♥️🏝️ Beyond the Villa S7
I left Love Island USA Season 7 actually liking both Hannah and Iris, but Beyond the Villa really changed my view of them. The immaturity and mean girl energy came through loud and clear, especially through exclusionary behavior. Sometimes freezing people out socially feels worse than direct conflict.
Expecting blind loyalty from people you casually know is wild. Acting like every man you once had a Love Island connection with is automatically off limits to everyone else, is genuinely middle school behavior. Maturity means understanding that people can coexist and be civil with people you personally do not get along with. These were public relationships that did not work out, and there are always two sides to every situation. Iris refusing to acknowledge that really highlights the immaturity.
Belle-A wanting people to be civil and get along should not be treated like a betrayal. Not everyone has to be best friends, but in group settings there should still be basic kindness and inclusion. Being upset because someone does not automatically hate your ex says more about your own insecurity than it does about her.
Even the whole Amaya Papaya situation felt overblown. In Palm Springs, everyone was able to greet each other, say hello, and move on with no tension. So when Bryan attempted something similar in Tahoe and was suddenly pulled away from, it came across as confusing and inconsistent. Setting boundaries is valid, but not every basic social interaction needs to become a major issue. Boundaries matter, but so do humility and self-awareness.
Hannah especially was disappointing to watch because the behavior came across as mean, dismissive, judgmental, and cliquey, while still somehow managing to play victim when called out. I also wonder if some of her anxiety comes from being defensive about how she is perceived and maybe knowing deep down that some of the behavior looks shallow. That does not make her a terrible person, but it does make the victim act harder to buy.
Overall, a little more humility and self-awareness would serve all of them well. You can be hurt, loyal to your friends, and dislike an ex, but that still does not give you a free pass to tear other women down or freeze people out socially. That is where they lost me.