Love Island USA Recap: Brinity Is My New North Star

Love Island
Episode 19
Season 8 Episode 19
Editor’s Rating ★★★
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Very little actually happened last night on Love Island. There was the “temperatures rising” game, the traditional competitive sexual pantomime between Casa Amor and the main villa, which was judged by the all-seeing and unknowable producer-gods who ultimately deemed the main villa the winners. I have no idea how the “sexiness” or “teamwork” of each event was actually scored, but I was entertained by Kayda screaming frantically at Trinity, “You have to suck the feet!” Kenzie introduced her new man, Anonymous White Guy No. 2, to her breasts, named “Sugar” and “Spice.” And when he tried to joke that he’s more of a “visual learner,” she missed the innuendo entirely and eagerly agreed, “me too!” like she’s a sexist cartoon of herself. Zach and Sincere discovered the human emotion “guilt,” but have so far failed to correctly identify it. They know that making out with Casa girls while still thinking about Melanie and Kayda is stressing them out, but they just don’t know why.

And yet, even amid all the nothingness, we also learned a lot. We now know that Caleb and Jen have no real reason to be here anymore, as their combined three minutes of screentime were deeply boring and, on Caleb’s end at least, a little depressing. We learned that every single one of these young women needs at least one semester of an introductory gender studies course, or at least a girl-power slogan to hang onto. And, most importantly, we learned that there is exactly one love story developing on Love Island USA this season, and it is between Bryce and Trinity. In what was otherwise a pretty upsetting and red-pilled hour of television, Brinity was the bright spot my heart has been longing for.

I’m a Brinity believer.

This is what happens when you stop exploring connections and start getting real. Last night, it was Bryce weeping in the beach hut that all he wants now is to get back to Trinity, his one true Love Island connection. Tonight, it is Trinity. First, she’s feeling guilty for kissing Corey, because she knows her heart is still really with Bryce. At the same time, she doesn’t know exactly what Bryce is up to at Casa, which is scary for a woman of color who is dating someone outside her race, she says, wiping away tears. She might have to see him go “back to something that he’s comfortable with,” meaning, it’s fair to assume, she’s worried he could choose someone white over her. She says, “I’m okay with being vulnerable because I really like him and I really want us to be something.” And when we see Bryce back at Casa, who is sharing a bed with Tierra for the evening, he’s just whispering to her that he misses Trinity.

Until Casa, Bryce and Trinity’s relationship has come to us in comedic snippets of one or the other of them saying something completely unhinged. Now, suddenly, we’re looking at a pair of real-life lovers right here, which is what a good Casa Amor experience can bring out in a couple. This is the one reunion I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing. I want a run-and-jump-into-the-arms, The Notebook kind of greeting. Because everyone else who decides to stay will be a disappointment.

KC and Corbin are pigs.

On the other end of the spectrum, if these girls don’t stop apologizing to KC for “acting crazy,” I am going to crawl through the television like The Ring and physically come between them. Remember back in the villa when KC would laugh at Aniya when she asked if he wanted to explore someone else, assure her he was satisfied with their relationship, then grouse that Aniya wasn’t letting him explore other people? Of course you do, because we just watched him do the exact same thing to Tierra. She says she’s all in on him, he says the feeling is mutual, but he’s also going to share a bed with Sydney tonight. Then he laughs while she processes this information, and she says, finally, that she’s “not mad, but it’s noted.” The following day, when KC has decided he still likes Tierra better than Sydney, Tierra is the one to apologize to him, and says, “You think I’m crazy.” Now I feel like I’m the one going insane, because neither Aniya nor Tierra is crazy, KC is just an asshole.

KC and Corbin both feel that, in Casa Amor, they are finally getting the sexual attention they are owed. Corbin says he has not given Kenzie one single solitary thought while he’s been here, and declares the Casa girls better and badder than the villa girls. KC suddenly views himself as a sort of resurrected Hugh Hefner, and states that he likes Tierra because she pursued him, and he doesn’t have to “beg” for kisses in bed anymore. What’s more, he doesn’t think he and Aniya have anything at all in common, which I’m sure would be news to Aniya. Both of them seem to have forgotten what show they’re on and the fact that they are these women’s ticket to the main villa, which could also have something to do with the vibes they’re currently enjoying.

Corey is giving Melanie the hard sell

Basically, everyone is trying to warn Melanie that Sincere ain’t shit, but will she listen? She hasn’t ever listened in the past, so a betting recapper would say no. Ronnie (who will never be seen again after this conversation) tells Melanie that, respectfully, she could be doing better, and hints vaguely at things he’s seen of Sincere on the show that she has not. Corey, who seems to have realized that Trinity’s affections are otherwise engaged, presses this point to Melanie even harder the following day. He also hints at Sincere’s bad behavior behind closed doors, but in front of the Love Island cameras, and then gives Melanie her version of dirty talk when he says that a guy like Sincere can’t handle Melanie, but he can. Melanie eagerly agrees that she needs a man she can be deferential to, which is just so utterly disappointing.

I don’t know if it’s really in Melanie’s best interest to trust Corey or Ronnie, but I only know that she has to stop putting her trust in Sincere. Imagine you catch your boyfriend cheating on you, and he says, “No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. I was just testing my connection to you. And, good news, I still like you better than that other girl.” This is the conversation Melanie and Sincere have had every day since Sol walked in, and Melanie has bought it every single time. 

So if the pattern keeps repeating, then I don’t believe Melanie will recouple with Corey, or that Sincere will recouple with Amora. And if you’re expecting real fireworks from them after Casa, I believe you’ll be disappointed.