(CNN) Seriously, "Love Island," five nights a week of this -- a "Bachelor in Paradise"/"Big Brother" love child?

With "The Bachelor" and its various spinoffs, knockoffs and copycats, one might think there's an unlimited appetite for yet another fun-in-the-sun dating show. Yet CBS is testing that theory with "Love Island," an unscripted series that made its debut Tuesday. It comes with a proven pedigree in the UK, and the network is giving it a five-night-a-week summer run.

The main issues with "Love Island," and indeed most of these shows, involve being able to suspend disbelief that those participating are really looking for romance, as opposed to a trip to Fiji and the fame (or notoriety) and career prospects potentially yielded by weeks of primetime exposure.

Much has been written about the current "reality TV presidency," but the fact that these series continue to proliferate suggests there's still ample work to do in terms of media literacy and people having even a vague understanding of how the sausage gets made.

"Love Island" arrives as programs with similar conceits have essentially started recycling, from Fox's "Paradise Hotel," to USA reviving one-time Fox sensation "Temptation Island" -- a show built around whether committed couples can survive when having a menu of available singles to help rub suntan lotion on their backs.

Read More