Love Island USA season 7’s cast has been playing the game strategically rather than emotionally, which proves one incredibly unsettling fact about the show’s Islanders. Throughout Love Island USA season 7, the cast of Islanders has grown to know one another in a deep, meaningful way. While that’s not always romantic, their connections have been strong and steady this season.

As Love Island USA season 7’s cast finds themselves more intertwined with one another emotionally, their ability to read each other has grown considerably. For the Islanders who came into the villa on the first day together, the connections they’ve made throughout this experience will hopefully last a lifetime. Unfortunately, there’s a darker side to their relationships they haven’t shared.

While all the viewers and participants of Love Island USA know there’s a $100,000 prize at the end of the season, it’s not typically the main focus of the series. Viewers watch Love Island USA to see the Islanders connect, fall in love, and potentially build relationships outside of the series. While the money plays a part, Love Island USA isn’t usually viewed as competitive.

Throughout Love Island USA season 7, however, things have been different. From the Islanders and Bombshells interactions overall to the way that viewers have been treating the Islanders, things have changed since last season. Even the way the Love Island USA season 7 cast has voted regarding eliminations from the villa has been different, leaving viewers feeling off about the show.

Love Island USA Season 7’s Cast Is Treating The Show Like A Game

It’s Less About The Connections & More About The Money

While Love Island USA season 7’s cast is allowed to do what they’d like throughout their time in the villa, the fact that they’ve been treating the show more like a game than in past seasons has been jarring. The Love Island USA cast has been strategic rather than investing in connections, which has changed the tone of the show.

Rather than being open about the fact that they may not have deep connections, some Islanders have been trying to pair up in order to ensure they have a relationship that looks stronger than it is. Instead of trying to find something deep or genuine, Islanders like Ace Greene and Taylor Williams have been focused on one relationship that may not be that strong.

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Instead, the Islanders are hopeful that they’ll have a relationship or connection that resonates with Love Island USA viewers. That way, by the end of the season, if the connection with viewers is strong enough, a long-term couple is more likely to win the $100,000 prize. Strategically voting off Islanders like Jeremiah Brown or Hannah Fields makes it clear that strategy was at play.

Strategic Gameplay & Romantic Connections Aren’t Mixing Well

Real Relationships Are Getting Cut Short

While strategy is a part of any reality TV show to an extent, the fact that Love Island USA straddles the line between a competition and a docu-series makes it tough to know how much strategy is too much. Love Island USA’s cast can vote strategically if they want to keep certain Islanders around, but doing it for selfish reasons comes off poorly.

Throughout the season thus far, the majority of the Islander-controlled votes have pushed Islanders off the show who have had connections worth exploring. Hannah, who was voted out when her relationship with Pepe Garcia was at its peak, left the show behind with a genuine relationship in hand, as did Jeremiah, and Charlie Georgiou before them, making strategic votes a pattern.

Rather than allowing the connections that exist on the show to blossom, the Love Island USA season 7 cast has preserved connections like Taylor’s with Olandria Carthen that seem stale, or connections like Ace’s with Chelley Bissainthe, which have felt forced and somewhat inconsistent throughout the season. The strategic votes have kept couples in the mix who may not have as strong connections as others.

Love Island USA’s Cast Could Be In It For The Money

They May Not Be There For The Right Reasons

While there are a lot of reasons the Islanders could vote one another out, it’s not typical that the Love Island USA cast gets to explain their decisions. It seems likely the cast members are moving the way they are for money. With long-lasting couples in the villa, Love Island USA’s cast could be looking for a financial win over a connection.

Love Island USA airs every night at 9 p.m. EDT on Peacock, except Wednesdays.

Source: Love Island USA/Instagram