FBoy Island is the rare reality dating show that unabashedly embraces influencer culture

Salon.com

The HBO Max reality show sets itself apart with more than just its premise, says Kylie Cheung. "Throughout the season, the singles can be heard saying things like, 'I chose you because I think we looked good together,' or imagining themselves as a power couple on Maxim's Hot 100 list," she says. "Choosing a partner based on attraction isn't enough anymore; it's how they are perceived as a couple that is the sticking point. This is not a critique necessarily, but rather by design. The show is both hyper-aware that so-called fboys are a fixture on reality dating shows, just as social media and career influencers are too. From the moment Nakia Renee, Sarah Emig and CJ Franco — all of whom do some modeling and social media influencing themselves — are invited to choose the men for their first mini dates, they note the importance of a potential partner looking good with them. The keenness of the leads and contestants on each other's visual compatibility and who might look best on their Instagram grids isn't unrelatable, and it isn't all shallow. There's no shame in having a personal "brand," seeking physical compatibility, or anything like that. But the importance of this is taken to a new level by FBoy Island, a show on which personal branding — and who the stars choose to include in their brands — is a matter of business."