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Hand pressing buttons on a remote pointed at television
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TX State | Culture > Entertainment

Why Gen Z Is Hooked on Love Island and The Summer I Turned Pretty

Courtney Buck Student Contributor, Texas State University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TX State chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

There are so many reasons why Gen Z enjoys TV shows like Love Island and The Summer I Turned Pretty, and a lot of it is contributed to the fact that we can watch love all of these different stories unfold, the good, the bad, the ugly, without having to risk those emotions in our own lives. 

Take Love Island, for example, it felt like everyone was tuning in, but why?  Because the concept alone was so intriguing, the idea of people being stuck on an island with no communication to the outside world and having to search for love among themselves is a crazy concept. And the fact that it premiered every day, except on Wednesdays and Sundays, made people develop a bond with the show, a “what will happen next?” type of feeling, a “whose side am I on?” kind of feeling. 

For The Summer I Turned Pretty, a coming-of-age fantasy that speaks to anyone who’s ever dreamed of being chosen, pursued, and prioritized, or really loved in such a deep way, just sounds so amazing to most of us, since all we have nowadays is Hinge and situationships. We get to hear the story from Belly’s perspective, we watch, we pick sides, and we discuss every episode on TikTok as soon as it comes out. Viewers have developed an emotional bond while watching Belly try to navigate her world of love and find herself. 

The impact these shows have had on Gen Z is phenomenal. Parasocial relationships are explored when fans start deciding what is right or wrong for Huda, as if we actually know her, and the entire concept of pitting two brothers against each other, resulting in a Conrad vs. Jeremiah storyline. 

We also like these shows because we can get emotionally invested without actually getting hurt. If it were us in Belly’s shoes, I’m sure half of us would have a really hard time. We see the drama, the vulnerability, the love, the heartbreak that relationships give us, but without having to actually experience it ourselves. It is an illusion of emotional safety because Conrad is what every girl wants; however, he is a rare type of man that not every girl gets. And that is the harsh reality of fantasizing about this show. 

Watching these shows give their own take on “love” has helped define the way Gen Z views love, especially over the last few months. Understandably so, however, just because of how good it all looks and seems on screen. In reality, these shows are so far from the truth that we should approach them with caution and view them strictly as entertainment. But of course, I am just being a cynic, and I do dabble in these shows myself, enjoying them myself. Maybe that’s the real draw: the shows let us believe in love stories that feel bigger, messier, and more romantic than our own.

Courtney Buck

TX State '27

Courtney Buck is the section editor at the Her Campus at Texas State chapter. She oversees the section’s direction, assigns ideas to writers, and ensures every piece offers responsible, supportive guidance to readers. She writes biweekly articles for Her Campus, collaborating closely with her team to develop ideas, conducting thorough research, and self‑editing her work to ensure clarity and quality. She enjoys writing original content, specifically personal essays and relatable pieces that reflect real student experiences to her own.

Outside of Her Campus, Courtney is a Mass Communication major at Texas State University with a minor in Psychology. She previously reported for KTSW 89.9 as a News and Culture Reporter and has completed a short internship with Swoon Memorial in Houston the past summer.

She enjoys doing her nails and journaling about her feelings as it makes her feel more grounded in her everyday life. She loves staying busy and productive so if her schedule is free, you can find her at the gym. She has big dreams and aspirations for her life, so although she doesn’t know exactly where she’s headed yet, she will be somewhere in the future!