9pm is the best time of the day again – Love Island is finally back to being unmissable

Love Island fatigue was real – and rampant. For the last few years, there’s just been something about the show that felt like going through the motions. We still watched, we cared a bit, we slept, we forgot. It wasn’t hitting like the hey day, but became a mundane necessity in our summer schedules. Sure, last year had its highlights, its moments and its icons. Chloe, Toby, Teddy, Kaz and Liberty are never far from my mind. But I couldn’t tell you one outstanding episode. We’re only three weeks into Love Island 2022 and I could tell you at least five. It’s official, Love Island is back at its very best for 2022. Here’s why.

It was a shaky start

When this season started, I thought we were in for the worst one yet. The vibes were dreadful. I’m an abolitionist, but whoever decided on the twist that the public pair up the Islanders should serve a substantial amount of jail time. No chemistry, no dynamics. Just let people who are in their to find romance choose each other because otherwise we’re all just wasting time until they figure out who they actually wanted to couple up with. But we got there in the end! And look at us now, Dad.

We’ve got Dami and Indiyah blossoming into winners right in front of our eyes. We’ve got drama, we’ve got laughs and we’ve got Twitter popping off without fail every single night of the week. In the words of that TikTok sound: This is perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.

A word for God-Su

Shaky start it might have been, but the real shakes came when Hurricane-Su barged into the villa and changed the world for the better. I can now no longer imagine my life without the presence of Ekin-Su in it. She joins the legions of Love Island women who have changed the TV industry forever, for the better. She’s Maura Higgins level of iconic, and I do not say that lightly. She is great at producing the TV we need, but is also someone the villa simply couldn’t function without.

She’s got all the girls backs. She hypes everyone up. She is so special!

The cast just works

I think this year without an early on solid coupled up from the start untouchable couple, this season feels better. The cast have mingled more, tried new things, recouped with different people. The friendship vibe feels correct, and the arguments pop off just like they need to. But there’s never lingering beef, which is actually really nice? Davide and Ekin-Su managed to not only become friends, but reignite their sexual chemistry spark that’s fizzing off them like radiation.

Gemma arguing with Ekin-Su was sorted fast, too. I feel like seeing people hang out on a day bed together a few episodes after one of the party has shouted “to me, that’s dick head behaviour” is pleasing to me.

The spark is BACK

I just genuinely cannot wait for 9pm to come around so I can see what’s been going on in the villa. My Love Island 2022 enemies annoy me just perfectly for the TV to be good. My Love Island icons never let me down. There’s good banter, good drama and immaculate vibes. Mostly that’s down to Dami and his mystical ways, but everyone else does a pretty good job too.

Course, there are Islanders I want out – but that’s part of good TV. I don’t know what the show has shifted to get its mojo back, but whatever it is they can keep it up. In the days of TV streaming these days, it’s rare that everyone sits down at the same time and watches something in unity. But Love Island brings us all together. It’s event telly that we all enjoy collectively, and knowing that there are millions of people rooting for Indiyah and Dami or the bubbling Davide and Ekin-Su tension makes it feel all the more exciting.

The show having its most streamed season ever with its eighth, in 2022, proves there’s so much life in Love Island yet. And I am lapping up every drop.

Love Island 2022 continues on ITV2 at 9pm tonight. For all the latest Love Island news and gossip and for the best memes and quizzes, like The Holy Church of Love Island on Facebook. 

Featured image courtesy of ITV.

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