By Ava West
I am an avid watcher of the Amazon Prime Original show, “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” I know some may categorize it as cringey, stupid, or juvenile, but I disagree with most of those sentiments.
The show follows the life of Isabel (Belly) Conklin, over the course of a particular summer. Every summer, Belly’s family go to Cousins Beach and spend their time there with their family friends, the Fishers. Belly has been in love with Conrad Fisher for as long as she can remember, yet as the summer progresses, things shift and she begins to see Conrad, Conrad’s brother Jeremiah and herself in a different light. The series also follows; Steven (Belly’s brother), Laurel (Belly’s mother), Taylor (Belly’s best friend) and Susannah (Conrad and Jeremiah’s mother).
Any show is bound to have its cringey moments, and “The Summer I Turned Pretty” definitely does. But I would argue that it is not above average compared to other shows. I think one of the main reasons it is classified as cringey is because it looks to represent Gen Z. Many people, myself included at moments, find it weird or uncomfortable to see themselves so thoroughly (and sometimes incorrectly) depicted in media. It is hard to watch a scene that clearly was written by someone not from your generation that stereotypes or wrongly depicts you. But, I think moments in this series that are inaccurate portrayals of teenagers now are not frequent, they are not a staple in the show by any means.
I also think this show has been written off as stupid, as some of the main plot points of the show revolve around a love triangle. Society has long accepted the idea that romance in movies and TV are “chick flicks” or just for women. I find this idea fascinating, because most humans that I know long for romantic love— gender has nothing to do with it. Also, almost every movie or series geared toward men has at least one romantic plot line. So why is it when it is the center of the show, it is suddenly feminine? I don’t have an answer for you, but my opinion is that many romantic movies and series contain a multitude more depth than people want to give them credit for. “The Summer I Turned Pretty” addresses mental health, grief, first love, family dynamics, friendship and more.
I will say— the show is juvenile, but just in the way that any coming-of-age story ought to be. If you want to address the youth, you should do it head on. This series does not cower away from all the things that we find so important for a few moments and come to realize there is more, just as we all discover while growing up. So, if you have not seen it yet, I recommend closing this tab, and doing so now.
As for this season in particular, it does not disappoint. (Heavy spoilers for the first 2 seasons, along with some spoilers for the first 2 episodes of season 3, ahead.) We are once again privy to the life of Belly and the many turns it takes. If you thought that season 2 was devastating, this season is even more so.
Last season dealt with the fall out of Susannah’s death and Belly and Conrad’s breakup. It was painful to watch, as all the characters made poor decisions in the haze of their grief.
This season, there is a time jump, and we fast forward to the summer before Belly’s senior year of college. The jump is quite disorienting, as a lot has changed in the past four years. Belly has new friends, new aspirations and a new (old) boyfriend, Jeremiah. But as much as the jump is disorienting, it also stays true to the themes of the story. It does not feel like we, the audience, have lost things, because we did not get to witness those four years.
It does however, feel like, as everyone has aged, they have decided to make more and more poor decisions. For the sake of not spoiling everything, I will just say that many of the characters’ motives are less than favorable, and that many of their choices are not thought out well enough.
Yet, with all of this hard to watch, in the best way, material, the show is just as fun as ever. It is devastating, yes, but it is the devastating that life is. The decisions that we can’t undo, the time that we should have spent on other things and the clarity that comes with looking back.
I feel that this season does itself justice and cannot wait for more to come.
Episodes of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” premiere weekly on Wednesdays on Amazon Prime Video.
