The Love Island challenges briefly felt like a distant memory. We're talking about the themed games – usually playing on some sort of suggestive pun – which pit the girls and the blokes against each other to battle it out over sexy dance routines and regurgitated food.
These have formed a traditional part of the ITV2 dating show's format, ever since its 2015 reboot, but we've seen these games scaled back over recent years. As the show has evolved, we've waved farewell to the Twitter challenge, the controversial lie detector test is long gone and the headline challenge was decided against, too.
But there hadn't been a single slow-mo run to a decked-out challenge set so far in 2024 – until last night (June 11).
While the ITV2 show hailed its "On Job" challenge as a triumphant return, we couldn't help but feel that we just didn't need it.
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While the Love Island challenges have brought us some undeniably juicy moments across previous seasons – Stormzy calling out Olivia Attwood, anyone? – the reality television landscape has changed seismically in the show's time on air, and viewers are after something a little different.
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With OG surveillance format Big Brother now back on our screens and The Traitors (highly praised for its approach to casting relatable people) becoming a runaway hit for the BBC, there's a renewed appetite for authenticity within the genre.
In contrast, the Love Island challenges are, by their very nature, heavily produced. The cast are taken out of the confines of the villa, (sometimes) given themed costumes to wear and are essentially "performing" for us, depending on the theme of the game.
We know what you're thinking: Big Brother and The Traitors have challenges, too! But let's be honest with ourselves. The best thing about BB's are the classic tasks that invite mundane arguments, such as who is going to get their favourite brand of coffee added to the shopping list and who has to go without their fancy sausages.
The show excels when it puts down the wooden spoon of production and allows for more organic conversation and conflict.
Many of us also fast-forward through the Traitors' challenges, wanting to get to the strategy chats and high drama of the round tables. The tasks are arguably the least popular part of the winning format, even if we do have to confess that watching Our Diane bobbing about in her grave in the dark was inspired television and that her funeral scenes deserve all the awards.
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Basically, challenges can work when they serve the cast and the existing storylines that are playing out naturally on the show. Love Island 2024 has love triangles, breakup drama and partner-swapping – all interesting enough without the need for a couples' Supermarket Sweep or a wet slide into a puddle of Fairy liquid.
The truth-or-dare-style fire pit games flow much better within the format of the everyday aspects of the villa, and they invite the opportunity for a gasp without feeling too much like there's been outside involvement.
Let the drama speak for itself, Love Island. Because this season has plenty.
TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
