Netflix's reality show "The Circle" is known for its twists and turns. Seasons 1 and 2 of the hit social media contest were full of surprises, taking down the most popular players and elevating the dark horse to the finale. (Open in new tab) And now, the Netflix gods have delivered their biggest shock yet: season three of The Circle will launch just months after the release of its second season. (Open in new tab)

For those unfamiliar with the game, The Circle takes average social media users and sequesters them in apartments for a popularity contest. Players never meet in person and communicate only through a unique social media platform called The Circle. After several days (or hours) of networking and gaming, players must rank each other from most popular to least popular, and one is removed from the game. The last contestant standing, whether real or catfish, wins $100,000.

Circle Season 3 will premiere on September 8, approximately five months after Season 2 premiered in April. The show's new season will maintain the same four-part schedule, with a new episode released every Wednesday until the finale on September 29.

The news that "The Circle" will air two seasons in one year comes as a pleasant shock to fans and demonstrates Netflix's dedication to the hit reality show; Netflix also announced renewals for seasons 4 and 5 earlier this month (opens in new tab ). The string of good news for the U.S. version of Circle may signal good news for international versions of the show, such as the U.K. version (opens in new tab), which was canceled by Channel 4 (opens in new tab) earlier this year. whether Netflix will pick up the show remains to be seen, but the U.S. version s popularity makes it a distinct possibility.

Netflix has released a fascinating first look at Season 3 of The Circle. One of the contestants proudly proclaims, "I would even lie to the Pope to win this game." The trailer also teases several new twists this season, from clone contestants to "burner profiles" and new rules about direct blocks that are sure to start some major drama.

On September 1, Netflix introduced the nine new people joining the chat this season. The social media-savvy group includes a pair of sisters who play together (Ava and Chanel from Los Angeles), 52-year-old Michelle from South Carolina, 30-year-old Calvin from Miami, and 35-year-old Luxana from New Jersey. But as fans know, The Circle constantly changes contestants, so don't be surprised if this cast grows quickly.

The quick return to Season 3 is thanks to an expanded production schedule during the pandemic; according to Distractify (opens in new tab), Seasons 2 and 3 of The Circle will be filmed simultaneously in the show's iconic apartment in Salford, a suburb of Manchester, England (opens in new tab), which was filmed simultaneously.

Season 3 contestants presumably followed the same confinement protocol as season 2 contestants, with the cast landing in Manchester and being quarantined for at least two weeks prior to filming. Production reportedly ended in November 2020, meaning that the Season 3 contestants had to wait nearly a year for their episodes to air (like the script for Love is Blind (open in new tab)).

While The Circle's basic setup (real people vs. catfish, random games, no contact outside of social media apps) will remain the same, the specifics of the competition will not. The show knows how to confuse us by changing the schedule of when players will be eliminated, how many will be eliminated at a time, and who will be in power during the elimination to keep players and viewers on their toes.

Last year, the competition changed dramatically with the introduction of the "joker," a secret role that gives one player secret information and the ability to speak anonymously with other players. This new power was strong enough to ensure Courtney's entry into the finals - with the help of his own gossip skills, of course. Whether the Joker will be back or whether there will be a new power-up remains to be seen, but that is one of the reasons that make "The Circle" a must-see competition.