Over the last week, my evenings have been devoted to my apartment’s unofficial “Love Island Watch Party.” My roommate, our friends and I gather around the television each night to see the latest developments in the villa unfold.
With a core demographic of viewers aged 18-34, “Love Island USA” has found its way into more than just my living room — it’s on the televisions of almost everyone I know. A spinoff of the original “Love Island UK,” the show follows a group of single young adults spending the summer in a luxury villa in Fiji. Each episode introduces new cast members, relationship challenges and emotional twists, all designed to test the relationships between contestants. The ultimate goal is to be a part of the last standing couple and win a $100,000 prize.
While there is something to be said about allowing yourself to turn off your brain and consume an hour of reality television, through side conversations during commercial breaks we started compiling a list of the show’s less than above-board qualities.
A competitive environment designed to produce romantic drama inherently raises questions about the mental health of contestants. The show is structured for maximum viewer engagement — often at the expense of the wellbeing of the contestants. Producers are constantly forging scenarios that engineer jealousy, insecurity and conflict to keep ratings high. This strategy often places profitability above participant welfare.
While our culture is already moving toward a complete disregard for privacy, the contestants of “Love Island” are under 24-hour surveillance. The contestants are already subjected to emotionally heightened situations and challenges, and this added factor of surveillance makes the show feel increasingly dystopian.
Additionally, the frequency with which episodes are released — almost nightly, excluding Wednesdays — encourages the development of parasocial relationships with the contestants, making it easier to blur the lines between fact and fiction when it comes to what truly is occurring in the villa. This is complicated by the viewer voting component. By downloading the official “Love Island” app, viewers are given the opportunity to vote for and support their favorite couple.
Although contestants sign contracts and have documented consent to participate in the show’s activities, due to the show’s fluid nature and the changes made every season, contestants are rarely prepared for the reality of the experience.
Since “Love Island” is intrinsically a highly stressful environment, in recent seasons precautions have been put in place to protect contestants and maintain a safe environment. These include psychological support before, during and after filming, restrictions on alcohol consumption, and training on social media literacy, financial planning and respectful relationships. Contestants also receive education related to race, sexuality, consent and inclusion — suggesting a genuine effort to mitigate harm.
All together, it is clear that significant strides have been made by “Love Island USA” to create a safer and more enjoyable experience for contestants, there are still significant concerns within the show that can be traced back to the premise itself: romantic relationships framed as a game. While I will still find myself in my living room this Thursday watching the new episode, it is important to keep in mind that this show does not reflect authentic or healthy displays of love in reality.
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