*Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead*
Ask any bonafide Love Island U.K. fan about the show's best season and, nine times out of ten, they'll give you a laundry list of all the reasons season five takes first place.
To jog your memory, the British reality TV show (not to be confused with the American spinoff) follows a group of incredibly attractive contestants who live in isolation in a villa in Spain while being filmed. To avoid elimination, each islander must be coupled up with another person, and by the end of the series, the winning pair gets to take home $100,000. (NBD.)
In case you weren't aware, the fifth season currently holds the record for the highest-rated and most-watched series ever, averaging an impressive 5.6 million viewers. A quick glimpse at Reddit discussions will also tell you that most fans consider this season to be the gold standard, thanks partly to the incredible cast and all the juicy drama. But I'm curious to know: What exactly makes this season the cream of the crop? Is it a particular couple? Or perhaps an unforgettable moment that fans still think about to this day? I did a bit of digging and discovered that there are several key factors, from hilarious one-liners to solid storylines.
Keep reading to see why season five is, in fact, the best Love Island U.K. season, hands down.
Why Season Five is the Best Love Island U.K. Season
1. It Maintains a Light-Hearted Tone
Yes, there is drama galore, but those intense moments are balanced with genuine laughs and lighthearted content, thanks partly to Iain Stirling's brilliant narration. The islanders' unique personalities and quirks also made for some amusing interactions and one-liners—like Amber's "I'm not a cat" comment and, of course, the infamous "Mr. F***ing Boyfriend" moment.
One Reddit fan wrote, "Everything about this moment was so beautiful. Jordan's sad little 'Mate?' when India rejected him, Anna storming over in her flowy robe like a goddess of destruction, 'Mr. F***ing Boyfriend,' 'TWO DAYS.' Ovie coming over and smoothly pulling India out of the drama, and all of it happening only a few days before the final when things are usually super boring. God bless this mess."
2. The Cast Is Unmatched
One of the most rewarding parts of watching this series was seeing the dynamic between the cast and how genuine friendships develop. Season five in particular featured a lot of memorable islanders, including Maura, Molly Mae and Anna—and it's fascinating to see how they all interact.
A Redditor noted that season five featured "a lot of strong personalities and people who weren’t conflict-averse," adding that they "felt like genuine personalities that were interesting to watch and didn’t shy away from expressing their feelings, even if it meant they might not look perfect on TV."
Redditor l1u2c3y4xyz also adds that the characters were "volatile, yet engaging." They wrote, "Almost every single islander was fiery or dramatic, and there were so many clashes. There were also countless complex romantic entanglements between islanders, as opposed to lots of couples who coupled up and were steady from the beginning."
3. The Storylines Are Compelling
According to Reddit fan lightredemption, this season included "satisfying arcs and storylines" that kept viewers invested, from Molly-Mae and Tommy's budding romance to Molly's friendships with the other Islanders. The Redditor wrote, "Forget about what happened after the show, at the end of the season it felt like all the 'main' characters had journeys that changed them for the better. Even though there were unpleasant, terrible moments—everyone came out on the other side in a way that was rootable and enjoyable. It was so cohesive and I don't think there's another season that's as satisfying to watch."
Another fan agreed and said, "[Season five is] literally unmatched, the chaotic energy of Anna and Curtis and Jordan and Michael and Amber and Maura combined is really spectacular to watch."
4. It's Unpredictable
No one could have predicted the dramatic twists that played out throughout season five, from Faye's explosive rant to Michael choosing to couple up with Joanna instead of Amber (which, according to fans, is easily one of the most shocking moments in Love Island history). And it's safe to say that several fans didn't expect Greg and Amber to be crowned the winners of season five.
One surprised fan said on Reddit, "How did Amber and Greg win?! Amber was with Michael for ages, then spent the rest of her time moping about Michael up until a week before the end, Greg came in, then she’s tossing up between Michael and Greg...Michael leaves and then she wins with Greg?"
In another surprise twist, Amber and Greg broke up just a few weeks after they left the villa, and both have since moved on to new relationships.
5. There's No Shortage of Iconic Moments
If you've spotted any roundups of the most memorable Love Island Moments, I guarantee you'll see quite a few from season five. For instance, remember how Anna went off on Jordan after learning that he has feelings for India? Or when Maura confronted Tom after finding out he called her an attention seeker?
These iconic moments are still talked about today. And according to one Reddit fan, it's Maura who served as the "catalyst" for many of these standout scenes—like when she riled up the other contestants by feeding a banana to Michael, or when she tried to steal Tommy from Molly.
One Redditor, followguy181818, explained, "We had someone who wasn't from the U.K., different accent, swore and talked openly about sex, went after what she wanted, zero f***s given, owned her sexuality and took no s*** from men (Tom). [These] lead to some iconic and memorable fights and scenes. She was a good friend as well, Maura was the whole package and made that season."
