The Circle: Season 1 Episode 9 “Instant Block” Recap/ Review

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It’s a double-elimination episode! Can you guess the two people who get the boot?

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Directed By	Sam Campbell
Written By	Lee Gant
Aired (Netflix)	1/15/2020

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Episode Recap

This Is Me: Sean, Rebecca, Sammie, Chris

With heavy heart, Sean reveals herself for rather than maintain some sort of façade, she wants to be genuine. Which, when she reveals her real picture, causes some shock, but then genuine praise. All of this reassures Sean that she made the right decision – but she doesn’t decide to change her profile until she is safe from the latest rankings/ elimination.

Elimination 1: Bill, Rebecca, Shubham

This episode, Shubham is number 2, and Rebecca is number 1, and you’d think they would be deciding who would be eliminated. Well, they do, but the first elimination is actually based on ranking. Which for Bill, who hasn’t really connected with anyone, and suffers from the fact that catfish fever has died down, he gets eliminated.

Now, unlike most who have gotten eliminated, Bill doesn’t leave gracefully. He makes it clear he is upset, some would even say bitter, and it pushes you to wonder if he made a connection with someone enough to feel this way? For with the way he talks, you’d think he was Joey, one of the originals, mad that people discarded him like an old trash bag.

Elimination 2: Adam, Rebecca, Shubham, Ed

Adam, aka Alex, is the second one eliminated, and this comes as a bit of a shock. For despite it being a two-person decision, Rebecca announcing it sends shockwaves. Likely due to most of the people who have been eliminated up until now have, once or twice, said or done something to rub people the wrong way. Which Adam did, with his whole “arouse” thing, but he cooled it ever since that awkward moment.

However, with Sean revealing herself, Seaburn couldn’t eliminate her. So, with Adam, I mean Alex, trying to flirt his way to the top, he gets the boot. Leading to Alex visiting Seaburn and those two having a good ole time! Mainly due to Alex being impressed with how good Seaburn has played this game. And, as a gift, Alex doesn’t pull an Antonio and hints that Seaburn is a catfish. If anything, for all players, except Ed, he bolsters Seaburn’s position by inspiring everyone’s sympathy.

Plot Synopsis (A Quick Recap)

1. Bill and Adam are eliminated, and while Bill leaves a salty message, Adam’s is sweet and, unlike Antonio, he doesn’t hint or reveal Seaburn, who he visited, is a catfish.
2. Ed is making it real clear he does not like Rebecca and thinks nearly everyone is fake.
3. Sean not only reveals who she is to the small group of Chris, Rebecca, and Sammie, but after she makes it past the double-elimination, she changes her profile.

Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs

God makes no mistakes, and he didn’t start with us.
— Chris | The Circle 1.9

Other Noteworthy Facts, Moments, and Random Thoughts

• Why is Sean the only one we’ve seen share additional pictures of themselves in the chat?
• Is getting a video package or visiting someone optional?
• So, why is the person who announces the person blocked always taking the hit as if it isn’t a two-person decision?

Review/ Commentary

On The Fence

Can You Really Win If You Aren’t One Of The Originals?

Genuine question – If you aren’t one of the originals on a show like this, can you win? Would you need a personality like Chris’ or Shubham’s? Heck, if Shubham came in later, would he have been kicked without those early alliances and chances to prove his loyalty? For as much as the word “Fake” is thrown around, I think we have to also acknowledge “The Circle” isn’t for the introverted. You have to be willing and able to put yourself out there, almost immediately, and chat up people like you are at a job fair, and you are already a month behind in rent. Which, let’s be honest, as flattered as some people are when they get a chat alert, the majority of the conversations are so shallow that it seems more like a sales pitch than genuine connections being built.

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