Image: @loveislandusa
If you’ve been on Instagram, TikTok, or any form of social media in the past week, you’ve probably seen people talking about the latest season of Love Island USA.
A spinoff from its cousin across the pond, the reality TV series is currently streaming its sixth season on Peacock but is just now getting the kind of attention the UK version has received for years. Already greenlit for summer 2025, it’s become the number one reality series in the US across all streaming platforms, according to Nielsen data. It seems more and more people are tuning in to find out why Serena’s so upset with Kordell, what the obsession is with Leah, and the answer to the question: Does Rob own any other clothing than his blue overalls?
Those new to the Love Island-verse will discover what we fans have long known: It’s more than a fixation on attractive people. The reality dating show is a deeper sociological look at our society and the way we interact in relationships. When people are isolated—on an island or inside a pod like Love Is Blind—and attempt to make romantic connections, it becomes a pressure cooker in which human nature and societal issues come to light. Love Island has perfected this formula across its many iterations, most popularly in the UK, but the US version has taken the fanbase by surprise this season because of how enthralling it is.
We think there are a few reasons for this.
The UK version is notorious for having a pattern for the Islanders that starts each season. Among “the OGs,” there’s always only one dark-skinned Black woman and man in the cast. In 2021, season five cast member Yewande Biala spoke out about feeling invisible and unattractive to the men in the villa. “I didn't click with anyone romantically, and I didn’t feel like anyone wanted to kiss me,” she told Will Njobvu on the “Reality With Will Njobvu” podcast.
And every year, fans take to social media to express their frustration with the lack of racial inclusivity on the show. In season 11, which is currently airing, UK fans have been defending Islander Mimi (short for Michelle Ngulube) because they believe she’s gotten the short end of the stick with her partner, Ayo Odukoya. Since the first episode, the two have been coupled up. But when bombshells Uma Jammeh and Jessica Spencer entered the villa, Ayo’s intentions turned away from Mimi and left her on the sidelines.
Of course, this can happen to anyone in the villa—mixing up the matches is kind of the whole point—and Mimi isn’t the first contestant to experience it. What is a problem, however, is that the inadequate casting selection didn’t offer any other suitable options for Mimi to pursue. She’s a fan favorite but trapped in a couple with someone who isn’t truly interested in exploring a connection with her.
Compare that to Love Island USA, which has been applauded for the better way it’s handled diversity in skin tone and body type. The original cast this season included Serena Page and JaNa Craig, two Black women, and Leah Taylor, who is Persian. Among the male contestants were Coye Simmons and Kordell Beckham, two Black men, and Kendall Washington, who is Lebanese.
But more important, from the first episode there was a strong attraction among the couples in a way that felt natural and authentic. As a result, people have been applauding the production and casting departments for giving a more accurate representation of what diverse casting can look like. As one fan said, Love Island UK should take notes.
But in addition to increasing racial representation onscreen, we’d also argue that Ariana Madix, of Vanderpump Rules and Dancing With the Stars fame, has made a difference this season. It’s her first time hosting—taking over for Sarah Hyland—but she comes in as a known Love Island fan. It was famously even mentioned during a heated argument with her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval. (“I don’t have time to watch 50 (expletive) episodes of Love Island,” he once screamed at her.)
After news broke that Sandoval had cheated, Vanderpump Rules fans—and even those who weren’t—flocked to Madix’s defense and expressed empathy with her situation. The scandal, appropriately named Scandoval, led to record numbers for the show, Bravo, and Peacock. Madix herself now has close to 3 million followers on social media, where her comment sections are filled with people expressing how much they love her new gig. As one said, “I tuned in for Ariana. I honestly think Ariana brought in a whole new audience.”
It’s not just a gimmick for views: Her love for the show, as well as her defense of the female Islanders, has been appreciated by audiences. Take the Casa Amor recoupling, one of the more dramatic and highly anticipated episodes in the show, for example. After Islander Kaylor Martin chose to be single instead of reuniting with her partner, Aaron Evans, because of a compromising video, Madix asked Evans to switch places with Martin so the latter could sit closer to “her girls.” It was a simple gesture but one that showed Madix using her voice as the host to shake things up and, most important, help a young woman feel more comfortable in a very uncomfortable situation.
Meanwhile, Love Island UK is falling behind. The series’s 10th season drew in 1.3 million viewers for the premiere, according to Variety—a massive change from the 2.4 million that tuned in for season nine’s first episode.
There has been a lot of speculation over this decline. Is it the influx of reality dating television shows like Love Is Blind, Too Hot to Handle, and The Perfect Match? Or is it a casting problem? Love Island originated in the UK and has enjoyed almost a decade of popularity there—so no matter who they cast, they’re almost guaranteed to have seen the show or at least know about it. In 2018, ITV reported that more than 85,000 people applied to enter the villa. In layperson’s terms, Love Island UK is to the British what The Bachelor is to American viewers.
And across the franchises, the production tends to be similar. The Islanders are sent texts from production to let them know about challenges, dates, Hideaway opportunities, and dreaded recouplings. There’s always a chance that someone, or multiple people, will be sent home if they’re left single. So to “win” Love Island, the cast members soon understand that they need to be relevant enough for the public to remember them and like them. In comparison, because Love Island USA is newer and the American public is not as familiar with the show, there’s a greater chance that it hasn’t infiltrated the cast’s lives in the way it has for those in the UK.
But we still weren’t sure the USA version had officially replaced UK rendition in our hearts until the July 11 episode, which featured part two of “movie night” and an emotional dumping. Madix empathized with the cast in a way we’d never seen a host do before. During the recoupling, Olivia “Liv” Walker was left single and, ultimately, sent home. As one of the first female bombshells to enter the villa, the cast was devastated to see her leave. So before the Islanders said their goodbyes, Madix said, “I just want to tell you guys that watching all of these friendships develop over the summer has been the highlight of getting to be here with you.... I completely understand how you’re feeling right now. And I’m sad to see all of you guys go.”
As a viewer, we felt emotional too. That’s the magic of Love Island. With episodes airing several times a week, we get attached to the cast. We see ourselves, our friends, and our family represented in them. And currently, Love Island USA is doing a much better job at showing a true representation. I’m with the Reddit user who said, “For the first time I’m passing on UK, and I’m FULLY IMMERSED into US.”
The original article can be found on GLAMOUR US.
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