Temptation Island hit Netflix on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. In ten episodes, Temptation Island follows four unmarried couples yearning to test the fidelity of their relationships.
The couples arrive in Hawaii and are introduced to 28 eligible men and women. The couples are then split up and head to their respective men’s villa and women’s villa. Once alone from their partners, the now single men and women are encouraged to build strong connections with the eligible contestants of the opposite sex.
Every few days, host Mark Walberg (not to be confused with Mark Wahlberg) separately gathers the now single men and women for a bonfire. At these events, the host shows footage of what’s happening at the other villa and asks individuals what they think of their other half’s actions while separated.
I didn’t hesitate when I first saw the thumbnail on Netflix under Shows You Might Like. Attractive people on an island already skeptical of their unfaithful partners? I had high hopes for the trajectory of Temptation Island. After hitting play on the first episode, I was introduced to the four couples. Ashley and Grant. Tayler and Tyler. Alexa and Lino. Shante and Brion. I struggled to root for any of them.
With Ashley and Grant, they dated on and off for a year and a half. Grant has a daughter from a previous relationship and was unfaithful when he and Ashely began dating. Both of these factor into Ashley’s uncertainty around their future. Grant feels that Ashley doesn’t have that maternal instinct to bond with his daughter and Ashley feels like she can’t trust her partner to keep his eyes solely on her. I understand where both individuals are coming from, but these thoughts are communicated in confessionals and not while sitting together. It seems their main issue is avoiding conflict and not having difficult discussions.
With Tayler and Tyler, they dated for two and a half years before participating in the show. Or as they all say “the experience.” Tayler wants commitment and financial stability from Tyler. Her significant other quit his corporate job over a year ago to pursue a modeling career and she has been supporting both of them. On top of that, they started dating right after Tyler ended a six year marriage. Tyler hasn’t had a chance to be alone and figure out what he wants and Tayler worries that he doesn’t know who he is yet and where his future is headed. From Tyler’s perspective, he is figuring out his goals as he goes and doesn’t want to plan years ahead. He wants to discover himself without feeling burdened by Tayler’s vision of a traditional lifestyle. Here is another couple that isn’t communicating their needs to one another and is avoiding hard conversations. They need to confront the conflict and realize that they have different visions of the future.
With Alexa and Lino, they dated for three years. Alexa is a travel nurse and moves around a lot for her career. Lino has had to move three times in three years, uprooting his life and finding new jobs. In addition, Lino is frustrated that Alexa considers him a “second choice.” She was married before they started dating and at the beginning of their relationship, she explored connections with multiple people. Lino perceived this as him being a “second choice.” From Alexa’s vantage point, Lino hasn’t let go of her seeing other people at the start of their relationship. She feels that her and Lino were still in the limbo stage while she was dating others and says it isn’t fair for him to keep bringing up this idea of him being a “second choice.” Alexa says she wants to start her own practice yet Lino credits his influence for her goals. The crux of their issues seems to be maturity. Lino needs to grow into their relationship and understand that he wasn’t a “second choice.” Alexa was figuring out herself after her divorce and she needed time and experience to know that Lino is a great match for her. Lino needs to mature and be confident in his connection with Alexa and Alexa needs to communicate her needs with Lino to avoid any misunderstandings.
With Shante and Brion, they dated for a year before joining Temptation Island. Brion wants to explore his sexuality and engage in threesomes because he fears that Shante is not sexual enough for his needs. Shante feels that Brion lacks confidence and maturity in their relationship and is putting too much pressure on their sexual intimacy and not understanding the value of their emotional connection. This is another couple that needs to sit down together and have a clear conversation on their wants and expectations for their future.
When the separated couples go to their respective villas, I did not anticipate the unsolicited therapy sessions. Ashley, Tayler, Alexa, and Shante sidle up on the couch with 14 eligible men and pour out their hearts about their relationships. Some men listen with interest and provide thoughtful responses. Others want nothing to do with that and stay in the kitchen or on the patio and chat up the other guys. I thought Grant, Tyler, Lino, and Brion would act differently in the men’s villa, but they do the same and the 14 eligible women are expected to listen. Again, some do and some don’t. It seems the eligible singles didn’t know just how much reassurance and trauma dumping would be involved in this “experience.”
As the season progresses, the separated couples go on dates with the eligible contestants and mingle and flirt with the rest of the people in the villas. Nothing is off limits. I thought there would be more intimacy, more sexy makeouts while feet dangled in the pool or bodies cooled off in the shade, but the couples do indeed deeply love their partners. They are hesitant to go farther than talking for longer than I anticipated.
And that’s what I love about Temptation Island. Despite the romantic getaway, the carefree nature of the environment, the easy access to attractive single people, the couples show affection. They want to form connections, but do so in a thoughtful manner. Tyler and Grant wait for that emotional bond before getting physical with another person. Brion holds out on having a threesome for a few days and then immediately regrets the decision. The couples are fallible humans but they are very much in love with their partner. They aren’t just in “the experience” for the sex.
They are in it for the emotions and for the deeper understanding of themselves. In many reality tv shows, the contestants join for the wrong reasons. They want to grow their brand or their follower count or just want intimacy. But the Temptation Island contestants want to know their relationship and gain a sense of self in the process. They joined the show for the right reasons. And while a few proved unfaithful and a few relationships didn’t work out, all eight partners left with clarity on their futures and their identities.