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

 2 | 18
 3 | 18
 4 | 18
 5 | 18

## 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.