“Temptation Island” is back with a new trailer to prove that time has not dulled the drama of this exercise in heteronormativity.
USA’s reboot of the once-controversial reality dating series will drop four new couples into a resort full of attractive singles, where they will go on dates with other people before deciding “whether to commit to a lifetime together – or ultimately give in to the temptation.”
“Temptation Island” will, shockingly, probably not go well for at least a few of these couples, judging by the amount of crying and hot tub canoodling going on in the trailer. At one point in the clip, one of the distraught temptees wonders aloud, “How is this happening?” as though this isn’t exactly what she signed up for.
But hey, if anybody can make it work, it’s probably Javen and Shari, whose bio includes the words “Shari still can’t get over the fact that Javen cheated on her in college,” or Kaci and her boyfriend Evan, who can’t figure out why he can’t bring himself to propose even though they’ve been together for a full decade. Karl and Nicole fell for each other while she was seeing someone else, but here’s hoping this time will be different.
Or maybe John and Kady will be the ones to resist temptation. After all, they do claim to “balance each other out and push one another to be the best versions of themselves” in their bio. Although, that sentence is immediately followed by the caveat, “Kady constantly questions John’s masculinity and has always wanted an ‘Alpha guy.’” Yikes.
Read the complete bios of the four happy couples below.
Javen Butler (25) and Shari Ligons (25)
Current city: San Francisco, Ca
How they met: High school sweethearts who met at 16-years-old
How long they’ve been dating: 8 years
A fiery, passionate couple who truly see one another as best friends, Javen and Shari are embarking on this journey to prove they are really meant to be together. High school sweethearts, they believe they are soul mates but Shari still can’t get over the fact that Javen cheated on her in college. They are headed to Temptation Island in order to ensure she can trust Javen again, Shari knows this experience will test their loyalty and love more than ever before. All the while, Javen would like for Shari to experience dating other men since she’s never dated anyone else besides him. Will Javen stray and cheat again or will he prove to Shari that he is a changed man?
Evan Smith (28) and Kaci Campbell (29)
Current city: Los Angeles, Ca
How they met: Went to rival high schools and connected right before college
How long they’ve been dating: On and off for 10 years; exclusive for the past 5 years
Throughout the past ten years, Evan and Kaci have grown alongside each other through every success and hardship. They believe in one another, but something has been holding them back. Kaci is ready for marriage and motherhood, and while Evan says he is too, he just can’t bring himself to get down on one knee. Kaci is tired of waiting and knows this experience will open their minds and hearts to ensure they are soul mates and help them commit to the next stage of their life. Will Evan get cold feet or will he finally agree to propose to the woman of his dreams?
Karl Collins (31) Nicole Tutewohl (25)
Current city: Chicago, Il
How they met: The gym
How long they’ve been dating: 2 ½ years
A fun, outgoing and down-to-earth couple, Karl and Nicole are always up for an adventure. They are both passionate about fitness and met at the gym while Nicole was still in another relationship. After her previous relationship fizzled, Nicole and Karl began dating and over two years later, they are trying to determine what is next for them. Both are starting to feel stagnant — but is it just that their honeymoon phase is over or are they getting bored of each other? On top of that, Nicole feels that Karl is her first true love, yet questions what “real love” even means. Will Nicole realize that she already has real love with Karl or will she let herself be stolen away by another man like once before?
John Thurmond (35) and Kady Cannon Krambeer (30)
Current city: Fort Worth, Tx
How they met: The dating app Bumble
How long they’ve been dating: 3 years
Kady is a country girl who has always been the long-term girlfriend, but never the bride. After meeting John, she finally felt she met her partner in life. John and Kady balance each other out and push one another to be the best versions of themselves. However, Kady constantly questions John’s masculinity and has always wanted an “Alpha guy.” The two of them both thought they were ready to take the leap towards marriage, but something held them back. As they got closer to that monumental step, they began to re-evaluate and together they want to use this journey to figure out who they are separately. Will the couple’s self-control be stronger than you think?