Circle of Life

Circle of Life is an American drama television series that premiered on NBC on September 21, 2015 and began its fifth season on September 24, 2019, and has already been renewed for a sixth and final season. Circle of Life follows Bonnie McDaniel throughout three periods of her life: as a child growing up in 1968, a mother raising her children in 1988, and a grandmother watching her grandchildren grow up in 2008.
== Premise ==
Bonnie McDaniel was born on July 9, 1956. In 1968, her family moves from Winfield, Kansas to Fort Smith, Arkansas, just in time for Bonnie to begin Junior High at a new school. In 1988, Bonnie is 32 living in Illinois with two kids and a drug-addicted and ex-felon estranged husband. In 2008, Bonnie's two sons have grown up and had children of their own, while Bonnie has remarried.
The second season is set in 1969, 1989, and 2009. The third season is set in 1970, 1990, and 2010, while the fourth season spans 1971, 1995, and 2011. The fifth season jumps to 1974, 1996, and 2012, along with introuding a storyline in 2022.
== Cast ==
=== Principal cast ===
*Felicity Huffman as Bonnie Newman (seasons 1-4)
**Maggie Grace as Bonnie Sander/Bonnie Newman
**Lizzy Greene as Bonnie McDaniel (seasons 1-4)
**Sabrina Carpenter as Bonnie McDaniel (seasons 5-present)
*Paul Reiser as Dan Newman
**Danny Masterson as young Dan Newman (seasons 5-present)
*Judy Greer as Wilma McDaniel
*Charlie Weber as Larry McDaniel
*Kyle Schmid as Ricky Sander (seasons 1-4; recurring seasons 5-present)
**Alex Wolff as young Ricky Sander (seasons 5-present)
*Zachary Levi as Michael McDaniel
**Asher Angel as Michael Sander (seasons 1-3)
**Leo Howard as young Michael McDaniel (seasons 4-present)
*Gal Gadot as Ann McDaniel
*Alexa PenaVega as Vanessa Sander
*Analeigh Ashford as Karen Ruth (seasons 1-3)
**Jeté Laurence as Karen McDaniel
*John David Washington as Eddie Ruth (seasons 1-3)
*Peyton List as Deborah McDaniel
*Noah Jupe as Mark McDaniel (seasons 1-4)
*Tyler Hoechlin as Billy Sander (seasons 4-present)
**Nico Dowd as young Billy Sander (seasons 1-3)
**Max Charles as teenage Billy Sander (seasons 4-present)
*Ian Chen as Phillip Carlson (seasons 1-3)
*Aias Dalman as Joel McDaniel (seasons 2-4; recurring season 1)
*Florence Keen as Janelle McDaniel (seasons 2-4; recurring season 1)
*Elias Harger as Hunter McDaniel (seasons 2-present; recurring season 1)
*Matthew Stagg as Austin McDaniel (seasons 2-present; recurring season 1)
*Isabela Moner as Stella Borne (seasons 3-present)
*Nolan Gould as Oliver Dunham (seasons 4-present)
*Rhys Matthew Bond as Jacob Murphy (seasons 5-present)
*Jaxon Bartok as Steve McDaniel (seasons 5-present)
**Max Kafel as young Steve McDaniel (recurring seasons 1-4)
*Brock Brenner as Colton McDaniel (seasons 5-present; recurring seasons 1-4)
*Gia Balzano as Audrey Sander (seasons 5-present; recurring seasons 1-4)
==Series overview==
Season	Episodes	First aired 	Last aired
1 	18 	September 21, 2015	April 18, 2016
2 	18 	October 11, 2016 	March 28, 2017
3 	18 	September 26, 2017	March 13, 2018
4 	18 	September 25, 2018	April 2, 2019
5 	18 	September 24, 2019	TBA
==Reception==
===Critical reception===
The series was critically lauded, with particular praise for its writing, plot twists, and performances of the cast (especially Huffman).
After Huffman's criminal indictment, the future of the series was thrown into the air. Huffman had finished filming her scenes for the fourth season, and episodes featuring her were still included. On June 13, 2019, it was announced that Maggie Grace would begin portraying the older version of her character as well as the younger version, replacing Huffman.
===Viewership===
Season	Episodes	Timeslot 	Premiere 	Premiere 	Finale 	Finale 	Average viewers (millions)	Rank
Season	Episodes	Timeslot 	First aired 	Viewers (in millions)	Last aired 	Viewers (in millions)	Average viewers (millions)	Rank
1 	18 	Monday 10:00 pm	September 21, 2015	10.30 	April 18, 2016	11.89 	15.50 	6
2 	18 	Tuesday 9:00 pm	October 11, 2016 	12.24 	March 28, 2017	11.34 	15.19 	6
3 	18 	Tuesday 9:00 pm	September 26, 2017	10.84 	March 13, 2018	9.19 	14.23 	10
4 	18 	Tuesday 9:00 pm	September 25, 2018	10.26 	April 2, 2019 	9.23 	13.90 	6
5 	18 	Tuesday 9:00 pm	September 24, 2019	9.57 	TBA 	TBA 	TBA 	TBA
===Accolades===
Category 	68th Primetime Emmy Awards 	69th Primetime Emmy Awards 	70th Primetime Emmy Awards 	71st Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Drama Series 	Circle of Life (N) 	Circle of Life (N) 	Circle of Life (N) 	Circle of Life (N)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series 	Paul Reiser as Dan Newman (N) 	Paul Reiser as Dan Newman (N) 	Paul Reiser as Dan Newman (N) 	Paul Reiser as Dan Newman (N)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series 	Felicity Huffman as Bonnie Newman (W)	Felicity Huffman as Bonnie Newman (N)	Felicity Huffman as Bonnie Newman (N)	Maggie Grace as Bonnie Sander (N)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series 	Zachary Levi as Michael McDaniel (N) 	Zachary Levi as Michael McDaniel (N) 	Zachary Levi as Michael McDaniel (N) 	Zachary Levi as Michael McDaniel (N)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series 	Kyle Schmid as Ricky Sander (N) 	Kyle Schmid as Ricky Sander (W) 	Kyle Schmid as Ricky Sander (N) 	Kyle Schmid as Ricky Sander (N)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series	Maggie Grace as Bonnie Sander (N) 	Maggie Grace as Bonnie Sander (N) 	Maggie Grace as Bonnie Sander (N) 	Judy Greer as Wilma McDaniel (N)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series	Lizzie Greene as Bonnie McDaniel (N) 	Lizzie Greene as Bonnie McDaniel (N) 	Lizzie Greene as Bonnie McDaniel (N) 	Lizzie Greene as Bonnie McDaniel (W)
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series 	(N) 	 	 	
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series 	(N) 	(N) 	(N)