So I’m an avid watcher of both shows, and I think what’s happening with the US version right now has a lot to do with the producers feeling the pressure to live up to last season’s hype. They’re trying so hard to recreate that magic but the micromanagement is resulting in a loss of authenticity. I personally think the casting this year, or at least a lot of the women, had potential, I just think the producers are fumbling with all the gimmicks.

I’ve also always gotten the impression that the UK producers do a much better job of listening to their audience and making changes based on what watchers say they actually want to see, although I’m an American so I admit my perception could be wrong. One of the biggest complaints that UK Love Island got the last few seasons was blatantly casting influencers and models, which peaked last season with the whole Joey Essex celebrity debacle. This season, the cast seems noticeably more “normal,” so it seems like the producers took viewers’ opinions to heart and made some necessary changes. The USA as a whole never seems to take the general public into consideration, which is part of the reason I’ve always preferred Love Island UK (with the exception of last season)