Four couples, two villas, one dramatic ending.
On Friday, April 10, Netflix released Season 2 of “Temptation Island,” a sizzling reality TV show that puts relationships to the test. The new season consists of nine episodes, and each runs for about an hour, making it the perfect evening watch alone or with your besties.
However, this show is more than just your classic I’m-looking-for-the-love-of-my-life-on-TV watch. Instead of bringing on singles looking for their next relationship, the series stars four real-life couples.
Wait, what? Why would people who are already in relationships need to go on a dating show?
This is where VALLEY comes in. We’re here to tell you (sans spoilers) why you won’t want to miss the new season of this spicy, jaw-dropping show.
It’s About To Get Messy
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the premise of the show, here’s a quick rundown:
Four couples who are looking to test their love decide that instead of therapy, their best course of action is to go on a reality show called “Temptation Island,” because that sounds promising. Usually, these couples come in with some sort of relationship issue, such as one partner cheating on the other, or someone who’s struggling to commit.
The most effective course of action to see if their partner is truly “the one” is to see if they give in to temptation.
When they arrive, the couples are soon split up — the men stay in one villa, and the women stay in another villa, away from their partners.
They’re not alone, though. “Temptation Island” invites the sexiest singles to join each villa to see if they can “tempt” the taken men and women to cheat on their partner.
Brutal. But hey, who said reality TV needed to have morals?
At the end of the season, the couples reunite and are given three choices: leave together, leave alone or leave with another connection they made on the island. Our choice right now is to grab the popcorn.
Host? We Thought You Said “Life Coach”
If you weren’t sold by the premise of the show (kind of wild if you weren’t, but no worries) the next, and arguably most notable, reason to watch is for the host: Mark L. Walberg (not to be confused with the actor Mark Wahlberg).
Walberg runs the show, checking in on each villa to see how the couples are doing throughout their journeys away from their partners. He is also in charge of announcing when there are dates, as well as when there is going to be an elimination of some of the “tempters.”
The best part about Walberg is that he is more than just a host. He gives solid advice to the members of each couple, and he acts as a supportive father figure for the ladies. He also makes sure to hold everyone accountable for their actions and challenges their way of thinking, so that they grow during their time on the show. The man truly deserves a pay raise.
Bonfire Night
As if the plot of “Temptation Island” wasn’t crazy enough, we haven’t even discussed the wildest part of the show. Each week, the men and women gather with Walberg for a “bonfire,” where they are each shown clips of what their partner has been up to without them.
These bonfires can get pretty intense. Last season, two of the women had to witness their boyfriends actively cheating on them. There are cameras everywhere in each of the villas, so no moment goes unnoticed.
Once again, brutal, but it definitely makes for good TV.
A Supportive Community
Even though being a part of the show puts the couples in emotional turmoil, one positive aspect of “Temptation Island” is the pure connections that form. The men and women who arrive in relationships become close as they bond through their shared experience and support one another on their journeys. Many of them even form meaningful connections with the singles, at least as friends if not more. It’s uplifting to see everyone support one another as the couples individually find themselves and discover their self-worth.
Full of drama, spice, love and friendship, this season of “Temptation Island” is sure to be an entertaining watch. After all, we still have to wrap up the semester, so a little reality TV break never hurts.
Are you going to tune in to “Temptation Island”? Let us know your thoughts on the new season on Instagram, @VALLEYmag!
