Imagine going on a trip to Hawaii with your boyfriend… but instead of spending it together, you spend it in separate villas, forced to go on dates with different people, with the constant lingering temptation to give in to peer pressure, all without being able to talk to your partner in the other villa. That is basically the reality show Temptation Island in a nutshell.
Last year, when season one of Temptation Island aired, I was immediately sucked in. While it shares many similarities with other reality shows, such as Love Island or Too Hot To Handle, it engages the audience by threatening the stability of relationships that existed prior to the show. The fact that these couples have experienced real-life relationships, outside of reality TV, makes this show raw and vulnerable in a way that some other reality TV shows are not.
I forgot how much I loved this TV show until season two just came out, and I’ve already binged the entire thing in the span of one weekend. Even though it’s a favorite show of mine, I question the validity of these relationships and whether this is a good way to test the loyalty of a couple.
It’s no secret that the couples cast for the show are those already facing underlying issues such as toxicity, commitment, infidelity, compatibility, etc., which is what makes them perfect candidates for a challenge like this. It’s easier to drive a wedge between couples that are already strained than it is with those standing on a firm foundation. In most cases, Temptation Island serves as a vehicle to “weed out” the weaker couples and reunite the stronger ones. My favorite couple from season one, Alexa and Lino, are now engaged, and I keep up with their love life on social media.
What I love about this show is the drama, which, in my opinion, runs deeper with couples who already have so much history and chemistry together. For some couples, the question is, are they willing to jeopardize their relationship and everything they’ve built together? For others, are they able to do the right thing when their significant other isn’t watching? It’s an interesting concept when we compare it to the real world.
In a lot of ways, I think that this show sends the message that it’s okay to cheat, which I wholeheartedly disagree with. By going on multiple dates with other people and being put in situations such as risky dares and games, it almost sets the couples up for failure. This isn’t where couples go to better themselves; it’s where relationships go to die (besides Lino and Alexa). For entertainment purposes, I think it’s a great watch, but in terms of values and messages, it’s hard to support.
Another message conveyed throughout the show is that you can “use” other people in your self-growth journey. Basically… you can get over someone by getting under someone else. I’ve always viewed self-growth as being a personal journey between your current self and your past self. I don’t think that people truly move on by jumping from person to person. That’s exactly why I have respect for the people who choose to leave the island alone at the end of the show, when they also have the option to leave with their significant other or leave with someone new.
I find it ironic that these couples claim they come to the island to solve their issues, when the reality of it is that they find themselves saddled with even more issues as a result. But hey, at least it makes for an entertaining watch for us! My final question is, would you be willing to bring your boyfriend to Temptation Island?