Being thrown together in whatever circumstances often means they have to learn to communicate, negotiate and understand the other person,” Peer explains. “Both those involved have focused on the flaws of the other and to an extent, exaggerated them to fit with their preconception of an archetypal enemy. Standing in opposition to the ‘love at first sight’ trope, where someone’s appealing qualities blind any flaws, the enemies to lovers trope sees each rival party focused entirely on the other person’s negatives, and having to renegotiate their perception of them in their mind. While it seems counterintuitive to consider a relationship with someone you absolutely cannot stand, Peer argues it allows for the perfect platform to build an authentic connection. Passion basically gives permission for the transition from enemies to lovers” – Dr Tony Ortega “Passion has to play a huge role in the transition to lovers With anger and passion, we can throw logic and caution out the window. It provides each an insight into the other’s psyche and an almost visceral understanding of ways to push buttons.” The interaction at the beginning is a point-scoring exercise that both parties enjoy. “The thin dividing line between love and hate means both emotions conjure up similar reactions, which ensures a powerful interaction from the start. “The intensity of emotion between two individuals who view one another as enemies or rivals or a threat creates a dramatic tension,” adds relationship expert and therapist Marisa Peer. If the pattern of verbal sparring is consistent and well-tolerated by both parties, it will build up to become stimulating.” This is one’s ability to be able to deal with negative emotions over time, and the more you engage in a certain behaviour, the stronger it will be.”
“Constant sparring can result in something called ‘affect tolerance’. “In the enemies to lovers scenario, we see two individuals in question who may well have had great disdain for each other working through it and becoming a sexual or romantic couple,” explains Dr Tony Ortega, clinical psychologist and author of numerous relationship management books. Often, audiences are given the impression that some of the greatest, most passionate relationships stem from a place of adversity.īut our interest in the well-trodden trope isn’t solely reserved for fiction – it’s something we’re keen to play out in our real lives too, and there is a psychological reason why some people who can’t stand the sight of each other end up in a romantic entanglement. It’s a trope beloved on BookTok, with videos recommending the spiciest rivals to romantic interest tales quickly racking up hundreds of thousands of likes from eager readers ready to sink their teeth into another steamy hate-to-love story. It’s a narrative we see littered throughout literature and popular culture: think Beatrice and Benedick’s ‘merry war’ in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Kate and Anthony’s simmering sexual tension in Bridgerton, or the bad-tempered bantering between Kat and Patrick in 10 Things I Hate About You. The enemies to lovers trope is not a storyline unique to Love Island. “The romcom babe in me is living for the enemies to lovers trope in Ekin-Su and Davide,” one person wrote on Twitter, while a second person said: “Ekin-Su and Davide are giving star crossed enemies to lovers it’s like a dramatic romcom watching them the best storyline to ever hit the villa.” The pair partnered up early on, but the relationship soured when Ekin-Su’s secretive snogs were shown for all to see, resulting in Davide’s now meme-worthy exclamation that Ekin-Su is a “liar and an actress” who deserves an Oscar for her conniving ways and should “go the fuck out.” While Davide persistently needled Ekin-Su – on one occasion saying that she had “expired” for him – their initial chemistry and constant back-and-forth didn’t stop fans longing for the pair to reunite. From crawling to the terrace to sneak kisses from Jay to taking it upon herself to share Gemma’s thoughts on Luca, she is the drama that has fuelled this season’s narrative.īut it is her on-again-off-again relationship with ‘Italian snack’ Davide Sanclimenti that has really captivated Love Island viewers.
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu is this year’s real star, sitting at the epicentre of this season’s biggest storylines.
The producers have outdone themselves by assembling an intriguing ensemble of Islanders, who ricochet off each other like bullets off concrete, leaving intricate patterns of chaos in their wake. After a lacklustre run in 2021 – with one of the high points being the brief inclusion of a man who called himself ‘Chuggs’ – Love Island is back to its best, with 100 million streams making the eighth and current season the most-watched yet.
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