It all started with a trial version of Peacock! I did the whole Peacock thing because my mother kept talking about Bel-Air, and wanting me to watch it. Well, I’m just gonna fast-forward right here and let it be known that I still haven’t watched it! But don’t tell my Mama! Lol!
Anyway, I’m scrolling through and see Black folk on a ‘finding love’ type of show. Blame Love is Blind for my curiosity. They got their hooks in me first! Shout out to Lauren and Cameron. So, I tap in and they’re already several episodes in to Season 4 of Love Island USA. I couldn’t turn away. And to know that a new episode came on every night (except Wednesday)! They had me wrapped and invested. But I’m not posting about that today. I would have to go back sooo far to address everything from that particular season (and I just might at some point). This is about the originating franchise Love Island UK! Baby… when I tell you that I am truly obsessed! The one thing that they have, that the US show needs to adopt is ‘Movie Night!’ The draw-dropping part of all the seasons.
The UK got it right. Great TV. My only complaint would be that they tend to bring so many options for everyone, except the Black girls. This is an area where I really need them to do better. The way that they cast for the possible like/love interests for the Black girls misses every time. Most of the time, from what I’ve seen, this leaves that/those girl(s) clinging to the only option that she has. IMO It’s not anything that a deeper interviewing process can’t help with.
I stand by that.
So getting into it (finally)…
This latest season (10) for the UK crowned Sammy and Jess as the winners. How?! This win concerned me deeply. Because how could a nation of voters pick the couple where the man, outwardly, showed the woman time and time again that she was neither the desired nor the preferred? Where he continued to choose on her with other women. Flat out said that she was not his type. Where the girl spent a large amount of time crying and staying loyal to prove to this man-child that she was ‘the one’? What does that say about the actual voters? Crazy part, is I feel like the voting pool was comprised mostly of women and that partly is even more disturbing.
Having a fan base is cool. I get that part. But if ever there was a time where popularity should not have trumped sensibility… this was it. I don’t know whether I’m in the minority or the majority, and I honestly don’t care. This was just all bad. And if I’m being honest, Sammy still doesn’t look like he’s all that into Jess. It looks forced. As far as I’m concerned, he’s just playing the game—the right way. I’m sure he doesn’t want to be met with the same social media backlash as Caleb Corprew (USA Season 2) and Timmy Pandolfi (USA Season 4). They were both $50,000 lessons! Sheesh! Even saying that, I feel for Justine Ndiba and Zeta Morrison. They were both in it for love. So yeah, as far as Sammy playing the game the right way. I know he doesn’t want that same social media fate that the other two ended up on the other side of.
Unless… unless… and I never thought of this! What if they’re in on it together! That could very well be it! Maybe they agreed to go the distance stay in this thing for a few months and then split amicably! Has to be! Yeah, I’m going with that. They signed an agreement.
Because it’s Whitney and Lochan for me. They were the winners of this season and were robbed of the win. Theirs was a passion that graduated to something really deep and big. The way they look at each other, the way they interact, the way the humor is matched between them. They are good to each other and I feel that they will go a long way. Not to mention that they are both mid-twenties. That stage of life where they really are looking at love and life and maybe a few babies.
I feel like they got it all wrong. But that’s just me. Wishing Jess the best because it was evident that she wants this. I was honestly just hoping that at the very least that the women in her family or someone close to her pulled her coattail in the right direction… toward the real… and away from Sammy.
It should have been Whitney/Logan & Tariq/Ella in the finals. Period.
Thoughts?