Love Island - Fervour in a Fishbowl

Writes Rosemarie O Byrne

As Love Island comes round each summer, the annual debate unfolds: is it simply trash reality television, or does it have enough redeemable qualities to consider it a worthwhile watch? It’s a widely known fact that Love Island is not without its problems. Nevertheless I’m here to hypothesise on whether the amount that can be gained from keeping up with the series makes it worth the watch. With a critical eye and a bit of psychological analysis, you may be surprised about how much you’ll learn about human behaviour while ‘looking through the fishbowl’. I use the term fishbowl as the show’s set up is not dissimilar to that of a fish tank. The islanders are enclosed in a relatively small space as we, the viewers, stare in. Like a fishbowl, reality is distorted. The contestants have no access to the real world; their phones are confiscated, they have no grasp on time as all clocks are removed, and they have no contact with the “outside world.” 

To begin, I think it's important to address the notion that this type of light watching is considered a “guilty pleasure.” I’m a strong believer that if something brings you pleasure in life, then there should be no guilt or shame attached to enjoying it. There is the additional layer of ‘guilt’ that comes with liking a show popular with women, as interests deemed feminine are so often ridiculed. Therefore, I ask you to set aside your preconceptions before we start to ponder on whether or not Love Island is a worthwhile watch. I reject the narrative that it’s ‘trash’ simply because it's a ‘guilty pleasure’ type of show. 

In a world of uncertainty, divide and bad news, Love Island acts as one of the ways in which people come together and bond over shared opinions online, and engage in something ultimately quite trivial for the sole purpose of escapism.With such a consistent air time of 9pm every night on ITV2, Love Island has been a reliable distraction. Not only is it a source of lighthearted entertainment, but it's got just the right amount of drama to keep one invested while never becoming too all-consuming. The drama is very controlled and happens in a relatively safe space where viewers can just relax and enjoy without getting too emotionally involved. And because each episode ends on a cliffhanger, it keeps you coming back for more.

Now, when I say it's crucial to use a critical eye when observing a show like this, I don’t say it lightly. From the double standards and misogyny exhibited from a lot of the male contestants, to poor representations of what to accept and tolerate in relationships, and an overall lack of diversity in terms of body image, it's imperative to take this show with a pinch of salt. But with a some critical thinking, there's a whole world of fun to be had, as it adds an entirely new layer to the dramatics. Suddenly, a show that on the surface level, is just a dating game for young singles to compete for a cash prize, becomes a display of what happens to human beings when put under a lens, with cameras monitoring their moves in different social situations, and carefully crafted challenges designed to prey on both their weaknesses and insecurities. In fact the producers have been criticised for these manufactured scenarios designed to ‘test’ and essentially break the couples on the island, as they take a toll on the contestants' mental health.  

In this year’s season, they decided to bring a former islander back into the villa, Adam Collard, who was known for the chaos he caused in Season 4 by coupling up with four different women in two weeks. He was brought in as a surprise bombshell in the week just before the big finale. Naturally, his entrance caused a stir, and a few of the girls’ heads turned. What I found interesting about these few episodes was studying the ways that the men on the island responded to and interacted with this new threat, who had the power to rob them of both their potential girlfriends and their chance to win the £50k cash prize when it was within arms reach. Only moments before Adam arrived as a bombshell, the boys were taken on a relaxing spa date. In another evil genius attempt at crushing the contestants’ spirits and creating drama, the episode is edited to move straight from the spa day, to the carnage of Adam’s arrival. The boys’ body language goes from reclined and relaxed on the sunbeds, sharing a day in the sun with no worries, straight to a clip of them getting news of the new threat. They’re taken from the highest highs to quite a low drop as they are met with Adam, who quickly makes his motive of ‘getting to know all the girls’ very clear. Body language is what I’m interested in here, as they begin to mimic the gestures of the animal kingdom, each squaring up to the competition and trying to size him up. 

I got great enjoyment from following along with body language expert, Judy James’ interpretation of each episode on the Metro Youtube channel where they had a series named ‘Love or Lie Island’. Judy explained how a lot of a contestant’s intentions can be deciphered through their body language, which led me to believe that these characters were a lot more calculated than they let on. When someone is trying to impress a potential mate, for example, Judy describes how they express themselves as ‘peacocking’ as they may puff out their chest and roll their shoulders back, trying to look as attractive as possible and send out open signals. On another note, when an islander is trying to convince both a fellow contestant and the public of their sincerity, they may inadvertently try to manipulate by using their hands in a way that appears humble, putting a hand to their heart, maintaining eye contact, mirroring the person they’re speaking to, etc. 

Manipulation tactics are not uncommon within this show which is another reason to watch carefully. When the popular ‘Casa Amor’ episodes aired, the men and women were split up to meet new singles and test their original relationships. We saw a lot of double standards for dating behaviour set and upheld by the men. While the men who explored other dating options, they scolded the women for being ‘unloyal’ when they spoke to other men. There is a real problem in the way Love Island depicts what is okay to accept in a relationship for young people watching the show. Women’s Aid even put out a statement emphasising the importance of support for the contestants within the villa, especially encouraging the producers to intervene if relationships become unhealthy or abusive. Women’s Aid also commented on the massive influence Love Island has on young people, so it’s crucial to watch with a critical eye. The argument can also be made that the show makes room for discussion about toxic relationship patterns and what is or is not acceptable behaviour as the Love Island Twitter hashtag had been spammed every night with users typing up their thoughts and opinions on the show. As well, women who stood up against unacceptable behaviour set a good example for young eyes watching. 

With a dating show like this, the values and morals do need to be questioned. Is it teaching kids to be superficial and materialistic? Creating body image issues and projecting the idea that looks are more important than personality? Interestingly, you’ll find that although, yes, the contestants use Tinder-like tactics of picking and choosing their dates based on how attractive they initially find them, it was impossible for these couples to last based on looks alone. The islanders, no matter how superficial you may suspect them to be, ultimately realise in each coupling, that without the ability to have good conversations with their partner, there wasn’t any foundation for a relationship. 

So what’s the verdict? Is Love Island to be forgotten about?Or is it necessary for the show to continue, not only for the lighthearted entertainment and sense of escapism it brings, but for the rise in discussion it creates surrounding certain issues, and the critical analysis it inspires? Personally, I anticipate the next season’s release. As my Granny used to say, don’t we love having something to complain about.