Where do I rank Love Island USA season 6 against previous seasons?

Now that Love Island USA season 6 officially wrapped on July 21 (aside from the Love Island USA season 6 reunion, which airs on August 19) I find myself reflecting on the 30 plus episodes. While somewhere halfway through the season I crowned season 6 as the best season of the American franchise of the series, now that the winners have been crowned, I can't help but question my own assessment. 

It's human nature to be enticed by a shiny new toy, and in this case the toy was season 6. Love Island USA only airs once a year during the summer, so when the season launched in June, I like many fans found myself incredibly excited. So was my excitement in naming season 6 the best premature, or was I right to make my early assessment? Let's talk about it. 

Love Island USA season 6 casting is superb 

Although previous Love Island USA seasons have produced memorable stars like Johnny Middlebrooks and Justine Ndiba from season 2,  Zeta Morrison and Deb Chubb from season 4 and Kassy Castillo and Leonardo Dionicio from season 5, the season 6 cast as a whole is by far my favorite. 

Let's start with the women. I can't recall ever seeing such solidarity between the women islanders as I witnessed with season 6, and it was beautiful to watch. Even when minor spats erupted between Liv and Leah, the pair quickly put their disagreements aside, claiming their friendship and sisterhood was more important than arguing over the circumstances surrounding Andrea's departure. All the women were also remarkable in supporting one another through whatever headaches were prompted by the men's antics. 

Along the lines of friendship bonds, season 6 had the best I've seen from the American franchise. Between the trio of Leah, Serena and JaNa and the bromance of Aaron and Rob, this season of Love Island USA at times felt like watching a comedy with besties involved in adult hijinks rather than an actual reality TV dating show. 

But since this is a dating series, let's discuss the romance. Absolutely no love story from across the seasons was more beautiful to watch than that of season 6's Kordell and Serena. Fans may have questioned if she was initially interested in him and viewers may have blasted Kordell for his Casa Amor antics, but the two found their way back to each other. They let "love" conqueror all, and they just seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly or peas and carrots. 

Ariana triumphs as Love Island USA season 6 host

Season 6 also saw the hosting baton picked up by Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix. Although she previously confessed to being a superfan of the series and made a couple of appearances during season 5, I couldn't be certain how she would fare with an entire season of hosting duties. As it turns out, she was remarkable and I now can't picture seeing anyone else fill her shoes. 

What stood out to me was her knack for developing connections with the islanders. It was great to see her have a real compassion for islanders facing heartbreak or elimination. Additionally, I appreciated her willingness to "call out" Aaron for how he moved in Casa Amor and subsequently gaslit Kaylor about what he did and didn't do. 

Love Island USA season 6 is fiery, comical and overall captivating

Given each season of Love Island USA has over 30 episodes, there are times when I may feel justified in skipping an episode or two or leaning heavily on the fast-forward button. The events of season 6 made skipping an episode impossible. Heck, during Casa Amor, I was practically changing my evening plans so I could watch the episodes promptly when they became available. 

As if the everyday ups and downs in relationships on the island weren't entertaining enough, season 6 offered up the comedic one-liners from Leah, the surprise bombshells in season 5's Kassy and Harrison and, of course, the unexpected video call from Kordell's superstar football brother Odell Beckham Jr. That's what I'd call must-see TV. 

However, if there was a minor point of contention, it lay in the few times the show took the power of who gets dumped from the island out of the hands of viewers and placed it into the hands of the islanders. I won't name names, but a few islanders made it further than I thought they probably would have if it weren't for their castmates saving them. 

Love Island USA season 6 overall grade

All in all, I was right the first time. Love Island USA season 6 is the best in the franchise's history and earns an A from me. It surpasses its predecessors by far, and I can genuinely express sadness knowing the season is over, again outside of the reunion airing on August 19. 

All episodes of Love Island USA season 6 are now available to stream on Peacock.