Can’t Miss! Love Island USA on Peacock: The Hottest Reality Show of the Summer!

Welcome to Screen Banter, the newsletter for those feeling the intensity right now.

That is, the intensity of “Love Island USA.” This series, a spin-off from the original UK version, which we analyzed in depth in 2022, has monopolized the discussion among reality TV enthusiasts this summer like never before. This week’s “Guest Appearance” subject, podcaster Ben Mandelker, explains why.

Also featured in Screen Banter no. 141, our guide to the films that influenced “Deadpool & Wolverine,” now playing in theaters, along with two streaming recommendations for your weekend.

In Case You Missed It: The Summer Olympics

Must-read stories you may have overlooked

8 Olympics documentaries to catch before the Paris Games: To prepare you for the games, The Times TV team has curated a list of Olympic-themed documentaries available for streaming right now.

2024 Paris Olympics: How to watch every event and the opening ceremony: Here’s your guide to watching and streaming any of the 329 events at this summer’s games.

No matter the outcome at the Olympics, Simone Biles has crafted a comeback story for the ages: Through competitions, interviews, and a new Netflix docuseries, Biles has demonstrated that her return to the Olympics following her Tokyo “twisties” is a significant achievement.

Snoop Dogg to ignite the torch for the 2024 Olympics in Paris: ‘I got to do it’: Snoop Dogg’s latest gig? Olympic torchbearer. The rapper will carry the Olympic torch during the Games’ opening ceremony on Friday, as announced by a Paris-area mayor.

Turn On

Recommendations from The Times’ film and TV experts

“Two American Families: 1991-2024” (PBS, YouTube)

This remarkable “Frontline” documentary, filmed over 34 years, chronicles the lives of two working-class families from Milwaukee — the Stanleys, who are Black, and the Neumanns, who are white — as they struggle to avoid poverty and pursue the increasingly elusive American Dream.

The narrative begins in 1991, shortly after the breadwinners of both families were laid off from their (relatively) well-paying manufacturing jobs. To make ends meet, the Stanleys and Neumanns resort to physically demanding non-union jobs that pay a fraction of their previous wages, with meager benefits and irregular hours, forcing them to make painful decisions. Filmmakers Tom Casciato and Kathleen Hughes, along with host Bill Moyers, revisit Milwaukee numerous times over the next three decades as the families brace themselves through six presidential administrations and several cycles of economic growth and decline. Much like the “Up” series or Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood,” much of the film’s impact comes from the passage of time, and the heartbreak of watching the Neumann and Stanley parents age while their families’ financial conditions remain frustratingly stagnant.

Instead of bombarding viewers with statistics or analysis, “Two American Families” takes a personal, character-driven approach: You will find yourself deeply invested in people like Jackie Stanley, who always dresses impeccably in thrift store bargains because, as she puts it, “You have to fake it ’til you make it,” and Terry Neumann, who we meet as a young mother but who has become a great-grandmother with chronic aches and pains by the end of the film. You will admire their resilience, even while wishing their hard work actually guaranteed a certain level of financial security. As we find ourselves in the midst of another presidential election where Wisconsin — and Rust Belt states like Michigan and Pennsylvania — are likely to play a crucial role, “Two American Families” offers an unforgettable glimpse at the individuals that Washington policymakers tend to overlook once the ballots are counted. —Meredith Blake

MORE TO READ: ‘Two American Families’ is a saga of working-class struggle and survival

“Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net” (Amazon Prime Video)

It’s been 25 years since “O” premiered at Las Vegas’ Bellagio, and the aquatic acrobatics spectacular remains Cirque du Soleil’s most cherished — and lucrative — production: 11,000 performances, over 18 million viewers, and a performance occupancy rate of over 90% since its opening. Dawn Porter’s documentary explores the origins of this ambitious show and captures the company’s journey to resume performances after the pandemic by following some of its incredibly talented contortionists, aerialists, and artistic swimmers. The film also highlights the show’s stunning sequences — triple-somersault dives off Russian swings, partnered flying stunts atop a raised steel-frame ship — and the numerous people who collaborate on stage and behind the scenes to make it all happen every night, like the scuba divers who ensure the massive pool’s safety measures while coordinating the scene’s props, and the medics on standby in case anything goes wrong. —Ashley Lee

Catch Up

Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone’s talking about

It’s been six long years since audiences last watched Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool on the big screen, but Marvel’s popular antihero is back in “Deadpool & Wolverine,” currently in theaters. The film is a reunion of sorts: Reynolds’ first portrayal of Wade Wilson (a.k.a. Deadpool) was in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2009), which starred Hugh Jackman as the grumpy future X-Man. But without giving too much away, “Deadpool & Wolverine” also pays tribute to the “Deadpool” franchise, initially launched under Fox, which was bought by Disney in 2019.

Jackman made his debut as Wolverine in Fox’s first Marvel superhero movie, “X-Men” (2000), which introduced the popular team of mutants led by Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). The original trilogy includes “X2” (2003) and “X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006). Wolverine’s popularity led to a trilogy of films focusing on Jackman’s version of the character, including the origin story “X-Men Origins”; “The Wolverine” (2013), which sees the character traveling to Japan after the events of “Last Stand”; and “Logan” (2017), which depicts an older, more disillusioned Wolverine navigating a near future when mutants have stopped being born.

The X-Men weren’t Fox’s only superhero team. The studio also released a series of films featuring Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four. Unlike mutants, the members of the Fantastic Four gained superpowers after an experiment went awry. The original film series includes “Fantastic Four” (2005) and “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” (2007). (Fox eventually rebooted both the “X-Men” and “Fantastic Four” series.)

For those who want to see everything, Fox’s early wave of superhero films also include “Daredevil” (2003), which introduced the eponymous blind vigilante crime fighter, and its sequel, “Elektra” (2005). Fox’s Marvel collection, including “Deadpool” (2016) and “Deadpool 2” (2018), is available to stream on Disney+. (“X-Men: Origins,” “Elektra” and “Deadpool” can also be found on Max.) —Tracy Brown

Guest Appearance

A weekly conversation with actors, writers, directors, and others about their current projects — and what they’re watching

The realm of reality TV that fans lovingly refer to as the Bravo-verse extends beyond “The Real Housewives” or “Below Deck.” As observed and experienced by “Watch What Crappens” podcaster Ben Mandelker and co-host Ronnie Karam, the fandom has given rise to a cottage industry of blogs, social media accounts, talk shows, and more — which often end up influencing events on the show in turn. More than a decade after its launch, their comedy podcast intuitively understands how many of us watch the network’s shows, savoring every moment while trying to maintain a semblance of ironic distance from the absurdity or toxicity of it all. Mandelker recently joined Screen Banter to share his thoughts on how the genre has evolved, the greatest “Housewives” season of all time, and his pick for the reality show of the summer. —Matt Brennan

What’s the most underappreciated show or storyline in reality TV right now? What do you love about it and why do you think it’s overlooked?

“Love Island USA” has finally caught up and perhaps even surpassed its predecessor, “Love Island UK.” For years, “USA” struggled — first on CBS, which was a poor fit, and then on Peacock, where Sarah Hyland served as a confusing and misguided host.

Peacock made some progress by allowing uncensored language, but it wasn’t until Ariana Madix was introduced to the series that “Love Island USA” truly found its groove, earning the title of the No. 1 reality show on streaming.

“Love Island USA” is clearly not under the radar this summer, but what is underappreciated is the role the Bravo fandom plays in its rise.

Madix, from “Vanderpump Rules,” has been a “Love Island” fan for years, and by capitalizing on her Scandoval allure, Peacock smartly tapped into the Bravo fandom. Suddenly, Bravo content creators (including me) have extended their coverage to “Love Island,” and as a result, the show has received an unprecedented amount of exposure. Bravo fans are a potent force, and now that they’ve caught the “Love Island” bug, they’re driving the online conversation about the show. People who have never, ever watched the show are reaching out to me about “Love Island.” They once dismissed it, but now they’re hooked. I’m receiving emails and DMs about it every day. Even my “Love Island UK” loyalist friends have switched to “USA” (unprecedented).

I hope network executives and producers learn from the show’s rampant popularity this summer. For one, it’s refreshing to watch a reality show aimed at adults that doesn’t censor language. We’re all above 13. We can handle the F-words. More importantly, “Love Island USA” introduces a truly revolutionary concept that TV decision-makers should note: sometimes, people just chatting is enough.

The major twist about “Love Island” is that, despite its salaciousness, it’s essentially a show about people sitting around talking — on beanbags, on benches, on plush sofas under a sign that says “Soul Ties.” And the audience loves it! There are occasional “challenges,” but they’re quick, frivolous, and uncommon.

I compare it to a show like “Big Brother,” which now fills its episodes with cringe-inducing challenges that take up almost 30 minutes of airtime. Or perhaps a better comparison is “The Traitors,” whose physical competition seems to exist solely because some executive fears that without a physical challenge, the audience will be bored. (The joke’s on them: No one likes the challenges). My ultimate dream — as it relates to reality TV — is that other shows will follow Love Island’s lead and focus more on human interaction — and character development — than racing around obstacle courses.

You recently traveled to Europe for a series of live shows. What’s the biggest difference between Bravo fans abroad and Bravo fans in the U.S.?

I was amazed by the universal appeal that the Bravo shows have. I thought maybe our jokes wouldn’t resonate as well with European audiences, or maybe our sensibilities might be misaligned. Nope. Everyone laughs at the same behavior, loves the same characters, and watches the same shows as rapidly as in the U.S.

How has the unscripted space changed most dramatically since you started doing the podcast, from your perspective?

There has been an ongoing discussion, particularly after 2020, about how we handle these monsters we let onto our TVs. We want to laugh at bad behavior, but then we grapple with the consequences of giving vile people a platform. When we started in 2012, networks largely turned a blind eye. Now they are forced to confront this — even if they do so ineffectively.

Accountability in unscripted television speaks to the growing relationship between the audience and the network. The role of the audience has greatly expanded since we started podcasting about Bravo. We don’t just watch the shows. We comment. We tweet. We create memes. We submit questions for reunions. We look up legal records. We snap photos in restaurants. And these things greatly affect what happens on camera. It feels like we’re in a conversation with the shows.

There was a time when many of the unscripted series on Bravo were observational content. An audience was not acknowledged, and production was certainly never seen on camera. But now the fourth wall has crumbled. We hear producers asking questions on air; camera operators come into view; drama often stems directly from conversations about filming. Denise Richards famously declared “Bravo Bravo f— Bravo” because she’d been told the phrase would make her footage unusable … and Bravo aired it anyway! “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” concluded a triumphant Season 4 with the twist that its new cast member, Monica, was secretly an Instagram fan/troll who had harassed the cast for years.

In other words, these shows are meta now, and I think we’re seeing this trend across the genre as a whole. Audiences are more knowledgeable than ever before, and unscripted shows need to give us peeks behind the curtain or else risk treating their viewers as fools.

If you had to choose: What’s the greatest “Housewives” season of all time and why?

Season 8 of “Real Housewives of New York.” It’s a nearly perfect cast at the height of their neuroses. The season has a chaotic and unbelievable arc: Countess Luann, single and lonely, moves into Sonja Morgan’s townhouse but then finds herself falling head over heels for Sonja’s ex, Tom D’Agostino. Luann and Tom have a whirlwind romance, despite rumors of his infidelity, culminating in an engagement and then, of course, damning photos of him with another woman. Along the way, there is an epic meltdown in the Berkshires, a red carpet dry-cleaning party, and a highly coveted yacht. Nearly every episode is a masterclass in unscripted storytelling, and the whole season is an incredible showcase of the genre at its finest.