Love Island? Perhaps “Friendship Island” would have been a more fitting title for the third season of Love Island USA. Instead of delivering the sizzling summer of romance, drama, and genuine connections viewers have come to expect, Season 3 stumbled, leaving many fans disappointed. Looking back at all three seasons of Love Island USA, it’s hard to deny that the third installment was, by a significant margin, the weakest. But what exactly went wrong? Love Island USA Season 3 had all the ingredients for success, yet it somehow failed to capture the magic of the Love Island experience.
For its third run, Love Island USA returned to a stunning tropical location. Season 1 unfolded in Fiji, while Season 2, due to pandemic restrictions, was confined to a Las Vegas casino. In contrast to the restrictions that impacted productions like Big Brother 22, Season 3 islanders enjoyed the idyllic backdrop of Hawaii. The villa was undeniably beautiful, boasting panoramic ocean views, a cascading waterfall, and lush tropical foliage. This spacious setting offered ample room for islanders to explore connections and navigate the complexities of love, feeling less restrictive than the environments of the first two seasons.
However, paradise came with a persistent problem: rain. Season 3 was plagued by torrential downpours, even more so than the first season. Watching islanders endure challenges and romantic dates drenched in rain, clad in swimwear under grey skies, wasn’t exactly the escapist fun Love Island is known for. Season 2, with its consistently sunny Las Vegas setting, provided a much more appealing visual experience. Perhaps Love Island should consider returning to Las Vegas or adjusting its filming schedule to avoid rainy seasons altogether. The dreary weather cast a pall over the entire season, washing out the vibrant energy and dampening the overall mood.
Love Island USA Season 3 Cashay and Cinco
Alt text: Cashay Proudfoot and Cinco Holland share a moment on Love Island USA Season 3, highlighting their complex relationship.
The cast of Love Island USA Season 3 also struggled to live up to the memorable personalities of the first two seasons. Many viewers agree that Season 2 boasted an exceptionally strong cast, making it a tough act to follow. While Season 3 did feature some standout individuals like Cashay, Javonny, Aimee, Florita, Kyra, and Trina, even those who briefly graced the villa, such as Leslie and Genevieve, possessed the potential to inject excitement. Unfortunately, many of these newer islanders were quickly eliminated, with the spotlight consistently returning to the original contestants. Love Island USA once again fell victim to what can be termed the “OG islander curse.”
The inherent structure of a viewer-vote driven show like Love Island favors those who enter the villa in the early days, particularly Week 1 or even Day 1. These original islanders have a significant advantage: viewers connect with them first, storylines naturally revolve around them, and they forge bonds quickly, often forming alliances to protect their group unless production interventions force a shake-up. Love Island USA Season 3 was a prime example. Consequently, the average lifespan of a new islander became disappointingly short, around 5-6 days. The rapid dumping of new arrivals without giving them a fair chance to integrate became a recurring pattern. By the final week, the villa was largely populated by OGs and a few late-stage additions, making the outcome feel predictable and less exciting.
With the same core group of islanders dominating the season, the storylines of Love Island USA Season 3 devolved into repetitive cycles. The Cashay/Cinco/Trina love triangle, initially intriguing due to Cinco’s wavering affections, dragged on for far too long, consuming a disproportionate amount of screen time. The introduction of Charlie, Leslie, and Lei-Yen into the mix only temporarily diverted attention, ultimately delaying the inevitable resolution of this emotionally draining storyline. Similarly, Will’s prolonged indecisiveness with Kyra, Jeremy’s improbable streak of avoiding elimination, Olivia’s repeated romantic missteps, and Josh and Shannon’s self-assured dominance all contributed to a sense of stagnation. Everything felt stretched thin, losing its initial appeal and becoming tedious. The third season of Love Island USA became simply boring, perhaps the worst fate for a guilty pleasure show like Love Island.
Adding to the season’s missteps were poorly timed twists and eliminations that often felt counterproductive. The islanders consistently demonstrated that granting them the power to decide eliminations was a flawed strategy (as highlighted by the “OG curse”). When viewers are given the power to vote for their least favorite islanders or couples, their choices should carry weight. Undermining the viewer vote by handing the final decision back to the islanders, who naturally prioritize their own alliances and self-interests, felt disingenuous. Islanders like Jeremy or Olivia likely would have been eliminated much earlier if viewer votes had been decisive; instead, the OG group maintained their grip, perpetuating the cycle of predictability.
The one consistently successful twist in Love Island USA remains Casa Amor. This format shake-up is a reliable source of drama and has season-altering consequences. Season 2 viewers vividly remember Johnny’s Casa Amor indiscretions, and in Season 3, Will’s near-departure from his relationship with Kyra for new islander Flo provided a similar jolt. Casa Amor offers every islander a chance to explore new connections, or, perhaps more dramatically, exposes existing cracks in established relationships. This twist remains a highlight of the Love Island format.
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Ultimately, Love Island USA is ostensibly about finding lasting love. While some couples emerged from Season 3 in relationships or with budding romances, none seemed destined for long-term success outside the villa. The season concluded with a sense of forced friendships, shaky partnerships, or couples seemingly playing the game to win the prize money. Josh and Shannon’s abrupt departure due to a family emergency likely altered the outcome; had they remained, their seemingly solid relationship would have made them strong contenders for the win. For their relationship to endure, Shannon needs to cultivate trust in Josh and avoid interpreting his actions negatively. Their differing “love languages” require open communication to prevent resentment from undermining their foundation. Cinco and Cashay left the villa separately but have since reconnected in the real world. For their romance to flourish, Cinco needs to commit to honesty and consistency with Cashay; the indecision that characterized their villa relationship won’t translate well to the outside world.
Love Island USA Season 3 Will and Kyra
Alt text: Will Moncada and Kyra Lizama are pictured in a romantic moment on Love Island USA Season 3, but their relationship faced scrutiny.
Will and Kyra, in contrast, appear less likely to last. Kyra’s commitment to the relationship is evident, but Will’s hesitation and reluctance to fully commit to Kyra for weeks raised red flags. His eventual decision to make their relationship official felt performative rather than genuine. While wishing them well, it’s hard to shake the feeling that greater honesty and directness from Will earlier in the season might have changed their trajectory, perhaps even leading to a win instead of their second-place finish. Their loss seems more attributable to Will’s actions, as Kyra consistently demonstrated faith in their connection.
Regarding the winners, Olivia and Korey, many viewers consider them the least convincing Love Island winning couple in the franchise’s history. Their romance felt contrived and unlikely to endure. Olivia spent much of the season pursuing other islanders and making questionable romantic choices. Returning from Casa Amor single after entering single is a particularly baffling move in the Love Island context. Korey, on the other hand, struggled to find reciprocal romantic interest throughout the season. Their eventual pairing felt strategic—Korey was a known fan favorite, and Olivia needed a partner to secure her position in the villa. Furthermore, as original islanders, their combined longevity in the villa significantly boosted their chances of winning once they coupled up. Had Cashay not eliminated Cinco, Josh and Shannon not withdrawn, or Will not undermined his relationship with Kyra, Olivia and Korey’s path to victory would have been far less clear. Against two relatively new couples in the finale, their win felt almost inevitable. While their friendship may be genuine and deserving of recognition, their victory as a romantic couple felt unsatisfying.
Love Island USA Season 3 was ultimately a lackluster and frustrating viewing experience, squandering the potential inherent in its beautiful Hawaiian setting. Instead of delivering peak Love Island drama and temptation, the season became bogged down in repetitive storylines and predictable patterns. Poor decisions from both the islanders and production exacerbated the existing issues. Hopefully, future seasons will learn from these missteps, especially considering the demonstrated potential of Love Island USA, as seen in the near-perfect second season and even the more engaging first season. Season 3, for the most part, simply missed the mark.
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Love Island USA airs weekly on CBS and is available to stream on Paramount+.
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