Skin, Sun and Sex appeal

The concept behind "Temptation Island" is simple, really. \nPut four couples up at a sexy Carribean hot spot for six weeks, toss in a bevy of leggy babes and buff guys, and watch the sparks fly. \nBut it seems the folks at Fox have really outdone themselves this time. \nHere's the clincher: Keep the singles away from one another. Separate the couples. Encourage a little mingling. Then step away quietly and watch the drama unfold. \nSo what's behind the obsession? What prompted this new surge of what Time has termed "Foxploitation"? What propelled the show's ratings to climb a whopping 9 percent between the first and second episodes? The answer, however apologetic, seems clear: It's sex, and sex sells. \nExhilarated by the show's voyeuristic take on contemporary "romance," viewers confirm "Temptation Island" as the show you "love to hate," says freshman Lauren Loew. This opinion is further affirmed by the plethora of Web sites dedicated to loving (and hating) the islanders. At Temptationislandsucks.com, for example, the program's foes gossip about characters and create anti-"Island" Web groups.\nSophomore Diana Clark agrees with the show's bashers. \n"I think the whole premise is appalling," she says. "But I know that if I watched it, I would be addicted. It looks like one of those shows that you just think is so wrong morally but you can't stop watching it."\nAccording to TV's Nielsen ratings, last Wednesday's episode of the six-week series won its time slot by 6 shares in adults ages 18-49 and by 19 shares in adults 18-34 , key demographic groups to advertisers. The resounding campus support of the program adheres to this figure; on Wednesday nights, nearly every room from 17th Street to Third is filled with sounds of bickering couples, catty women and the men lustfully pursuing them. It is, says sophomore Mike Rowe, "probably the greatest show on television."\nAdditional appeal stems from the gorgeous, almost otherworldly setting: tropical Belize. The show's male contestants are housed in Captain Morgan's Retreat, while the women stay in Mata Chica Resort. Both resorts lap at the ocean's edge, surrounded by coral, palm trees and oiled bodies.\nThe allure certainly exists. Sophomore Nate Bartels claims Wednesday nights have assumed special precedence in his weekly routine. \n"I just sit down with a big box of crackers and caffeine-free Sprite and have a good time," he says.\nAnd reminiscent of "Survivor"'s decimation of one female contestant's marriage, "Temptation Island" surely harbors its share of scandal. Yet it appears almost as if this is precisely what Fox was seeking: raw, provocative, lustful emotion, completely void of logic or loyalty. In a recent episode, one female character, Mandy, engages in a little beachside playtime with a fellow castmate. The affronting footage is then presented to Mandy's boyfriend. Most recently, the eligibility of one couple has been questioned because of the woman's pregnancy.\nYet none of this seems to faze viewers, who tune in week after week to catch the latest glimpse. Above all, the appeal of the flesh supersedes all logical reasons viewers avoid reality TV of this sort. "The girls are gorgeous," claims freshman Dave Dickerson. "I'm sure the guys will eat of the forbidden fruit"