Like many other reality competition series, Netflix’s The Circle sees players forming bonds, otherwise known as alliances, with one another.
Each player resides in their own apartment in the same building, never able to see or hear the others. Instead, they only communicate via text using a voice-activated instant messaging system called The Circle that is accessed through screens all over the apartments. Is everyone really who they say they are in their profiles? Not always.
It’s an interesting social experiment and proved that when you have to rely on people you don’t know to “rank” you to remain safe in the game, forming bonds is more important than ever. Here are 6 alliances we loved and 4 that made us scratch our heads. (Note: spoilers ahead).
Loved: Shubham And Joey
Shubham and Joey were the most unexpected bromance. Joey seemed like the gym rat meathead but turned out to be quite likable and sweet. He quickly formed a bond with the nerdy social media hater Shubham even though the two would likely never be friends had they met otherwise.
From very different worlds, their alliance showed us that while social media can isolate people, it can also introduce you to people who you might never have given a chance to in the real world.
Made Us Scratch Our Heads: Sammie and Miranda
Both Sammie and Miranda seem pretty laid back, but their female alliance appeared forced. They didn’t mesh as well with one another as they did with other players. Their most intense private conversation involved devising a friendly competition to see who could get Joey to send a dirty emoji first.
While it’s always good to make as many friends as possible in a game like this, sometimes, two people simply aren’t meant to be. And they would have made better rivals than alliance .
Loved: Shubham And Rebecca/Seaburn
Poor Shubham had no idea that the sweet girl he got friendly with on the show was actually a guy! But their friendship was cute, nonetheless. They had intimate chats that Seaburn sometimes thought might have involved a bit of flirtation. But Shubham said he looked at Rebecca more like a sister.
Whatever the nature of their chats, the pair seemed to hit it off quickly and became instant friends. This meant they looked out for one another, which is exactly what you need in an alliance.
Made Us Scratch Our Heads: Chris And Joey
Chris and Joey were, again, very different people. This doesn’t mean they couldn’t form an alliance. But they are both very dominant personalities which meant they might have made better rivals. Again, while being friendly with everyone is a great strategy, sometimes it’s better to focus on having certain people on your side.
If Chris spent more time bad-mouthing Joey and casting doubt about him, it might have worked to his advantage, and he might have been able to beat him in the end.
Loved: Chris and Mercedeze/Karyn
What was best about this alliance was what happened after Mercedeze, a.k.a. Karyn was blocked and removed from the game. She opted to use her one in-person visit to see Chris because she felt like she connected with him on a different level during the game.
Chris is an openly gay man while Karyn, who was playing a straight Mercedeze, is an openly gay black woman. Both are people of color and she felt a bond with him because they understand what one another has gone through in life. It was an alliance that will continue outside of the game.
Made Us Scratch Our Heads: Adam/Alex And Joey
Alex, playing a muscular Adam, had Joey fooled into thinking that he was just like him when, in reality, they couldn’t be more different. And while Joey tried to make him an enemy, Adam/Alex managed to find enough common ground so that they aligned with one another.
But the truth is that in this game, there’s only room for one guy to fill that muscular, gym-going, loudmouth character. So them banding together was likely to end badly for at least one of them, as it did.
Loved: The Girls
Through the entire series, all of the girls who were playing (including Seaburn acting as a girl) would unite in private group chats. It was sweet to see the ladies be there for one another and share personal details about their lives and troubles.
And it was really funny to hear them talk about girlie things, like dates with guys, doing their make-up, and even their menstrual cycles while Seaburn squirmed at having to be a part of the conversations.
Made Us Scratch Our Heads: Adam And Rebecca
Adam, played by Alex, forged a strange bond with Rebecca. This would have been all fine and dandy if the sweet girl playing as Rebecca wasn’t actually Seaburn pretending to be his girlfriend. It was awkward to see Adam/Alex flirt with Rebecca/Seaburn when Seaburn knows that this guy is talking to someone who he thinks looks like his girlfriend in real life.
What made us scratch our heads about this one was that it involved two people who were catfishing one another, yet neither was even remotely suspicious of the other.
Loved: The Guys
Just like the girls all came together to chat, so did they guys to foster their budding bromances. They discussed strategy, working out, their thoughts about the girls, and even their personal lives and the importance of family.
Whether it was just a few of the guys involved in a chat or all of them (minus Seaburn who was playing as a girl), it was always more camaraderie than you might expect on such a series. It was far less drama and more focused on showing how people can come together and form bonds that go beyond our typical biases.
Loved: Joey and Miranda
While their alliance wasn’t as strong as Miranda might have thought, given that it was Joey’s decision that led to her getting blocked and going home, it was clear there was nothing personal. Miranda decided to go see Joey after getting blocked and the conversation was genuine.
Not only that but their flirtation, which some might call a showmance, was taken to another level as Joey itted his physical attraction to her and asked her for a parting kiss. They reportedly remain close friends outside of the game, though they live in different states.