We’re officially into week 2 of “Love Island USA,” which means that we have six full episodes to discuss! We get to know six bombshells, learn about the nuances of Gen Z “loverboy” culture, define “attributes,” and explore one of the greatest romance tropes of all time: Only One Bed. In this week’s recap we get into everything from the toxic dynamic that has bubbled up between Sincere and Melanie, to why Zach says he’s closed off and then immediately backtracks, to the slow burn appeal of Trinity and Bryce. And we close with America’s first opportunity to vote on the fates of our fair Islanders.

Season 8 of “Love Island USA” is here at last. And as Ariana Madix put it: “We’re so back.” She’s right. Summer is back, we’re back, and the beauty of watching sex idiots find love in a villa in Fiji is also back. Life is good. We’re watching hotties in bikinis swap spit, explain astrology (badly), and cut up apples (even more badly). And before episode 1 has even ended… the bombshells have entered the villa.

Before we dive headfirst into the new season of Love Island USA, we knew we needed to catch up on some reality news and gossip. First, we go through all of the updates on the “Perfect Match” season 4 couples, and consider who might be doing couple-baiting purely for PR purposes. Then we get into some “Love Island USA” casting news – including one Islander who has already been kicked out of the villa – and dive into some updates about West and Amanda from “Summer House” and Yvonne Najor from “In The City.”

Netflix has “Perfect Match” on a shorter and shorter leash, from 12 episodes in season 1 all the way down to just 8 this season – and boy, can you tell. In this rushed finale, we squeeze in one last challenge and boardroom, the shakiest couples patch it back up enough to limp to the final vote, and some mild tea about sneaky Spotify chats is spilled. The wildest part of the season doesn’t even happen until filming has already wrapped – and you know Nice Guy™ Chris and his Santa’s workshop of designer handbags has something to do with it.

Episodes 6 and 7 of “Perfect Match” dropped this week, leaving us with just the finale for next week – just as the show is finally starting to pick up steam. Putting the abysmal pacing aside, the drama is heating up as Demari and Marissa’s diametrically opposed communication styles threaten to tear apart their increasingly miserable relationship, one Jimmy does a better job locking it down than the other, and the singles make increasingly audacious plays for a spot in the house. A bait-and-switch kissing challenge brings it all together.

This week, we dive into the utterly depressing drama that has unfolded publicly between Mikayla Matthews, Taylor Frankie Paul, Jessi Draper and Mayci Neeley. We also get into some other news and gossip, including some rumors about “The Bachelor,” a “Love Is Blind” breakup, a “Summer House” pregnancy, and the absolutely wild description of Jenn Tran and Kaitlyn Bristowe’s new crossover reality show. Afterwards, we check in on our favorite soothing little treat: “Farmer Wants A Wife.” Spoiler alert: The ladies are droppin’ like flies.

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Netflix’s reality dating super-show is back for a fourth season, after a near-perfect third season featuring AD and Ollie’s transatlantic LIB love story. The concept, for those who aren’t familiar: sexy singles, mostly from Netflix reality shows, but also from “MAFS Australia,” “Vanderpump Rules,” and just… social media influencing, converge on a luxurious villa. This season features some reality dating icons – Marissa and Jimmy from “Love Is Blind,” Yamen and Natalie from “Temptation Island” – but is it hitting like previous “Perfect Match” season? That’s up for debate.

In this bonus episode, we go deep with Ilana Masad and Stevie K. Seibert Desjarlais on their new anthology: “Here For All The Reasons: Why We Watch The Bachelor.” It’s a book of essays about our first – and truest – love, “The Bachelor” franchise, and (surprise!) we even wrote an essay in it. We had such a fun time chatting with Ilana and Stevie about how this book came to be, where their relationship with the franchise began, why we continue to stick with “The Bachelor” when there are a million reasons we shouldn’t, and what they want to see from the future of the franchise.

Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen received mutual 3-year protective orders, and some interesting comments from the judge, in court last week. We discuss the updates in the ongoing legal battle, including an old voice memo from Jessi Draper being leaked to TMZ and some recent comments from execs behind “The Bachelorette” and “SLOMW” about the futures of the franchises. Whitney Leavitt is leaving “SLOMW,” and while she may be ready, we’re not! More “Summer House” reunion leaks dropped last week, and Amanda continues to come off as combative and willfully obtuse. Lauren Luyendyk took sides in the Alex Cooper/Alix Earle feud. And finally, we recap the second episode of “Farmer Wants A Wife,” in which Farmer Braden questions whether the women will enjoy farmwork, Farmer Brett gets goofy, and Farmer Sean talks about the trials of being a 22-year-old wealthy landowner seeking a faith-based non-golddigger.