Lightning usually only strikes – and devastates – once.

An interesting proposition is put before us this week on Fantasy Island. It’s a ‘Sliding Doors’ style proposition where our guest has the chance to view how her life would play out depending on her choice of partner.

This isn’t a dramatic analysis of arranged marriage – rather that is simply a tool to set up the enviable (at first glance) dilemma. Both the men in contention are kind, loving and handsome but have different strengths and different flaws which diverges the life path of their wife in some major ways. Into each life a little rain must fall, and the consequences of the choice of husband become ever more complex and difficult. You’ll be left relieved that, in reality (as opposed to the fantasies we see) the wife would only have had to suffer the devastation of a lightning strike once.

The island finds unexpected ways to answer fantasies, as we’ve already learned, addressing the questions and reasons beneath the expressed desires, and ultimately the lesson that our guest learns in this episode is a healthy one, that strikes me as a more hopeful and important one, going against the ‘getting married to my prince will solve all my life problems’ trope.

Elena’s experience in this episode seems a little less ethically sound – what would the island do if one employee’s fantasy involved another inhabitant? I’ll be tuning in for the fallout from this one…

Verdict: The secret third option is the winner this week and it’s beautiful. 8/10

Claire Smith