Temptation Island
Reality reboot showcases iffy gender stereotypes.
Temptation Island
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Temptation Island is a reboot of the 2001 Fox series of the same name. The show features four couples in crisis who travel to a private resort in Hawaii, where they're pursued by aggressive young singles hoping to lure them away from their partners. There's nonstop arguing, backstabbing, and sleazy innuendo. Couples bicker and treat each other disrespectfully, insults are traded frequently. Lots of revealing outfits and bathing suits, people drink to excess. There's frank sex talk, as well as some swearing ("bitch" is thrown around a lot, stronger expletives are censored).
Community Reviews
Not for under 18 & trashy nonsense
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What's the Story?
TEMPTATION ISLAND reboots the 2001 Fox series of the same name, wherein four troubled couples are whisked away to a luxurious island resort where they'll be separated from one another for several weeks and given a free pass to explore relationships with other partners. Bikini-clad beachcombing and champagne-soaked hangouts are par for the course as contestants test the waters with new love interests, hoping to come to some sort of conclusion about whether or not to stay with their original partners.
Is It Any Good?
Why anyone truly invested in their relationship would go on a show specifically designed to make them break up is a puzzler for the ages -- but as problematic guilty pleasure viewing, it kinda works. It's easy enough to get caught up in the tawdry, sun-soaked glitz of Temptation Island, but after a while, the retrograde gender representations and constant bickering become tiresome and depressing to watch. Sticking around until the end to see which of these obviously unhappy couples break up and which couples stay together has more to do with schadenfreude than actual entertainment value, but reality show junkies may not be able to resist.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what would inspire someone to appear on a show like Temptation Island. Can a relationship really grow stronger by purposefully straying outside of it? Does participating in an experiment like this seem like a constructive way to address one's doubts and fears about a partnership, or does it seem like it would hurt more than help?
Talk about the messages Temptation Island sends about gender roles. One of the contestants questions how "masculine" her partner is, due to the fact that he doesn't pursue stereotypically male activities like hunting and fishing. The single women engage in catty smack talk when introducing themselves to the couples, which is returned in kind by the female contestants, as both sides claim to not be intimidated by one another. Does this seem like genuine behavior, or like something that is being played up for the cameras?
Why are dating and marriage-related reality shows so popular? Why do viewers enjoy watching singles find potential matches? What about this concept is appealing or interesting to viewers? Would it be as interesting if the contestants were unattractive?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 15, 2019
- Network: USA
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: March 11, 2023
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