mile away, just like Parker’s …never mind. 

Parker: I realized my big-ass personality cannot fit inside a 56-year-old man. 
Mel B: Her big-ass ta-tas.
Yu Ling: Like, first of all, she’s hot. 
Mel B: Are you looking at her face or her boobs? Be honest. 
Emma: I’m looking at her boobs.
Mel B: They’re great!

This elimination is giving Parent Trap vibes because Parker/Paul goes to see John who is catfishing as his mother, Mama Carol—and John’s utter shock at this reveal is priceless. He suspected Paul was a catfish pretty early on, but he did not expect to see party girl Parker walk through his door.

Parker is equally surprised to find a literal mama’s boy pretending to be his mom—but not like in a Psycho/Norman Bates way… at least, not yet.

John: This sounds like a match made in heaven.
Parker: It really does.
John: I don’t know how we could go wrong.
Parker: I think this is the best love story.
John: Ever! Of all time.
Parker: Meeting as our parents.
John: Endgame.
Parker: Nobody can beat that. 

This is just these two gassing each other up and flirting because they’ve been sequestered by themselves for, like, a whole two days. I cannot see these two together beyond this super awkward meeting—it’s certainly not the meet-cute they’re making it out to be.

Fresh Meat

Parker gets the boot and The Circle gets two new players. 

Rachel, an accordion-playing paranormal researcher going into the game as herself—”I’m funny, I’m smart, and I’m nice, and I think that’s what it takes to win The Circle“—and Alex, a 28-year-old commercial banker catfishing as “a 22-year-old, fresh out of college frat bro,” join the remaining contestants. 

Rachel is a great addition; she’s personable and quirky. Upon arriving, she anoints her flat with “a victory witch oil that was blessed by a witch named Vicki” and apologizes to inanimate objects. 

Alex/Nathan, on the other hand, is a carbon copy of Alex/Adam from The Circle Season 1—they even have the same name, for crying out loud. The Alexes share so many similarities from their obnoxious characteristics to the catfish profiles they choose for the exact same reasons. They’re both married irl, but go hard in the flirt game on The Circle.

This casting is very uninspired and actually really annoys me. I wish it wasn’t a player so blatantly similar to one we’ve seen before and I doubly wish it wasn’t someone with an insufferable personality that I simply cannot vibe with. 

However, Alex/Nathan does fill the role of the Circle player I can’t stand. I don’t want to say “villain,” but he serves as an obstacle for those that I am rooting for. The Circle is kind of like life, and in life there are people that just bug you. 

Thankfully, so far, Alex is the only one that’s not quite my cuppa tea.

Hunting and Catfishing

Speaking of tea, piping hot tea is spilt in private chats once the Spice Girls reveal that they are in the game catfishing as one of the profiles. 

The Circle stirs the pot with a catfish/Spice Girls hunt, which includes rad Spice Girls trivia and ends with the players voting which profile they think the pop stars are behind. 

They are told that every vote counts and there could be consequences so they’re all out for blood and scrambling to secure alliances. But, what they don’t know is that if Mel B. and Emma are able to fool five out of the seven players, $50k will be added to the $100k cash prize. They are tasked with sniffing out the fake when it would be against their best interest to do so.

Quite the spicy pickle, wouldn’t ya say!

It comes down to one vote and the fate lies in Rachel’s hands as the fourth episode comes to a dramatic close. Who will she choose? What else will be revealed?  

I don’t know about you, but I will be eagerly staying tuned. 

What did you think of Episodes 2-4 of The Circle Season 4? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The Circle streams four new episodes a week on Wednesdays on Netflix.

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