'The Circle' Season 2 Was Filmed During the Pandemic, So Why Is COVID-19 Never Mentioned?

While many people have spent their quarantine time by mindlessly scrolling on the internet, or by making their lives seem exciting on social media, the contestants on Season 2 of The Circle are doing so with a purpose: to win $100,000.

The hit Netflix reality competition is truly unlike any other. The contestants interact with one another online, and they can pretend to be anyone they want. 

The lies are more elaborate on Season 2 — one woman is pretending to be NSYNC star Lance Bass, and another is impersonating her husband — and the players all have larger-than-life personalities. 

Since the stars are all kept in isolation for the majority of the show, some fans have been wondering if The Circle Season 2 was filmed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns began in the spring of 2020, production was halted on both scripted and reality shows. As it became evident that the virus was going to be around for quite some time, film crews began to figure out ways to safely return to creating content for viewers who were stuck at home.

On many of the shows that have returned, whether they are scripted or not, COVID-19 and the effects of lockdown are often discussed. The castmates on reality TV shows in particular are often seen wearing masks.

The premise of The Circle made it ideal to film during the pandemic, as the cast is socially distanced for most of the time. Once the contestants safely traveled to Manchester, they were able to be separated from one another in their own individual apartments. 

Though Season 2 of The Circle was filmed during the pandemic, it is not mentioned at all in the first four episodes. Filming reportedly concluded on Seasons 2 and 3 of the show in November of 2020, so lockdowns were in full swing.

While a lot of viewers are thrilled that COVID-19 is not discussed because it makes the show a pure form of escapism, others have been thrown off that nobody has mentioned the global health crisis.

It remains to be seen if it will be a talking point on future episodes of the show, but it seems like the cast, crew, and host Michelle Buteau made a concerted effort to keep it off the screen. 

Though most of the cast members are American and stock photos of cities across the United States are often shown, The Circle is actually shot across the pond. 

The apartment building that all of the contestants live in by themselves is in Manchester, England. This explains why the wall outlets look quite different from ones in the States (and why they're not the same as the ones in mainland Europe).

Unlike most top picks on Netflix, the streaming service didn't release all of the Season 2 episodes of The Circle at once. Episodes 5 through 8 will come out on April 21, and another set will drop on April 28. The finale will be released on May 5.