03x02 - A New Twist

[bunniefuu]

[suspenseful music playing]

[Buteau] Ava,[/i]
played by Ava and her sister Chanel,[/i]

has just been blocked.

But before
she could pack her shiny suitcase,

The Circle threw her a lifeline.

"To remain in the game, you must commit
the ultimate act of identity theft."[/i]

[Ava] "You must clone
one of your fellow players."

We don't know anyone enough to clone them.

[Ava] "The other players will have no idea

who is the original player
and who is the clone."

[Ava] Ah.

"Ava, you must pick one player to clone."

Oh, my God. They're gonna hate us.

[Ava] Can we be Kai?

Maybe she's not coming to see me,
and maybe I just dodged a b*llet.

Okay.

Got off easy.

-[Ava] I mean, Calvin the chef...
-[Chanel] No, we can't do Calvin the chef.

They ask cooking questions,

I don't have Mommy on speed dial,
and you can't boil water.

-I know.
-We can't do Calvin.

[Ava] Ashley was just too sweet and nice.

It's safest to catfish someone
that hasn't made a connection.

So whoever was at the bottom,
you know, was in seventh and eighth place.

So we have either Michelle, Nick,
or Ruksana to pick from.

-I was thinking Nick.
-You were thinking Nick?

I was hoping, against all expectations,
that you were gonna come in here

and be the goddess
you portrayed yourself as.

[inhales deeply]

But it's starting to seem a lot more
and more like you were a catfish.

Look at that profile. I don't even know.

Is that a basketball game?
Is that a baseball game?

-I can't do that.
-[Ava] Okay.

[Chanel] We may
very well mess up with Nick.

Ruksana. I mean, I don't think I have
really anything much in common with her.

You might, but...

-[Chanel] I might, but I liked her.
-[Ava] Yeah.

[Chanel] Michelle, I feel like
people already think that she's a catfish.

Like,
there's already loopholes in Michelle.

-Do you know what I mean?
-Yeah.

It's kind of better to go
with somebody that is in doubt.

Do you think
that we could catfish as Michelle?

[Chanel] I think we could do it.

-I'll have Michelle making quilts.
-[Ava chuckles]

[Chanel] Okay, we can do Michelle.

-We're gonna do this.
-We are gonna do this.

We are gonna do this.

Circle, we are going back in,

and we are playing the real,
the most popular version of Michelle.

[Chanel] "Over the next 24 hours,

it's up to you to make yourself
the most popular with the other players."

Whatever you need us to do, Circle.
Let's do this.

[Buteau] First off,[/i]
I'd get those glittery booties in bed,[/i]

'cause you've got a big 24 hours
in front of you

in your mission to clone Michelle.

All right. Good night, Circle.

I'll see you in the morning.

[Buteau] Oh, yes, you will.[/i]

And tomorrow, we won't be
the only Michelles in here, honey.

Sleep tight.

["Take On Me" by A-Ha playing]

Good morning, Circle.

Oh, I'm still here. I'm so excited.

Another day,
another opportunity for glory.

Today will be an interesting day.
Now, there are seven.

[Buteau] Rule one in The Circle, Ruksana,[/i]
is the same as rule one on Instagram.[/i]

-Don't believe everything you see.
-[coughs][/i]

These eggs are looking fluffy.

♪ Talking away... ♪[/i]

It's crazy to me that,
when I look at this screen,

Ava is blocked.

I mean, it's getting real.
I mean, super real.

[Buteau] Yeah, it is.[/i]

Almost as real as real Michelle.

She has no idea she's about to be cloned
and is still enjoying some Circle bedtime.

Being, uh, eighth place
was a kick in the face.

It is so important
that I just keep being myself.

You guys are gonna like me
for who I am. I just know it.

What you see
is what you get, baby. [chuckles]

[Buteau] Unfortunately for you, Michelle,[/i]

the other players are not far away
from seeing an exact double of you.

Good morning, Ava.

[Buteau] 'Cause the most fluffy,[/i]
adorable catfish ever[/i]

is waking up to her first day
since wriggling off the hook.

-[Chanel] Oh my God. We're still here.
-I really think we've got this.

-You think so?
-Yeah. Absolutely. I mean...

-I can't believe we're catfishing.
-I know. We're actually...

But we are diving in.

[Ava] This is so cool.

For the next 24 hours, we are Michelle.

All right, let's see how good I really am.

Let's make it count. Come on. Whoo!

[Buteau] As we leave Ava and Chanel[/i]
prepping some clone ranger strategy,[/i]

Ashley, played by Matthew,
is about to discover a simple alternative

to using his own body
as a table extension.

Oh!

This comes out?

I didn't know this opened.

Where... Where's the other half of this?
Where does this go?

Is there... Is this, like...
Oh my... Look at that.

[Buteau] And what better inspiration[/i]
for cloning[/i]

than this fabulous framed Michelle photo,
courtesy of The Circle?

-Should we have her facing us?
-Yeah, definitely.

[Buteau] And because every secret[/i]
catfish clone starts their mission[/i]

by gathering intelligence on their target,

ladies, it's time to get your study on.

-I'm excited to just get to know her.
-Oh my God. Michelle.

Dive into her profile
and see what is going on.

[Chanel] Oh, yeah.

Circle, take us to Michelle's profile.

Okay. So, she's a wife, mother.

Oh God! She likes fishing.

[Buteau] Not good news for a catfish.[/i]

[Chanel] All right.
She enjoys outdoor life.

Well, that's you.

"...most important of all is spending time
with my family and friends."

I mean, we are all about family.

Any time family stuff comes up,
you let me roll with that.

My four kids, grown up.
They left the house.

Did you just say four kids?

Michelle got it on with her husband.

That's kind of like Mom.

Our mom has four kids.

-All grown up.
-Exactly.

-We totally can make this work.
-Totally.

[Chanel] All right, good. "I'm just a good
ole southern woman that loves to cook."

Okay, well, guess what, Michelle,

aside from Italian food,

it's southern food
that this one's mommy loves to cook.

Baby, it's all about fried chicken,
mac and cheese.

Mm-hmm.

-Yup, yup, yup.
-It's so good.

That is going down.

-Okay, look, this is early on.
-[Ava] Okay.

And as far as everyone's concerned,
she's the fake. She's the fraud.

We're the real Michelle.

-Hey, y'all.
-Hey, sugar.

I think I should call you sugar.

-I feel like I should do an accent.
-Oh my God.

I think it'll keep me, like, in the...

-What about "bless your heart"?
-Oh, bless your heart.

Amen.

[Chanel] Okay, Michelle...

[clicks tongue]
...we're about to make you so real.

-[sneezes] Bless me.
-Bless your heart.

-Bless your heart.
-Oh, bless your heart, sugar.

[Buteau] While Colonel Michelle Sanders[/i]
seasons her catfish recipe[/i]

with 11 lies and spices,

The Circle is about
to interrupt breakfast time

like a broken coffee machine.

-[chimes]
-[Ruksana] Whoa!

"The Newsfeed has been updated."

What you got for me today, Circle?

Hit me, baby.

All right, here we go.

Circle, take me to the Newsfeed.

[screams] Ah!

I'm hella excited, man.
I want to know what Ava said.

Ava, were you telling the truth?
Are you really a hottie?

I'm ready for the tea on this Newsfeed.

Oh my God! We really get to see

if Kai sent her home for no reason.

I felt like she was a catfish clearly.
But what if she's not a catfish?

Like... [gasps]

...oh, I would feel so bad.

Circle, please play Ava's video.

Here we go!

[Calvin laughing]

This is what I wanted to see.

Hi, guys, it's me Ava.

I am real.

Oh, Ava is real!

But I did have a little help
from my beautiful sister, Chanel.

What?

We decided to come to The Circle together
because we do everything together.

[Ava] The thing was we were not a catfish.[/i]

I was portraying myself
and being genuine the whole entire time.

I just had a little extra spice
on the side.

You were catfishin'.[/i]

A side dish.

-[Ava laughs][/i]
[Chanel] That's it. That's all.[/i]

Wow. Her and her sister.

The first impression that you got,
that was the wrong impression.

-So...
-And I'm the real deal.

-[Chanel][/i]Yeah.
-[Ava] And I'm here.[/i]

[Chanel] So you might wanna work[/i]
on your first-impression skills,[/i]

like, just a little bit.

Your sister could have been your downfall
because she's nyah-nyah in your ear.

We wish you guys best of luck.

You're gonna need it.

-Take care. Bye.
-Bye.

Oh-ho-ho!

My itty bitty gay heart.

I feel horrible.

[laughs] I honestly can't believe it.

How is she real? Ava, I'm sorry.

[Kai] I was right. I knew it.

Congratulations to me.

Your time in The Circle is done.

Not my type of people.

Who knows who else is living a lie?

In the name of Ava.

Here's to you, girl.

[Buteau] Don't pour out too much, homie.[/i]
She's still here.[/i]

And the big-cat-print vibe is spot on,

'cause she's about
to go full catfish clone.

[alarm blares]

-[Ava] "Alert."
-Another alert.

Oy, these alerts. These alerts!

"You have chosen to clone Michelle."

Yes. Yes, we have.

[Ava] "You will have
their identical profile,

but you will now be known
as Blue Michelle."

-I love blue.
-Yes, you do.

It's the color of our walls.

"Before you re-enter the game,

you will be able
to watch The Circle as a lurker."

-Oh, I love that!
-Oh my God. You get to stalk The Circle.

#LittleLurker

[Buteau] Now that they've been given[/i]
the title of Circle Lurkers,[/i]

it's time to give them
something to lurk on.

Message, "Hey, everybody,
I'm glad that you're all still here."

"Is anybody hungry for half a catfish?
'Cause I think we caught one."

Send.

[laughter]

That's funny, Kai.

Yes, girl. You sure did.

See, I knew that kind
of conversation was gonna come up.

Message, "Kai,
thanks for letting me see another day."

"Great catch, Kai."

Ooh, that's my girl, Ruksana. She gets it.

Message, "Kai, good for you."

"You hit the nail on the head
with that one."

Circle, send.

-Oh, really?
-[Ava] Wow!

We hit the nail on the head with that one,
Michelle? Okay, baby. Okay.

Message, "Was I the only one
who dropped to the floor

when they found out
there were two of them?" Oh. Send.

Circle, message, "Kai, that must have been
a stressful decision to make."

"I know you said
you got catfish vibes from Ava,

but I thought she seemed very genuine
and nice in the chats."

"I was hoping to get to know her better,
or at least her better half."

-Aw, Nick. See, we did like Nick.
-I like Nick. Yeah.

Ava was genuine,
and she was nice in her chats.

I think everyone else is just in shock
that they were wrong.

-[Chanel] Mm-hmm.
-'Cause we didn't catfish.

Circle, message,

"Nick, I hear that, but unfortunately,
it's the name of the game."

"I did like her, but, silver lining..."

"...she has some new material
for a new song."

Aah!

I love these girls.

-They're haters.
-And they're so kissing Kai's ass.

Message, "Was it me,
or did they seem pissed?" Send.

-Okay, Kai, honey, if you got blocked...
-[Ava] She has an issue with us.

...I don't think
that you would have been happy about it.

And yes, we were pissed
that you just judged us for no reason.

Circle, message, "I did not like
the snobby attitude at all."

"Kai, from one southern girl to another..."

"...bless their heart
and not in a good way."

-Really, Michelle?
-Really?

-Sweetheart, we are so coming for you.
-We're gonna so bless your heart, sugar.

Michelle brought out the claws.

When a southern belle tells that to you,

walk, walk... Pack the bags, run.

Circle, message,
"I don't think they were snobby."

"I think they were just mad
that they got sent home. LOL." Send.

Thank you, Ruksana. You're right.

Thank you. Thank you.

Don't get up in your feelings,
'cause we're not Ava anymore.

-I know.
-[Chanel] Okay?

You know
that this happens whenever you lurk.

So, this was our opportunity to do it.

That's great, fine.

Because it gives me a really good insight
into how everybody really is.

Ava is gone.

Blue Michelle is here. Okay?

I know. We're here.

[Buteau] Don't get too cocky,[/i]

'cause the real Michelle
is still here too.

And nothing says focused, fierce opponent
like motivational slogans in magnets.

And she's not the only one
turning to decor for motivation.

Perfect.

-Do you have your suit like this?
-Yeah, I have the same exact one.

Since we're going to w*r.

[Buteau] Since you're going to w*r, girls...[/i]

-[Matthew] f*ck.[/i]
-[Buteau] ...don't forget to stretch.[/i]

[huffing]

Horrific.

[both] "Standby."

"You will shortly be added
to The Circle as Blue Michelle."

[Buteau] But this serious mood[/i]
is clearly not spreading,[/i]

'cause real Michelle is so carefree
she's actually whistling.

There is no... no second-guessing.

No, I know.

When we get into a chat,
it's like bam, bam, bam, bam, bam.

-We have to just be super, super multi...
-This is it.

-There's two of us. Okay?
-I know.

-Super aggressive, Ava.
-Okay.

-Do you understand?
-Yes, I understand.

-[sighs] Oh my God.
-We are Blue Michelle.

-We're channeling Blue Michelle.
-I'm having a hot flash.

[Buteau] Things are getting exciting[/i]
for Blue Michelle.[/i]

Everywhere else, though,
the players are keeping relaxed.

[apple thuds]

[Buteau] Okay,[/i]
maybe a little too relaxed. Circle...[/i]

Oh!

Let's go.

[buzzes, beeps]

[alarm blares]

"Critical update."

Is that like a glitch?

What in the hell is going on?

Are we gonna get dark theme?

[buzzing echoes]

Is this real?

What does that mean?

Critical is never good.

[buzzes, beeps]

What... Wait.

Wait a minute.

Why do I have a blue circle
and an orange circle around my name?

Wait. What?

What the heck does that mean?

Is she a twin?

Does Michelle know?

Does Michelle know why there's two of her,
or is she equally confused?

What am I... What... Why...

Why me?

Why me? [chuckles]

So this is it.

We got 24 hours
to do what we got to do. Okay?

We're back in here, second chance.

-We're on borrowed time, okay?
-Yeah.

So every second of this counts.

-I need you to stay fully, fully focused.
-I am.

I know we are the Michelle
that stays in The Circle.

Circle, take me to Circle Chat.

Well, that works.
You didn't break that in the update, eh?

Two Michelles. Orange Michelle,
Blue Michelle. This is ridiculous.

I just need to see
what they're gonna say first

so I know what the heck is going on.

Why don't we just say something?

Circle, message... Blank.

I don't know what's going on.

But you all have to know that I've been...
Okay, yes, I know. Ooh, ooh, ooh.

-Okay. Say it.
-[spluttering] Okay.

-Jesus... Hold on. Just forgive me.
-Say it. Say it. Say it.

Circle, message,

"I don't know what's going on."

Michelle Blue is typing.

I don't understand what's happening.
Why is someone pretending to be me?

"I have been completely honest
with all of you."

"This is really taking me back."

"I am the only Michelle

in this Circle with you."

[giggles, squeals]

Blue Michelle. [gasps]

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.
Blue Michelle. Blue Michelle.

"I don't know what's going on,
but I've been completely honest with you."

"This is really taking me back."

"I am the only Michelle
in The Circle with you."

"I am a wife, I am a mother,
and I came to The Circle to make..."

"...great connections with you all."

That is perfect. Beautifully written.

This is not good.
I don't like this at all.

Circle, message...

Orange Michelle's chiming in.

"Hello, everybody.
I have no clue what's going on."

"Any idea? I'm so confused."

"#INeedYourSupport."

Circle, send.

"#INeedYourSupport."

[laughs] What the hell?

-Honestly, is that the best you have?
-Oh, she's...

Okay, now I feel
like this is not a fair fight, Michelle.

Wait!

Oh!

I think I know what's happening.

There's two Michelles now,
and I don't know which one's the real one.

They're the same picture.
I think someone hacked Michelle's profile.

One of them is the real Michelle,
and one of them's the catfish Michelle.

[singsong] One is fake, and one is real.

One is fake, and one is real.

It's a game of Guess Who?
Who is the true Southern Comfort, baby?

What the hell?

What? This is crazy.

I... I don't know who to believe.
Now Blue Circle Michelle is typing.

"This is the ultimate identity theft."

"I have never experienced
anything like this."

"It's always been my greatest fear.
#StoleMyFace."

"#SMF."

Send.

Guess what, Michelle.

I don't think a 52-year-old is coming up
with these hashtag abbreviations.

SMF, all that stuff, that's a little...

I mean, maybe you are.
Is that a mom thing to do? I don't know.

I'm thinking off the bat,
Orange Michelle is the real one.

But that's just an early guess. Who knows?

I... Literally, my brain is so fried.

Circle, message,

"I am super confused by this."

"I'm sorry,
but I don't know what to believe." Send.

[gasps]

I feel you, Ruksana.

Circle, message,

"Why is someone pretending to be me?
This is not good for me at all."

Orange Michelle,
"Why is someone pretending to be me?"

"This is not good for me at all."

"This is total identity theft,
and I do not like it at all."

[sighs]

Blue Michelle, she sounds more
like Mama Michelle.

Orange Michelle
is looking real suspect right now.

Message,

"I don't know

what the hell is going on,

but I want some answers
from you, Orange Michelle..."

"...because you're sounding
a little suspect."

[screaming]

-Booyah! Booyah! I told you, Kai.
-Oh my God.

You're so good at this? Okay.

[Michelle] So she thinks that I'm not me.

Now I gotta prove myself to everybody.

This is not... Now the one in the blue
is saying something.

Jeez. Lord have mercy.

"This is outrageous."

"Bless your heart, Kai,
that you could see what is going on here."

"I never thought it was possible
that this could happen in The Circle."

"I am beside myself
and truly disappointed."

That's on-brand for Michelle.

I know that Blue Michelle
is my Mama Michelle,

because she said, "Bless your heart,"
and that's what she says.

This is not right.

I am not... I am pissed off.

Wow.

I don't... [laughs]

I don't know. I don't trust
either one of them right now.

There's something real fishy
going on here. I mean real catfishy.

[Buteau]
Ooh, yo[/i]u better hold that thought, girl.[/i]

-[chiming]
-[alarm blares]

"Alert."

What is it now?

"As you can see, there has been..."

"...some unusual activity in The Circle."
Ya think?

Absolutely.

-No kidding.
-Very unusual.

-It's us.
-We are the unusual activity. [chuckles]

"Michelle has been cloned."

"But only one Michelle can stay."

[sighs]

Real Michelle must be sh1tting herself.

[softly] Oh, Go...

[Ava, Chanel] "Tonight..."

"...either Blue Michelle or Orange Michelle
will be blocked from The Circle."

-[Ava grunts]
-[sighs]

"It is up to the other players
in The Circle to decide their fate."

You are a dirty girl, Circle.

You outta here. Gone.

We could send home the wrong person.

This is absolutely horrible.

-We can do this. We can so do this.
-We can do this. We can so do this.

Blue Michelle,
you can go straight to hell.

We can do this. We can do this.
We can do this. We can do this.

I do not like this person,
whoever they are.

You have made an enemy for life.

[Buteau] The Circle's face-off has begun,[/i]

and Orange Michelle
has targeted her clone for the k*ll.

Meanwhile, army-edition Michelle,
aka Blue Michelle,

is planning her second chat att*ck,
and she's playing the numbers game.

[Chanel] Okay.

We should maybe do, like, a multiple chat,
get a couple of girls in at one time.

-This is so important. Okay?
-So important.

This is it. Now we're going in,
and we're building the blocks.

Let's do Ruksana and Ashley.

Don't get anything too personal
'cause we don't know

what Orange Michelle has said
to Ruksana and Ashley.

-All right. Are you ready?
-First group chat.

All right. Circle, please open
a group chat with Ruksana and Ashley.

Uh-oh. "Blue Michelle has invited you
to a group chat." Yes!

Circle, take me to the group chat, please.

Wow. Michelle invited me and Ashley?

I think Orange Michelle is...
is definitely the... the real Michelle.

But I think Blue Michelle,
if she is the catfish,

it would make sense that she would put
Ashley and Ruksana into a group chat.

She's taking the two of us
and trying to get us on her side.

She could be the real one.
I'm interested to see what she says.

Message, "Hi, ladies,
just wanted to reach out."

I'm not used to being called a lady.
I lo... [laughs]

That was weird.

"It was a lot for me last night,

dealing with the reality
that I was rated last

and then to wake up today
and find out that I have been cloned."

That... Phew.

I may have been off the whole time.
She may even be the real Michelle.

'Cause catfish Michelle wouldn't know
how she was rated,

unless catfish Michelle
was watching it the whole time.

Circle, message, "I'm just beside myself
and mentally exhausted."

[Ruksana] "Y'all have been so kind to me."

"I feel like, at this point,
I just wanna wish y'all the best of luck,

because I don't know where my fate is."

That is so sweet.

[Ruksana] That's tough.

I... I'm gonna play it careful,
because we don't know.

-I... I'd believe it.
-[Ava] Me too.

[Chanel] I'd believe it.

Circle, message.

-[Ava] There she goes!
-She's typing. She's typing. She's typing.

[sighs, clicks tongue]

-[Ava] Oh, and now she's not. Okay.
-And now she's not.

Oh, sh*t. She's second guessing
what she's gonna say.

-No, she's thinking about it. It's good.
-I don't know...

[Matthew] Okay. "Hi, Michelle.
I can only imagine how you feel."

"I've adored you from the start.
Don't give up yet."

"I promise
we'll get through this together."

"Heart. Prayer hands."

"I've adored you from the start.
Don't give up yet."

"I promise
we'll get through this together."

-"Heart emoji. Praying hands."
-[squeals, giggles]

-Yeah, baby!
-[squeals]

-Whoo! [imitates barking]
-Whoo!

-Okay, focus. Okay, all right.
-[Ava sighs]

So, Circle, message,
"It's just so discouraging."

"This took a lot for me to get here,
missing my family,

but I did feel a connection
with you ladies..."

"Dot, dot, dot.
I was looking forward to chili night."

I don't... Chili night?
Like, I was looking forward to cooking...

"I was looking forward to chili night."
Michelle would have a chili night.

-What if they... they're like, "Chili?"
-Just go... I'm going with it.

-Trust me?
-Yes, I trust you.

Send.

I totally get it.
It took a lot for her to get here.

She left her family.

Sucks.

Circle, message, "I understand, Michelle."

"We will have chili night."

"I'll bring the corn bread.
Ashley, you bring the cocktails."

That's what goes with chili, cornbread.
Just trust your sister.

I've slept with a chef or two.

-[gasps, laughs]
-[Chanel] Okay.

I wanna be a cheerleader.
I wanna comfort her.

Circle, message,
"Done and done. Cocktail emoji."

"Keep that optimism alive
for you and your family."

"Your East Coast girls got you."

"We are loving, but fight tooth
and nail for those we care about."

Circle, message, "I'm moved to tears..."

"...and do hope for some chili,
corn bread, and, Ashley..."

"...if you wouldn't mind
making your southern belle

a Long Island iced tea." [chuckles]

Oh, I love Michelle.

-That was sweet.
-We're in there.

We're in there.
And by the way that they spoke to us,

they clearly are doubting Orange Michelle.

Now, just hoping to see
if that is the real Michelle,

and she could stick it out
compared to the Orange Michelle.

The game does change now. We'll see.

I do feel like mission accomplished.
However, baby, we got a long way to go.

[Buteau] You ain't wrong.[/i]

Orange Michelle
hasn't even made her move yet,

but she's just about to.

And she wants to target someone receptive
to a charm offensive.

I need to really convince these people
I am who I say I am.

And I really would like to talk to Daniel.

He and I have a connection with comedy.

You know,
he's really been up there on the ratings,

so, uh, this is gonna be really important.

I have to get through to him,

and I'm gonna make this count.
I've got to make this count.

Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.
What does Orange Michelle want with me?

Is that the real Michelle?
Is that the fake bitch Michelle?

Circle, take me
to private chat with Orange Michelle.

This calls for smart Daniel,

which means
we're gonna whip out the fake glasses

to make me feel smarter than I am.

Detective Daniel is here
to suss out who she is.

"Hi, Daniel."

"I'm really glad to have the opportunity
to speak to you one on one."

"I'm going through
an emotional roller-coaster right now,

having someone to pretend to be me."
Circle, send.

Yeah, baby girl,
I'd be on an emotional roller-coaster too.

But why do you wanna speak to me?

I want Orange Michelle to believe

I trust her, I like her,
I believe in her, her and I will click.

Because if she stays,
we pick up where we left off.

And if she goes, no harm done.

Oh, he's writing back.

Come on, Daniel. Believe in me.
Believe in me, Daniel. Believe in me.

"Heyo, Michelle."

"Truthfully, I believe you are
between a rock and a hard place."

"From the get-go, I thought
you were being the more truthful one

because you weren't trying so hard
compared to Blue Michelle."

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord.

Circle, message,

"I know that you and I would have
a great connection

with our sense of humor.
I wanted to get to know you better."

"Girl, after your comment
about Ava this morning, I was in tears."

"I literally knew
you and I would click as well!"

"Four exclamation marks." Send it.

[laughs gleefully]

Oh my God. Yes!

Yes, yes, yes!

That is awesome.

Orange Michelle, "I'm glad
you like the snobby Ava comment."

"#BelieveInMe."

So she was there for that comment.
She was there to see it.

Oh sh*t.
This makes it so much more difficult.

Circle, message,
"If I make it through this,

I think our sense of humor
is going to keep us sane."

"Blue Michelle has brought out
the southern bitch."

"Bless her heart."

Michelle, I don't even give a f*ck
if you're fake no more.

Earlier, I was just devastated.

Now that I see
that he's communicating with me,

I feel like I have
a little bit better chance of stayin'.

Message, "Yes!
You are the real deal Mama Michelle."

"Little hands emoji."

"I'm so happy we talked.
I can't wait to talk again soon!"

"Two exclamation marks." And send it.

That's awesome. Yay.
He calls me Mama Michelle.

It's going on now. [chuckles]

Oh my goodness. That's great.

After my conversation
with Orange Michelle,

I believe her more,
because we were able to connect on comedy.

We were able to connect
on a mother-son relationship.

So the conversation went better
than I expected.

One down, five to go, honey. Five to go.

A lot of work I got ahead of me.

I'm gonna have to scratch and claw,

but, honey,
they didn't make these nails for nothin'.

[Buteau] As the day creeps on,[/i]

the players are trying to process
the drama of double Michelle.

Some through spiritualism,

and some through good old-fashioned
generic block building.

No! [laughs]

[Buteau] Okay,[/i]
I think he needs a different game.[/i]

"This Is Me?"[/i]

What?

What they mean, This Is Me?

[gasps] These are Michelle emojis.

[Buteau] In This Is Me,[/i]
all the players will see a picture.[/i]

Then, both Blue and Orange Michelles
must tell the story behind the picture

to convince the others
they're the real deal.

Oh my God. Are we ready for this?

Oh, this is gonna be easy.

We have the battle of the Blue
and the Orange Michelle.

Does this look like South Carolina?

It could be East Coast nature.
Regardless, it's outdoor.

This is when me
and my husband went to the Bahamas,

horseback riding for an excursion.

She's got the ring on her finger,
which means she's already married.

[Buteau]
When they get their story straight,[/i]

both Michelles compose a message,

which will be posted
at the same time on The Circle.

Here we go. What are you ladies gonna say?

-Circle, message...
-Message...

"This is when I won a trip to the Bahamas

after becoming the top sales manager
in my company."

"This is one of my fondest memories.
The trails were absolutely beautiful."

-Circle, send message.
-Send.

"...because the trip was so unexpected..."

"...we didn't have the money
for a fancy excursion..."

"...so we just decided
to go horseback riding."

"I absolutely love horses,
not so much my husband after this trip."

I hope they like that,
and I hope they... they believe this.

She's giving a lot there.
There's a lot of backstory.

Orange Michelle's telling me
exactly what I wanna hear.

[hissing]

My spidey senses are tingling.

TMI.

-TMI.[/i]
-Too much information.[/i]

Let's see what Blue Michelle has to say.

"This is one of my fondest memories."

"The trails were absolutely beautiful..."

"...especially being
with the people that I love."

"Heart emoji."

"My husband surprised me
with this weekend getaway..."

"...and the most charming horseback ride."

That's believable.

Her husband surprised her.

I could believe that
because of the way she's dressed.

[laughing]
They both have reasonable stories.

So confusing.

Oh, you're full of sh*t.

-I feel like we gave a better caption.
-I know.

-Does The Circle feel the same?
-I don't know. I don't know.

[Chanel] I don't know.

Oh, my wedding picture.

-Oh my God. Is this a graduation?
-[gasps] Oh.

Here's the throwback photo, baby.

Michelle's wedding dress.
She looks so cute.

[laughing]

I don't know. This is very, very tricky,

because if Orange Michelle knows
what this was...

This was like some particular event. Um...

-Oh, a dad-daughter dance?
-Okay. Okay...

We don't know. We don't know,

so we can't say. We have to talk
about something else in the photo.

I found this dress at the Goodwill store.

The flower bouquet is horrible.

-Somebody made her this dress.
-There's a backdrop, so...

Her grandmother sewed her this dress.

If Blue Michelle says anything
about my husband, honey,

or about that dress,
or about anything else,

I'm gonna be pissed.

Okay, Circle, message,

"Wow, this photo takes me back.
The hair was to be desired,

but the dress was handmade by my gran.
I miss her."

"This was the night
I came up with my signature dance move,

where I danced the night away."

Hmm.

Yeah, that sounds genuine.

I see that being a dress
that her grandmother would make for her.

Very interesting, Blue Michelle,
but I don't hate it.

Are you kidding me?

Oh my God.
Now that is not even cool at all.

Orange Michelle...

"This photo is from 20 years ago
when my husband and I were married."

"Again, not having a lot of money."

"I was a single mom,
and he was a single dad."

"This horrible wedding dress came
from the Goodwill store." Oh! [chuckles]

"Looking back,
I wouldn't change anything."

"He's my best friend,
and we're still married today."

You mean to tell me that photo
with that hairstyle

was taken 2000 to 2001 the latest?

Oh, man, you messed up there.

Because I tell you right now,

this hairstyle's taken in the '80s,
probably early '90s at a push.

You know what I mean?

So for this person to say 20 years ago,
that's the year 2000.

I honestly feel like
Orange Michelle's trying way too hard.

This last message from Orange Michelle
makes me love her

uber, uber much more.

These are just
very, very extremely different responses.

And that could be really good for us,
or that could be really bad for us.

Not cool, Blue Michelle.

Not cool at all.

Honey, you're about to bring out
the hell raise in the southern woman.

Mm.

-Fishing!
-Oh, I knew there was gonna be a fishing.

[chuckles]

What is she gonna say about this?

Ava, we know nothing about fishing.

This is actually at Johnson Lake,

and it is a bass.

I think that's a sea bass.
but I'm gonna say what the fish is,

but I think that's a sea bass,
based off of my fish knowledge. Yeah.

-But that's... that's not this, uh, game.
-Okay.

[Chanel] We're not playing guess the fish.

And I've got on my Clemson shirt,

so I'm ready. I'm ready on this one.

-We have to be so careful.
-Mm-hmm.

This is not easy.

[Chanel] Okay. Ugh.

-Circle, message.[/i]
-Message. Yeah.

"Last year's annual fishing trip."

"I didn't get the biggest catch,
but we sure did have the best time."

"You should have seen
what my husband and my kids caught."

"Our family takes fishing very seriously."

"We're always the loudest bunch
on the lake."

Sounds good.

Again, you're... you're giving me details

plus some emotion.

The Blue Michelle keeps giving me love
with her family,

the sentiment.

She's never gonna let me down.

That's how I know
that's the real Michelle.

You're trying to paint a picture,

make it a little more detailed,
trying to make it more convincing.

But I'm not sure
you quite did it for me there.

Are you kidding me?

My kids hate fishing.[/i]

Orange Michelle...

"As it says in my profile,
I love to be outdoors,

and I love Clemson. Go, Tigers!"

"I was so proud
of this catch, my first bass."

"I was so excited, I had to take a selfie
in case no one believed me."

"#CountryLivin."

Okay, so she knows that that's a sea bass.
Isn't that what you said?

-That's what I said.
-sh*t! I should've listened to ya.

Orange knew that was a Clemson shirt.

"Go, Tigers."

It is a Clemson shirt.

It literally is Clemson
'cause I see the O, and I see the N.

Only the real Michelle would know
what was on the t-shirt.

That annoys me
because I could have said sea bass.

All right. So I'm sorry
I didn't listen to you about the sea bass.

-It's a sea bass.
-[Chanel] Honestly.

I just know for a fact,
and my gut is telling me

that the Orange Michelle is a fake.

I feel like Blue Michelle's responses
seem more genuine.

"Blue Michelle and Orange Michelle,

you have now completed
This is Me challenge."

-[sighs]
-Oh my God! That was stressful.

That was a lot.

I gave so much details
that the Blue Michelle would never know.

I'm just hoping they'll believe

I am who I am.

[Buteau] After the most exciting[/i]
identity fraud since Mrs. Doubtfire,[/i]

the players are easing
into a Circle evening.

Personal trainer Ashley is pushing himself
to the absolute limit,

as is Daniel, in his own way.

Whoa!

[Buteau] And what secret cloning mission[/i]
would be complete[/i]

without fabricating a backstory
for your target?

-So, when was Michelle born?[/i]
-1968.

-Okay. How many kids does she have?
-Four.

All right, and they are...

Branson, Noah, Trevor, and Haley.

Okay, how old is Trevor?

Trevor is 22.

[Buteau] And Calvin is pushing[/i]
for some real guy talk.[/i]

How do I know he's serious?

'Cause he's dressed
like a chat ninja. That's why.

I wanna start this chat

'cause I just wanna get to know
Daniel and Nick.

Those two are like the funniest guys.
And let's call the group the Wolf Pack.

"Calvin has invited you
to the Wolf Pack chat."

Yes!

[chuckles] Calvin!

Hopefully, by the name, they'll realize

that I'm trying to,
you know, form some sort of bond.

You know, that we all stick together.

Oh my God. Is this an all-men's chat?
Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! Wait.

Message, "'Sup peeps?"

"Thought I'd start a group chat
with my homies,

as we are, by far,
the funniest people here. LOL."

"Thought I'd touch base with you all."

Uh, "Laughing face emoji. #JokesForDays."

Send.

Yes, dude, I totally agree.

All right, Circle, message,

"Dude, I thought
I was going to be the funniest guy here,

but you've been cracking me up
in the group chats."

"Be honest.

"Who do you all have the hots for?
Anyone?" Send.

Men are so predictable. Oy vey.

Message, "Nick, I'm not gonna lie, man,
I'm kinda feeling Kai."

"She's a lovely girl
and a southern belle, which I love."

"Smiley face emoji."

Circle, send.

I knew it. It was obvious.

Kai is beautiful,

so it's not really surprising.
I can see them working out.

Circle, message,

"Yeah, dude, there's something
about those southern belles!"

"But I'm hoping to chat more with Ashley.
#PrayForNick." Send.

But does he not understand that
Ashley is literally gay? Did we miss that?

These men, and their testosterone,
and their horniness,

it never seems to surprise me.

Message, "After 20 years of being single,

the question isn't
who do I have the hots for,

but has anyone got the hots for me?
Question mark. LOLOL."

Send it.

This guy. [laughing]

Message, "Daniel, I'm not gonna lie, bro."

"I think Michelle and her two dogs
might have the hots for you."

"What do you think? Question mark."

Circle, send message.

Message, "I think the better question is,
which Michelle am I gonna get?"

"Question mark. Question mark.
Question mark. Question mark." Send it.

This is perfect.
Let's start talking Michelle now.

Yes.

Circle, message,

"Hell, yes,

so stoked that you all are ready
to talk some strategy."

"Blue Michelle does seem real fishy."
What do you boys think

about bringing Blue Michelle
into this chat

for some friendly conversation? Wink."

Send.

I think Blue Michelle does seem fishy,
especially after the last game.

Also, I don't want to let them know

that Orange Michelle
had a conversation with me,

but I'm gonna try to pull through
for my girl.

Message, "Guys, I'm not gonna lie.
I think Orange Michelle is the clone

because the wedding photo
is a very old photo."

"However, Orange Michelle said
it was 20 years ago? Question mark."

"Thinking emoji." Circle, send.

It's true. She was like,
"It was from my wedding 20 years ago."

So, yeah, that wedding photo...

That hairstyle
and everything did not seem 2000s.

Circle, please add Blue Michelle
to this chat.

Things could get spicy.

-Oh my God. Okay. Nick.
-[sighs]

Nick created a chat. Wolf Pack.
Wolf Pack. What does that mean?

We have to be so on our game right now.
Where are our books?

[Ava] Circle, take us
to the Wolf Pack chat, please.

"Blue Michelle has entered the chat."

This is what... this is what we've wanted.

-Talk to people, interact with people.
-To talk to people.

And the fact that we're being invited
to the chat I think is very...

-Nice and welcoming.[/i]
-...positive.

Circle, message,

"Michelle, today was crazy.

"What do you think was
Orange Michelle's biggest mistake?"

"#HelpUs."

Send.

He went
straight into it, straight into it.

And Nick has a lot of balls for that.

Message, "Hey, y'all.
Thank you for opening this chat."

"Obviously, her biggest mistake

was discussing my relationship
with my husband."

"We've been married for 31 years.
No one can lie about that."

I just want to know
what year that photo was taken.

Circle, message, "Michelle,
I agree with you! Exclamation point."

"The wedding picture of you,

do you have any idea
what year that was taken? Question mark."

Send.

-He's trying to catch us.[/i]
-Okay.

So, say, um...

That was, uh...

Should I say prom?

[sighs]

I know.
We have to be so careful here right now.

So, as soon as Michelle drops me the year,

then they'll see,
and I'll say, "Guys, I knew it."

Because Orange Michelle said
it was 20 years ago.

And there's no haircuts
walking around like that back then.

So, Circle, message, "Calvin,
that was not my wedding, darling."

"That's actually my prom picture,
and the year was 1986."

There you go.

There's your proof.

1986.

[Buteau] Damn.[/i]
Judge Calvin's court is now in session.[/i]

I don't know what to think anymore.
Maybe she's real.

Circle, message, "Calvin,

there were so many mistakes
that Orange Michelle made,

but I'm still shocked
that this is happening."

"Did y'all ever think cloning was a thing
that could happen in The Circle?"

"Question mark."

Message, "I thought cloning was something
that only happened to sheep,

not people in The Circle.
Sheep emoji, circle emoji," and send her.

[laughing] This guy is a joker.

"Daniel,
you always seem to make me laugh."

"You make me miss my son..."

-Trevor?
-Trevor.

"You all would have so much in common."

Send.

She sees me as her son Trevor,
which is all I've wanted from Michelle,

whether she's fake or real.

Circle, message,
"So glad we all got to chat."

"Love ending the night
on a good note." Send.

It was great that Blue Michelle came
into that chat, um,

because now Blue Michelle trusts
all of us in the Wolf Pack,

which is very good.

The pressure was definitely on.

I think the boys were grilling us
a little bit. I mean, Calvin...

This could have been...
This could have gone so wrong.

I mean, either Blue Michelle
is just a kickass catfish,

or she's the real deal.

[Buteau] With time running out[/i]

and desperate to prove
that she's the real southern belle,

Orange Michelle is starting a group chat
with Ruksana, Ashley, and Kai.

Circle, I want to set up a group chat
with all the other ladies,

so I can get them in my corner

and prove to them
that I am the real Michelle.

I am not going down without a fight.

"Orange Michelle has invited you
to a group chat."

Circle, take me to the Circle Chat.

I think she just wants to get an idea

if we're gonna protect her or not
and not block her.

You just never know in this game,
so I'm treading light.

Circle, message,

"Ladies, I understand this is not easy."

"So, to prove to you I am who I am,

ask me anything about myself,
and I will answer honestly."

I don't know about this

because
I really, really, really don't believe

that Orange Michelle is the real Michelle.

So what could she possibly have to say?

Okay, Circle, message,

"Michelle, I'm sorry
that you're dealing with this."

"You mentioned that you do comedy."

"Why don't you give us some background,
since you haven't spoken about that yet?"

"#NoVagueAnswersPlease."
Nice, Ruksana, I like that.

Message, "I began doing crazy stories
about my family on social media,

and people really loved the comedy."

"They told me I should do stand-up.
So to make a long story short,

I have done stand-up for about four months
in Greenville, South Carolina. #OpenMic."

The story seems

somewhat believable.

Maybe.

Maybe not. [chuckles]

I don't buy her stories
at all for not even a bit.

You know, I came off the cuff with it,
so I think that I...

I... I feel like I nailed it on this.

Circle, message,

"Michelle, that's probably
the most honest answer

I would say that I have seen from you."

I really like Ruksana.

"Regardless of the outcome,
I wish you the best. Prayer hands."

At least she's saying
that I'm being honest, so that's good.

And maybe it's gonna be Ruksana
that's going to save me here.

We will see.

Circle, message, um,

"At the end of the day,
real Michelle or not real,

you're still a person
on the other side of that screen

with the risk of going home,
and that's scary."

"Deep breath, big prayer.
What's meant to be will be."

Go, Ashley. Yes, girl.

You know, she's given me some confidence.

And I think she's trying
to kind of ease me down a little bit,

'cause she probably knows
I'm over here freaking out.

[laughs] I don't know.

I'm very torn.

I don't want to say anything to Michelle
that's like, "I got you, girl."

"Don't worry. I know it's you."
'Cause I don't wanna blow up my game.

So it's super important I...

make a hint of being supportive,

at the same time,

not give...

the impression
that I'm choosing her as the real one.

Message, "Ashley,

I'm the mom with four kids
that's always consoling them."

"Now I have
someone my kids' age consoling me."

"You're a sweetheart. Thank you so much.
Keep the prayers coming. I need them."

Aw.

Message, "#GoodLuckMichelle!
Exclamation point." Send.

Aw.

These ladies are really sweet.

I wouldn't wish this kind of situation
on anybody, really.

Because you just don't know.

Girl power, girls. Come on.

You gotta stick with me.
You gotta believe in me.

[Buteau] As we enter another Circle night,[/i]
the battle lines are forming.[/i]

And strategist Blue Michelle
is currently being outfoxed

by a conventional oven.

-[Chanel] Again. Wait. No, this way.
-Oh.

I just said, "Go again," one time,
and you had to go again twice.

[Buteau] And down the hall,[/i]

Nick is looking to add
to his little Circle black book.

I'm solid in the dude category.
I need to get some chick friends,

and I think Ashley could be the one.

[singing] ♪ Boom, boom, boom. ♪[/i]

So I'm gonna go ahead and...

Circle, can we invite Ashley
to a private chat, please?

[Matthew yelling] Oh!

Daddy Nick invited me to a private chat!

Ashley does look pretty cute.

So if it gets a little flirty,
it gets a little flirty.

Wow! You have made a very happy gay, sir.

I want him to know

that I am the lesbian girl
for him to go to, to chat with.

Let's take a breath. [inhales sharply]

Inner lesbian, let's go.

Circle, take me
to the private chat with Nick.

[Nick] Circle, message,
"What's up, Ashley?"

"Damn, it feels good to get fourth place."

"#Twins. #GoodCompany." Send.

If he's flirting with me,
then, Nick, your gaydar is horrible.

Our profile is gayer
than Elton John in a crop top.

Maybe I'll just say I'm bisexual.

[singing] ♪ Mm-mm ♪[/i]

[rapping] ♪ Damn, Nick, I like your smile[/i]
Your dog is cute ♪[/i]

♪ It's been a while
Since I seen a guy who looks so cute ♪

Oh, Daddy Nick! I mean,
look at that face. He just has arms

that you wanna literally lay into
after a big, long day.

Circle, message, "Nick,"

with N-I-I-I-C-K.

"Niiick!"

Three I's? That's not friend zone.

That's a little flirty.

"Legit, liked your big...

[laughing] ...dog energy from the start."

Wow. She's clever.

She took my big Nick energy,

combined it
with the fact that I had a dog.

Ashley, yes!

Circle, message, "I've been trying
to get a chance to talk to you."

"We actually answered

every Ice Breaker question
the exact same way."

"#PowerCouple."

[yelling] Oh!

It's sort of subtle flirting, you know?
We're playing the long game here.

[singsong] Hashtag power couple. Hashtag.

Hashtag power couple.

Circle, message, "You should have seen
my notebook during the game."

[laughing] "I circled your name
with every colored pencil I had."

"Double heart eyes."

[singsong] This is how you book a man.
This is how you book a man.

Circle, message, "It's been awesome
getting to know you. Talk soon."

Send.

[Matthew] There we go!

I came into The Circle wanting
to be myself and use the mask of Ashley.

And honestly, I've been salivating
over Daddy Nick this whole time.

And he has given me the opportunity
in this chat to be fully myself.

Ashley, I promised you
I wouldn't flirt with any men,

but you can smack me
with your field hockey stick

when I get home.

'Cause right now, I don't care.
I'm going for Daddy Nick.

Now I can get dressed.

[Buteau] While Ashley salivates[/i]
over Daddy Nick,[/i]

with a decision looming,
Orange Michelle has decided

she needs some me time
with her pesky clone.

I really want to set up a chat
with this Blue Michelle,

who is trying to ruin my life.

I mean, the least she can do
is tell me why she's doing this to me.

And right now, I am rather,
to be blunt, pissed off.

[Ava and Chanel gasp]

"Orange Michelle has invited you
to a private chat." Hold up.

Okay.

Do you really, really want to do this,
Orange Michelle?

I want her to admit to other people,
or admit to me at least,

that she's lying.

sh*t.

Circle, open private chat
with Orange Michelle.

-So, okay, here we go. Hold up. All right.
-Okay.

'Cause you're about to feel the wrath
of the real Michelle.

That's right, Blue Michelle.
I don't give a damn about you,

'cause you ain't give a damn about me.

Message, "Blue Michelle,
why are you lying to people?"

"Why are you trying to deceive people?"

"I don't understand."

"I was in eighth place,
and now you do this to me?"

"Why would you do this to someone?"

"Why would you try
to knock me out of The Circle?"

"Not happy with whoever you are."

"You make a southern lady wanna cuss.
Angry face emoji." And send.

-Oh.
-Oh.

Ooh.

-Ooh.
-Spice.

She even did the cuss emoji.
Your favorite emoji we're seeing.

[Chanel laughing]
That is my favorite emoji.

-Wow.
-So maybe she really is 52.

What do we respond?

Circle, message...

[Michelle]
Oh, now you wanna say something back?

Okay.

If you wanna act like me,
that's one thing,

but you cannot be me, honey.

When they made me,
they broke the mold. Do you hear me?

"Orange Michelle, this is a game
with a huge prize at the end,

and we all came into The Circle to win."

"I'm sorry
that you're upset at the situation."

"But it's not personal."

Wow.

I do take it personal,

because whoever they are,
they're not being real.

Circle, message,

"You are absolutely right.
There is a large prize at the end,

and this is only a game."

"But what upsets me the most

is you're not being true
to the other people here."

"You're the one
that owes me an explanation

of why you're pretending to be me."

And send.

I... I do have this deep, deep hunch
that she is a catfish,

but in the possibility
that she isn't a catfish,

she's just as upset as we were last night.

I don't know why any of this is happening.

And especially,
why would you wanna to steal my identity?[/i]

Message, "Orange Michelle,

there is a very big possibility
that no one is who they say they are."

"And at this point, our fate
is in the hands of the other players."

"#InItToWinIt."

Our fate?

Wait a minute.

There is no our here.[/i]

There is my fate.

Circle, message, "Orange Michelle,

I wish you the best of luck."

-"Praying hands emoji." Send.
-"Send."

Right now, I... I still feel unsafe

because this person is, like,

backstabbing, lying, conniving,

and will do anything to

get me outta here.

-[Chanel] Oh my God.
-[Ava] We're still in the hot seat.

And then it is the real Michelle,
I'm gonna feel like such sh*t.

Oh my God.
This is gonna be really weird, yeah.

[Buteau] With the battle of Michelles[/i]
at full tilt, and everything to play for,[/i]

it won't be too long

before The Circle sends in
a you-know-what.

-[chiming]
-[alarm blares]

"Alert."

What's going on, Circle?

It's gotta be
about the Michelle situation.

Oh, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

Literally,
my stomach just went into my throat.

Okay.

"It is time for players to decide
which Michelle to block from The Circle."

Ooh! Savage, savage, savagery.

I don't even know
if I have a decision yet.

It's a tough one.

Oh, I can't watch this.
I cannot watch this.

No, no, no, no.
I'm just gonna hold myself.

Hold me[/i]. Hold my hand.

Orange Michelle. Blue Michelle.

I wanna be confident.

I wanna know that everything I did today...
I fought to be here.

I think we made the best
of the time that we had here.

-I love you.
-I love you too.

-And this was awesome, right?
-Yes.

It's gonna be a tough decision. 100%.

[Michelle] "Choose carefully."

Oh my God. Choose carefully, people.

I've done everything I know to do

to prove to everybody
that I am who I say I am.

[theme music playing]