Of all the things I expected to do this summer — college applications, work, travel — I did not expect to become infatuated with Love Island USA. Rated as TV-MA, the controversial summer reality TV show, Love Island USA, was all over the internet last summer. With 1.5 million followers and, nearly 200,000 posts under the #loveislandusa on TikTok it was nearly impossible to open your phone without seeing this show.
This show starts off a group of singles entering a villa in Fiji with the hope of finding “the one”. On the first night, each islander awkwardly joins a couple based on first impressions. As time moves on in the villa couples are broken apart, as bombshells (new single islanders) enter the villa, shocking everyone. The public votes on who gets to stay in the villa and who must leave.
It seemed like every time I opened social media this summer I saw a hilariously dramatic clip of Love Island, so I couldn’t help but start the show. It possessed my computer screen as new episodes aired nearly every night. I wasn’t alone in this experience; many of my classmates had also fallen victim to the “Love Island Plague.”
When asked how Skyline students started watching the show, almost every conversation led to TikTok. “After seeing it all over my TikTok this summer, I started the show because it seemed like an interesting reality show,” said Adarsh Nadgir (‘25).
Some students have been a fan of the UK version. “I’ve always preferred Love Island UK, but this year it wasn’t hitting the same. This summer I decided to try the U.S. version because my friends recommended it,” said Sarina Thomas (‘25) “Once I started this season in the U.S., I was completely enthralled.”
Even though many started watching the show because of TikTok, they stayed for a different reason: the Islanders. It was easy to fall in love with the show when the stars were humorous but also headstrong. This season, the female islanders got a lot of admiration for their confident personalities and putting their friendships first over romance. “I love Serena because she is a loyal friend and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself,” said Thomas.
While not as favored as the women, the guy islanders were also loved due to their kind personalities. “I love Kordell because he’s really funny but also one of the nicest guys there!” said Nadgir. Kordell ended up being a star all over social media. It definitely helped that his brother is football superstar Odell Beckham Jr.. Another male islander many loved was the quieter Kenny. “He’s so nice and was really sweet to JaNa,” said Melanie von Rutte (‘27).
A fan favorite episode was the recoupling from Casa Amor, where the guys on the island go meet new girls to test their relationships. “I hated how all the guys left… but it was a lot of drama and was really entertaining to watch,” said von Rutte. “The drama was so interesting when the guys came back from Casa Amor because every girl got dropped,” said Thomas.
While not the most thought-provoking show, Love Island is still an addicting, bingeable watch. With iconic TV personalities and crazy challenges, it’s easy to become entranced with this show. Now that we are heading into winter, I can still find comfort and look back on my carefree summer by watching Love Island reruns. Check it out on Peacock today!
