• Bombshells Have Arrived

  

  Knock, knock! The OG Islanders didn’t even make it 24 hours before two bombshells came knocking on the villa’s door. After the Islanders initially coupled up and spent their first night together, they saw their first twist when Gabriel (who was initially announced as an OG Islander but was switched to bombshell) and Kayda strutted in and each stole two girls and two boys, respectively, to spend the second night with (Yes, I can confirm it was an awkward throuple bed situation). During episode two, Gabriel and Kayda got to pick the Islander they wanted to steal, with the former choosing Beatriz and the latter picking Zach.

  But if you thought that duo was going to be the only bombshells during week one, you were wrong, as Corbin was a surprise bombshell during the first challenge during episode four. Let’s just say he got in quite a few kisses before the boys even knew he was there.

  Before week one wrapped up, the Islanders had one more massive twist when three bombshells — Caleb, Jen and Sol — crashed their lingerie slumber party, locking lips and leaving colorful marks on the Islanders.

• Plenty of Sticky Challenges

  

  Things got quite literally sticky during the season’s first challenge, “Boss Bitch,” in episode four. Drama was definitely stirred when the girls chose a male Islander whom they weren’t currently coupled up with as their “office crush” to share a kiss with. Some truths were then revealed after the girls were asked some blunt questions, leaving some Islanders getting dunked into a tank of slime.

  One of the most surprising moments during the challenge was when new bombshell Corbin secretly locked lips with the girls when they went into the “Accounts Department,” leaving the boys clueless until later in the episode.

  And then during episode six, things definitely got spicy during the lingerie slumber party when they played a game on a big bed (yes, literally a giant-sized bed) that saw the girls blindfolded, crawling over all the boys and marking them with paint, searching for their current partner to get handcuffed. But one thing on Love Island: always expect the unexpected. Three new bombshells also secretly got their chance to make their rounds on the bed, surprising the girls and the guys.

• Melanie Has a Meltdown

  

  One of the most talked-about moments (or multiple moments) during the first week was Melanie’s many meltdowns in the villa as she was going through all the emotions, no doubt. After igniting a spark with Sincere on day one, she began to unravel when he also showed interest in bombshell Kayda (if you’re wondering how long they had been coupled up at this point… literally 24 hours).

  In retaliation, she started to pursue new bombshell Corbin when he arrived in episode four. However, Beatriz later confronted Melanie for being disrespectful after she was the first to pull Corbin for a chat, rather than giving Kenzie (who was single at the time) the first opportunity to talk to him one-on-one. And let’s just say Melanie did not like being called out by her fellow Islander, leading to an emotional outburst after she stormed off (cue Melanie’s memorable “give me 10, give me 10…” moment).

  Though Melanie and Sincere eventually reconciled (as did Melanie and Beatriz), she was nearly jumping off the bed in excitement when new bombshell Caleb walked in during episode six. However, she later clarified in episode seven that she was excited for Kenzie, as Caleb was her type. Melanie was also hit with another shocker at the end of the episode when she learned that Sincere kissed new bombshell Sol during one of their one-on-one chats. Fans will just have to keep watching to see how Melanie’s current couple plays out, especially with the results of the first fan vote looming.

• Let the Dumpings Begin

  

  When you go on a show about finding love, there’s inevitably going to be heartbreak. And America’s heart was broken at the end of episode five when Sean (the former police officer from Pennsylvania, and I say former because it’s unlikely he’ll be returning to his job after the mayor of Bethlehem called him out for resigning from his position to go on a reality show) was dumped from the villa.

  Sean struggled to form a romantic spark after Gabriel stole Beatriz from him at the beginning of the season. Though he was slowly getting to know Kenzie, he was ultimately left single and vulnerable when bombshell Corbin chose Kenzie during the season’s first recoupling. That’s when host Ariana Madix revealed that he would be leaving and needed to pack his bags and say his goodbyes.

• The Couples (For Now)

  

  Season eight has definitely kicked off with a bang, and with five weeks remaining, this is only the beginning of a sexy but messy summer. While romantic connections have already started to blossom, there’s one thing the Islanders and viewers should keep in mind: “This is Love Island USA. And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, everything can change. So my advice: don’t get too comfortable,” Madix reminded during the premiere episode. Here are the current pairings as week one comes to an end:

  • Aniya and KC
  • Kenzie and Corbin
  • Beatriz and Gabriel
  • Kayda and Zach
  • Melanie and Sincere
  • Trinity and Bryce
  • Sol (Single)
  • Caleb (Single)
  • Jen (Single)

  New episodes of Love Island USA drop Thursdays through Tuesdays, with Love Island Aftersun (hosted by Ciara Miller and content creator Tefi Pessoa) airing every Saturday.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day