Still feeling the excitement from the finale of Love Island USA Season 7? Over an exhilarating month in Fiji, Amaya and Bryan emerged as winners, taking home $100,000 and winning our hearts as the first Latino champions of the show.
This season, filled with unexpected eliminations, passionate reunions, and sun-drenched chaos, showcased Love Island at its finest: maximum drama and romance. But now that the villa is in darkness, what’s a hopeless romantic (or drama enthusiast) to do? Don’t fret; we have five equally captivating shows that will fill the Love Island void in your viewing schedule.
Too Hot To Handle (Netflix)
At first glance, Too Hot To Handle might seem like just another tropical paradise filled with attractive singles in a lavish villa, flirting at every chance and sizzling chemistry in the air. However, the major twist is that contestants are strictly prohibited from any physical contact; every kiss, touch, or “hook-up” comes with a monetary penalty deducted from a shared prize pool, all while being overseen by a vigilant AI host named Lana. The real tension arises from the necessity for contestants to build deep emotional connections to earn rewards. Season 6 introduced a mischievous AI that tempted players to break the rules and included a punishment bunker for repeat offenders. This show is perfect for Love Island fans who enjoy watching attraction blossom in high-stakes situations, where emotional connection is the real prize.
Ex On The Beach (MTV/Paramount +)
Combining speed-dating excitement with real-life heartache, Ex On The Beach adds an unexpected twist to summer vacation by placing singles in a beachfront villa, only to disrupt their time with surprise visits from ex-lovers. Contestants vie for closure or a chance to settle old scores, leading to toxic reunions and intense feelings as new romances spark drama that could ignite at any moment. Full of cringe-worthy moments and confrontational exchanges, this show keeps you on the edge of your seat with love triangles, shocking entrances, and unpredictable plot twists, ensuring that every relationship is fraught with tension. For fans of Love Island, this series captures the same chaotic, summer-fling energy but brings in a lot more exes.
The Circle (Netflix)
The Circle swaps beachwear for Wi-Fi, but the drama and social strategy remain plentiful. Contestants reside in separate apartments and can only communicate via a closed social media platform, allowing them to present their true selves or create a false persona. Popularity, tactics, and trust dictate who advances and who gets eliminated. It offers a profound examination of modern identity and emotional manipulation, and despite its digital nature, real friendships (and romances) often develop. If you enjoyed Love Island, you’ll find similar emotional highs, alliances forming, relationships crumbling, and personalities clashing—in a ruthless contest where charm or cunning leads to a $100,000 prize.
Love Is Blind (Netflix)
In Love Is Blind, physical attraction takes a back seat—participants engage in “dates” through a wall in specially designed pods. Willing to pledge themselves to marriage based solely on conversation, these daters discover if genuine love has blossomed. The show then takes the newly-engaged couples to experience face-to-face interactions for the first time, whisking them away on a luxury getaway, moving them in together, and ultimately leading them to the altar. Expect emotional turmoil, promises kept and broken, cultural clashes, agonizing admissions, and dramatic walk-offs. If you became invested in the raw emotions, intense new relationships, and the heightening drama of Love Island’s final act, Love Is Blind cranks all of that up to an exhilarating degree.
