Fans of the UK’s reality TV show Love Island rejoiced when it was announced we wouldn’t have to wait for the summer for our next Love Island fix!

And I mean, thank goodness. I was really over having my evenings free to watch whatever television show I wanted. I always think Love Island is going to be too much tv for me to handle when I first get going, what with a new episode airing every night of the week except Saturdays. But then that first Saturday rolls around… and I find myself sitting there wondering what on earth they’re up to in the villa and how much I can’t wait for Sunday night.

So yeah. I was pumped for the first ever Winter Love Island. To make sure the islanders would be ready to spend their extended vacation in the villa in sexy swimwear, a new villa was born in South Africa. The series started airing in January 2020, and it wrapped up the final episode tonight (which… if you watch Love Island, you can only hear the word “tonight” in Iain Stirling’s dramatic voice when you read it). Another successful series in the books right?

Well… this series was not without its challenges and criticisms.

Before I can say anything else about the show, we have to talk about the Love Island topic that has been making the most headlines both during and before this season aired: Caroline Flack. Flack was the show’s host for the first five seasons. But before she could return for this winter season, which would have been her sixth season on the show. There was some turmoil in her personal life. Flack was arrested and charged with assault, and it was decided it would be best for the show for the time being if she stepped down.

For the winter series of Love Island, Flack was replaced with Laura Whitmore (who also happens to be Iain Stirling’s girlfriend). But it sort of seemed like Flack would likely return to the show eventually, hopefully next season depending on how her trial went.

But Flack never made it to her trial date. On the 15th of February, Caroline Flack died by suicide. Since her death, we have learned more details about her death and her family released an unpublished Instagram post in which Caroline Flack gave her side of the assault story and offered an apology.

Caroline Flack’s story is very complicated and difficult to parse through. Domestic violence charges are serious, but so is the negligence of the tabloids in the UK. And social media. Many who have supported Flack and mourn her death have asked for more kindness and understanding in the face of these dire consequences. Some people have demanded the end of Love Island as a television show and didn’t know how this particular series could continue to go after such a tragedy.

I could go on about my particular feelings about social media, domestic violence, suicide, and all the other nuanced issues wrapped up in Caroline Flack’s story. But I don’t know that even if I spoke about it for 50,000+ words that I could do all of these topics justice. Here is my simple opinion of Caroline Flack and her connection Love Island. Caroline loved Love Island. Everyone who knows her says that. I don’t think the answer is canceling the show that she so enthusiastically was a part of and wanted to continue to be a part of. Caroline also never got her day in court, so I don’t think it’s fair for us to make assumptions about what sort of public scrutiny she did or didn’t deserve. Caroline Flack was an integral part of Love Island, and she will be missed. In the series final tonight, Love Island offered up a tribute to the show’s former host.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding her death, Caroline Flack will be missed.

Moving on to Laura Whitmore, who is the new host of the show and will likely remain the host considering her ties to the show’s narrator Iain Sterling: Many people have critiqued Whitmore as not being as dynamic and engaging of a host as her predecessor. But I think she did a great job, especially considering she seemed to have stepped into the role fairly last minute. Give her time. I think by next series, we’ll all be loving her.

The other major criticism launched at the winter series? It’s been boring. Why? Because everyone likes each other and generally gets along and enjoys one another’s company. GASP! How dare people on reality television ACTUALLY GET ALONG?

I have to disagree wholeheartedly with this critique. Actually, I would like Love Island: Series 6 to be a lesson to reality tv producers everywhere that there are other ways to make a show interesting besides catty fighting. Bachelor, we’re talking to you. This season of The Bachelor has been exhausting with all of the high emotions and fighting. You know what’s more fun to watch? Friendship. People goofing around and enjoying one another. I’m actually serious.

What’s also fun? Watching two women have a mature conversation about their differences rather than name calling. When Shaughna’s guy Callum dumped her for new girl Molly, Shaughna was obviously angry and hurt. But they had a nice lunch together and talked it out. At the end of the day, Shaughna let Molly know that she didn’t blame her for what happened. Molly hadn’t done anything wrong. And while they weren’t going to be best friends in the house, Shaughna had no hard feelings towards her. I mean. Amazing television. Again, I’m so serious.

Watching The Bachelor and Love Island at the same time made me really appreciate the maturity and fun personalities of the contestants on Love Island. I mean, maybe some of the contestants on The Bachelor have fun personalities, too, but we wouldn’t know it because all we see is fighting.

We also got a lot of really great couples out of this season. Leading up to tonight’s final, I thought to myself that Siannese & Luke T or Paige & Finn should be the winners. But I really liked everyone who was left. And Mike & Priscilla, who were eliminated in the penultimate episode, were also such a great couple. I really wish they could have stayed as well. I found myself tearing up to see them go, even though I knew we only had one episode left.

Looking back at the first winter series of Love Island, and all of the struggles behind the scenes and the criticisms launched at it, I think I have realized one major thing. Kindness does count for something. We don’t have to be cruel to one another for the sake of entertainment. I firmly believe this, and yet considering the fact that so many people on the Internet are complaining about how boring this season was and how the show should just be canceled in light of Caroline Flack’s death… I do feel like the majority of people are missing the point.

But then again, what else is new?

I don’t know what I’m going to do with my evenings now that Love Island is done, but I certainly hope to see it back in the summer.