[tense music playing]
[Michelle] With influencers Frank and Yu Ling about to decide who to block,
Carol is on her way to meet Eversen, where they will both await their fate.
[music fades out]
[laughs]
[John] No way!
-Carol! -Eversen!
-What's up, man? -What's up, bro?
I definitely thought you were a 63-year-old lady.
-Did you really? [laughs] -Oh my God, bro!
I'm telling you, man. You completely had me.
Like, I had no doubt about it.
I was like, "Yo. This is a old lady. She got the same shirt as my mom."
-[John laughs] -Oh God!
I feel like I'm so full of shit, my eyes are brown.
-So who are you? -So I'm John.
-John! -I'm John.
-Nice to meet you, John. -Pleasure, sir.
Uh, I'm Carol's son. I'm 24.
-Okay. -And I run social media for a living.
-Wow. Oh. -It's been weird. I can't lie, like…
I promise you everything that I say and stuff is me.
But it's just like, I knew as, like, a 24-year-old,
like, nobody would believe me to be like that.
-So my mom was, like, the person. -Yeah. Yeah.
Carol is my mom. Like, she is the best lady in the world.
I will tell you, though,
probably the funniest conversation I had to have.
Alyssa and I had a one-on-one, like, just to chat,
and, uh, she had mentioned that she was a sex therapist's assistant.
Right.
Comes up that, like, you know,
I had mentioned something about spicing up my marriage.
[laughing loudly]
Please don't tell me she had to talk to you
about your mom and daddy doing the nasty.
Oh, did I!
[both laughing]
I felt a real connection to your words, and your words are what mattered the most.
They're from you. Those are John's words with Carol's face.
I appreciate that, man. Thank you, man.
I'm bummed that one of us isn't gonna be here.
I wanted to keep that going. Like, I…
So looking at the game now, like, who do you think is who they say they are?
-Are you skeptical of anyone? -I don't know, man.
Like, I… I had my chips on you.
I think Yu Ling is herself, but I feel like she is, like, gaming.
Oh yeah.
[John] It still rubs me the wrong way how, like, Yu Ling did Alyssa dirty, to me.
You know, they'd been friends, and, like, it really bugged me, like…
And I kinda brought it up the next day when everybody was like…
when Yu Ling was like,
"Oh, I wanted to save Alyssa." It's like, "You could've."
That's what I said!
I said… I said… I said, "Why would you say you wanted to, and you could've?"
I know! Thing was, we were on good terms until she wronged Alyssa.
Then I think she knew what she did.
Like, we weren't gonna be on great terms after that anyway.
I love the game that I'm playing.
I'm having a lot of fun, but also, like, I wanna win.
Like, I want to have that chance, and…
If Frank and Yu Ling give me the chance…
-I'm gonna fight, dude. -Yeah.
Like, this game ain't about rolling over and playing nice.
Like, you gotta fight, and get to the top, and, like, game. So I'm ready to do it.
I want Frank and Yu Ling to save me.
I want Frank to save me for nothing else other than the fact I just saved him.
Like, he owes me. Like, a debt needs to be paid.
[tense music playing]
[Michelle] With our catfish and captain nervously waiting,
it's time for Yu Ling and Frank to decide
which one of them to throw a lifeline to,
and which one to send on a one-way cruise out of here.
Child, how the hell we supposed to do this?
Message, "Frank! What the hell is going on?"
"I am so happy to be in this position with you."
[Frank] "We have an extremely tough decision
to make tonight" with a crying emoji.
"Shall we get started?"
Child, it seems like we gotta get it cranking, girl.
Message, "I think we should start with Carol."
"She has been an excellent player, has been here since the beginning,
and her plea of survival really tugged at my heart."
"She was open in saying she has made some mistakes in this game,
and I appreciate that."
"However, I'm still not quite sure how much I trust her
at this stage in the game, which makes me hesitant."
"What do you think?"
Frank is reading my mind exactly.
Carol is part of the reason that I was saved in the first blocking.
Simultaneously, her plea really pulled at my heartstrings.
The only thing is
she did lie to me.
She's made some mistakes,
but she also admitted that she has made those mistakes,
and I appreciate her vulnerability in doing that.
Everybody deserves a second chance.
Message, "I really thought I had made my mind up about Carol,
but that plea was damn good."
"While I feel like, if we saved her, she would be loyal to us,
I think some of our strongest connections could be confused."
"I'm also hesitant, and she has been rated eighth."
I agree that the ratings show
that Carol is not the player that she used to be.
Message, "There are definitely pros and cons
to keeping Carol in this game."
"If she stays, I feel like her loyalty to us will be there,
and those she's connected to will potentially be loyal to us as well."
"However, how sure are we that we can trust those connections
at such a pivotal point in the game?"
If we decided to keep Carol,
I know that would reinforce my trust with Bru.
Message, "What are your thoughts on Eversen?" Send.
I can't forget about how he made sure that I was saved.
So a part of me feels like I owe him this.
Message, "Eversen has really been a ray of sunshine
since he has been in this game."
"Not only has he been a positive light,
but with him giving me the antivirus first and saving me,
I was able to make sure you were safe."
"Also, he rated very highly,
which means he is well-liked amongst the other players."
"What do you think?"
Frank is completely correct about that.
I mean, we will not forget the fact that Eversen and Imani saved Frank,
and Frank chose me as his number one.
Message, "While I haven't had a chance to personally connect with Eversen,
I do feel loyal to him because he did give you the antivirus."
"The only hesitance I have is I'm unsure of where he stands with me,
or if his loyalty could change as he is a newer player."
That is very true. His loyalty could change.
He's very early in the game.
So he could flip.
"Frank. I absolutely agree with every single thing you said."
"This is a tough decision,
and one that poses major risk regardless of what we decide."
I think we both know that, regardless of the choice,
there will be repercussions.
Do we keep a powerful player in the game that we don't know if we can trust,
or do we go with the… the newbie?
[suspenseful music playing]
I think Frank and I are definitely on the same page.
As you go in the game,
it gets harder and harder to see people get blocked, and…
Somebody has to make the decision, though.
[atmospheric music playing]
[alarm blares]
-[Eversen] Finally! Come on! -[John] Let's go!
-[Rachel] Oh my God! What? -[Bru] Oh! "Alert!"
Oh, nuts.
"Frank and Yu Ling have made their decision."
Yeah.
Child. And the decision was a long one.
Both gave great pitches to stay,
but one must be blocked.
Everybody strap in.
Oh boy, I've said my prayers.
All right, man. This is it.
[both] "The player blocked from The Circle is…"
Child, hold onto your wig, honey!
[suspenseful music playing]
God, this is dramatic.
Come on. Come on. I need Eversen to stay in the game.
[Bru] Oh.
Who is it?
[music intensifies, stops]
[sad music playing]
[John sighs]
-Yes! -Congratulations, man.
Thank you. Thank you.
No.
My sweet mother. My Circle mom.
She pleaded her best, but…
wasn't enough.
Oh!
Yes! Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
I feel like I've been campaigning against Carol
for the better half of my game,
and now that it's happened, it feels pretty terrible.
[calm music playing]
-John. Appreciate it, man. -Come here.
Listen, I'm gonna tell you my two cents of everything going on in this game.
And I appreciate that.
I rated you two. I had Bru at number one.
Uh. Bru, I know he rated low, but he has people's backs.
Like, if you get a good connection with Bru,
he will have your back.
That is an honest-to-God truth.
-Yu Ling is the person to watch out for. -Okay.
I do think, like…
Look, she's taken out Alyssa and me, and we were an alliance.
So obviously, the alliance thing doesn't matter much to her.
-So you gotta flip numbers. -Yeah.
[screen beeps]
[both] "Eversen, please make your way back to your apartment."
All right, man, listen…
-It's been a pleasure. -Pleasure's all mine.
-John, nice to meet you. -Nice to meet you too.
I want to lose to the winner. All right?
Hey, I'm winning. I'm taking it to the top.
All right, brother. You do it.
-Keep entertaining, all right? -I will.
-And keep smiling. -Yeah.
[music fades out]
[screen beeps]
Ah, It sucks to lose this late in the game.
[relaxed music playing]
I played the game how I wanted to. I played the game with integrity.
I left it all out there with that plea,
and I'm just bummed to be going home.
[Michelle] Catfish Momma Carol has finally been caught.
And after being in the net with her and coming so close to a blocking himself,
it's time for some quiet reflection, Eversen-style.
[door opening]
[shouting] Yes, baby! Yes!
Come on!
Circle, I'm still in the game!
Whoo, baby!
Yes!
Girl, what the hell, girl?
[sighs]
Oh my God.
[screams]
That was freaking wild!
Ugh. Breaks my heart to see her gone.
Momma Carol, you'll be sorely missed.
The rest of y'all, be ready tomorrow. It's game time.
[music stops]
[Michelle] Good morning.
["Witness (1 hope)" by Roots Manuva playing]
[Michelle] And with Momma Carol gone, we're down to our Magnificent Seven,
and it's just the youngsters in The Circle now.
Come on, you lazy kids, get up! Half the day is gone already!
-[Alex grunts] Good morning, Circle. -Good morning, Circle!
Oh, I'm so happy to still be here.
And looking at the screen, Carol is finally gone!
♪ Faced enough stress and difficulty ♪
♪ Flung back from the brink Gwan'ing kind of stink ♪
♪ We don't give a F About what them fools think ♪
♪ F your network Our net work will speak for itself ♪
♪ Proof of the trophy And the champion belt ♪
♪ Come sun, come rain Come hailstone pelt ♪
♪ Witness the fitness… ♪
It's almost impressive I'm still here. I'm losing all my alliances one by one.
We still survive.
-[music stops] -[screen chimes]
-"The Newsfeed has been updated." -"The Newsfeed has been updated," child!
Oh, sookie sookie now!
Circle, take me to the Newsfeed.
"Carol has left a message
for The Circle."
♪ Child… ♪
Okay. I need coffee for this.
Oh snap. This is what I've been waiting for.
Now is the time for the truth to be revealed.
Circle, please play Carol's message.
[spoon clanking]
Hey, guys. It's me, #MommaCarol.
Wow!
I know some of you had your suspicions, and you were right to,
because I'm her son, John.
I knew it, man.
I'mma be sick.
As John, I love heart-to-hearts, get-to-know-you conversations,
but for some reason, as a 24-year-old guy, it kind of comes across as disingenuous.
But what's more genuine than a mom?
First of all, bitch, his teeth are perfection.
I know I wasn't playing myself in The Circle,
but I feel like I've been more real than a lot of other people here.
If you think you made a genuine connection with somebody, [smacks lips]
I'd double check that
'cause they might be talking behind your back.
I'm thinking that… that's gotta be Yu Ling.
Yeah, that's true. You caught me.
Listen, I am bummed to be gone.
I loved getting to know each and every one of you guys in this game,
but Momma Carol's gotta go.
Wishing you all the best of luck. Kill it. Go get that money.
Could we just get a slow clap for John? I mean…
He played her really well.
Catfish to catfish, you played super well, John.
That dude looks like he'd be in a Queen cover band or something,
and here I am calling him Mom for the past two weeks or whatever.
Hopefully, this takes some heat off of people looking for catfish,
because I'm trying to stay hidden.
[giggles]
[all] Circle, take me to Circle Chat.
[Frank] I wanna say, "Good morning, Circle family."
"I told y'all bitches."
But I can't say that.
I think it's really important to let people know I had suspicions,
but regardless of all that,
I was still able to build a meaningful connection,
and one that I trusted more than any other one in here.
Message, "Y'all, I love how we all knew Momma Carol was a catfish,
but my God, I don't think any of us were expecting that."
"Our mom was a 24-year-old dude. What a great game played by John."
"No doubt he is a quality human, and his words were genuine while here."
"#DaddyCarol."
Interesting. So Bru's saying he knew she was a catfish,
which… I don't know about that one.
I don't know if people will call BS on me thinking that Momma Carol was a catfish.
I… I feel like it'd be tough to understand that my number one,
I could think, openly is a catfish, but that's how I felt.
I'm really shocked that Bru is saying that he had his suspicions,
but he saved her over saving Alyssa.
Message, "Wow! Fru Ling…"
"Fru Ling." [chuckles]
A combination of Frank and Yu Ling. That's funny.
[Trevor, laughing] "Thank you for not blocking me last night."
"I wish y'all could've been a fly on the wall to see my face
when I thought a sweet Momma Carol was gonna walk through those doors,
but instead I met with a Braveheart and Jon Snow's lovechild."
Message, "I was shook last night having to make a decision,
but I'm really shook right now after the video we've just watched."
"Yu Ling and I had a hard decision to make,
but we did what we thought was best for the group."
"Also, I cannot believe I've been calling John #MommaCarol."
Me too, Frank! Bruh. Come on.
Message, "Y'all! Surprised face emoji."
"I can't say that I'm surprised, but John seems like a really sweet dude."
"And to both of y'all, I'm sure that was tough,
but I'm so glad to be here with everybody today."
"Sunshine emoji. Heart emoji."
Rachel don't give a shit. She don't give a damn. [laughing]
Message, "Dot, dot, dot." All caps, "…We've been bamboozled!"
"I know we all had our suspicions, but that was still shocking."
"He's kind of cute, though. LMAO. #SorryNathan."
Oh. It's okay, Yu Ling. It's totally okay.
Yu Ling said, "#SorryNathan. He's kind of cute."
So I'm thinking that's maybe what Nathan is.
Maybe Yu Ling got Nathan wrapped around her little finger.
Message…
"Yu Ling, thank you so much for saving me last night."
"I'll forgive you for thinking John was a stud. LOL!"
Message, "I think an important thing I learned with #MommaCarol is that,
while definitely having suspicions of someone being a catfish…"
"…you can totally build a strong relationship
with the player behind the picture."
"I never doubted the connection I had with Momma Carol for a second,
and that's why I kept him/her around."
This is great news for Nathan.
If he's okay working with catfish, he's gonna love working with me.
I totally appreciate what Bru's trying to say with this,
but it feels like he's working overtime to make this point.
And, you know, if somebody is a catfish,
there is a layer of deception there, which takes me aback, at least.
And the Circle Chat is now closed, and Momma Carol's story ends there.
I think everybody's happy
because they feel like the right decision was made by sending home the catfish,
but there's still some in the water.
[Michelle] Meanwhile, after flirting with Imani, Eversen is, um…
[smacks tongue] You should just watch.
Have you ever heard your name whispered over a mountain?
Oh, you haven't?
[calm music playing]
[whispers] Imani.
[blowing]
[Michelle] And while that settles into your subconscious forever,
Bru is checking in with influencers Frank and Yu Ling.
[Yu Ling gasps]
-"Bru has invited you to a group chat"? -"Bru has invited you to a group chat."
I hope this is received well.
Yu Ling proved last night that I'm still… I'm still atop of her list. Thank God.
[exhales]
I know they're gonna be nice,
but I gotta really try to seal some kind of deal here.
Bru is definitely someone I consider a friend in this game.
I think it will be dope to have
as many OG players in the finale as possible,
so I'm looking forward to seeing what he has to say.
[Bru] Message, "What's up, peeps?"
"With no more Momma Carol, I'm taking over mom duties."
"Laughing emoji."
"How are you feeling? Question mark."
Message, "Well, since Momma Carol was really a man,
you will fit right in on taking those duties." And send.
[Bru] I think opening up is my best thing I can do here.
Message, "It's always tough seeing someone you're close with go."
"That's why I'm so glad that you two are still here."
"I feel blessed
to have had my deepest conversations with both of you."
"So it really is like you're my family in here."
"Family is so big to me, and I'm so close to my mom."
"That's why even though the #CatfishCarol vibes were obvious,
I still had such a strong draw to that mother-son connection
and also why I feel the closest to you two."
"#CircleFam." [gasps]
Aw! Baby Bru! That is amazing.
I could see where Yu Ling and Frank would be like,
"Oh, wow. Bru just lost his number one connection."
"He's trying to hop on board with the two influencers."
But I really hope they see these words as genuine 'cause they really are.
I feel like he had his hesitations with Carol,
but he kind of put it to the back of his head
in an effort to have a strong bond.
So I get that.
Message, "I absolutely feel where you are coming from, Bru."
"My mom and I were very close while she was still here with me,
and I miss her daily."
That must be really hard, just, like, losing your mom.
I would literally be a hot mess.
Message, "Family as well as chosen family is super important to me."
"In my past, my blood family may not have always understood
who I am as a person."
"That's why my chosen family is such a huge part of my identity."
"I feel that bond with you both, heavy." Send.
I agree with all of that 10,000%.
It's not about who you grew up loving. It's not about who birthed you.
You can choose your family.
You can choose to be around people that lift you up and make you better.
Oh my gosh.
Yu Ling, that just gave me goosebumps. Like, literal… [exhales]
That's what I'm talking about, guys! That's the good stuff!
Message, "This game is tough,
and it doesn't seem to be getting any easier."
"It's moments like these that are meant to make us stronger together,
not just in this game, but in real life."
"I love this moment we're having,
but I have no damn tissue to wipe these tears." [laughs]
"Crying laughing emoji. #RoughAssPaperTowels."
Oh sheesh. Now I'm gonna start tearin' up here.
Obviously, we're in a game.
Obviously, it's been all jokes, and there has been tons of drama,
but there are people behind these screens, and they're each going through something.
You just never know what it is.
Message, "Y'all ready for a big old cuddle puddle or what?"
"Cryin' laughing emoji."
"I really appreciate you both, and this chat has been everything."
"I can already see our #ChosenFamily giggling and cracking jokes
after this whole thing is done."
"Red heart. #FranBruLing! [laughs] #ThatsOurCelebrityName."
I like that, FranBruLing, girl. It sounds like a fine cuisine, honey.
It's giving, like, crème brû… crème brûlée.
Is that how you say it? Crème brûlée?
I started this chat
to kind of strengthen the alliance I thought I had with Frank and Yu Ling.
We're family now.
Couldn't have gone better.
[music fading out]
[Michelle] You guys, remember when Eversen
talked to a picture of Imani over his bicep,
and y'all thought that was weird? [laughs]
Take it away, Rachel.
Hey, girl, how you doing?
[playing accordion]
Feeling pretty good after yesterday?
-[accordion sounding] -[laughing]
[screen chimes]
"Portrait Mode." Ha!
What is this? What's Portrait Mode?
Oh! Do we have to draw something?
Girl, I can't paint to save my life. I'm a… I'm a vocalist, honey.
"It's time to test your artistic abilities…"
"…in a game of Portrait Mode."
I have a good feeling about this.
[groans] I'm not very artsy.
"You will have 30 minutes to paint a portrait of another player…"
"…as chosen by The Circle."
Thirty minutes ain't a lot of time to paint a portrait, honey.
"Your portraits will remain anonymous."
Once people are in anonymous mode, they get all the courage in the world.
This could be very, very messy.
[Michelle] We've sent our little Circle Picassos
all they need to bring their artistic visions to life.
[Rachel] I'm loving this.
I need candles. I need dim lights, some, like, light jazz.
[Alex] Yeah-ha! Now we are a real artist.
[Michelle] Not till you have your muse, Nathan,
and The Circle has kindly picked who's painting who.
[all] "Your time starts now!"
What am I doing? What am I doing?
[Michelle] Yu Ling will be painting Bru.
It's gonna be fun and bright but also extremely sweet.
[Michelle] Bru will be painting Rachel.
This is gonna be so good they'll think it's a girl.
No way a guy will be this good.
[Michelle] Rachel will tackle Imani.
This is gonna be accidentally very shady.
[Michelle] Imani will paint Nathan.
I don't think Nathan's gonna like his painting very much.
[Michelle] Nathan will bring Frank to life.
Anything I can do to malign his character will be helpful moving forward.
[Michelle] Frank, in turn, will paint Eversen.
I don't know if this is giving a boat or a fruit bowl from the kitchen, child.
[Michelle] And Eversen will paint Yu Ling.
[Eversen] She's really eating The Circle up.
That's her eating up that energy right there.
For my piece, I'm channeling my inner da Vinci.
-Picasso. -Michelangelo.
All right, we need these, like, freaking details.
I could do this S for snake in green.
[Bru] This might be the first spicy thing I do here.
I could put "#GamePlayer."
If I can call Frank a snake and get away scot-free, that's the dream.
Okay. I'm done.
[all] "Time's up!"
Oh. You know what? I'm proud of that.
I feel like a child could have did better.
[Michelle] The players are now anonymously uploading their masterpieces
to the Circle Gallery, where they will be seen by everyone else.
If this helps even a little bit, that'll be good for me.
"You should now go…"
"…to the Circle Gallery…"
"…to check out your works of art."
Okay, I am excited!
[Michelle] Not as much as me, Nathan.
First on display is Frankie Warhol's framed tribute to Eversen.
"Welcome to the Circle Cruise!" Look at that.
Now it look a little better on the TV than it do in my living room.
He's as big as the boat 'cause he's a bigger-than-life guy.
This makes me feel good. It makes me feel warm on the inside.
I went nice because I'm nice. Positive vibes only from over here.
It's pretty safe.
[Michelle] Next up is Yu Ling's tribute to Bru.
Wow! What does it say? "Strawberry Bru?"
"Strawberry Brubarb." Done.
That is so good. Oh, that's gotta be Yu Ling.
"A real softy. Super sweet and cool."
[loudly] Why's everybody kissing each other's ass all the time?
I need folks to rate him highly because I know that he's gonna be loyal.
[Michelle] Now it's Rachel's interpretation of Imani.
Oh. Oh! Okay. "Hot mama."
She looks like a… like a sexy Terminator.
"Hot mama!"
As far as my game's concerned, I'm not gonna be mad.
She is fine as hell. Look at them titties.
I was just trying to make Imani feel good.
I don't understand the logic
in not using anonymous mode to try to attack someone.
[Michelle] Next is Brucasso's attempt at Rachel.
[laughing]
I look like a gremlin.
It's mine.
[both] "Spillin' the tea!"
This don't look that positive.
Rachel is always spilling the tea.
Does that mean she has a problem keeping her mouth shut?
I kind of feel like this is Bru.
Maybe it makes people think differently. If so, great.
This comes across as a bit of shade.
If they're spreading all of your secrets around The Circle,
maybe they're not a good alliance member.
I'd love to move up the ratings. Maybe this shakes some trust in her.
That doesn't seem like a Bru thing to do 'cause Bru is so nice.
It's not the worst thing in the world.
[Michelle] Up next, our very own I-Monet, who painted Nathan.
[laughing]
Yes. Yes!
Oh shit. "Am I 22 or 45?"
If I've been flirting with a 45-year-old man,
and I said, "You can take whatever you want off…"
It's funny, 'cause I am a 45-year-old man at heart.
Ew! [gags]
I hope they get that I'm trying to suggest Nathan is not 22.
[Michelle] Yeah, honey. It's not exactly The Da Vinci Code.
What does that say about you?
What does that say about your game playing?
Kinda shitty.
But I kinda see it.
Am I getting taken for a ride with every person I am close with?
[laughs] Carol and now Nathan?
Oh my God. Has this person literally been in my apartment?
They got the shirt almost exactly right.
I'm just trying to plant a seed of doubt,
and then let people's minds play their own tricks on them.
That's all I wanna do.
This is getting vicious.
I'm glad that these are getting meaner, though.
This is what I need before mine gets revealed. [chuckles]
[Michelle] So glad we can help you out, Nathan,
'cause here comes your portrait of Frank.
[sighs]
[Yu Ling gasps]
"Backstabber"?
[Trevor] Wow!
"Portrait of Frank."
We're close to the end here. I gotta take every shot possible.
"Nicest snake in town? Question mark."
Oh, I did not realize it was gonna get this dirty.
It is so funny
that people don't have anything negative to say to me in the game,
but they always take these anonymous opportunities
to throw shots.
"Mr. Popular or Mr. Shady" and a snake in the middle?
Somebody came for Frank.
I wouldn't know of anyone that would wanna do that.
I'm hoping that Frank thinks that Bru did this.
It wasn't me, Frank. Please don't think it's me.
I… I worked so hard to build that relationship.
And if Frank is still in power, then he will want to block Bru.
What you put out, baby, will always come back.
Clearly, somebody is threatened, and this close to the finals,
they probably wanna take him down a few notches.
It's all about ratings, and it's all about that $150,000.
[Michelle] Finally, it's happy-go-lucky Eversen's portrait
of Yu Ling.
[Yu Ling] Oh Lord!
This is my portrait.
I did this.
[vocalizes]
Wow!
[laughing]
This is the stuff of nightmares.
This is, like, evil. This is bad energy.
This is not nice at all. This is, like, so mean.
I'm happy with this. I wasn't the only mean portrait.
I'm tired of the fake #CircleFamily shit, and then y'all go and do shit like this.
This is just a strategic move.
After receiving the information from John last night,
I need to create a sense of doubt about our influencer.
I need to create a sense of, "Will she save you?"
I need them to ask the questions.
That is 100% a game move. High-end savagery.
"Game player. I fake flirt." Like, girl, shut the fuck up.
Since when do my teeth look like that?
First Frank, and now Yu Ling. Like, that's heavy, man.
Maybe people are starting to see Yu Ling and Frank as threats,
and they're like, "We gotta do something."
Man, I hope Yu Ling doesn't think that I did this.
"Fake flirt alert"?
Maybe this is Nathan.
I wanted things to get spicy.
I just didn't expect it to have so much backlash on my game.
That went downhill fast, like,
that went zero to savage in 0.2 seconds.
There's at least one, maybe two people
who probably think that Nathan made Yu Ling's painting.
I gotta think about what my plan is moving forward.
Definitely, my thoughts on the players have changed.
I'm questioning if Nathan is 22 or 45.
I'm definitely a lot more wary than I was before.
It's clear to me that some people are here to play a very strategic, tactical game.
I cannot trust people right here.
I cannot trust anybody except for Frank.
The top three players had the worst pictures.
People are… people want that money.
People want that money, and I want it too,
but I'm gonna tell you something, I'm gonna do it my way.
[Michelle] Whew. I think y'all agree that was probably
the most single significant artistic event
since 2 Fast 2 Furious.
And as night falls, Bru is keeping the highbrow entertainment going.
Yeah! Triple-decker!
[Michelle] Bru might be pumped,
but Everson is, as usual, composure personified
as he completes a children's puzzle.
[shouting] Yes!
I've done it! I am the king of jigsaw.
As I have completed this jigsaw, I will complete The Circle. For the win!
[Michelle] And if all great art should challenge perceptions,
then the portrait game certainly did that for Rachel.
The people I trust most right now are Frank, Yu Ling, Nathan, and Imani.
But after seeing Yu Ling's picture, my head is just… I'm just reeling.
Like, I don't know what to think.
I know Imani is new, and we have barely spoken,
but every time we have, it's just been really good energy.
[screen chimes]
"Rachel has invited you to a private chat."
Hmm. Okay. I wonder if this has something to do
with any of the portraits in Portrait Mode.
I just wonder what Rachel's angle is here.
Message, "Girl! Shocked emoji."
"That game was brutal."
"I gotta say I'm pretty shocked by some of those paintings,
and I was dying to chat to you about it."
"Honestly, my head is spinning. Mind-blown emoji."
Message, "LOL. It's crazy how things get when people get to be anonymous."
"I was thinking it was just gonna be a fun thing to do,
but that game went from zero to a hundred real quick."
"#Savage. #ClawsWereOut."
I really feel like we have a good, honest relationship.
I feel like she appreciates my honesty.
Message, "Yeah, tonight messed my mind up a little bit."
"I tend to play with my heart and my gut,
so I don't want something as trivial as a painting
to sway my loyalty,
but I'd be lying if I said Yu Ling's painting didn't scare me a bit."
"I just can't believe somebody felt that strongly about her."
"That painting was rough."
That Portrait Mode game really made a dent
in some relationships, it seems.
Wow, yo, like… Playing savage. Spread some doubt.
I definitely am more unsure about who I can trust here,
but I just see Imani for who she is, and she is a truly good person.
Message, "Gotta be honest,
Yu Ling saving Bru first last night was a surprise."
"I had no idea they had such a close relationship,
but she's never given me a reason to doubt her." Send.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. It really sounds like Rachel is starting to get afraid
that, if push came to shove,
she's not sure if Yu Ling would have her back.
I just realized there's a lot about her I don't know,
especially the fact that she has such a close friendship with Bru.
All right, message,
"The fact that it's a surprise to you is a surprise to me."
"I was hoping Yu Ling would save me,
but I know people have had more time to make stronger relationships."
"But I'm not gonna lie,
somebody really came for her with that painting,
which is crazy because I haven't seen that side of her so far."
[grunts]
I haven't seen that side of her either,
but obviously, somebody feels like she's got a, you know, hold on The Circle.
Message, "I understand you, babe. It's definitely a lot to digest."
"At this point in the game, my head is spinning as much as yours."
"#IGotYou."
"You and I are cut from the same cloth. #LoyaltyIsEverything."
"I never said it to you, but I always consider you my #A1DayOne
because I've always respected how real you are."
Aw, that made me feel so good.
This is what I needed.
You know, if she doubts Bru and Yu Ling's relationship,
especially going into the next blocking,
maybe that will help put Imani in a better place in Rachel's eyes.
Message, "It's so comforting to know we are on the same page."
"I really needed this grounding tonight,
and I'm so thankful I can find that in you."
"Heart emoji. #IGotYou." Send.
Aw!
Even if it's BS, that was beautiful.
[Rachel] I do feel like I can trust Imani. I really, really, really do.
And it does make me feel we have such a strong bond here.
I don't just want her here. I feel like I need her here.
[chill music playing]
[Michelle] All TV detectives need a hook.
Magnum PI had a 'stache. Sherlock Holmes had a pipe.
Now for Nathan, it's novelty socks and a big ol' ball of wool.
And then I need one from Imani to Frank as well.
Poor Eversen, I don't know what relationships you have at the moment.
[Michelle] I ain't a detective like you, Nathan,
but I got a hunch Bru might be involved.
[screen chimes]
"Bru has invited you to a group chat."
It's about time, Bru Bru!
I've been trying to find the right way to kinda connect with Eversen and Imani,
and I think I got a fun idea to do that.
Even this late in the game, I think it'll do some good,
especially after that intense Portrait Mode game earlier.
I really do wonder
what Bru could possibly want with this group chat.
All right, message, "What's up, guys?"
"After that wild Portrait Mode game,
I think we could use some lighthearted fun…"
"…if you guys are down for a game? Question mark. Two Truths and a Lie."
This could be a really good way to find out some info about Bru.
Message, "I'm always down for a bit of fun. #GameOn." Send.
Message, "Hey, Bru. I like this idea."
"#LetTheGamesBegin."
All right. I'm gonna start things off. So I would like to, uh, message,
"Here's my two truths and a lie."
"One, I was a state champion chess player."
"Two, I have a 17-year-old wiener dog."
"Three, Lizzo asked me out on a date."
"Which is a lie?"
I'm thinking number two is the lie.
His picture with the dog isn't a wiener dog.
Lizzo asked you out on a date? Bro, she shot her shot at Captain America.
I don't know if she asked you out on a date.
Message, "I'm saying two is the lie."
Message, "As much as I believe all three, LOL…"
"…I'm going to say number three is a lie." Whoo!
All right, message,
"Shout out to my sweet, 17-year-old wiener dog named Oscar."
"Lizzo did indeed shoot her shot."
Could've fooled me, man. Could've fooled me. That was a good one.
He probably did a radio interview with Lizzo,
and she probably jokingly asked him out on a date.
All right, Lizzo. Radio interview. We're talking. We're vibing.
She's like, "Oh, I love my white boy from Detroit."
And I was like, "Oh!" And she shot her shot.
It was incredible, and I still haven't recovered.
[Trevor] Message, "Here are my two truths and a lie."
"One, I have a fear of clowns. Two, I have a Circle crush."
"Three, I'm a mom."
This Circle crush…
I feel like she trying to say that she crushing on me.
She still flirting, and I like it.
"I have a Circle crush."
Am I in a chat with a love story right now?
Um, message, "I'm gonna go with number three as the lie,
and hope number two is about me. [laughs] Crying laughing emojis. #JK." Send.
Look at Bru over here trying to shoot his shot at Imani.
You better be careful 'cause my crush is actually in here.
No stepping on toes, brother.
Okay, message, "I'm gonna go with number one."
"Clowns should have a fear of you
since you're the only one who can fit in their cars."
[laughs] You know what, Eversen?
That's a good one.
I think she's gonna laugh.
I know she think it's cute, her little pocket-sized self.
Guys, I'm a matchmaker. They are vibing with each other.
[chuckles] All right, message,
"And the lie was… Dot, dot, dot. I'm a mom!"
"My fear of clowns is no joke,
and after that comment, not sure if I still have a Circle crush."
"#JustKidding." [laughing]
I knew you wasn't a momma, girl.
Whoo! Eversen and Imani have something.
Message, "Okay, my turn."
"Number one, I know the entire 'Single Ladies' Beyoncé dance."
"Two, I used to weigh 375 pounds."
[Bru] "Three, I once had to steer the cruise ship
for 20 minutes."
Three almost seems too easy.
"Bru. I'm dying to know the answer."
"I'm gonna go with number three as the lie."
Message, "My money is on number three being a lie."
"If you're lying about number one, I think I'll be devastated."
"#LoveMeSomeBey."
Message, "Number three was the lie."
Message, "Eversen, that's wild that number two is true."
"Congrats, my man."
Message, "Bru, I was thinking the same thing! Exclamation point."
"It's amazing to hear about your weight loss."
"I know that's a huge accomplishment."
"#MommasProudOfYou. Smiley face with the wink."
Okay. Okay, Imani. I see what you're doing.
Message, "Oh, is Momma Imani proud? Question mark."
"Thought you said you weren't a mom. You trying to be one?"
Eversen is bad. [laughing]
You trying to be a mom?
Oh my God. I'll see myself out.
I'm no easy chick. You gotta work for this.
I love flirting with Imani. I think we having a lot of fun.
Every time she get on screen with E, she is smiling.
They couldn't care less if I was in this chat.
They could not care less if I was thrown off a cliff right now.
You guys ain't getting anything from me, except space.
[Michelle] While Bru considers his position in that chat,
Nathan is considering his position in the whole Circle
'cause after coming second to last in the ratings,
he's thinking about changing his tactics.
Really seems like the three most popular people
are Yu Ling, Rachel, and Frank.
I am closer with Bru,
but according to the ratings,
Bru doesn't hold any power, and Frank does.
So I might have to ditch Team Bru and join Team Frank.
There's no moral compass. Whatever it takes, I gotta do it.
[Michelle] Do what you gotta do, homey
Just maybe don't tell Frank you drew him as a literal snake.
Circle, open a private chat with Frank.
[screen chimes]
"Nathan has invited you to a private chat."
I haven't had a chat with Nathan so far, and I think he's a cool guy,
so I am definitely open
to having a conversation with Mr. Nathan, honey.
Message, "Yo, Frank, we haven't chatted in a long time,
but after the brutal game today, I just wanted to check in."
"I really didn't think I would care about it,
but I was pretty bummed after I saw the portrait of me,
and thought you might be feeling the same."
"How ya feeling, man? #WheresTheTequila?"
Child, baby, where is the tequila, honey? 'Cause I need me a good old glass.
Message, "Nathan, the game today was a #HotAssMess."
"I try not to let those anonymous games get the best of me."
"Don't let that shit get you down." Okay.
Okay, this is good. This is good. He's got a positive attitude about it.
Even though I'm the one who sent the shady portrait to Frank,
I'm hoping that I can sort of make it look like it was someone else,
and hoping that he appreciates me checking in on him.
Message, "It seemed like they were calling me an old man,
but it just kind of sucked thinking
someone was trying to throw me under the bus. Frowny emoji."
"I seriously love your positive vibes about everything,
and I hope they can rub off on me." Send.
I mean, if he's a catfish, child, he's been doing a good job
because I wouldn't have thunk it, I swear.
Message, "#ImConfused."
"I feel like you have been yourself the whole time you've been here."
And send.
It sounds like he totally believes
that I'm being genuine, and that I am Nathan.
From here I think I can mention
that I'm bummed we haven't been talking as much,
and I can blame it on Bru.
Message, "Damn, dude. I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that."
"I started getting really paranoid that everyone thought I was a catfish."
"Thank you for the support, even though we haven't chatted in a minute."
"If I'm honest, I've kind of been avoiding you."
[shouting] What in the hell? What for?
This is the start to the change in Nathan's game.
I just need to drop the bomb on him.
Why are the girls avoiding me?
Why y'all being weird to me?
I'll let you know what Bru's been saying about you behind your back.
Message, "I feel like I kind of owe you an apology and an explanation."
"Bru told me early on you were someone to watch out for,
'cause you, him, and Paul had a group chat
where you said you'd have each other's backs…"
"…and then you ended up blocking Paul."
Girl, shut the fuck up. Uh-uh. Uh-uh.
[sighs]
All right. Message, "Bru said he questioned you and your priorities."
"I feel like I let him sway me too much, and I'm sorry I misjudged you. #IFeelBad."
Send.
Sorry, Bruster. The chicken has left the coop.
You have been thrown under the bus.
I don't like people lying on me. I don't care if it's a game or not.
Don't lie on me. That's not cool.
Message, "Wow! My jaw is literally under the carpet right now."
"I'm really shocked that Bru would tell you that,
but I hope that Bru also told you
that it was literally the second day here, and none of us knew each other."
[Alex] He's explaining himself.
I love this.
This means he wants Nathan to see,
"Hey, Bru's not telling you the full story here."
I'm feeling good.
So if Bru has felt that way, Bru probably drew the snake photo.
I'm glad to know that's what kind of hand Bru is playing.
[exhales] Here we go. Message, "Bru didn't mention any of that to me."
"I feel terrible I've been holding on to that impression of you
without hearing your side of the story."
"I didn't know what to believe,
so I needed to figure it out for myself." Send.
Well, child, I am glad you did,
and of course Bru didn't mention any of that to you, honey.
Baby, the kids have been dragging my name through the mud.
Even though I am hardcore trashing Bru right now,
Bru did say these things about Frank.
Message, "That's actually really disheartening to hear
because I really genuinely liked Bru."
"I'm really glad you reached out and wanted to figure it out for yourself."
"I respect that so much."
Okay. Okay.
As much as I would love for Frank to get blocked,
I don't see that happening.
And so hopefully, this will divide him and Bru.
That, tonight, has definitely raised some red flags for me.
I definitely look at Bru and Nathan in a different way.
I'm super grateful
that Nathan felt comfortable enough to share that information with me.
The gossip and the lies that have been spread, it's crazy,
because they called me the snake when they the one doing the slithering. Mm.
Bru is a cool dude,
but I have no problem stepping on anyone to get further in this game,
and right now, I see Frank
as being able to help me a lot more than Bru can.
[theme music playing]