On the surface, Netflix's social-media-themed reality competition show The Circle is a simple game in which players have conversations, participate in challenges, then rank each other. But the competition requires a surprising amount of strategy as the players must choose whom to make alliances with, how to present themselves, and whom to make an Influencer.
In season 3 of The Circle, the players demonstrated their strategic prowess by making a number of calculated moves. Some of these actions were small and discrete but deeply significant. Others were massive decisions that completely altered the course of the game right away.
The Capra Sisters Pick Michelle
One of the features of the previous seasons of The Circle has been two players sharing a profile. However, season 3 took this to a different level when the Capra sisters shared a profile, were eliminated, then got to make a clone profile of another player. The sisters picked Michelle and were able to convince the other players that their clone profile was the real Michelle.
While it was a little bit of a strategic misfire that they created a new profile for the least popular player, they were able to take advantage of the fact that Michelle had not developed strong connections with anyone else and get her eliminated instead of their clone profile.
Matthew Plays As Ashley
As seen in previous seasons, sometimes the Circle players with the best strategy are the ones who know when to use a catfish profile. Matthew believed that his intense look and muscular physique might make it difficult for others to lower their defenses around him. Because of this, he decided to play as "Ashley" instead.
While some of the other contestants did suspect that he was a catfish, the move was ultimately a brilliant one that made it easier for him to gain trust with the other players and eventually helped him secure his place in the finale.
Ruksana Plays As Herself
Instead of catfishing, 35-year-old Ruksana played the game as her authentic self. She proudly showed off her culture, height, and values in order to set a positive example for her daughter. While some Circle contestants have made the strategic move of hiding their real selves, Ruksana was completely genuine.
This decision turned out to be an excellent strategic move as Ruksana quickly became one of the most popular contestants on the show and gained the respect of her fellow competitors. The other players came to see her as a maternal figure in the house.
Isabella Flirts With Nick
When Sophia decided to play as a catfish profile using pictures of her sister, whom she described as being better looking and therefore more popular, she did so in order to leave the door open to flirting with the male contestants to gain an advantage. This proved to work incredibly well on fellow contestant Nick.
Sophia was fully able to convince Nick that they had a connection, and she gained an incredibly strong ally in the process. As a result, Nick made sure to look out for Isabella and helped guarantee her a spot in the finale.
Nick Blocks Ruksana
When Nick and Daniel were selected as Influencers, they got the unexpected news that they would each get to select one player to block. This tested Nick's tentative alliance with Kai as he considered blocking her but ultimately decided to block Ruksana.
Kai had a lot of strong connections, and blocking her could have prompted retaliation against Nick. But by blocking Ruksana, Nick was able to remove a powerful player, weaken Kai's position, and set himself up to become a more important part of Kai's alliance.
Daniel Is A Little Brother
At just 20 years old, Daniel was the youngest player on this season of The Circle. He decided to use that to his advantage by presenting himself as the little brother of the group. In particular, he leaned on this angle with some of the female contestants such as Ruksana.
This move positioned Daniel as someone who was endearing and likable without being threatening. It prompted some of the other players to see it as their job to protect him and allowed him to build some strong relationships that carried him deep into the game.
Nick And Kai Team Up
Despite being an "unlikely duo," Nick and Kai made the risky decision to trust one another and solidify an alliance between them. Both were hesitant to trust each other but committed to having one another's backs. Nick had the opportunity to unilaterally block Kai but chose to keep his word and take out Ruksana instead.
The move could have backfired if either one had gone back on their word, but both of them were loyal to their agreement and it proved to be mutually beneficial. Nick and Kai were two of the best players the entire season and their alliance made them unstoppable.
James Uses Humor And Heart
Although some fans have the opinion that The Circle needs to change when players are introduced, as it gives a disadvantage to some, James managed to overcome this. When James first ed The Circle, he made an immediate impression on the other players thanks to his humor. While some players may have just coasted on this jokester persona, James made the decision to open up about his experience with his transgender brother.
James was open and honest about the topic, itting the mistakes he made early on and how he has grown since then. This choice revealed a far greater depth to his character than what was originally visible. It also endeared him to the other players and made him one of the strongest players in the game.
Nick Uses Vince To Talk Himself Up
When Calvin was eliminated, he selected Nick to receive an advantage. Because of this, Nick got to play as a second, "burner" profile named Vince. Nick was able to use this profile to gather information from other players. But he also used it to talk him up and make his real profile look good.
This move worked perfectly and Nick ended up being voted the number one Influencer and gained the power to block Ruksana. Nick played the situation exactly right and made the ideal strategic move in order to set himself up to block one of the most powerful players in the game.
Kai Forms The Alliance
By being voted as an Influencer in the first two rankings, Kai positioned her as the strongest player in the game early on. This gave her the clout to pick anyone she wanted to be on her team. Kai used to influence to carefully assemble her alliance, including strong players such as Ruksana and Calvin.
While Kai was never voted as an Influencer again, she was able to rely on the strength of alliance to make her untouchable and carry her into the finale. She did not waste her early success and strategically parlayed her cachet into security for the rest of the game.