Parents' Guide to

Love Island (U.S.)

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

U.S. version of dating competition has innuendo, drinking.

TV Peacock, CBS Game Shows 2019
Love Island (U.S.) Poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 8 parent reviews

Mia L.
Mia L. Parent of 6, 10 and 11-year-old
April 1, 2023
age 3+

Good

It was good

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Jennymishappy
Jennymishappy Parent of 14-year-old
July 21, 2022
age 17+

Not for young teens.

A bunch of vapid “adults” only interested in hooking up. The people are not endearing, and lack any kind of depth at all. So much sex in this show. I don’t know if the seasons have gotten more graphic, but it’s definitely not something I’d let young teens watch.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The U.S. version of LOVE ISLAND is an interactive reality dating show that features single men and women looking for love and a chance to win some serious cash. Social media influencer Arielle Vandenberg, with the help of tongue-in-cheek off-screen narrator Matthew Hoffman, hosts the series, which stars a group of men and women living in isolation in a Fijian villa. Under video surveillance 24/7, they talk, party, participate in challenges for prizes, and text each other constantly. They must also be paired up with someone from the group. Meanwhile, viewers watching live can use the show's app to vote couples off the island. The winning couple wins $100k.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8):
Kids say (10):

This adaptation of the British series features lots of skin, tans, and snarky conversations as cast members vie for their love interests and attempt to remain on the show. But unlike many dating shows of this kind, the cast is often more civilized, and the content is a little less risqué than its British counterpart. Nonetheless, the conversations about coupling with each other are constant, and after a while, it gets a little tedious. It also sends troubling messages about how to go about building a committed relationship with a life partner. Folks who like this sort of thing will get some satisfaction from being able to make decisions about stars' fates, but outside of this, Love Island isn't that different from most other reality shows.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the appeal of reality dating competitions. Do you think cast members are really looking for love throughout the experience, or looking to win some money?

  • What are some of the differences between the U.S. version of Love Island vs. its British counterpart? Are these differences due to differences in culture? Laws and regulations? Or the audience?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate