Gen Z’s newest fad is watching TV in movie theaters. Here’s why

Gen Z’s newest fad is watching TV in movie theaters. Here’s why Reality TV watch parties have long been common, but screening episodes in theaters is making that shared viewing experience more immersive - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A growing number of Gen Z viewers are coupling up with reality TV in theaters, where communal screenings are turning streaming hits into shared social events. Peacock’s “Love Island USA,” a spinoff of the British original following 12 attractive singles as they navigate romance and shifting relationships in an exotic villa, has become a group viewing favorite thanks to its almost daily episodes and summer escapism. On Monday, hundreds of fans, including more than 300 at Cinemark Fairfax Corner in Virginia, attended a one-night theater screening of the Casa Amor episode, where the original couples are split and tested with new singles. In theaters, strangers watched together in real time, cheering and gasping collectively in a rare shared experience for Gen Z, a generation that, Aliza Shapiro, a clinical therapist based in New York, told the Washington Post, faces a loneliness crisis. “You’re [talking] about a generation that is very lonely and has been defined as very lonely,” Shapiro told the outlet. “For everyone, having community and a sense of belonging is the most foundational need that any human has.” More than half of “Love Island’s” audience is under 35, according to Nielsen data. Meanwhile, Gallup found that in 2025, 18 to 34-year-olds reported the highest levels of loneliness, with 26 percent saying they felt “a lot” of loneliness the previous day, which is higher than older age groups. “It’s not cool to come out and say, ‘I’m really lonely’ or ‘I’m surrounded by so many people and I still feel all of this loneliness,’” Shapiro added. Reality TV watch parties aren’t new. Fans of shows like “Survivor” and “The Bachelor” have long made group viewing part of the experience, often gathering at homes, bars or restaurants. But the move to screening TV episodes in movie theaters is scaling that communal experience into something larger and more immersive. Shapiro claimed that even something as simple as reality TV can reflect bigger truths about society and the world. “Sometimes TV is just TV, and that’s totally fine. But then there are opportunities for people who are experiencing loneliness to turn to something like ‘Love Island’ into a feeling of collective effervescence,” Shapiro told the Washington Post. Yosmar Toledo attended the special screening alone but told the outlet that she expected the shared viewing experience would help her connect with others in the audience. “I can literally sit there and talk about it with someone that watches. We could have a whole sit-down, breakdown of each islander and just talk about it,” Toledo said. For fans like roommates Rainia Hamdan and August Dichter, part of the draw is the routine of watching together, especially during the usual summer TV slowdown, along with the show’s fast pace and cast dynamics that keep them coming back. “And yes, we probably needed something to feel a little young again. We’re probably a little like past some of those social situations where we’d mess up that poorly,” Ditcher told the Washington Post. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments