Time flies in paradise. It feels like just yesterday that Bryce pulled Kayda for a chat, Sol sent shockwaves through the villa, and Corbin asked anyone who would listen for a kiss. But now we’re officially in the endgame, as Sunday marks the Season 8 finale of Love Island USA.
Before we find out which couple will take home the $100,000 prize, let’s take a look at where things stand in the villa — and which islanders have been on their A-game down the stretch.
Here are my final Love Island USA power rankings before Sunday’s finale.
Love Island USA Power Rankings
12. Sincere (–)
The gaslighting and love-bombing final boss. Everything Sincere says should be taken with a Pacific Ocean serving of salt. Like that time when — after Melanie admitted her worries about their real-world viability — he told her that he envisions her becoming his girlfriend, his wife, and the mother of his children. The fact that Sincere has people in the villa cheering him on, especially after Movie Night, is frankly appalling.
11. Kenzie (–)
Pretty much all of Kenzie’s problems were of her own making. While she shouldn’t have to apologize for how she moved in the villa before Dylan arrived, her words carry little weight if she had already said the same things to other guys. Moreover, Kenzie has no right to call out others — Gabriel and Corbin — for being “lustful” when the only reason she stopped exploring was, as Melanie pointed out, that she got exposed at Movie Night. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have kissed Gal — or, in her words, given him a handshake.
Still, let’s give credit where it’s due: Kenzie absolutely carried Karaoke night.
10. Zach (–)
KC’s romantic scavenger hunt for TiTi underscored one glaring insight: Zach literally hasn’t done anything for Kayda all summer. Instead, he asked her to be “exclusive” without ever defining what that actually means — other than, of course, avoiding a real commitment while expecting her to wait around until he decides what he wants.
9. Kayda (-5)
No matter what Trinity says, Kayda and Zach’s connection is clearly beyond a situationship. Let’s just spare everyone the trouble and agree that they’re “exclusively dating.” The real issue is that Kayda needs to recognize that Zach is simply scared of committing to her. She has spent all summer tolerating his aloof behavior while projecting her insecurities about their relationship onto other islanders.
Also, let’s not brush past how much of what she’s said lately has been a blatant contradiction. How can she believe that Kenzie learned her lesson after Movie Night and shouldn’t have to constantly reassure Dylan, while still looking at KC as though he cheated on his wife of 15 years?
8. Aniya (–)
Aniya had some really fun moments this week, from stealthily rallying the troops for a girls’ getaway to hilariously pulling a “you owe me one” on KC during a secret challenge. However, her being a proud member of “Team Sincere” after everything he’s put Melanie through — especially given all the vitriol the other girls directed at KC — is legitimately one of the most abhorrent displays of “friendship” I have ever seen.
7. Dylan (–)
Though hesitant, Dylan finally opened up to Kenzie, seeking reassurance after her flirtatious behavior was exposed during Movie Night. While he can’t be too upset about what she was doing before he arrived, Dylan has every right to question why, if she was already committed to him, she went out and kissed Gal just 20 minutes after discussing their life outside the villa. They might crash and burn before Sunday’s finale, but at least Dylan said what he needed to before it was too late.
6. Melanie (+3)
I feel awful for Melanie after everything she’s had to go through this summer. But there comes a point. She’s one of the most genuine people on the island, but her kindness continues to be exploited by her diabolical partner. Let’s hope that Family Day can help open her eyes — because her “friends” on the island clearly don’t have her best interests at heart.
5. Carl (-2)
Simply put, Carl is the man. Not only is he an incredible partner to Aniya, but he’s also a solid friend who shares his wisdom with anyone seeking it. If you’ve got a problem with Carl, I’ve got bad news for you: it’s probably a you thing.
4. Bryce (-2)
Bryce celebrated his 30th birthday in style — at a lavish villa with his new girlfriend. Season 8’s resident hopeless romantic skipped the show’s signature step of closing things off and jumped straight into a committed relationship with Trinity. He hasn’t stopped smiling — or been at the heart of any drama — since. This week, he encouraged KC to follow in his footsteps, giving his pal the nudge he needed to finally swing for the fences with TiTi.
3. Trinity (-2)
Truly an All-Star islander, Trinity has been a voice of reason, a dependable friend, and a constant source of good vibes. She and Bryce are not only a shoo-in for this season’s final four but also clear frontrunners for the $100,000 grand prize. The only thing keeping her from reclaiming the top spot on my list is, unfortunately, her prolonged stability. Her pairing is starting to feel a little like Jim and Pam by Season 7 of The Office — still a great match and easy to root for, but maybe a little too rinse-and-repeat by this point. Boring, I believe, is the word.
2. TiTi (+3)
TiTi’s villa experience has gone so much smoother than I expected. After coming in guns blazing, she quickly gelled with the girls while forming a rock-solid bond with KC — the two supporting each other through thick and thin. TiTi opened Tuesday’s episode by telling the girls she had found someone she could “finally bring home.” By the end of the night, she had her first real boyfriend.
1. KC (+5)
While he may not even make it to Sunday, let’s be honest with ourselves — KC has gone on a truly generational run this season. He survived the gauntlet after becoming the villa’s public enemy No. 1 when he returned from Casa Amor, then went on to take full accountability for his actions — even when several of them weren’t nearly as bad as many made them seem. Developing an undeniable connection with TiTi, KC punctuated Tuesday’s episode by designing an elaborate scavenger hunt that culminated in him asking her to be his girlfriend. Cue Mike Breen’s “double bang” call.
Who Are the Current Couples on Love Island USA?
- Melanie and Sincere
- TiTi and KC
- Kayda and Zach
- Trinity and Bryce
- Kenzie and Dylan
- Aniya and Carl
Who Has Been Eliminated from Love Island USA?
- Sean
- Beatriz
- Sol
- Gabriel
- Jen
- Amora
- Gal
- Jaiden
- Caleb
- Corbin
- Parmida
Love Island USA FAQ
When do Love Island USA episodes come out?
Love Island USA episodes air six days a week (Thursday-Tuesday) on Peacock at 9 p.m. ET.
Where can I stream Love Island USA episodes?
You can stream new episodes of Love Island USA on Peacock anytime after they drop on the platform.
